BRITISH TURF. 587 



to end, so that by cutting up the horses opposed 

 to him by severe " play," he wins the race. 

 Such a horse is also called " honest ;" and when 

 of an idle or lurching disposition, and requiring 

 much rousing and even punishment, he is some- 

 times called a '* lawyer," from his not going with- 

 out being paid. 



When speed, not stoutness, is the best of a 

 horse, quite a contrary system is practised. With 

 such a horse, the jockey plays a waiting game ; 

 that is, he carefully nurses him through the race, 

 so as not to distress him by overpacing him ; as 

 the finish approaches, he creeps up to his horses 

 by degrees, but does not quit them to go in front 

 till he sees that the pace has made them " safe," 

 — when he lets loose and wins. 



When the distance is short, as in the half-mile 

 race, the jockey must be on the qui vive, not to 

 lose any ground at starting, but catching fast hold 

 of his horse's head, and sticking both spurs into 

 his sides, he is off the moment the signal is given, 

 endeavouring to get his horse into speed as soon 

 as possible. 



In races of a longer distance, this is not neces- 

 sary. In these, the jockey may start last ; taking 

 care, however, not to lie too far out of his ground. 

 This, indeed, is the method preferred by many of 

 our best riders of the present day, as it the better 

 enables them to judge how the pace affects the 

 other horses ; the whole race being, as it were, a 



