My Racing Adventures 



Here is an appropriate extract from my scrap- 

 book : "February 28, 1891. On this day John 

 Nightingall, aged eight years, rode his pony, 

 'Punchie,' with the Surrey Union Foxhounds 

 by himself, and rode to the finish, when hounds 

 killed their fox after a great run. Mr Bennett, 

 the Master, afterwards presented John Night- 

 ingall with the brush." That refers, of course, 

 to my youngest brother. Keen on hunting, with 

 a strong penchant for golf, he now also rides his 

 fair share of winners. I may interpolate another 

 excerpt from the same sporting volume just 

 quoted, to wit : " As John Nightingall was win- 

 ning on 'Royal Rouge'" — people used to call 

 him " Royal Rogue," but not now — " it reminded 

 me of a conversation I had with his father many 

 years ago. I was talking to old John about the 

 splendid horsemanship of his sons, William and 

 Arthur, and he said : ' Yes, they ride very well, 

 but wait until little Jack is old enough to ride ; 

 his mother is Bob I 'Anson's sister.' " 



That pedigree is, of course, unimpeachable. I 

 have seen all the best cross-country riders during 

 the past twenty - five years, and have ridden 

 against most of them ; but I have never seen 

 a better — I never hope to do so — than genial 

 Robert I'Anson. It is a treat to watch him now 



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