My First Winners 



able. The idea of defeat — until he is defeated — 

 does not enter into his calculations. 



What made " Bonnie King Charley's " victory 

 the more extraordinary was the fact that he 

 presented the appearance of a short-tailed hunter, 

 and looked more like catching foxes than win- 

 ning races. But he was a genuine tryer, with a 

 nice turn of speed. His owner, Mr E. Woodland, 

 had been riding him in Hunters' Flat Races — 

 then rather popular, now rarely seen — and his 

 sudden conversion into a successful sprinter was 

 not a little wonderful. I shall always remember 

 him with affection and gratitude. One's first 

 winner is something like one's first love — sweeter 

 than the others. 



Soon after that initial victory I began to turn 

 my attention to steeplechase riding, of which I 

 have always been very fond. Here I was suc- 

 cessful at the first attempt, as narrated. That 

 was on " Struanite," at Sandown Park in 1884. 

 She belonged to Mr " Regent," and my father 

 trained her. It was just about that time the 

 unguarded ditch was introduced ; it was an 

 awkward fence to negotiate, falls being frequent 

 there ; but happily " Struanite " made no mistake, 

 jumping perfectly, and winning in clever style. 

 The open ditch, as it actually was at that period, 



29 



