My Racing Adventures 



moments of resignation, that if I had to ride 

 that race again I might not be beaten by a head. 

 Brother William and I were perhaps too eager 

 to trounce each other on that occasion, and if 

 Turf annals are searched with diligent care, other 

 instances may be found — they are full of rich 

 sporting significance — in which brotherly love 

 has come off second best. 



Another curious circumstance having relation 

 to the same interesting subject is that the only 

 dead-heat I have ridden in a steeplechase was 

 on " Bay Comus " at Sandown against " Grey 

 Friars," whose jockey was William Nightingall. 

 Running it off, I asserted my supremacy for the 

 nonce, but assuredly we both earned our fees in 

 that race. " Grey Friars " was not such a cut- 

 and - come - again customer as mine ; hence he 

 did not seem to reproduce his best form in the 

 second outing. It is hard to struggle again to 

 the bitter end, after reaching it once upsides 

 with the leader. 



There used to be, by the way, an old-time 

 jockey who, as alleged, was rarely very strenu- 

 ous, his vocation being, so the story goes, to ride 

 horses not anxiously "expected." He was not 

 particularly active and alert at the starting-post. 



Once the starter, having dropped his flag, called 



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