A Jockey Family 



race, and if you were able to ride much better, 

 the other jockeys would require a new pair 

 of wings ere they dare to fly with you again." 

 The old gentleman suitably acknowledged that 

 august recognition of his merit. 



Thus bred to the game, so to speak, my father 

 began riding at an early age ; he had the right 

 sort of practice and tuition. He was fairly suc- 

 cessful on the flat, and in 1860 he was performing 

 regularly in steeplechases. At about that date he 

 had the mount on a horse called " Roscommon " 

 in the Berkshire Open Steeplechase, when he made 

 a grand race of it against George Stevens on 

 " Omar Pacha," but the latter just managed to 

 beat him for first place. Riding in that race were 

 such famous jockeys as Tom Oliver, Joe Kendall, 

 Mr Thomas, Chris. Green, and George Holman ; 

 so, as will be noted, my father was trying himself 

 pretty highly on that occasion. But, if his steed 

 were good enough for the job, he was never 

 intimidated by the strength of the opposition. 

 "Do your best," he was wont to say, "and if 

 there is a better to beat you at the finish, that is 

 your misfortune, not your fault." Such words of 

 wisdom were treasured up by us for future use in 

 case of accident. 



I remember my father telling me, for instance 



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