My Racing Adventures 



knew no better. Thus, to make the story clear, 

 I am acquainted with several trainers who used 

 to ride at a light weight not so long ago, and are 

 now ponderous enough to please the most way- 

 ward or exacting fancy. I do not propose to 

 mention their names ; it would be unfair on the 

 others ; and, besides, those heavy friends have 

 usually a heart of gold. If the weight were only 

 in their pocket ! 



Nor do I quite agree with the assertion often 

 propounded that numbers of jockeys have been 

 (and are being) killed by " wasting." Though I 

 cannot speak of times long passed, I can say that 

 I have known very few jockeys whom " wasting " 

 has destroyed ; and, in my own case, I do not 

 think it has injured my health at all. Many 

 tumbles have been infinitely more disastrous. To 

 be " outed " at the ditch in the familiar one act 

 — well, that is rather more trying to the system 

 than a series of long walks and an absence from 

 the table when it is groaning — I have copied the 

 words — with good cheer. 



" What you want," an old trainer said to his 

 little jockey weeping for food, " what you want 

 is not a good dinner, but simply a good sniff of 

 it, and if you dare to come here again on such an 

 errand " — he waved his big stick truculently — " I 



44 



