My Racing Adventures 



ship is an additional tit-bit not often tasted in 

 this combination. We cannot expect to have 

 all the good things of life in a cluster — not even 

 when we are turning out winners with automatic 

 precision and do not mind having a flutter with 

 the money. 



In 1894 I had the great honour of training for 

 His Majesty the King. A mare called " The 

 Vigil " belonging to the King was sent to me to 

 be prepared for her jumping engagements, and, 

 though she was useful, I had no luck with her. 

 She was made favourite for the Sandown Grand 

 Prize, but she rolled over with me at one of the 

 hurdles, and a lot of money was left in the mud 

 that day. My sensations, mental and physical, 

 were not hilarious after that pernicious "purler." 

 The King was the first to meet me near the 

 paddock, and asked if I were hurt. Naturally 

 I felt highly gratified by such gracious considera- 

 tion on His Majesty's part ; and I was hurt, as 

 the saying is, more in purse than person. 



" The Vigil " only ran once after that whilst 

 I trained her, her next appearance in public 

 being in a hurdle race, when she ran second. 

 She was then sold to go to Belgium, being suc- 

 cessful in the big steeplechase at Brussels. Her 

 jockey on that occasion was Fred Hassall, a 



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