My Racing Adventures 



example." We must have one, or our excursus 

 would be lacking in verisimilitude. No jockey 

 has ridden more horses over a country than I 

 have ; for a losing mount my fee has been five 

 pounds, less one shilling and sixpence charged 

 by Messrs Weatherby for collection, and for a 

 winning mount the fee was ten pounds, less 

 two shillings and sixpence deducted by the firm 

 named for the same purpose. So far so good ; 

 we seem to be making money hand over fist ; 

 visions of affluence excite the mind. What cash 

 to put by for a rainy day or two, so as to keep 

 our feet cosily warm and dry in the stormiest 

 weather ! But, ah me ! there are many per contra 

 items in the account. Unless a jockey is specially 

 engaged to ride at a certain meeting, or steers 

 horses trained by himself, he has to pay all his 

 own expenses. They amount to a pretty con- 

 siderable total, since railway fares, hotel charges, 

 etc., constitute an onerous series of disbursements. 

 In fact, as a well-known racing man observed : 

 " Our hand is never out of our pocket ; and if we 

 do not find somebody else's hand or hands there, 

 we may esteem ourselves exceptionally lucky." 



It is certainly not easy to go racing on the 

 cheap. Cold comforters are those narrow-minded 

 souls who preach economy in a branch of sport 



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