XVIII.— RIDES IN THE "NATIONAL" 



In addition to winning the Grand National 

 Steeplechase three times — an achievement of 

 which I am not a little proud in moments of 

 rare exultation — I have had several unsuccessful 

 mounts in the great Aintree race. It has been 

 a sort of happy hunting-ground of mine. As a 

 matter of fact, I have ridden in it fifteen times, 

 and have only fallen twice, though I was knocked 

 over on " Detail " by the King's horse, " Ambush," 

 then loose. That mishap made no difference to 

 the ultimate result so far as I was concerned. 

 " Detail " was well beaten at the moment of his 

 undoing, and his subsequent running showed 

 that he had lost his form. Yet, of course, un- 

 kind things were said about his jockey. It 

 seems that we cannot always hope to escape 

 calumny when we put on our breeches and 

 boots. But what sporting associations they 

 suggest to a mind not diseased ! If the horse — 

 it is a pious aspiration — be only good enough ! 



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