My Racing Adventures 



and Turf Stories," H. Custance, the once cele- 

 brated jockey, mentions that he went to live at 

 South Hatch about 1856 with Mr " Mellish," 

 who was better known as Mr Ned Smith. That 

 gentleman had at one time nearly forty horses in 

 training there, including " Adamas," " Hunting- 

 don," " Squire Watt," and " Tame Deer." They 

 used to win in their turn — perhaps oftener when 

 the need was pressing. Apparently, however, 

 they did not fly at too high game as a rule, and 

 Custance relates some amusing incidents con- 

 nected with their performances at sundry country 

 meetings. Money does not seem to have been 

 very plentiful in those " good old days " ; some 

 of the stakes were small. 



But Mr " Mellish " was quite an indomitable 

 owner ; what he sighed for he played for with 

 enthusiasm, rarely missing fire ; and, according 

 to report, he once told his jockey at a meeting 

 in the wilds of Yorkshire : " If you don't win this 

 race, my lad, you will have to walk home with 

 the horse, and who is to keep you both in clover 

 during the journey the Lord only knows." Such 

 emphatic riding orders are apt to make even the 

 smallest jockey feel like a hero in disguise, disgust, 

 or despair. Walking home with a horse is not 

 an exhilarating experience (with uncertainty as 



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