My Racing Adventures 



about " Ursula," who secured the Earl Spencer's 

 Plate, etc. : I did not ride them. They appear 

 to have won pretty comfortably without my 

 assistance in the saddle ; and it is a curious 

 reflection, by the way, that nobody (not even 

 the most splendid jockey) seems to be more 

 indispensable after he has finished than before 

 he has begun. If he has only put a bit by for 

 a rainy day ! 



My father trained " Shifnal " here when that 

 horse won the Grand National at the second 

 time of asking. He was bought out of a selling 

 race at Alexandra Park. At his first essay for 

 the " Liverpool," " Shifnal " did not quite please 

 his indefatigable trainer — his condition left some- 

 thing, perhaps, to be desired by a keen expert in 

 the art of fitness — and after the race my father 

 said to Mr C. Hibbert, pointing to " Shifnal," 

 "There you see the winner of next year's 

 ' National.' " Few Turf vaticinations are realised 

 so correctly as that was ; it came true to the 

 letter. 



After his initial struggle at Aintree, leg 

 troubles were suffered by " Shifnal." They were 

 rather serious ; he was fired and turned out for a 

 while, being vastly benefited by that course of 

 treatment. Practically sound again, his second 



270 



