South Hatch 



preparation for premier cross-country honours 

 was thoroughly successful. Well ridden by the 

 late John Jones, who was a near neighbour of 

 ours at Priam Lodge, he won at his second 

 attempt as recorded, and there was joy in the 

 South Hatch camp that night. Several small 

 inmates were not forgotten. One of them — 

 myself, to wit — had no idea that he was destined 

 to ride three Grand National winners in England 

 and one in Scotland, to say nothing about minor 

 triumphs placed to the credit of his account. 

 Another innings — it is a platitude — might put 

 new heart into us and give us a fresh lease of 

 life. 



The story of " Ilex," also trained at South 

 Hatch, I have already told. I rode him in 

 pretty nearly all his work at home, and I recollect 

 my sire's wrath when on a crisp winter's morning 

 I larked " Ilex " over a hurdle in our paddock 

 for the sake of a little divertissement. The 

 paternal eloquence flowed freely in my direc- 

 tion. " Here you are," cried the author of my 

 being, " playing about with the favourite for the 

 'National,' when you know that if anything 

 happens to him I shall not cut you off with 

 a shilling — I shall cut you off with a whip." 

 His bark was generally worse than his bite ; the 



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