54 Indian Racing Reminiscences. 



money lost and won over this race, and never did a 

 rider, on an Indian course, receive a heartier or better- 

 merited greeting than Captain Dudley did on returning 

 to scale. 



During one of the days of the Lahore Spring Meeting 



of 1868, Captain Dudley, who had won the first two 



events, was glad to have the chance of" standing down " 



for the third, as he was engaged for the last two ; there 



being altogether five races on the card. The brief and 



acceptable respite which he was taking on this sultry 



Indian afternoon was abruptly shortened by a racing 



friend of his coming up to him and begging, by all things 



sporting, that he would ride his mare, Vivandiere ; for 



he was unable to do so himself, as he had that morning, 



when schooling a raw Waler over a country, fallen and 



sprained his wrists. Though Captain Dudley pleaded 



fatigue, thirst, the shocking bad chance the mare 



really possessed, and many other valid reasons, re- 



monstance proved useless, for to each excuse the 



reply was, " So awfully obliged if you would." As 



the saddling bell had ceased ringing, he soon found 



himself, much against his wish, cantering down the 



course, in the blue and white of his Artillery friend, to 



join a large field of horses at the post for the Stand 



