68 Indian Racing Reminiscences. 



was when I was home in Ireland on sick leave from 

 India in 1867. It happened thus. 



One day I went to Oueenstown to see some foot races 

 at which four or five men of the 65th Regiment were 

 running. As that battalion had several " fleet of foot," 

 I watched the 100 yds. open race with interest. A large 

 field, which was dispatched in one heat, faced the 

 starter. On the word being given, a sergeant of the 

 65th, who was their speediest man, went to the front 

 and seemed to be winning easily, as the other runners, 

 from their numbers, were impeding each other, when 

 suddenly, on an opening occurring, a country lad who 

 was running, dashed through his men as if they were 

 standing still, and beat the sergeant on the post, although 

 he was fully five yards behind him, ten strides from the 

 tape. I was so astounded by this performance that I 

 could hardly speak when I went up to the young winner,. 

 John Tobin. I took him aside and asked him if he 

 would come and stay with me for a short time, and that 

 I would get on a good match for him. To this he 

 readily assented. Tobin was then about twenty-two ; he 

 stood just six feet, and was built on the " lines " of a 

 Waterloo Cup winner, being all steel and whipcord. 

 The first time I tried him, he did his lOO yds. in loj^secs.. 



