76 Indian Racing Reminiscences. 



horses in my charge. At the last moment I was 

 disappointed about a rider for the race for which he 

 was entered, so had to get up myself. As soon as I 

 was in the 2 lbs. saddle which I had to use to " get 

 the weight," I found that the stirrup irons were of the 

 very smallest size and far too tight for my feet, espe- 

 cially as I had on rather stout top-boots. There was 

 nothing for it but to proceed, as the remainder of the 

 field were waiting for me, so I took the stirrups up and 

 cantered down to the post. Toprail had much the 

 worst of the handicap on public form, and was, besides 

 that, in a bad temper ; while I, of course, thought there 

 was no chance without stirrups, so I let him go at his 

 own pace — which was a slow one. When we had gone 

 half a mile, our horses were quite 150 yards in front 

 of us. Toprail suddenly, out of, probably, pure con- 

 trariety, took the snaffle between his teeth, laid himself 

 down to gallop, and would actually have won, had he 

 not twisted a racing-plate at the turn home and lamed 

 himself for the time being. " What a proof," I mused 

 to myself, " of the advisability of letting rogues make 

 their own running." 



