TRAINERS AND JOCKEYS 49 



plight, and after that ill-starred Sunday ride he was never 

 good for anything. 



Sir Mark Wood was the hero of a somewhat similar 

 anecdote. Sir Mark was a man with a singular and 

 particular regard for the proprieties of life, both spiritual 

 and temporal. On one occasion he wanted a supply of 

 straw for his horses, and, meeting Mr Witt, a gentleman 

 who lived about three miles from his residence at Hare 

 Park, he asked him whether he would oblige him with a 

 waggon-load as soon as possible. Mr Witt, who was 

 always anxious to oblige gentlemen connected with the 

 Turf, ordered the straw to be loaded forthwith, and sent 

 early on the following morning to Hare Park. The next 

 day happened to be Good Friday, and the straw arrived at 

 the Park about eight in the morning. Sir Mark was taking 

 an early stroll, and seeing the waggon, walked up to the 

 waggoner and asked him who sent the straw. On being 

 told, he exclaimed, " Good Heaven ! is your master a 

 heathen? Take back the straw at once. I'll not have 

 godlessness bringing bad luck to my stables." 



Few public men in his way of life had more marked 

 personal peculiarities than John Day. It was impossible 

 to mistake " Honest John " on his horse. He had a very 

 noticeable hollow in the back, good width of shoulder, and 

 a cast of countenance there was no mistaking. He was 

 altogether a well-made little man ; but he was scarcely 

 a great horseman. There are comparatively few brilliant 

 bits of riding associated with his name; but he was a 

 careful, safe man, and seldom made a mistake. It was 

 as a trainer that John Day made his mark. There was 

 no better judge of a young one, and no one knew better 

 what to teach him, if he could only stay the course of 

 instruction. But his preparation was proverbially severe, 

 and not many could stand it. 



" Well, John," said Isaac Sadler to him one day, as he 

 was watching three of his two-year-olds at exercise, " well, 

 John, what do you think of them ? " " John beggared his 

 limbs," and hinted something not very complimentary. 



" Oh, never mind," answered Isaac ; " I will tell you 

 what they have got, John ; they have got twelve sound 



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