64 SPORTING STORIES 



netted as much and more over a single race ! But Nat 

 managed to amass a very respectable fortune, though he 

 never betted largely. He won nearly all the great prizes 

 on the Turf except the Oaks. 



Before Wells and Fordham came on the scene there was 

 no jockey in such continual request as Nat Flatman, and 

 the following story will show how great was his popularity. 

 At the rooms at Newmarket, one night, a match was made 

 between Mr Jacques and Mr O'Brien to run Semiramis 

 against Queen of the Gipsies. Each of these sportsmen had 

 Nat in mind when the weights were fixed, and the question 

 was which could secure him. Mr Jacques slipped out first, 

 went straight to Nat's lodging, and, finding that he had 

 gone to bed, threw some gravel up at the window. In a 

 minute or two Nat's solemn, night-capped head was seen 

 behind the blind, then he opened the window and asked — 



" Who's there ? " 



" Nat, I want you for a match to-morrow," was the reply. 



" What's the weight ? " 



" Seven stone nine." 



" Then I can't do it, sir. Good-night." 

 And Nat went back to his bed. But he had scarcely 

 pillowed his head when there came another rattle of gravel 

 against the window. This time it was Mr O'Brien, breath- 

 less with haste. 



" Nat, I want you for a match to-morrow." 



" What's the match ? " 



" Queen of the Gipsies against Semiramis." 



" Can't do it. I'm engaged already." 

 In went Nat's head, down came the window, and Mr 

 O'Brien was left lamenting. 



Fred Archer carried " wasting " to a point where it 

 becomes fatal. In his last Cambridgeshire he had to get 

 himself down to 8 st. 7 lbs. to ride St Mirin. After he had 

 won the Criterion Stakes on Caller Herrin' by a master- 

 piece of jockeyship he went straight home, had a dose of 

 his " wasting mixture," got into his vapour bath, where he 

 remained over two hours, and then went to bed, in order 

 that he should not be tempted to eat. He did not taste 

 food (I have this information from one of his most intimate 



