GENERAL REMARKS. 391 



easily. This is the only case, which I can quote, of 

 the advantage of having defective hearing — at least, at 

 racing. 



I remember, however, a case that occurred abroad, in which 

 rascality was frustrated by the fact of a would-be tempter 

 having an impediment in his speech. A jockey who stam- 

 mered very badly, had backed the horse he was riding, for a 

 great deal of money. At the distance post he found himself 

 collared by an outsider, who came up full of running. Know- 

 ing his man, he stuttered out to his unexpected opponent : 

 " I — I — I w — w — will g — g — g — " ; but, in the excitement of 

 the moment, he could not complete his sentence. Brimful of 

 mortification at his loss, he afterwards reproached his friend 

 for not having listened to him, and said that he would have 

 given him a hundred pounds to have pulled. " Then why the 

 deuce didn't you say so ? " was all the consolation he got from 

 his brother rogue. 



If a jockey be behind two horses — the leading one close to 

 the inside of the course, while the other is a little away from 

 it, but in rear of the leader — he should never attempt to 

 get through on the inside, unless he knows what sort of men 

 he has to deal with, and that there is a good chance of their 

 giving way to him ; for all that the second jockey will have to 

 do, in order to shut him in, will be to close up on the leader. 

 He will then be obliged to slacken speed, so as to let the 

 second horse pass him, before he can get round on the outside. 

 If the two leaders act in concert, they may slacken speed at 

 the same time as he does, and keep him hemmed in until all 

 chance of winning be passed. Many who ought to have 

 known better, have been caught in this trap. As this 

 manoeuvre is accomplished without any crossing or jostling, it 

 does not come under the head of foul riding. 



It is, generally, dangerous to try to get through on the 

 inside ; for many men will refuse to give way, or to pull out, 



