THE LAST OF THE CHIFNEYS. 181 



tliis assault William Chifney suffered some months' im- 

 prisonment, but we must bear in mind the habits of the 

 ag'e, and the provocation he received. His father was, no 

 doubt, old and enfeebled ; for, if this was in 1803, he 

 broug-ht out his booL* in 1804, and died w^ithin the rules 

 of the Fleet in December, 1806. 



The son William, who, in addition to his fathers 

 instruction, had, of course, been a deal with his uncle 

 Smallman, went on about Newmarket, until he had 

 liorses running' there in his own name — Pendulum and a 

 smartish filly. Romp, to begin with. Then came "the 

 Chifneys " day with Lord Darlington, and their doing-s 

 with Memnon and other high priced ones, though their 

 success was not o'reat. As-ain, there was Sam's eno'ao-e- 

 ment with Mr. Thornhill, with Will to help him, and 

 Sam, Shoveller, and Sailor, all winners at Epsom in three 

 years following ; but, somehow or other, the jockey g'ets 

 more the credit of these than his able adviser. Fickle 

 fortune, however, gradually turned again ag-ainst Mr. 

 Thornhill, ^nd by 1829, as we have already sketched, the 

 Chifneys were doing more on their own account than for 

 the Squii e of Riddlesworth ; they had Zinganee running*, 

 and the great Priam, for which William g'ave a thousand 

 when a yearling, in work. Still, it was during- this era of 

 otherwise comparative calm in the fortunes of the Chif- 

 neys that William's fine judgment led to perhaps Sam's 

 very finest bit of riding. In 1825 Will claimed Wings on 

 the Wednesday at Epsom after her winning- the Cup, and 

 would only give her up to General Grosvcnor on condition 

 that his brother rode her, and not The Brownie, for the 

 Oaks on the Friday. Wings won after a very close race, 

 and the Brownie was nowhere. William Chifney, how- 

 ever, could ride himself if he so chose, and many is the 



