MARVELLOUS HORSEMANSHIP. 365 



perhaps, for the trainer to rely a little on his own 

 judgment in running long races ; bat, seeing he is 

 outstripped by the march of intellect, he to-day wisely 

 and tacitly accepts the proffered assistance of his own 

 or anybody's jockey, or indeed of anyone, and by the 

 friendly aid of owners and their dear respected friends, 

 he succeeds. 



The skill of our modern artists in riding is, with 

 few exceptions, every day more and more conspicuous 

 in winning with a horse that apparently has no 

 chance of contending successfully with many of the 

 others he is engaged against ; and, in turn, by the 

 same delicate handling, the vanquished is proclaimed 

 the victor, to the astonishment of all concerned in the 

 wonderful transformation scene, and the delight of the 

 bystanders and bookmakers. Nothing in ancient 

 history is recorded of such surprising and truly 

 wonderful feats of horsemanship, nor could Witti- 

 combe himself at Astley's have produced anything so 

 marvellously effective. Formerly — that is to say, in 

 Mr. Chifney's time — horses were trained on the 

 severe sweating system, and ridden with loose reins 

 and severely punished, lest the jockeys should be 

 accused of not trying to win. Xow we see horse- 

 manship in a state nearer perfection than it was ever 

 witnessed before. In a long race the jockey, by the 

 exercise of patient calculation, will allow his field to 

 get a quarter of a mile before him, and when they are 

 all well beaten, takes the very nick of time to come 



