28 Horse Racing . 



may miss, and throw away a chance, but he will 

 work his way to the old spot, and win on the post. 

 If this instinct can be instilled into the minds of 

 young jockeys, they would sit glued to their horses, 

 and make their effort when within call. I finish 

 this chapter with the remarks I made in 1852. It is 

 extraordinary that we constantly remark lads who 

 as children have ridden feather-weights with great 

 judgment, lose the art as they increase in years. 

 This is owing to vanity, to that rock upon which 

 men of all professions are wrecked, when they flatter 

 themselves they are very clever and have arrived 

 at the top of the tree when they have only reached 

 the lower branches. The result is, they cease to 

 listen to good advice ; they ride according to their 

 own fancy, and the first indication of theii' worth- 

 lessness is rolling about on their saddles, and 

 flourishing their whips, instead of sitting still and 

 keeping their horses fast by the head. 



In no department of life is the axiom more 

 clearly demonstrated that " Honesty is the best 

 poHcy," when talent is allied to strict honour and 

 integrity, it is a sure road to comparative wealth ; 

 on the other hand, men possessing first-rate abilities 

 cease to prosper from the moment a taint is cast 

 upon their reputation, and their decline of life is 

 invariably marked by poverty and neglect. 



