INTRODUCTION 



scored over 36 per cent, of his mounts, and he was placed 

 over 130 times. It was in 1895 that he first rode four 

 winners in a day. That was in California. None of 

 the riders in 1897 came near him for average. It was 

 in 1898 at Gravesend (U.S.A.) he won five races — in 

 fact all he rode in— in one day ; and on three successive 

 days at Coney Island he won all three races he rode 

 in. 



It seems strange to hear and read that Sloan was at 

 one time a ''very prudent fellow,'' hut does it not strike 

 you that his imprudence in later yeurs may have been 

 caused by his always being surrounded, especially in 

 England, by many who were not the best of companions 

 for him ? Sloan makes no excuses for himself ; in fact 

 he would take the whole burden of responsibility for his 

 faults on his own shoulders. But there is no doubt that 

 the fuss made of him gave him an exalted idea of his own 

 importance — and, mind you, this is from his own lips. 

 There are scores of people who read this book who knew 

 Sloan intimately when he was riding in England, but 

 none of them need take it personally when I say that there 

 were many in this country who simply spoilt him. That 

 is the reason why Sloan during that period, and the 

 months which led up to his downfall, was more to be 

 pitied than scorned. As he has sat in his parlour 

 smoking a big cigar and chewing over his past, while 

 doing the same to the cigar, he has reviewed those days 

 from 1897 to the end of 1900, and also some of the incidents 

 afterwards, especially his regret that there was no one. 

 to stop him taking that ill-advised action against the 

 Societe d' Encouragement. Mind you, it must be ad- 

 mitted that Sloan is not the easiest proposition to lead, 

 but personally I can vouch for it that he is easy enough 

 to lead when the advice given is sound, even though it 

 may be opposed to the first views he has taken. I do not 



XV 



