TOD SLOAN 



him, for all those who saw the race will remember that 

 Flying Fox broke away no fewer than five times — 

 each break numing from two to three furlongs. This 

 took such a lot out of him that I had the race won on 

 the grey Frenchman when he so unaccountably broke 

 his leg. However, all conditions equal, Holocauste 

 would not have had a chance. Mr Edmond Blanc 

 indeed deserved the success he secured when he paid 

 what was then a record price for Flying Fox. The 

 Turf was going very well in America at the time and 

 an effort should have been made there to buy him. 

 Look what he got in France : Ajax, Gouvernant, Adam, 

 Val d'Or, Jardy and others. The two defeats of his 

 career ? Well — these things will happen ! 



Just about this time one of the London papers ran 

 a competition about " Sloan." I kept copies of some 

 of the results. Here was the first prize " poem." 



" Of Toddy Sloan now let us sing, 

 Whose praises through the country ring. 

 Undoubtedly the jockey king, 



Proclaimed by everybody. 



" Unrivalled he upon a horse, 

 Possessed of spirit and resource. 

 One always should expect of course. 

 Some spirit in a toddy. 



" Although of jockeys there are lots, 

 Expert like Cannon, Loates, and Watts, 

 It's Sloan that every backer spots. 



From Sykes to Lord Tom Noddy. 



" And if some unbelievers smile, 

 At what they call his monkey style. 

 They've got their ponies all the whole. 

 Upon the mounts of Toddy. 



io6 



