TOD SLOAN 



ward. It appears that about fifty years ago, when 

 Mr Ten Broeck first went over to England, Gilpatrick, 

 who had a reputation in America, was not a success 

 in England and was much criticised ; nevertheless he 

 was riding in America for many years after that. At 

 the same time there were others, the Lairds, Purdys 

 and Gil Crane, who rode longer than any other jockey 

 in my country, and I believe more years on the track 

 than even John Osborne. It was Crane who rode 

 in that historic race on the Long Island Union 

 Course, of five four-mile heats, and won on Black 

 Maria. 



Is the present system of training jockeys a correct 

 one ? Tliere seems a good deal lacking in it. To 

 begin with there should be far more events for 

 apprentice jockeys only, and these affairs should not 

 be so poor in interest as many are to-day. If a boys' 

 race happens to be the last on the card many go home, 

 refusing to look at it from either a spectacular or 

 investing point of view. By this kids are apt to get 

 discouraged. In France many a good lad was brought 

 along by the flat races confined to apprentices which 

 used to be run on the old Colombes course. There 

 such as Alec Carter and George Parfrement learned 

 race riding : full-fledged flat- race jockeys could not 

 ride there. Any race-course in England which could 

 put occasionally at least one or two events in the 

 programme for apprentice riders should be specially 

 subsidised by the Jockey Club for the schooling they 

 are giving. Jockeys can be made, although of course 

 some are more apt at picking it up than others. 

 Richard Wootton must be a great teacher judging 

 by the number of clever boys he has turned out. 

 However skilled a lad may become by his work at 



288 



