Priam and Zinganee. 1 6 1 



and never got off at all on Mr. Payne's Young 

 Rowton, out of Emiliana, for the same stake in the 

 following year. The jockeys were so unprepared for 

 the actual start, that several of them half-stopped 

 their horses, feeling sure that it would not be one ; 

 and Sam actually had his chestnut's head turned the 

 contrary way at the moment the ill-timed signal was 

 given. St. Francis (Pettit) was in the same predi- 

 cament, and oddly enough, it is in connexion with his 

 magnificent riding of this companion in trouble, that 

 many of our more modern turfites date their Sam 

 Chifney recollections. He was a little strong horse 

 by St. Patrick, and perhaps one of the most shifty 

 and idle animals that a jockey ever crossed. " Lazy 

 Lanercost" was a piece of quicksilver compared to 

 him. Robinson and Chifney both agreed that in all 

 their experience they had never met with one that was 

 half so difficult to ride ; and both were generally 

 quite exhausted when they weighed in. A more 

 varmint-looking pair never paraded before the Ascot 

 Grand Stand than Sam on the Saint, who whisked his 

 long switch tail about in not the pleasantest of moods, 

 when he felt that his plain snaffle was in hands which 

 would brook no nonsense. The horse belonged to 

 Mr. Gurney, who was an especial friend, and trained 

 with Mr. Thornhill at Pettit's ; and it was by the wish 

 of the latter that Sam was " put up" in several of his 

 races. 



The Ascot Cup of 1840 was his leading victory; 

 but the severest task was the riding him for a 100/. 

 D.I. Plate in one of the Houghton Meetings. On this 

 occasion Robinson beckoned to Butler, as he met him 

 cantering on his hack towards the cords, and said, 

 ** Come back with me^ and F II shozv you a treat of your 

 uncles riding such as you never saw yet. He's got St. 

 Francis in hand to-day, and I know what a slug he 

 is r Accordingly the two stationed themselves at 

 the turn of the lands, and when the horses came to- 



M 



