74 THE BLUE RIBBON OE THE TURF. 



known in my time; and in 177-5 I could train horses 

 for running better than any person I ever yet saw. 

 Riding I learned myself, and training I learned from 

 Mr. Richard Prince.' This estimate of his own 

 abilities was, it seems, not overdrawn, but was en- 

 dorsed by the best judges of the time, and Chifney, in 

 consequence, soon found himself at the top of the tree 

 as a horseman, being considered the superior of all 

 his contemporaries, among whom were Oakley, J. P. 

 Hindley, John Arnold, Sam Arnull, W. Clift and, 

 though last not least, that excellent horseman, F. 

 Buckle. His employers numbered some of the greatest 

 patrons of the turf, including the Duke of Bedford 

 and Lord Grosvenor. But he was best known pro- 

 fessionally from his connection with George IV., then 

 Prince of Wales, who, in consequence of his fame as a 

 jockey, had engaged him on July 14t,h, 1790, to 

 ride for him at the then handsome salary of £200 per 

 annum. 



Chifney senior is associated in the annals of the 

 turf with what was, at the time, a cause cddbre, 

 namely, his riding of the King's horse Escape, the 

 proceedings in connection with which event excited 

 an extraordinary degree of attention. Simply stated, 

 the whole ati'air was as follows : He rode the horse 

 in question on October 20th, 1791, and was de- 

 feated in the race, but on the same horse he rode to 

 victory the next day, and in consequence was accused 

 by the Jockey Club of having rode the horse ' a cheat,' 

 an accusation which he refuted with great spirit ; but 

 although his innocence of any fraud was clearly 

 established, the very accusation had so militated for a 



