DERB V AND O TIIF.R JOCKE VS. 8l 



the wiDiiing number is lioistod, so as to place the 

 matter beyond dispute. Some jockeys, however, will 

 persist in ' drawing it fine,' They are good artists, no 

 doubt, but sometimes they are well beaten at their own 

 game, getting ' kidded ' out of the race by a cunning 

 competitor just when they think they have won the 

 battle. As a trainer said on one occasion at Don- 

 caster : * I like to see my horses winning by at least 

 two lengths, and what is more, I like to see them with 

 the race in hand for a hundred yards before they 

 reach the judge's chair.' 



Jockeys, be it understood, are not to ride a race 

 in any way they please; they 'must ride to order'; 

 but circumstances sometimes arise in the course of 

 the race which prevent their doing so, or, at all events, 

 which prevent a literal compliance with their instruc- 

 tions. The best order to give an intelligent jockey — 

 one who is able to ride with his head as well as with 

 his hands — is to ' win the race all the way if you can, 

 but if you cannot do that, win at the end if possible,' 

 which was the invariable direction given by an owner 

 of the old school to whatever jockey was riding for 

 him. Another owner who -was partial to giving com- 

 plicated instructions to his jockeys was told on one 



occasion to ride his horse himself, as the rider 



did not understand any of his mathematics. 



The best instruction, perhaps, ever given to a jockey 

 was to ' make every post a winning-post.' 



