DERB V AND THER JOCKE \ 'S. 83 



story relating to that historical contest. Sir H. Vane 

 Tempest had supported Hambletonian to win a very 

 large stake, and his interest in the race became at 

 length so intense as rather to unnerve him. At the 

 last moment, just as the two horses arrived at the 

 starting-post, he came to Buckle on pretence of giving 

 him his tinal instruction, but in reality to learn what 

 opinion his jockey had of the result. Buckle was so 

 cool and collected that Sir H. V. Tempest was de- 

 lighted ; grasping the rider's hand, he said, ' Buckle, 

 I would give half the stake to be half as cool as you 

 are.' 



Of Buckle it has to be said that he was, as well as 

 being one of the greatest horsemen of his day, an 

 eminently respectable 'man.' He married and 'settled 

 down ' at the age of twenty- four, being then in receipt 

 of a good income ; but his wife only lived for a short 

 period after her marriage. In 1807 he took to himself 

 a second wife, and used, when not engaged in the 

 business of riding, to ' farm,' at Long Orton, in Hunt- 

 ingdonshire, devoting great attention to sheep and 

 oxen, breeding some remarkably good animals. He 

 afterwards occupied a fiirm at Peterborough; and while 

 livinsf there he was in the habit of startinsr for New- 

 market early in the morning on his hack, riding a few 

 trials, and then returning to tea at six o'clock, the 

 distance travelled being ninety-two miles. Buckle 

 was a most trustworthy person in all the relations of 

 life, and was able to make choice of mounts out of the 

 circle of his masters, and would never ride a horse of 

 which he did not like the look. His chief masters 

 were Lord Grosvenor, Sir Charles Bunbury, and Colonel 



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