BEST RIDERS IN ENGLAND

Evening Star, Issue 23175, 26 January 1939, Page 6

BEST RIDERS IN ENGLAND

Brownie Carslake, one of England's leading jockeys, who is on a visit to Australia, when asked who was the best rider in England, surprised his listeners when lie said, " Harry Wragg," or ' Brains,' as we call him, is the greatest rider I have ever seen." He says Wragg has not only a perfect seat and hands, but has a genius for tactics and has an uncanny judgment of pace. He works out a race as he would a mathematical problem. It is not necessary to burden a rider like Wragg with instructions as to how a race should be ridden. Carslake tells an amusing story concerning an owner who was noted for the lengthy instructions he used to give his jockeys. On one occasion he was instructing an American jockey as to how he should ride a five furlongs race, but the instructions were long enough for a race of five miles. After the owner had. rambled on for a long time the jockey became impatient, so he broke in with the remark: " Lookee, Mr M- , gc-od jockeys don't need instructions, and bad jockeys can't carry them out." That ende'd the conversation. Carslake also relates another good story concerning the same rider. Ho had been having a lean time, as he could not get any mounts. He was ridiug in a race in which the great sprinter Irish Elegance was engaged. While they were at the post he asked omo of the other riders which was Irish Elegance. "Do you see that big chestnut horse with the tremendous quarters. That is Irish Elegance, and that is all you will see of him in the race." The rider looked at Irish Elegance, and then, in a pathetic tone, remarked, " That's tho only part of horses T have been seeing over since I came to England."