AUSTRALIAN JOCKEYS IN ENGLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 40

AUSTRALIAN JOCKEYS IN ENGLAND.

Melbourne Sportsman says: — It seems strange that while American ioekeys, headed by the great and only Sloan, have been a great success in England, riders from. Australia have, so far, failed to make a lasting jmark there. In R. Lewis and W. Delaney we sent Home a couple of horsemen fully representative in every way of our ridinsr talent, but on a short acquaintance they did not seem to " take " in England. Neither was perhaps given a fair opportunity of proving his worth in the saddle, but,. so far ?s they went, Delaney and Lewis did not, it appears, favourably impress the Home critics. It only shows how hard it is to win a position in England. As in everything else, luck would, however, play an inyportant part in getting a jockey on in the old country. Nothing succeeds like success. Sloan won races right off, and employment came to him as a matter of course, and his countrymen, the Reiffs, etc., who followed him, were similarly fortunate. Lewis s.nd Delaney irade one mistake — they did not win races as soon as they were put on, and it seems none but successful men ars wanted in England. If cither had started off with a victory or two, there might have been a different story to tell. A ma:i may ride ever so well, but he-must absolutely win to gain any credit for it. Perhaps, to us, the greatest surprise in connection with the visit of our jock'evs to TSnoland is the com-onrnlive fiiilure, so far, of JJi-ewer. Even "J. E-," the finest hand over hurdles we ever paw here, does not, it seejas. altogether please them at hi* own particular game. We read where he was " caught napping," " wants a lesson or two," r,n:l all the rest. When they lalk about tpnehim; John Edward Brewer liow to vide, it ;s; s nearly lime to consider whether their judgment 's not. to pome ext?nt. warped by prejudice. AW the world over, it is recognised t^'a'j Englishmen are highly conservative, and are prone to think n>o4 of their own. a> - d thus il is just possible that Brewer has had the misfortune to fall under tlie"ppell of — shall we fry? — the ' too critical cvitics." At all events, we are not goiiisv to believe at this end that Brewer has anvlhinn to learn from even the English pros* -country rider? wp read so much about. Tf eve- thero was an artist in his own especial branch of the trade, Brewer is one, and if he does not satipfv them in England, it is no upe ar.v more of our riders making the trip across the seas in the hope of gaining fn.no in their profession on the other side. Wi atcvev thp English critics may think about it, however, it is none the les-s satisfactory to knov t^at Australia can produce Rood horsemen, iust the ramc as any olhei part of the world, and if the Brewers, the Lewises, mid the Delaneys do not wiu renown abroad, they can. at leapt, count upon their merit being recognised in their own country.