CAUGHT ON THE POST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2454, 27 March 1901, Page 44

CAUGHT ON THE POST.

'A WONDERFUL BIT OF RIDING, SABINUJToN TOP. There have been few more extraordinary races than the Cambridgeshire of 1871, won by Sabinus. The "good thing" for the race was Allbrcok. He had been tried quite satisfactorily by men who knew what a Cambridgeshire Irial should bo ; he went to the post fit and well, got off in a good place, and, as one by one the other more or less fancied animals dropped out, seemed like fulfilling the expectations of his friends. Among those who watched the finish with some anxiety was Tom Cannon. He had no mount in .the race, but had been concerned in the trial, and stood the comfortable amount jof £bOO to nothing about Allbrook. Perhaps he was the more anxious for success because George Fordha.ni, with whom he was then staying ai. had derided Allbrook's chance, declared that Sir F. Johnstone's colt was "not hall a horse, ' and prognosticated his defeat. What Tom Cannon saw as he sat on his hacla near the judge's box was Alihrook, leading his field, some lengths ahead at the Red Post ; Sterling, under the terrible crusher of 9.7, galloping on gamely, but in difficulties; and George Fordham, who, having made his effort to get on terms with Allbrook, and decidedly failed, had dropped his hands, and apparently abandoned hope, though at the same time jhe kept Sabinus as well together as possible, keenly on the look-out for an altogether improbable- contingency. Jarvis, on Allbrook, was, it is true, flogging his horse home» instead of keeping hold of his head, and thereby doing much to jeopardise hia chance ; still, he was well clear -of -hfe field a hundred yards from the post, and that he would win seemed so absolutely beyond doubt that Tom Cannon, turned his hack's head, and- cantered off homeward without waiting to -see the actual finish. What Tom Cannon did not see was what is generally acknowledged to have been the most extraordinary instance of patience, judgment, and jockeyship within living recolleeJ tion — and, therefore, that the turf ever kne-w. Fordham's poaition has been described. He sat, keeping Sabinus going without pressing him, ready to take instant advantage of the 100 to 1 chance that might arise. Sterling, tiring under his heavy weight, was, he saw, no longer dangerous, and under the vigorous I but clumsy administration of the whip Allbrook was gradually stopping; so "the Demon" made' ready for one tremendous last effort, got his horse ready for one run home, waited till that tick of a second when it was a case of now or never, and, concentrating all his energies, made his final rush, and just beat Allbrook a head on the post. Meantime, Tom Cannon had reached home, changed his things', mentally added the £500 to his balance on the strength of Allbrook' s victory, and waited Fordham's arrival, eager to have some fun about the winner. Presently Fordham entered. "Well, what do you think of Allbrook now?" Tom Cannon said. "If he's only half a horse he's better than the rest of the whole ones !" Fordham was perplexed. '*He'd settled you some distance from home, I noticed !" Tom continued. "I saw that, and then came back." Fordham began to understand. His friend bad. not waited for the end of the race, and did not know what had happened, so he determined to keep up the joke. "Well, it's no good chaffing about it now, you know ! It's all over now," he answered, with a shrug of tW shoulders, and went off to get ready for dinner. Very soon after the table had been cleared a friend came in to congratulate George Fordham. on his victory. "The most wonderful bit of riding I ever saw in my life."' he said. "It looked 100 to 1 against you from the Red Post to close on home." Tom Cannon pricked up his oars. What did this mean? Why was Fordham being congratulated? What did it matter, in the face of Allbrook's victory, what sort of odds it had looked against a beaten horse? "Well, you see, the other didn't quite stay home, you know," Fordham modestly said, w : th a glance^, however, at his friend. Tom, for the fun was culminating. As for the younger jockey, he reflected. Was it possible that after ne had turned his bacln and ridden off Fordham had got home? Surely not, and yet "But what won?" he flowlv inquired. "Oil ! T won. you know," G-eorp.e Fordham answered. "Allbrook ncarly^clid it. but bo wa=n't quite good enoupli. I told you I didn't think he would win." — Sporting Sketches.