RIDING TO ORDERS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 407, 12 May 1898, Page 7

RIDING TO ORDERS.

Who that has been racing for any, length of time does not remember little “ Bobby Radon, the famous Epsom light-weight ? His personality was sufficiently remarkable to ■dwell in the memory for a longer period than has elapsed since tie took his leave of the stable, for assuredly few even of the “ jockey tribe and ■ome of them are built on anything but orthodox lines—ha<> so many peculiarities as the hero of this perfectly true story. Standing not an inch over four feet, the first / thing which struck Bobby’s observers was the inordinate size of his head, while his jolly red face—evidence too certain of his bibulous propensities—would have done no discredit to a brewer’s drayman. Legs he had none .at all to speak of —in fact, it was a marvel sometimes how they managed to span the saddle — and in this particular “ Tommy ” Loates, of present-day celebrity, who not altogether remarkable for Ihejeng.h of his extremities, could have given him a very Considerable start and a beating. I first became personally acquainted with Bobby in a somewhat peculiar manner. It occurred at Stockton one lovely afternoon in July, and Radon had the mount on Mammon, favorite for the chief two-year-old race of the meeting. According to my reckoning, the colt was pounds.superior to anything else in the race, but I was in doubt as to whether the price would suit his owner, a North-country bookmaker of not particularly ' good reputation. I had just seen the horses saddled, and was walking fron the paddock to Tattersail s ring, when I "beard my name, and, turning, saw Bobby, who was walking bis horse down to the post, • beckoning to me. As I drew closer to him he bent in'the saddle, and said—- “ Captain, I want you to do me a favor. Will you put me ‘ fifty ’ on my mount ?” “ Certainly, Bobby—with pleasure. He’ll win,

then ?” ' 1 “ Yes, I guess he will. The rogues have asked me to stop him, and think I’m going to, confound their impudence! I don’t mind somelimes lying behind with one of our own horses ■when he’s out for an airing, but I ain’t going to pull one that all the public have got their money on, and perhaps get hauled up before the stewards afterwards.” “ And a good judge, too, Bobby.” Now, if 1 know anything, Mammon will go back two or three points in the betting before the start, so don’t be in a hurry to get on, and I’ll .mess ’em about as long as I can at the post, so as to give the beggars plenty of time to lay against him;”

Asanirring him that I would carry out his in■structions to the letter, we parted, Bobby ambling his mount leisurely to the starting post, while I made my way into the Ring, where I found that already considerable opposition was manifested to Mammon, who had gradually receded until, from being a 6 to 4 chance, he stood at 3 to 1. ■True to.his promise, Master Bobby “messed” them about at the post to a pretty good tune, and before the flag fell I was enabled to obtain a tet of £6OO to £lOO again, t Mammon —half for my■•elf and half for the jockey. Nor was 1 at any time in apprehension as to the result, for Radon jumped the chestnut off in front, and, keeping him there throughout, won in a canter by a couple of lengths. I did not deem it policy to watch the weighingin process, but met the little man during the next race, in which he was standing down. He greeted me With a grin. i ■ “I manged that all right, captain, eh ? You ought to have heard ’em carry on when I dis- , mounted, but I soon shut ’em up by telling ’em I’d inform the stewards if they didn’t hold their row. What price did you get ? ” He was more than satisfied with the bet I had taken for him, and from that time Bobby and I became, if not exactly fast friends, at any rate on excellent terms with each other, and many’s the good thing he afterwards put me on, especially when hailing from the Epsom stables. '/ At the back-end of the following season we both found ourselves at Shrewsbury. Those of my readers who have not been a racing the “ town of cakes ” will now have no opportunity of doing so, as the meeting has for some years ' • past been expunged from the Calendar ; but they" may take my word for it that a worse hole under unfavorable conditions —and the Clerk of the Weather was generally in a villainous mood when ;■ Shrewsbury races came on—it would be difficult to find. This particular November it was dirtier than usual. There were none of your thick, pea-soupy fogs to which we are accustomed in London, but the light was so bad that there could be no doubt one existed somewhere between us and the sun, and, to add to the .discomfort, rain pelted down in torrents. Endeavoring to make the best of a bad job, I had hired a so-called brougham to drive me to the course, and resolved to spend the afternoon therein, except when tempted to the betting-ring. This somewhat ramshackle old vehicle had scarely been brought to an anchor when I espied Radon- walking, my way, with such a lugubrious expression on his countenance that I could scarcely forbear from laughing. “ Why, Bobby, what’s the matter ? You look as if you were attending a funeral.” V And ain’t such weather as this enough to make a body look glum ? I’d rather be up in a balloon than ridin’ ’osses such a day as this.” “ Here, step in out of the rain and have a drink to keep the cold out. This will put fresh go into you,” and, taking up a bottle of Hennessy’s best, I poured him out a pretty stiff glass. 7 “ Ah, that’s decent stuff, that is,” said Bobby, smacking his lips appreciatively; and then, as I offered to replenish the glass, “ Well, I don’t mind if I do, captain, it won’t hurt such weather »s this.” “What are you going to ride in the Cup, ; /Bobby?” '< “ Why, that wretched old brute, Wynyard ; and a nice chance I’ve got, I suppose.”

“ Maybe a better one than you think, Bobby.” “ Why, what do you know about him ? ” “ Don’t you remember he used to belong to me, and that I sold him to Lord Holton two years ago ? You know he has very big feet, and this is the weather of all others to suit him. He’ll stay for ever at his own pace, and if you send him in front at the start and throw the mud in the others’ faces he’ll take a lot of beating, I can tell you.” “ Well, I can keep him in front, of course, at first, btsc I don’t see that’ll help much. He’s always run a rank bad ’un.” “ That’s because he hasn’t been ridden properly. I didn't find it out while I had him, but I know now he won’t try in a waiting race. Do as 1 tell you, Bobby, and I’ll put you on a hundred to nothing. I’m going to back him for a good stake, if the price suits.” “ Right you are, sir, and. we’ll just have another glass to drink good luck to him. By Jove! captain, this is prime; I feel a good deal more like riding the winner of the Cup than I did before meeting you.” With that he departed, having an engagement to ride in the opening event. I did not come across him again until just before the race for the Cup, when I ventured into the paddock, though the rain was still descending like a gigantic shower-bath. Bobby was in earnest confab with Lord Holton (Wynjard’s owner), and, without appearing to be listening, I managed to get near enough to overhear their conversation. His lordship, who promised his jockey a fifty-pound note in the event of victory, was tying him down with the strictest waiting orders. This won d not suit my book at all, so I seized tbe of drawing Radon aside.

’ Don’t forget, Bobby,” Isaidgo right,away when the flag falls, and send him along for all he’s worth.”

“ Yes, that’s all very well, captain,” was the reply, “ but his lordship’s given me strict instructions to ride a waiting race, and I must obey orders, you know.” “ Orders be hanged 1 Lord Holton’s a young fool, and knows no more about horses than a babe unborn. The only chance of Wynyard’s winning is for you to>do as I tell you. I’ve got a good bet, and I’ll make it a couple of hundred if you win.”

That and a pull at the brandy flask with which I had provided myself settled the matter, and, making for the ring, I entered a second wager of £2500 to £lOO for Wynyard, who was handicapped at the ridiculous weight, for a six-year-old, of 6st 41b, was regarded as an old “ crock,” and slighted accordingly. With Wynyard, Lord Holton had had rather worse luck than myself, and here was the horse, at the close of the fifth season on the turf, with only one pair of winning brackets to his name. The more I thought of old Wynyard’s large flat teet —they greatly resembled those of Prodigal, who was such a renowned “mudlarker” —the greater my confidence in the result became, and when the flag fell I was in the seventh heaven of anticipation. The start'took place just below the stand, and, bad as was the light, I could see that Lord Holton’s mazarine blue jacket was in front and making the running.

As they passed the stand for the first time Wynyard held a lead of six lengths, and Radon

was pushing him along with his hands. So far he was carrying out my instructions to the letter. It was quite impossible to see the horses on the far side of the course, but as they came round the bend for home I was delighted to notice the blue jacket still in front, and with his opponent* one by one dropping back, after a futile attempt to get on terms, Wynyard passed the post amidst the yells of the fielders, to most of whom he had done a real good turn, the easiest of winners by six lengths.

After he had passed the scale Master Robert Radon spent a mauvais quart d’heure with Lord Holton. His lordship’s face was very red, and and he could scarcely enunciate clearly, so great was his rage. Approaching the jockey he pulled out his note-case, and handing him a “ flimsy ” said, controlling his voice as well as he was able — ,e Here’s your ‘ fifty ’ Radon. You managed to win the race, but remember under no circumstances will you ever ride another horse for me. I expect my jockeys to obey orders, whether they win or lose, and you may think yourself lucky I don’t report the matter to the Stewards of the Jockey Club. Why, I believe you’re drunk, man ! ”

And, sooth to say, what with excitement and the effects of the brandy, Master Bobby did manage to evince most of the symptoms of intoxication. However, he made no attempt to argue the point with his lordship, and though he lost the latter’s riding in the future, my winnings on the race had been so considerable that I was enabled to give him a handsome solatium as a reward for, on this occasion, not- “riding "to orders.” — Captain Armstrong in Sportipg :SJcetchps. • 7 : - ..