WELL-KNOWN JOGKEYS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume X, Issue 475, 31 August 1899, Page 15

WELL-KNOWN JOGKEYS.

WILLIAM SATMAN. A Short and Successful Career. The subject of our sketch this week is William Satman, one of the most capable of our lightweight jockeys, well and favorably known in the North Island, and particularly in the Hawke’s Bay and Auckland districts, where most of his successes have been achieved. It was not in New Zealand that the sturdy little William first saw the light, for he was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne —more famed for its coal miners, rowing men, and boxers than for its jockeys—and the idea of riding horses never occurred to the youthful William when spending his innocent days in the land of “ Geordies.” He left Newcastle-on-Tyne when he was but 12, and steered a course for Auckland. In stature and style Satman is a jockey all over, and it is not surprising to find that that astute trainer, Mr George Wright, singled him out and apprenticed him for five years. Satman’s first mount was on Pirate, in a two-year old race at Ellerslie, when he was beaten a head by the mare Hazelmere (nominated by Frank Macmanemin). He went to Wanganui with Mr George Wright, and there enjoyed the pleasant sensation of a first win. This was on the back of Searchlight (owned by Mr George Hunter) in the Stewards’ Handicap. In the Flying Handicap, on Stepfeldt, he ran third to Acone, Orient being second. Then he journeyed to Hawke’s Bay, where he won the Autumn Handicap on Aida by a nose after a desperate finish. Mr Hunter was so pleased with his first victory on Searchlight that he again put him up on that animal .in the Hawke’s Bay Cup, and young Satman had the pleasure of accounting for that important race easily, The Possible (since gone to England) being second. In the two-year-old race, at the same meeting, he ran second on Bijou to that good horse Defiant, and then he again scored on his old favorite Searchlight—this time in the Bourke Memorial Stakes —when Mr Hunter’s horse remained in front all the way. He ran second on Armilia to Bloodshot in the Hawke’s ’Bay Stakes. At Napier he won a race on Bijou, and the Flying Handicap on Stepfeldt. Retracing his steps to Auckland he ran third in the Easter Handicap on Panoply, won by his stable companion, Acone. At Wellington he won

a handicap on Armilia, and, also, a hack race. Back in Auckland again he won a couple ot races on the two-year-old lady Harriet and two pony races on Purvoke, after which he was sent to Dunedin with Lady Harriet, but the mare did not start. He, however, had the satisfaction of having a winning mount on Quickshot 11. At Oamaru he had two wins—one on Last Shot in the hack race (won by a snout) aud the other on Quickshot 11. (won easily). At Takapuna he won the Pony Handicap on Partan Jeannie. Up to this time Partan Jeannie had been very rafractory at the post, but young Satman managed her splendidly, and the public, for the first time, gained a knowledge of the mare’s undoubted quality. On the second day of the same meeting he bad an easy win on Crusade in the Hack Race, and followed this success up by accounting for the Britannia Handicap on Lufra and the Second Pony Handicap on Partan Jeannie. At Avondale, in the spring, on the first day he won the Flying Handicap on Lillie, and on the second day he scored again on the same mare in the Plumpton Handicap. At tbi* time, and, indeed, since his return from Oatn«ru, he had finished his time with Mr George Wright and was a fully-fledged jockey. Following up his Avondale, successes he rode Crusade to victory at Ellerslie, and won the Ellerslie Handicap on Cannongate when Mr Marshall’s horse paid the splendid dividend of £Bl. At the Christmas meeting he won the two-year-old race on Bluecap, beating St. Peter and Hastings. He was third on the next day in the race won by St. Peter. At the Takapuna meeting, which followed, he had the bad luck to be on Thelma when she fell, and when removed from the course on the ambulance stretcher (in an insensible condition) most people who saw him thought that the last had been seen of poor little Satman. However, he was not hurt so badly as was at first thought, and he made a rapid recovery. Besides the victories enumerated Satman has scored a lot of wins at country meetings, including the Paeroa Cup on St. Owen, the Paeroa Handicap on Porangi Potae, and the Otahuhu Cup on Cleopatra. Satman is a vigorous finisher, and his reputation both as regards his ability to ride and his character is of a high order, and I have every belief that he will retain both in the seasons to come. His present boss is the veteran Mr John Chaafe, of whom he has nothing but the kindest of words to say. The high esteem in which the veteran is held by all the good boys who have been through the mill with him is quite remarkable.