A GREAT HORSEMAN OF SEVENTY YEARS AGO.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 947, 30 April 1908, Page 5

A GREAT HORSEMAN OF SEVENTY YEARS AGO.

An Eng’ish jockey famous in the wasting line was Sam Darling, who gave up riding in 1844. His walks for 25 years in the sweaters alone were estimated to have amounted to 5000 miles. He quite

knocked up young Day, who was consedered a fair pedestrian, in a strong twelvemile walk from Newmarket to the Swan at Bottisham and back. John’s sweaters got slack, and he was so dead beat that he had to give in. In 1832 Sam rode 174 races and won 72. One year, after riding in the St. Leger, he borrowed a clever hack from a brother jockey, and catching the coach at Sheffield, won twice at Shrewsbury the next day. and had time to waste as well. He had a habit of closing the eye when he was saving anything particular. He had backed a horse on some racecourse with a stranger for two sovereigns, and next day was asked for the money. “Dash me,” exclaimed Sam, opening both eyes very wide, as if astonished at the request: “me bet you two sovereigns?” The man looked at his rather puzz’ed for a moment, then said aoologetically : “Oh. I beg your pardon, sir; the gentleman I bet with had only one eye. I’made some mistake.” He was turning away when Sam. having enjoyed the joke, called him back and paid him the money.