ALL-ROUND HORSEMEN.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 985, 21 January 1909, Page 6

ALL-ROUND HORSEMEN.

A recent sporting sensation in England last week was undoubtedly “ Danny” Maher’s sudden and quite unexpected determination tf> distinguish himself over hurdels, which he duly did by winning on Dafila at Kempton Park. Maher has not the remotest intention of taking to cross-coun-try work as a profession, and, moreover, is not in the least likely to figure in the pigskin again during the present jumping season. The Kempton Park performance orinigated in a chaffing challenge on the part of Defila.’s trainer. Frank Hartigan, who made a small wager with Maher that he would not accomplish the feat of riding a winner over hurdles. In the past many jockeys have, of cours,e shown themselves equally proficient at both branches of the sport. An example which suggests itself is, of course, that o" W. Halsey, who reversed the usual order of things, for he rode innumerable winners over a country before he set himself seriously to acquire fame on the flat. At the present time, however, Hare and Aylin are in the habit of figuring at both games, though the latter’s flat-racing is nowadays confined to the Continent. As regards a bygone generation, it is recorded of Fred Archer, who was one of the best men over a hunting country that ever crossed a fence that he won a steeplechase at Bangor when a boy of eleven; while his rival and contemporary, Fred Webb, steered The Scot into fourth place for the Grand National while yet in the zenith of his fame as a flat-race jockey. In Auckland we have a fine instance of an all-round horseman in Brady, who is equally at. home on the flat, over hurdles, or across country.