DOMINION’S LEADING JOCKEY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1162, 18 July 1912, Page 10

DOMINION’S LEADING JOCKEY.

B. DEELiEY INTERVIEWED. - - Riding is a natural gift. That, at all events, is the opinion of Benjamin Deeley, of Auckland, who is the premier horseman of New Zealand at the present time. Jockeys, he says, are born, not made, but there are many little factors which help to make the born jockey successful, and not the least of these would appear to be luck. That element has played some part in Deeley’s own career, which has in many respects been a remarkable one. A few items of interest were gleaned from the leading horseman by a representative of the “Dominion” before he left for Sydney to join R. J. Mason. He was born at Timaru, but at the early age of 12 shifted to Palmerston North, where his people still reside. When his education was deemed to have advanced far enough, Deeley was sent to learn the saddlery, but he longed for an outdoor .lift, and after about three weeks at the trade, he entered the. stable of G. Matterson, with the hope of one day becoming a successful jockey. At once, he showed an aptitude for the business,, and on the first occasion that he rode a track gallop, his mount (Variety) easily beat a companion. After being with Matterson for the brief space of a week, Deeley took service with A. Shearsby, but when one day the latter expressed the opinion that the youngster would be too heavy to ever make a jockey, he determined to shift again, and a friend obtained him a post at Ellerslie, with the late J. B. Williamson. At Palmerston North Deeley used to walk 7.10, but on arrival at Ellerslie his weight came down to 7.3. For five years, the aspiring horseman remained with his employer looking after Coronet and riding him in his work. All this time he did practically no race riding, his employer never giving him a mount, on the ground that he was not experienced enough. Now and again he would receive an outside engagement, and in December, 1898, he won his first race on Dayntree, at Ellerslie. His chances however, were few and far between. No doubt, the present crack picked up a good deal about the riding art at Williamson’s stable, for there were lots of good track gallops, and on Coronet Deeley was never beaten. Fie recalls now, that prior to Bluejacket’s Auckland Cup, Coronet did three different gallops over two miles —a preparation unheard of in these times. With the breakdown of Coronet, Deeley commenced to feel dissatisfied with his billet at 10s per week, and decided to try and better himself. Just then Koss Heaton was looking for a light boy and Deeley, after first giving notice to J. B. Williamson, offered his services, a special inducement being the offer of the stable riding. He was given the position, but his- old employer was reluctant to lose him and in order to get his discharge the jockey had to compromise by promising to come back if he was not doing well at the end of six months. Thence onwards his career was very successful. He rode Golden Rose in the Cornwall Handicap at Ellerslie in 1903, and when he was beaten Mr. J. Lynch wanted a change of horseman, alleging that Deeley was not experienced enough. Heaton told Mr. Lynch that the boy had not been given a chance, but on the owner insisting Heaton declared that he could certainly have a new horseman, but only on condition that Golden Rose was taken out of the stable immediately and not brought back. Eventually it was decided that there should be no change. Needless to say the jockey was delighted. He has never forgotten and never will forget what Trainer Heaton did, for that was really the start of his success. Having been unlucky on the first day Deeley rode Golden Rose home three lengths ahead of Ostiak in the York Welter on the second day. The owner then changed his opinion of the previous day and said there was no better jockey about the country. Subsequently on Golden Rose, Deeley won the Easter Handicap and several other races, and has ever since been well up on the list of winning jockeys. His worst season was when he was riding for Mr. E. J. Watt, and had a turn of illfortune. In 1907-1908 with 59 wins, he was head of the list, and the following season was runner-up. This year, with 88 wins, he is an easy first on the list. He is still a nice handy weight and can ride at about 7.5. The lightest weight he ever remembers riding was at Paeroa when he once weighed out at 6.12, but he had his doubts about the scales being correct.

Asked as to what he considers were the principal factors in his consistent success, Deeley ventured the opinion that riding ability was a natural gift. There could be no doubt that frequent attendance on the track kept a jockey in fine form, and that “wasting” was another aid. One was always in better form in summer than when riding under the welter scale in winter time. Confidence and plenty of it were a great help, and in the opinion of the crack horseman, no boy should ever go out for a race under the impression that he is riding for a losing fee only. It is a far better idea to be always on the alert, and to cover as little ground as possible —and, in fact, never to run over a lot of ground unless it appears absolutely necessary to make up ground that way to prevent some horse in front from gaining a big break. What do you consider is the principal fault of the rising generation of jockeys?”

“The too frequent use of the whip in a finish,” was the ready reply. “I never found that a horse did any better in a finish under the whip, though a touch or two may liven him up through a race. Whenever I use the whip in a finish, you can bet I am beaten, and that I am probably producing the flail to satisfy the public and the stewards. Often I have hoped that some youngster in front of me would use the whip when he has refrained from doing so.”