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JOCKEYS AT NEW ORLEANS. Nicol the Best ONeill Not Up to Summer Form Sowell is a Master. New Orleans, La., January 3. The winter race meetings here always develop as much Interest in the comparative merits of the jockeys as. in the variable form of the horses. Star riders of the summer season frequently fail to quite strike their stride at the local tracks, whije youngsters that were little heard of during the warm months come forward hi amazing fashion. In the matter of reputation Nicol aud ONeill are, of course, the leading riders here this winter. The former at City Park is riding in probably better form than be ever before exhibited, but ONeill, while he has ridden a number of winners, has as yet shown but little of the form that gave him fame on the New York tracks the past season. Nicol so far outclasses the other riders at City Park that it looks as though he will have no difficulty in retaining his present commanding lead In the winning jockey contest. He not only outrides but he outgenerals Uie other boys, and his superi I j j , , , , i : ority has encouraged him to take advantages to such an extent that Presiding Judge Trevclyan rccently found it necessary to hold an advisory talk with him. Nicol is, as a rule, a clean rider, avoiding interferences, so that little more than an official intimation will be needed to keep him in line. The matter of rough riding was put up to him in a professional way entirely. He was told that he was so much the best boy at the track that he could not afford to Indulge In rough tactics. Jockey Sewell is doing by far the best saddle work at the old track. He is under contract during the winter to S. C. Hildreth. His apprentice allowance has expired. He cau do about 98 pounds. He is a good post rider, n master in race, and an exceptionally strong finisher. He has neither quite as many winning mounts to his credit nor as big an average for the winter season as Nicol, but he is riding lit splendid form, and he only needs to maintain his present gait to be assured of a liberal contract for the coming summer. Another jockey that is making a name for himself at the old track is Freeman, on whom C. R. Ellison lias first call for the winter. Freeman is second on the list to Sewell. His average Is not nearly so good, but his work has attracted favorable notice, and he, too. If he goes on as he has begun, will have no difficulty in making a profitable" engagement with some big stable later on. It Is not unlikely that he will be retained by Ellison. He is a Texas product and had been but little heard of until the winter meetings began here. He can ride at OS pounds and his apprentice allowance still has some time to run. The most likely apprentices at either track are Heffernan, under contract to James Arthur, and Perrett, under contract to Hugh McCarren, Jr. These are both unusually promising lads for beginners. Heffernan halls from Brooklyn, N. Y. He Is quick to take advantage of opportunities in races, a strong finisher for so light a lad and a clean rider. Perrett is a boy of exceptional ability. His chief fault is a disposition to rough riding, but official recommendations will no doubt soon get him out of this ruv.- A half dozen other lads of possibilities are Ti ijjca . ts t - bo tin t racVsr.bu CJrari oneaf isticptteg- them has shown enough to loom up to any degree In the public eye.
