view raw text
TOD SLOAN AND HIS TROUBLES. Powerful Influence Falls to Removo English Objection to His Resumption of Riding. London. Eng.. August t. Tod Sloan did not ride at Ostend yesterday, ng he had hoped to. In trying for a license lie seems to be up against what people in his native America call a "tough proposition." Report hail credited the Belgian Jockey Club with being willing to graut him a license, provided no opposition was forthcoming from any similar body,, and tentative engagements were even made for him to ride yesterday: but the committee of the club prevented these from being carried out. They, shelved the matter, and Incidentally Sloan, by deciding to "pass to the order or the das-." Sloan has tried various other means of earning a living since his banishment from the turf without gaining either money or distinction. "I am no good for anything but riding," he says. . J. T. Sloan came to England from America toward the end of 1807, and rode here for three seasons with phenomenal success. He it wns who introduced the forward seat now so universally in use among our jockeys, and his advent quite revolutionized race riding in this country. The old style of waiting in a race disappeared, for Sloan rode his races through from Hag-fall at high pressure, and our own jockeys were forced to follow suit. For the three seasons he rode here. Sloan was a popular idol, but too much success had its effect upon him, and some of his escapades coining to the notice of the Jockey Club stewards. Sloan was informed iu the early part of 1!01 that he need not apply for a license to ride.; Sloan is not in the position of a jockey who has been "warned off" for foul or fraudulent riding. He, however, committed several offenses In contravention of the rules of racing, and iso incurred the displeasure of the English authorities. Although jockeys are strictly forbidden to bet, he made no secret of his gambling transactions, and when Codoman was beaten in the Cambridgeshire he openly boasted that he had backed the trench horse to win him a hundred thousand pounds. This was no doubt an exaggeration, but the story was widely repeated, and otliclal cognizance was taken of it. This, coupled with his personal conduct, which, judging from an incident at Ascot, when he threw a champagne bottle at a waiter, was not irreproachable, brought him the intimation that it would be useless to apply for a riding license the following year. He left England and went to reside in trance, where he frequented the race courses, and It is said acquired an interest in certain horses. It was not long, however, before he got Into trouble with the French authorities, and things were brought to a climax when he rode Rose de Mai, a mare trained by M. Charron. a trial gallop on the Piste des Aigles at Cliantilly. a ground specially reserved for local trainers which cannot be otherwise used without a special permit from the Socicte d Lncouragement. To punish him for this offense the trench Turf Senate passed a resolution forbidding him to come upon any of the courses or grounds within their jurisdiction, and this "warning-off notice being communicated to the English Jockey Club, it was shortly afterward extended to the meetings on the British side of the channel. This is exactly how Sloans case stands. M. Fernand Coppee, president of the Belgian club, one of the oldest and most respected sportsmen In i-elgium and. moreover, a kindly-hearted man, feeling personally that Sloan had been sufficiently punished for Ins misconduct, telegraphed this month to Liiglaiid to ask if there would be any opposition or objection on the part of the English Jockey Club to a license being given to Sloan to ride at Ostend. It is supposed that the English authorities expressed opposition. Had the reply been favorable. Sloan would have had a mount on one of M. Coppees horses at Ostend yesterday. While in this country Sloan made a tremendous amount of money, but he followed an extravagant mode of life, and saved little. Since he has been out of the saddle he has ibeen earning his living in various ways, but has always looked forward to the time when he would be allowed to ride again, hloan had his first mount in England on Libra in the 1. 1. C. Nursery at the Newmarket Second October l"IH.,t,,nK ln .189l hls first winning ride being on .Quibble II. in a maiden plate at the Houghton meeting. This was the first day the starting machine was used in England. That season Sloan had fifty-eight mounts, of which twenty were winners. Among other races, he won the Old Cambridgeshire on Saa-d a. after being second in the Cambridgeshire on St Cloud II., which was beaten a head by Comfrey: won the Great Tom Stakes at Lincoln on Angelina, and the Great Lancashire Handicap on Easter Gift. On the last day of that season he rode four winners out of live mounts, the other, Keenan, being second in the November Handicap. In the following year he did not commence riding here till the Manchester September meeting, and retired on the Friday at the Liverpool Autumn meeting.. Out of ninety-eight mounts he rode forty-three winners and on the last day of the Newmarket First October meeting rode five winners in succession, these being Draco. Manatee. Landrail. Libra and J.alasluols, three of which were the property of the late Lord William Beresford. He won the Middle Park Plate on Caiman, beating Flying Fox. and again won the Old Cambridgeshire, this time on -Nonsuch, the property of the Prince of Wales, now King Edward VII. On the last day of the Liverpool meeting he rode Alt Mark to victory in the Autumn Cup. In the season of 1S09 Sloan had 343 mounts and roile 10S winners, included among his successes being the One Thousand Guineas on Sibola. the National Breeders Stakes on Democrat, the Champagne Makes at Doncaster on Democrat, and the Manchester November Handicap on Proclamation. In 1000 he had S2 successes out of 311 mounts, and won the Chester Cup on Roughside and the Ascot Stakes on Raldur. , "Do you think you will be able to ride with vour former skill and daring 5" he was recently asked. "I 11 try my best to do so. if they will only give me the chance," ho replied.
