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D. MAHER STILL A SUPERB RIDER. dancing at the riding statistics of the professional last year one is met by the striking fact that only one jockey succeeded in topping the century, a rare occurrence of recent years. That unique distinction belongs to "Danny" Maher. whose figures read 427 mounts. 115 wins. 72 seconds, 55 thirds and 185 times unplaced. Included were two walks over and one dead heat undisturbed by a decider, the whole showing a percentage of 2C.!t:!, in which, by the way. he had to play second fiddle to Frank Wool ton, whose average came out at 2S.17. Maher. although of Irish parentage, was born at Hartford, toiin.. on October 2!. 1SS1. and is, in fact, an s American, just over thirty-two years of age. He never served the apprenticeship which is the, usual start of a jockeys career, and another exception to this rule is Tom Cannon, happily still alive and well to tell the tale of his many great exploits in the saddle. Maher was first associated with his uncle. Michael Daly, and jumped straightaway into his bridle when, at the early age of fourteen, he won on Phoebus, his second mount In public at Providence. II. I. I u 1808 he rode 101 winners, in the year following 10.!. and in 1000 50. during which period his principal employers were Messrs. Arkell ami Trowbridge. .Mr. David Gideon. Mr. W. H. Clarke, the late Mr. Pierre Lorillard, who brought him to Lng-land. ami Sir Daniel Cooper, two pattern sportsmen for whom George Blackwoll was then training. His star was in the ascendant when lie stepped aboard tiie St. Louis and started for England, for he lias never looked back. By sheer merit and skill he has established himself as one of the finest jockeys ever seen in this country, his American methods which were then more or less talwoed here notwithstanding. Iu his case the crouching seat was not so pronounced as with most of his contemporaries, and certainlv he is far more graceful in the saddle than the niightv little man. Sloan, or any other American. 4 He Iind not completed his nineteetli year when, at the first, opportunity Iu England, he rode a winner at Manchester, and I have no doubt he will always have pleasant memory of Mr. MeCreerys Paiute. which, trained bv Blnekwoll. gave him such an auspicious send-off. During the two months of the season which remained he scored 2C times, and before the end of his second year in Kugland had Vi-onic something of a public idol on the turf. Nintv-four winners hi 1001; one hundred and six in 1!02; liftv-six he was standing down for several weeks owing to a nastv motor accident which nearly cost him Iiis life In lOO.l; one hundred and fifteen In 1004; one hundred and one in 1005; one hundred and thtee in 1!00: , hundred and fourteen iu 1107: one hundred and thirty-nine iu IMS: one hundred and. sixteen in 1009: one r hetdred and twenty-seven In 1010; ninety-nine nothing hut laziness kept him short or the century. and I make no opology for the suggestion in 1011: one hundred and nine Iu 1912; and one huuderd and fifteen last year make up a splendid record, of which any man may he proud. Including three hundred and fifty successes during his last three seasons iu America .Maher lias ridden seventeen hundred and seventy-one winners within sixteen years, an average of one hundred and eleven per annum, and assuredly these are figures to which one may point without fear of the recusation ot conceit. They tell their own tale. and are proof positive of exceptional ability. Once oely. as far as 1 can remember has hi- been a.skcd to "explain" his riding since he came over here, and that was when he was beaten on Sallust, a brute the property of Lord Roseberry. at Leicester. The local authorities passed the matter on to tie Stewards of the Jockey Culb. who, in dismissing it. exonerated 1 1 i m from blame. Lord Roseberry in his turn marked the occasion by presenting Maher with n handsome gift, suitably Inscribed; in fact, a vote of confidence, and renewed his claim as tirst jockey. Maher has not ridden at Leicester since, ami probably never will again, hut the association witii his chief patron will continue undisturbed as long as his lordship on his part wishes, and as long as the jockey on his side considers himself capable. The alliance reminds one forcibly of the long association which existed between the late Lord Falmouth and Fred Archer. Wist? In his generation. Maher is content to remain a free lance, except for the one claim, although he could command tempting retainers. Malier. is. I should say. about a stone heavier than when he started in tins country, that is to say. he will probably go to scale at 110 pounds, or at a pinch lis pounds, as last year, but that will mean hard work and short rations. Even so. he will command as much riding and that of the hest as will satisfy him. for there can lie no doubt that although he mis-eil fire in the classic races lie was iu great form last year, and excelled himself on many occasions. In the enjoyment of more robust health than for several years past, there is no reason why he should not be as good as ever. Great on all courses, like his famous predecessor, the late George Fordham. In- is. I think, seen to hest advantage at Newmarket, and with Wootton retired lie will, unless great improvement iu; sjtown by some oT his contemporaries, be in a class by himself as jockey anywhere and everywhere. Thus one naturally is inclined even at Ibis early period to speculate as to what be is likely to steer iu the classic events of the coming campaign, tile turns immediately to "Ruffs Guide" to find that Lord Rosebery lias engaged in the Derby Soulouque. Politian and Nenuphar, the last-named a dark son of Santry and Samphire, while the disappearance of Catamount, by Ladas out of Catscradlo, from the Oaks leaves his lordship without a representative so far as the fillies race is concerned. Nothing has occurred to suggest the probability of classic honors awaiting any of those that we have seen racing, and it seems more than likely therefore that his lordships claim will not be enforced. In this event it would not surprise me to find him on the back of Kennyinnre. as Sir John Tlmrsby is keen to secure him when opportunity offers, and a big double may be in store for the halved Cambridge blue and white jacket, as Torchlight looks more than tempting in the Oaks. .Maliers classic record is remarkable, and opened auspiciously when in his second season he won the One Thousand Guineas for tin? late Sir James Miller on Aida. but no other success has attended his efforts in connection with that particular race. The prior claim of tin- late Sir Daniel Cooper, for whom he had to ride Flotsam, which was second, gave J. II. Martin the mount on Rock Sand in WO::, and incidentally "Skeets" had another lucky chance ride when Ard Patrick won the Derby. On Neil Gow .Maher rode a marvelous finish to short head I.em-berg in the last stride, and another victory came his way when lie won the Guineas on the American Sweeper II. two years ago. For Lord Derby he won the Oaks on Keystone, and was, I think, un-luckv not to supplement that succchs in the following St. Leger. which, however, has twice fallen to his share, by the aid of Rock Sand and Mr. Fairies Rayardo. The first-named gave him his tirst of three winning mounts in the Derby, his other triumphs having been for Lord Rosebery on Cicero and for Major I.oder on Spearmint, in successive years. Otherwise he has onlv been placed once, namely, on Mr. Rarclav Walkers Llaugwm. which he then rode for the first time, and I believe, it is his opinion that had be known the horses peculiarities he would have won. "Vigilant," in London Sportsman.
