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SOMETHING OF TRAINER THOMAS WELSH. Sometimes a good horse will make a trainer or a jockev. hut, "unless the trainer or jockey has that in him to sustain the reputation, apparently so easily earned, he is forgotten just as soon as the horse that made him ends his chapter. Both a horse and a jockey made Thomas Welsh. Or it would be better lo out it that he was discovered by Dolan-do and Tod Sloan. Welsh was there ami he only needed the opportunity. It first came to him when John T. Median bought Dolando for him during the nineties. It must not be thought by this that Thomas Welsh onlv dates from that time on the American Turf, hut it was then that he was brought before the racing public prominently. Long before that in the old days of Guttenburg, when he was associated with Jim Dillon, at that time training for Dan Iloiiig, he had much to do with the success of that stable. During one phenomenal run of good fortune for that establishment twenty-one consecutive winners were sent to the post. Welsh is a native of Ireland, and he has prac-ticallv been closely associated with racing all his life, but it was not until Dolando appeared under his colors that he individually attracted attention. This good sou of Powhattan and Barhiche was a remarkable performer and while he never aspired to heat the champions of his day a more popular turf idol r.ever looked through a bridle. As honest as the dav was long tin; old fellow had a following that was "tremendous and just so long as he stood up he never lost these admirers. After Dolando was through, he raced to a ripe old age, he was pensioned off and roamed the infield iit Gravesend. That idleness did not suit the old fellow and Superintendent Jim Dunphy, of the Brooklyn Jockey Club, used him as the near horse in a harrow team. Old Dolando took to that menial service cheerfully aud it had much to do with prolonging his life. It gave him the necessary exercise ami it is only a few years back that lie finally went to his reward. Tho story of how Dolando and Sloan made "S elsh is interesting. It was the night before a race in which Dolando was to start and Welsh and a party of friends were dining at a place in Westchester. A chap named Garry, who at that time was valet for Sloan, called Welsh out and told him that Tod would like to see him. "Bring him in," said Welsh. When Sloan appeared he was invited to join the partv. and before long he made knowu the object of his visit when turning to Welsh, he said, "Tom, Id like to ride Dolando for you tomorrow." "Why, you cant ride him. Sam Doggett is to ride- him," was the answer, for Doggett had been riding him in all of his races and Welsh had no desire to take the mount away from him. Sloan was insistent and finally Welsh agreed that if Doggett had no objection to giving up the mount he would make the change. Doggett readily agreed that Sloan should ride. That was the beginning of the making of Welsh. Tod Sloan rode Dolando and won with him, though as a matter of fact Doggett had done the same on nianv occasions. But Sloan did this much, more, lie later induced the Fleischmanns to come into racing and Tom Welsh was made their trainer. It was in 1S9S that the racing firm of Charles ; Fleischmann Sons was first prominently before the public. Some good-class horses were bought and honest old Dolando went along to the new quarters. Welsh found himself from a one-horse trainer the 1 master of a big racing establishment, but the job was not a bit too big for him. He had Willie JIartin under contract to do the riding and some of the horses in the stable that won well under his hand- ling were Maribert and Sakhrat. In 1S99 the colors i were victorious in twenty-three races, which was a remarkably good showing, considering the fact that the season the Fleischmann horses were raced I was a comparatively short one, when compared with the present-day strings that are on the go from January until December. . ,. In 1000 the stable was close to the top of Its form. It was then that Welsh had in his care such good ones as Blues, Bonninert, Six Shooter, Wool-! gatherer, and many other good ones. Three years 1 later Welsh was training for Julius Fleischmann, there having been a division of the original stable. There were twenty-three horses in the stable and in addition he had fourteen others in his care that were campaigned under the assumed name of "Mr. - Avondale." At that time Jack JIartin was the Continued on second page. , ; ; ! SOMETHING OF TRAINER THOMAS WELSH. Continued from first page. stable .jockey. Welsh early realized the imitortaticc of having a good rider for his horses, and even when Dolnudo comprised his stable that was evident by his engaging Sam Doggelt to do his riding. Incidentally that same old Dolnudo carried many a tar rider in his long years of usefulness on the lurf. Among the riders who piloted him were Winnie OConnor, Willie Shaw, Tod Sloan and Sam Doggoit, as ins already been told, and some other riders of lesser importance. One of the best horses that Welsh was training for Julius Fleischinann in 1003 was Hurstbourne. lie also had Hello and Hiawatha, to say nothing of several other good-class performers. It was not until Julius Fleischinann retired from the turf that Tom Welsh made another change. Then he handled some horses for W. B. Leeds and later trained a considerable string for Andrew Miller, while he raced a few under his own silks. It was for Mr. Leeds that he trained Major Daingerfiehl, a horse that earned 1,580 in prize money. From the association of Welsh with Audrew Miller there grew the Newcastle Stable, which for a time was one of the strongest of racing establishments. At one time this stable had for its joint owners Andrew Miller. Francis C. Bishop and Blair Painter, while Welsh himself held a considerable share in ad-tion to having sole charge of the horses. Walter Miller, then the most successful jockey in America, was engaged to do the riding and in 1007 and 100S it was a most successful federation. One of the best horses Welsh had in his care at that time was McCarter. easily the best son of Knight of the Thistle. He also trained Running Water, one of the best mares of her time. Others that were frequent winners were Running Account, Saraeinesca, Spooner and The Squire. When racing fell into lean times b3 reason of the adverse legislation in New York, the Newcastle Stable was disbanded, but Welsh had become too valuable a man to be without horses. Ever since lie had permitted Tod Sloan to ride Dolando he had ol imbed steadily, and the able manner in which he filled each position of increasing importance made him a figure on the turf. In 1910 he is found with twenty-seven of the horses of Harry Payne Whitney. It was when Mr. Whitney had made his invasion of England, led by that sterling sportsman, Andrew Jackson Joyner, and Welsh was put in charge of the horses that were to bear the AVhitney silks in this country. One would think that the training of such an extensive string for Mr. Whitney was about enough for any one man, but in addition lie had a considerable string from August Belmont, chairman of the Jockey Club, to whom Eddie Dugan was under contract at the time. Mr. Belmont had divided his stable, and John Whalen had one division that he raced through Canada, while Welsh looked after those that remained at home. Two of the good ones in his care then were Trap Rock, a brother to the famous Tracery, the best horse in England, and Watervale, one of the best of his year in this country. Mr. Welsh continued in the employ of both Mr. Whitney and Mr. Belmont, until he accepted his present employment as trainer of the string that Joseph E. Widener, the Philadelphia sportsman, is racing in France. Since his entry to the French Turf he has met with a fair measure of success and it. lias been a deserved success. He learned in a hard school, that of experience, and the place he has filled in the sport will always associate his name with much of the glorious history of the thoroughbred horse and his deeds. The Turf.
