view raw text
MODERN JOCKEYSHIP IN ENGLAND. «ivc:i posscssicii of the necessary ability, few careers offer larger op] ortunities of success than that of a jockey, and there are many cases whore a competence hits Itecn secured in a comparatively short period. The vocation often entails hardships when Itodllv weight begins to increase, but when that difficulty is not encountered a capable rider mav follow it for many years, with much profit to himself and to those by whom he is employed. Thai there is a dearth of first-class horsemanship at the present time is generally agreed, and. with one or two exceptions, the jockeys of i «lay compare itoorlv with those of earlier times. Riding excellence would al st appear to run in cycles. For some |.eri Hl there may be a full supply ..f the light article, only to Im- f.dl"ve.l by su« h a dearth of it that all the best mounts go into a few hands. and ordinarv merit is left in the cold. As it is the natural desire of owners to bav.- their horses well ridden cs|icciallv in iui|s rtant and valuable races, the ui.e capable jockeys ipportiinit.v is ever pros-out aod he is kept in constant w.rk the scusiiii ihrough. In the far-off days there were many horsemen of "commanding ability whose deeds arc chronicled, and praises sung in old-time annals, but it is probable that many just as go id have followed them, and there is no more striking example in comparatively modern turf story than that of 1 red Archer. Tin- "seventies" and "eighties" were cpnte an Vrcher epoch, ami a long time will doubtless elapse if indeed the thing is ever d..no again — when a man shall head the list of winning jockeys for thir teen consecutive years. That is the i rd down to the famous rider named, and it may be added that he onlv missed a run of eight by a couple of points. From 1K7:: to lssr :l" * winning totals at the dose of i season went int" three figures, and though there have l«*eii instances where in this country a iockev has had more mounts in a year than he. ha* reached the 240 wins of Archer— registered not one ii IN*. I«" U!,Pir ,,•a,l al ,,u ••,| ■* "" next Mar left ■ void that has scarcely kM tilled since though many brilliant riders have followed him and display ed. perhaps, more rtuisj. in their horsemanship. "r"" "f .j£ Vss, Z£ , ,, r ilSTt 1881 lss-- ,SS-:- 4- ■ l,r,lr"1 to fhirles W " d was runner up lo Archer the late Gcorire Foidham filled that |K.sitioii in lss«l and .iter hi- death Wood at length stood tirst. 1.1 wins uring him "iat l«edMoii g ,ss.. , , Tt .. demise of "The Tinman. as Archer was telv and familiarly dubbed by his many I i in. ffeetb.ua ii pii.il ■ ,1....l-„r epened out the t.ositlon some- Sr,,"" the time when the brothers T «nd « Ioates. the brothers G. and F. Bar- I.I,.. the brothers Mornington and K. Watts, r... « r.-ti. John , ,, Madden were bright l?»T"L the jVMkev firmament, and of those named "ton Cannon made the nearest approach to » Kirmii.iu ornil -. fortune by heading the win- iiHst for a h3f doaen years, four of which .mJcutive. while Midden lopped it for four v v.-r.- r » ""*• "J |I. last did so in VMU. but mean- • ««7iig •*"•?",■ ....rived among us who was destined while ooe "Vnct mark in the records. This was :""* .?and ia„bc "" brought with him a high repn- Katiny MWt • , 1 states of Aineii.a. He ,anie he I ..m atton from r"f Vjit„ .„„ for n,.;ulv thirteen here in years the Sepie held u an eur rhH, .lml honorable place , ,„ the «iUatV" .■.,,;•,, /he reputation p.eced tZuLLTSU l*SlS. —I be P. IV had h.m was " •.g .iding stipporlors ..i the l.trf. ?-i£FE2JZ in Union.:,.. Thou,,, no, , , ! « t I [ I i j I I i ; | i : i i ! ; I 1 1 I to ride at a weight lierinissible to many of his 1 rivals, he usually made a go.xl show at the close of a year, and was only twice out of the first s three — in MM,.!, when he was brought close to deaths v door by a motor-car accident which held him up t for some months — and 1907 . P.ut though iuimedi- I I ately achieving a foremost position, it was to be n challenged by the arrival of F. Wootton in l!KHi. 1 In that year Wootton rode sixteen winners, in the I next thirty-nine, and in ltMts the "little l»oy from j Australia" was the popular jockey hero of the hour. And it could n..t be denied that the renown i lie gained was thoroughly earned. Rapidly correct- i ing some defects in his early riding, the youngster i became an «i pouent to lie feared by the best of t his rivals of any age. and he soon joined Maher I in the public esteem. They fought out many a i tine finish, and the balance as to their respective i ability was held tolerably even. Wootton ex- » a bibtted marvellous skill for one so young, and back- t ing his mounts soon became a favorite line of 1 speculation. In fact, it was almost as pronounced J as had been the following of Archer in his day. and many a cheer went up when he brought off ] a good-priced chance or got first home on some favorite thoroughbred. Mahers mounts had their adherents also, and the pair practically stood out i by themselves until 1913. Infortunately by that time ill-health had attacked Maher and increasing i bodily poundage had affected WTootton, r,o that they relinquished the saddle at the close of the year . named. The Australian retired for good and all and started as a trainer, but It was hoped that j Maher would lie abie to take up public riding again after a holiday visit to South Africa. As is well j known, however, he has been "standing down for two years, with the exception of a single and an , unsuccessful » mount at the Newmarket Fifth Extra Meeting in September last, this being his first leg up since he rode in a Welter Flat Race at Hurst Park in the December of 191.!. Whether, as is the general hope, Maher will re sunie joekeyship remains to be seen, but his retirement, in conjunction with that of Wootton, largely cleared the way for other riders. The bold . show made by lUuioghue iiointed to him as being likely to take the position so often battled for by Maher and Wootton. and he has fully seized his opportunity. It seems as though the mantle of one or other of those first-rate horsemen had fallen upon I.onoghue. not as yet. perhaps, in the way of ability, yet iu the way of success, for in iitll. with 12!* victories, he easily headed the jockey list. The handy weight at which be can go to scale ensures him "plenty of riding, and though when llat racing for the year closed down the other day he hail only, owing to the curtailment of sport, ridden t 2 winners, he repeated his experience of the previous season in scoring almost double the number of his nearest attendants in the reckoning. All going well with racing next year, and all going well also with the jockey, there is every likelihood of Donoghue once ino/e . -.suing "i:t ou top. but he cannot hope — nor can any other rider, for that matter — to rival the unique performance of Archer refered to above. The statement following sets out the jockey position at the close of each year since the advent of Maher in 1SHJ0: 1901. 1909. Jockev. Mts. Jockey. Mts. O. Madden 110 F. Wootton Hi I». Maher 91 1. Maher 110 G. Met all 91 W. Higgs 101 1902. 1910. W. Lane 170 F. Wootton l.IT W. Halsev 115 J . Maher 127 1 . Maher 106 C Trigg M 1903. 1911. O. Madden 154 F. Wootton 1S7 W. I-aiio 140 . Trigg Ill W. Halsev ltlo 1 . Maher 99 1904. 1912. O. Madden 101 F. Wwtton US W. Lane 124 IK Maher 109 1. Maher 115 A. Whalley 99 1905. 1913. K. Wheatlev 12 1 I. Maher 115 . Madden 119 F Wootton 91 W. Higgs 107 A. Whallev so 1906. i914. W. Higgs 149 S. Donoghu" 129 O. Madden 104 J. lark OS I. Maher M M. Wing 59 1907. 1915. W. Higgs 145 S. Donoghue m D. Maher 114 F. Ki.kahv ::t; W. Halsev 10:! F. Bullock 6 1908. D. Maher 1.19 F. Wootton 129 . W. Higgs 124
