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ENGLISH APPRECIATION OF D. MAKER. Every racing man in England, whether lie be owner, trainer, jockey, or merely a spectator, will be grieved to receive the news of the death yesterday of "Danny" Maher at the all too early age of thirty-five. It is true that the bad news was not at all unexpected, but one had hoped, almost against hope, that the dread malady from which he suffered would be successfully combated and overcome. It was not to be, however, and so one of the most accomplished, most popular, and most gentlemanly jockeys in the long history of English . racing has passed away. I Maher, it is hardly necessary to remark, was one of a considerable number of American riders who were induced to come over here, as well as to France and other European countries, in consequence of the phenomenal success of an earlier exponent of the Transatlantic style of riding in "Tod" Sloan. The Reiffs and J. IT. Martin who is now the solo survivor of the American invasion, and is riding better than ever were others, but it fell to the lot of few of them to accomplish so immediate a success as did the subject of these notes. Mahers arrival was preceded by eulogistic notices regarding his ability as a jockey and general level-headedness, and right well did he fulfill all the prophecies of which he was the subject. Many of his fellow-countrymen yielded to the temptations held out to them by well-meaning tut misguided admirers, and so by degrees their numbers became reduced. "Danny," however, never for a moment lost his head during what can only be adequately described as a brilliant career, and even during the heyday of his triumphs still remained the same gentlemanly, modest, little man. No wonder, then, he was so universally beloved and admired, and that his compulsory retirement from the profession he had so greatly adorned created the keenest regret. The story of Mahers career is fully related elsewhere in this issue, and there is no necessity, therefore, to cover the same ground in these notes. Suffice it, then, to state briefly that he won three Derbys on Cicero, Rock Sand, and Spearmint and at some time or another won all the other classic races and almost every important weight-for-age event and handicap on the British turf. From conversations I had with him from time to time I gathered that he entertained a greater affection for Rock Sand than any other horse he had ever ridden, and I think, perhaps, that he also believed that the son of Sainfoin was the best with which he had ever been associated. Arriving in England in September, 1900, Maher promptly carried off the first two races in which he had mounts. The meeting was Manchester and the horses Paiute and Rad News, both owned by Mr. It. MeCreery and trained by George Blackwell. From that year onwards until the 1913 season he rode over 1,400 winners, and headed the list on two occasioiis. Moreover, he maintained a remnrk-nble average, and if this never approached the figures set up by Fred Archer during that famous horsemans great years, it is equally true that no other jockey did so. It is useless to attempt nny comparison between Archer and Maher, as they belonged to totally different eras and schools. Suffice it to say, then, that both were splendid exponents of their respective styles of race riding, and that Maher was quicker than any other American or English jockey to perceive that there were advantages in both and thereby profit as a result of Continued on second page. ENGLISH APPRECIATION OF D. MAHER. Continued from first page. combining all that was best in the two methods. The deceased jockey rode at one period or another for all the leading sportsmen in the country, and on one occasion had the honor to carry tlie lute King Edwards colors to victory, an occasion which was marked by a gracious presentation by His Majesty, and which was ever counted amongst Mahers most treasured recollections. Undoubtedly, however, his staunchest patron and, it may be added, friend was Lord Kosebery, whose kindness to his jockey ever since the disease to which he has just suecumbed caused him to relinquish riding has been greatly sustaining and comforting. Sir Abe Bailey, too, was good to "Danny," who, along with Mrs. Maher, resided for two winters at that gentlemans magnificent Iihodcsinn estate. Returning from South Africa, Maher was thought to have improved sufficiently in health to resume riding, and he actually had a mount on Sun Yat at Newmarket at one of the autumn meetings last year. If good wishes could have brought success, Sun Yat would have won by many lengths, but the horse was not good enough. It must have been, all the same, many years since so wonderful a demonst.iition of popular sympathy was accorded any jockey as was forthcoming on that occasion, the cheering being unanimous and lusty as "Danny" rode Ills horse past the stands to the starting post. A few years ago Maher became a naturalized Englishman, and never was there a more acceptable voluntary recruit to the nations citizenship. I, who knew him well, had hoped that lie would live to a good old age and become as famous a trainer as he was a jockey, but fate has willed it otherwise. It only remains to be added, then, that Daniel Maher never made an enemy and that his memory will always remain amongst the brightest and best in turf history. "Augur" in Loudon Sporting Life of November 10.
