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TUFTS UNIVERSITY [-IBRA"'ES

3 9090 013 400 755

Vi/ebster Family Library of Vsterinary IVJediclne

GENIUS GENUINE,

BY

SAMUEL C H I F N E Y,

OF NEWMARKET.

•i^tme Fivo •Poimd».'

iy'yxcjc^ co-?^ v/£>c4.ip-Lc/

5
%0^

enteittr at stationers' ^all,

*.x.* From unforeseen circumstances the Author has beej.i
prevented publishing this Book at the time intended.

i^HURy, PRINTER, BERWICK STREET, LONDON.

CONTENTS.

Abuses that are gone abroad Page g

Reasons for this Publication 11

Scota at Lewes 13

Magpie and Seagull l6

Traveller and Highlander 21

Pegasus and Cardock 25

Traveller and Creeper 28

Occurrences relative to Escape 40

Escape's great Change in his Running 44

Escape and Grey Diomed 5Q

Escape's Losing and Witining 67

Mr. Warwick Lake's severe saying to the

Prince of Wales 86

Mr. Warwick Lake's and Frank Neale's

infernal Conduct 90

Occurrences on the day following my riding

Escape on the 21st of October 1791 92

The

VI CONTENTS.

The Prince's Question to Chifney Page 94

The Prince and Sir Charles Bunbury on the
subject of Escape 97

The Stewards of the Jockey-Club examine
Chifney ' • 99

Sir Charles Bunbury telling the Prince of
Wales no Gentleman would start against
him 112

References to some recent Facts, as furnish-
ing positive Proofs tliat the Misrepresenta-
tions of my Conduct in riding Escape on
the 2 1st of October 1791 slill operate
cruelly against me ; and rendering indis-
pensable the publication of my Narrative ..114

Mr. Cookson taking Chifney off his horse
Sir Harry, at York, &c II7

Affidavit on Escape's running 137

To those not well acquainted with the Turf
respecting Horses Changing in their Run-
ning 141

Mr.W.

CONTENTS. Vll

Mr. W. Lake and Neale telling the Prince
Chifney had lost on His Royal High-

ness's Horse Fitzwilliam Page 14g

Duke of Bedford taking Chifney off his

Horses 152

Duke of Bedford taking Chifney off his

Horse Fidget 154

Paul and Augusta run twice on the same day 155

Riding with a loose rein 157

Reasons why the Turf Horses degenerate,
and Guides to recover them to their
Strength and Speed l63

ABUSES

THAT ARE GONE ABROAD.

I AM repeatedly told, by respectable people^
and from all quarters, that it is talked in their
counties that Chifney lost intentionally upon His
Royal Highness the Prince of Wales's horse
Escape, at Newmarket, on the 20th of October
1791 ; and after Escape had pulled up on this
said race to walk back to scale, that Chifney was
laughing to the Prince of Wales because he had
got Escape beat ; and then, to suit their wicked
construction, they said, and I find that it is sent
out to the w^orld, that the Prince won such an
immense sum of money upon Escape the follow-
ing day ; and that the Prince gives Chifney two
hundred guineas a year for his life after l)is losing
this said race with Escape.

SAMUEL CHIFNEY'S REASONS

THIS PUBLICATION,

I AM fully aware of the singularity and auk-
wardness of the circumstances under which I am
forced to appear before the public upon paper.

I do not conceive that any noblemen or gen-
tlemen whom I have the honour of addressing, can
be ignorant of the sensation that was made on the
turf when I had the honour of riding His Royal
Highness the Prince of Wales's Horse Escape,
at Newmarket, on the 20th and 21st days of
October 1791- Some may say this is an old
story, and long since forgotten, and that I am
wrong to revive it.

I have but one answer to make to all such ob-
servations ; which is, that I have felt the effects
of the occurrences of those days have operated
B 2 upon

J 2

upon me in the most severe manner, after a lapse
of many years. I presume then, that the libera-
lity of my readers w ill admit that I have a right to
be indig-nant at the gross mis-statements of my
riding Escape on the 20th October 1791, which
imposed upon me appearing on paper before the
public, as the only means I possess of doing
justice, with an exposition of the truth, to those
who have been beguiled into errors. This it will
be impossible to do without mentioning the names
of persons who happened to be actors in the
scenes which I relate.

I claim the universal right of self defence; and
shall be strictly observant of the most scrupulous
veracity, as I mean to annex hereto an affidavit of
the truth which in the course of the narrative I
shall assert.

Now in my self defence, I think it neces-
sary for me to begin by stating some of
Mr. Warwick Lake's conduct, as I think that
will clearly shew how capable he was of using that
sort of severity to the Prince of Wales, which

coupled

coupled the Prince with Chifncy's running Es-
cape a cheat, (seen in page 86,) and before I was
engaged to the Prince, Mr. Vernon's servant
(James Edwards,) told me, that both Messrs. War-
wick Lake and Neale had said, that Chifney should
not come to live with the Prince, and if he
did, he should not stay. However, on the 14th
of July 1790, His Royal Highness the Prince of
Wales did me the honour to engage me for life to
ride his running horses, at a salary of two hundred
guineas a year. At this time Mr. W. Lake
had the management of His Royal Highness's
ruiming horses, to match, bet, &c.

Soon after I had been engaged, His Royal High-
ness told me, " if at any time it should happen
'•' that I give you orders how to ride, you will al-
" ways go to Mr. Warwick Lake to finish your
" orders, and Mr. Lake and you will make any
" alteration you like, and run as you please."

When at Lewes, on the 7 th of August 179O, I
was going to ride Scota for the Ladies' plate, four
miles, against Lord Barrymore's Highlander and

Mr.

14

Mr. Clarke's Schoolboy, His Royal Highness
came to me and sdid^ " Sam Chifncy, I shall be
« very glad to see you win upon Scota to-day, for
'' she is never to run again^ whether she win or
" lose. Go to Mr. W. Lake for your orders how
*' to ride her."

When I went to Mr. W. Lake, he gave me or-
ders to make very strong running with Scota, for
she was the slowest mare that ever ran, but the
stoutest. I told Mr. Lake I knew her to be
neither. He replied, I knew nothing about her,
for she was quite a different mare in her trials ;
that she was sure of winning, run which way
she would ; but he strictly enjoined me to make
very strong running with her. I then told Mr.
W. Lake I thought she could not win, run which
way she would; but to run her as he ordered
would be the most certain way to beat her. I
urged Mr. Lake to allow me to use gentle means
with her, provided other horses make tolerable
good running, but could not prevail upon him to
alter his first orders ; at which I was much dis-
tressed.

15

tressed, lest my conduct should suffer with the
public for riding Scota in the way I was or-
dered ; and if so, I thought I might suffer with
His Royal Highness, thinking that Mr. Lake
would not satisfy them that it was his order for
Scota to run in this sort of way. It being now
saddling time, I had no opportunity to go to His
Royal Highness ; I accordingly made up my
mind to wait with Scota, and abide the conse-
quence, meaning to tell His Royal Highness,
after the race, that I was afraid to ride Scota
according to Mr. Lake's orders : but as Scota
won, I did not like to trouble His Royal High-
ness on the subject. I had seen Scota run most
or all her races; I had rode her for Colonel
O'Kelly; I knew her to be a fast runner and a
very great jade, four miles, if strong running
were made ; and the field I believe knew she was
fast and a jade. I waited with Scota, and High-
lander and Schoolboy waited behind her, till, I
think, within 150 yards of the winning-post. I
then thought Scota, if she got the first effort,

would

'nT)ulcl live in a sharp rally. T tried it, and she
just won a very hard race. I think Scota must
have been beat a very great way if strong running
play had been made ; I think such as two hun-
dred yards, as she was not in condition for run-
ning. ^ I had just come out of the scale when
Mr. Charles Davies, the bettor, gave me joy upon
v.'inning so unexpectedly. I denied having won
unexpectedly. Mr. Davies persisted in it that I had
won unexpectedly. Conscious as I was of having
communicated my opinion to none but Mr. W.
Lake, I asked Mr. Davies what was his motive for
saying that I had won unexpectedly. Mr. Davies
then assured me that Mr. Lake had betted with
him against Scota, and had afterwards advised him
to edge his money off, for Scota could win no way.
On the 20th of October 179O Magpie ran with
Lord Barrymore's Seagull and others for a handi-
cap sweepstakes, and in this race Seagull gave
Magpie eight pounds, and Magpie beat Seagull
several lengths. I took the first opportunity,
after this race, of recommending to His Royal

Highness

17

Highness to match Magpie with Seagull, at iiinii
stone each, to run the same course, on the next
day, for two liundred guineas, observing that I
had rather run at even than that Magpie should
receive weight but at nine stone. I then suggested
to His Royal Highness that I thought the odds
would be upon Seagull, as Seagull stood very high
in the public opinion. I therefore recommended
to His Royal Highness to lay out five or six hun-
dred more before starting, as the market for bet-
ting was ; and, with leave, I would bet His Royal
Highness fifty guineas upon Magpie.

On the next morning His Royal Highness sent
for me, and told me, in the presence of Mr. Lake,
that Mr. Lake could not match Magpie against
Seagull last night; and observed, " You know,
^* Sam Chifney, we cannot always match as we
" wish." I expressed my humble satisfaction,
and said, that had they chosen to have run I
should have liked the match.

His Royal Highness then said that Mr. Lake

would try again that night to match them ; and

c I took

18

took the liberty of replying, that if they were
not matched on that night to run the next day, *
should decline having any thing to do with the
matching them.

On this same niglit Mr. Lake matched them
to riln tlie same course on the '2d of November
] 79^^' Seagull was to give Magpie eight pounds,
but Magpie was not to carry more than eight
stone ; and on the morning of the race His Royal
Highness sent forme into his room, and asked mc
if Magpie would win that day. I answered that
I did not think he would. His Royal Highness
then replied, •' You don't think he will ! Why
^' what does this mean, Sam Chifney ? This is
'• your own match*!" I then said, " Yes,
" your Royal Highness, it is my own match, and
^' I am veiy thankful to your Royal tlighness for
" indulging me ; but I dont know that Magpie
'■'^ is well, which is the reason why I don't think
*' he will win." His Royal Highness observed

* My match was done away by not being made to my time,
that I answered too free.

that

19
that Frank Neale (the training groom) had just
quitted the room before I entered it, and had as-
sured him that Magpie was as fit to run as aiiy
horse could be. I then took the Hberty and told
His Royal Highneas that if Magpie was well to
Tun, he was as sure of winning as ever horse was;
and notwithstanding Neale's saying the horse was
well to run, I wished Ilis Royal Highness not to
lose more upon him than the match-money.

When I saw Magpie stripped for saddling, I
knew him exceedingly unfit to run, (but whether
this was from the ignorance or rascality of Neale,
I know not,) and he was beaten with extraordi-
nary ease, I thought. He could not go a run-
ning pace in any part of the race. After I
had come out of the scale I rode to the side of the
betting-ring, where Mr. W. Lake observed to
me how easily Magpie had been beaten. I then
told Mr. Lake that I should have been glad if
he had tried him, as he sometimes ran 150 or
200 yards better at one time than at another ; and
Mr, Lake directly replied that Frank Neale had
c 1 informed

20
inibrmed liini that Magpie had bad Icgs^ that he
dared not gallop liim. I think Neale should be
heard on this saying of Mr. W. Lake's, that he
dared not gallop Magpie, his having bad legs.

This was the last time of Magpie's running,
and Ije was turned out of training after this raee,
but for what reason I never knew. I knew no-
thing about his legs being amiss ; I saw nothing
amiss in them before starting ; but I did observe
that his condition was such as must stop his legs
from going as they ought. I believe that Mag--
T)ie, had he been fit to run, was the best runner of
his age then on the turf. Seagull was the same
age as Magpie.

When I recommended the match between
Magpie and Seagull to be run on the 21st of
October, at nine stone each, I had a particular
reason for fixing the day for running ; and those
very reasons made me unwilling to match them at
any future time.

Mr. Lake matching to run on the 2d of No-
vember, this, with what I had before observed of

Mr.

21

Mr. W. Lake's conduct, impressed my mind
strongly ; for, as Magpie had just beaten Seagull
at the same weight, and with great ease, I could
not see how Mr. W. Lake could be able to have
eight pounds given him to run the same course
again. I viewed this eight pounds as a strong lure
for me ; for if His Royal Highness backed Magpie,
it was likely to afford plenty of customers, at a
different price, in betting. These thoughts made
me pay very strict attention to Magpie's manage-
ment ; and from my observation of it I judged
that he was likely to be very unfit to run ; but of
this I could not be positively certain till I saw him
stripped for saddling, for I did not go into His
Royal Highness's stable at Newmarket but once,
I think, when I attended His Royal Highness
there for a few minutes.

I find it requisite to mark one other instance of
the singularity of Mr. W. Lake's conduct. A
match had been made for Traveller to run on the
6th of November 17 90, against Lord Barry more's
Highlander. Highlander was seven years old, and

* Traveller

22
Traveller only five. Traveller gave Highlander
fifteen pounds four miles for five hundred guineas.
Before this match was to be run. Traveller was
tried the same length and course and weight that
he had to run with Highlander.

He was tried with Phalanx, Bubble, and Archi-
bald. When they had about half a mile to run,
the other horses were so very much beaten by Pha-
lanx that (Mr. W. Lake and Neale, who from the
rising ground on our right commanded every
horse's situation) I called to know if we might
give over running, and they said, yes : at which
time Phalanx was more than ten lengths before
Bubble, Bubble was many lengths before Travel-
ler, and Traveller was about his own length before
Archibald ; so that it was hurting the horses to
distress them after Phalanx any longer.

On the morning Traveller and Highlander were
to run. His Royal Highness sent for me, and
Mr. W. Lake was in his room. His Royal High-
ness said, " Sam Chifney, will Traveller win to-
^^ day?" I replied, "^ No, your Royal Highness, I

" don't

23

« don't think he will." Mr. W. Lake directly
said, " Why don't you think he will ? You know
" he ran a good horse in his trial, for you rode
" him." I answered, " Yes, Sir, I rode him,
" but I don't know that he ran a good horse.'*
Mr. Lake then replied with much warmth, " Yes,
" you do know that he ran a good horse, for he
" was not beaten more than half a length — he
" was not beaten a length." I replied with asto-
nishment, " Not a length. Sir!'' — " No !" said
Mr. Lake, " he was beaten very little more than
*' a length — he was not beaten a length and a
" half."

Mr. W. Lake now clearly shewed to me a wish
to disguise the truth, and spoke with such
warmth that I thought His Royal Highness ap-
peared much disturbed. I therefore thought it
most proper for me to bow and quit the room,
which I did, thinking to have an opportunity of
informing His Royal Highness, before I rode
Traveller, how he ran on his trial. When upon
the course I saw His Royal Highness on horse-
back.

24

back, I took the liberty of thus addressing hrm,
" With leave from your Royal Highness I shall
" be glad to name how Traveller ran on his trial."
His Royal Highness said, '' You may name."

I then related to His Royal Highness the trial
Traveller ran, and was beaten with extraordinary
ease. He ran worse in this match, I think, than,
he had done on his trial, for he appeared to me
notable to go a proper running pace in any part
of the race. My cautious manner in answering
Mr. W. Lake, when I said I did not know that
Traveller had run a good horse, was because I
knew none of the horses' weights they were tried
with but the horse Traveller that I rode.

Of

25

Of some Occurrences at the Spring Meeting at
Neiimarhct in 1791*

On the I2th of May 1791, Mr. W. Lake gave
me orders to make play with Pegasus against Car-
clock and another horse for the King's Plate.
His Royal Highness not being at Newmarket, I
used my utmost endeavours to induce Mr. Lake
to allow me to wait with Pegasus : he would not
agree to it ; however, as I knew Pegasus's making
play was the only way to beat him, I took upon
myself to wait with him, and he just won *.
Had Pegasus made play, I believe Cardock would
have beaten him. Pegasus was very unfit to run
in this race, though a much better runner at that
time than Cardock.

• From the Prince telling me, in page 13, for Mr. LakeanJ
me to run as we pleased, was giving me some toleration occa-
sionally in my running.

D Some

26
Some little time after this race was over,
Mr. W. Lake came up to me, and said, " I give
" you joy, Chifney ; I was glad to see the horse
" win ; T mean, I was glad for the horse's master's
" sake, fori don't mind any thing about them
'^ for myself." This I thought was strange talk.
I observed, however, to Mr. Lake, that Pegasus
was nearly being beaten, from being very unfit to
run : and I further remarked that it was ridicu-
lous for His Royal Highness's horses to be so very
often brought o t unfit to run, without any ac-
count being given for it. I told Mr. W. Lake
that Neale was unqualified to act as groom to His
Royal Highness. I was particularly disgusted
with the assurance with whjch Neale supported
his ignorance. I hkt-wise told Mr. W. Lake that
he was the most in fault to sufter those goings on.
I did not recommend abuse to Neale, and told
Mr. Lake that Neale wanted assistance. I knew^,
where there were so many horses continually run-
ning, that tlierf must be many changes in their
running ; but it is the groom's place to account to

his

27

his master nearly tlie cause of those changes ; for
by his accounting to his master, it is Hkcly then to
be accounted for to the public, which is fair ; be-
cause much of the public back their opinions on
horses, imagining the groom to be a person of
ability and integrity where they are in such very
high office.

D 2 JVhat

28

IVkat happened at York Races in 1791'

I WAS ordered down to York to ride Traveller
and Creeper, and I understand that many of the
turf people have given out that on the first day
of the races I rode Traveller a cheat to match
him, &c. There needs no other reason for my
entering into a detail of what occurred on the oc-
casion. I arrived at York on the Saturday pre-
ceding the races, and saw Mr. Casborne the
groom, and inquired of him how the horses were :
he assured me they were both well, and asked me
if I wished to see them. I answered, yes, as I
meant to send to His Royal Highness that night.
He first shewed me Traveller, and I directly ob-
served that he was not fit to run, and that I
should report him so to His Royal Highness that
niglit. I added, that I was sorry for it, and par-
ticularly

29

ticulany so on liis account. Casbonic now
-questioned me particularly v/hy Traveller was not
well to run, and I informed him, at wliieh he ap-
peared to be very sorry. He then conducted mc
into the other stable to see Creeper, and 1 told him
that I was very glad to see Creeper look so well,
iind that I should say as much to His Royal High-
ness that night. I was always glad to have Cas-
borne with the horses, as I thought liim more
careful, and that he knew better how to train.
This opinion of mine, I believe, was known to
His Royal Highness. I sent to inform His Royal
Highness that Traveller was not well to run, and
that Creeper was well to run, and I wished His
Royal Highness would back Creeper in London.
On Monday the 22d of August Ijg] Traveller
ran with Spadille, Gustavus, and Fox, and after
he had run about two miles and a quarter he
stopped very short. I foilov>'ed the horses with
him as well as I was able ; but they leaving him
at such a very great distance, I thought it prudent
to pull him up ; and I now thought Traveller

good

30

^C,'oodibr nothing for running, as he was beat such
a wonderful way.

I was told Mr. W. Lake did not come on the
jxround till after Traveller's race ; and when the
day's sport was over, I asked him leave to run
Creepcr-and Traveller together the next morning.
1 told him why I wislied to run them. I added^
that I did not wish to run them with any view of
learning Creeper's goodness : that could not
be ; as Traveller's running was so very much gone
from him, that there was no weight that could
bring him up to run with any horse; neither
could it be of the least injury to Creeper for his
race on the next day *. Accordingly on the next
morning, which was the 23d of August 1791? I
got on Creeper without weighing. I think I rode
about 8st. gib. and a little boy rode Traveller,
not more than 6st. 3lb. as Casborne had said
Creeper was five, and Traveller six years old. At
starting, I told the boy to go first with Traveller,

• I wi.^hed Creeper to know the course, he was such a very
long-stroking horse.

and

31

and let him go as well as he thought he was able,
so as not to knock him up, for Traveller was a
very free runner : and after he had run two miles
as fast as he was very well able, I went up to him
with Creeper, and told the boy to pull his horse
and gallop him very gently the same way back.
I then kept a great way behind him. In my opi-
nion this running was much less fatigue to Creeper
than the gallop he would or should have had this
same morning if he had not run with Traveller :
and this same morning, viz. the 23d of August
1791, I learned that Mr. W. Lake had matched
Traveller, on the over-night, against Cavendish,
to run in the Spring following, over Newmarket,
for five hundred guineas ; and on this same day,
when I saw Mr. Lake I toid him I thought he
was bold in matcliing Traveller at this time against
any horse. Mr. Lake replied, " If the Prince
^•' don't like to stand the match, I'll stand every
'' guinea of it myself." I then observed to
Mr. Lake his motive for matching him probably
was from his last trial at Newmarket, in the

spring ;

32
spring ; to which he said, " Yes." I told
Mr. W. Lake that he would not have matched
him had he come in time to have seen him run,
and I was afraid his running would never come to
him again. Mr. Lake appeared displeased, and
again repeated that if the Prince did not like to
stand the match, he would stand every guinea of
it himself. To which I replied, that if he made a
good match, the Prince stood it, and if he made a
had match the Pi'ince did not want him to stand it.

On the following day, the 24th of August
1791, Creeper ran against Walnut, and the in-
stant I had stripped Creeper for saddling, I
believed him poisoned for the race, for his car-
case was svvelled in so extraordinary a manner,
that I never saw a horse so before, and I knew
him to have been in fine order only the morning
before.

Nothing could be now done for His Royal
Highness, and I thought it better for me to lose
all my money than to have any complaint made
to His Royal Highness, that I made the horses

wait

33

wait for me at starting. Mr. W. Lake and Mr.
Vauxhall Clark must sufter with mc^ for I dared
not to go to the betting stand to tell them, and
no person was at hand that I could send with such
a message. Directly the horses started there was
a very great change in Creeper's going ; he could
not get his legs out, which I attributed to the
swelling of his carcase. It happened that there
was but little running made till they came near
home ; and when they came near the grand stand.
Walnut and Creeper had a run together ; and
Creeper had evidently the best of that run ; and
yet, notwithstanding the short distance in. Creeper
was beaten three or four lengths.

I believe that Creeper must have been beaten
a great way if there had been tolerable good
mnmng made all the way. I lost upon Creeper,
jn this race, two hundred guineas. I betted all
this money with Mr. Lake and Mr. Vauxhall
Clark. After Creeper was beaten by Walnut, it
was said that I had lost the race by trying him ;
this I think is most likely to be sent out by those
E that

34

that knew of his having been poisoned for the
race, and this I thought was done by him who
had the care of the horse. On the following day,
the 25th of August 1791 *, which was on Thurs-
day, Traveller ran again against Tickle-Toby,
Walnut, Gustavus, Cavendish, and Dubskelper ;
they ran the same course that Traveller ran on the
preceding Monday ; Tickle-Toby won ; and Tra-
veller was beaten in this race, to the best of my
belief, part of Tickle-Toby's head only, not-
withstanding Traveller being placed third. Mr.
Belston, who lives at Leathcrhead, in Surrey,
came to me before starting, and said, " Chifney,
" I will give you twenty guineas if you will per-
'' suade Mr. Lake not to run Traveller, as he
*' had got one hundred guineas Traveller against
'* Walnut in their places, and that he had no
" chance for it if Traveller started." I told Mr,
Bel&ton I wished he had not named about twenty

* There was something very singular in Casborne'i manner
before me on the day before ; but I had no thoughts of his doing
any thing unfair to Creeper till I stripped him for saddling.

guineas.

guineas, neither could I be of any service to him
about Traveller's not running ; and why had he
not gone to Mr. Lake ? Mr. Belston said he
had been to Mr. Lake, and he told him that
Traveller must run. I told Mr. Belston that
Mr. Lake had answered him very properly, for it
was the Prince's pleasure to send his horses to
York to run, and whether they could run well
or not, they should run ; and that I could only
recollect, that his bet was in their pieces; and
should any thing extraordinary occur so as to
enable me to pass Walnut before he should get
in, that I would take care to do it. Mr. Belston
said he was much obliged to mc. A long dis-
tance from home Traveller had been much beat
by Tickle-Toby and Walnut, and some lengths
be'iind them in the last one hunclrv^d yards ; but
finding Traveller stayed to his running, and the
horses before him slackening their pace, I con-
tinued pressing him very severe ; and just before
getting to the winning-post, Traveller poured
upon them, and Walnut dropped to the hind part
E 2 qf

36

of Tickle-Toby, and I'ickle-Toby stopped very
short ; but I thought part of his head passed the
winning-post before Traveller's. The shout was,
Traveller won ! and a yard by the winning-post.
I believe Traveller's head was clearly before Tickle-
Toby's ; that the people not even with the win-
ning-post might easily be mistaken. When I
got to scale, it was as I thought, Tickle-Toby
won ; and my giving Traveller great time to come
back to scale, the other riders had weighed. I
got into scale, and the man that weighed us said
to me, " You weigh third." I said, " I was se-
^' cond." The man immediately took me by the
arm to pull me out of the scale, saying, " You
" shall not weigh if you don't weigh third." 1
called to the gentlemen in the stand above the
scales to know if Mr. Rhodes was there, thinking
him the judge. When Mr. Rhodes appeared, I
asked him who was second. When Mr. Rhodes
spoke, he said Walnut ; I now saw Traveller
must be placed wrong. I said to the man, " You
" will be pleased to weigh me, and it makes no

" difference

37

*•' difFcrence to me whether Traveller is placed
*' second or third ; but Traveller was second."
Mangles, Walnut's rider, said, " No, Mr. Chi f-
*^ ney. Walnut was second, he beat Traveller near
" his length." When I asked Mr. Rhodes which
was second, Mr. Rhodes appeared not desirous
of speaking, and when he did speak, it was in a
Jiushing manner. I had always a singular good
opinion of Mr. Rhodes's punctuality. This was
my very reason for not daring to go on the day
before, at saddling time, to tell Mr. Lake and
Mr. Clark I thought Creeper was poisoned for
his race, as 1 thought Mr. Rhodes would not
show partiality to any one in waiting above the
time that he had given orders for saddling and
starting, but to start and go without those that
were not ready. Had I been at Newmarket I
could have bought myself time to have gone to
Mr. Lake and Mr. Clark, as the penalty there is
five guineas if the training-groom or rider make
the horses wait at starting. If Mr. Rhodes was
not judge, he might speak after the judge, or the

man

38

man at the scale. I was afterwards told that the
man who weighed us was the judge, and that he
was huntsman to the city hounds.

I asked Hindley, who rode Tickle-Toby, which
horse that was that was by the side of him as he
passed" the winning-post. Hindley said he did
not know *. I did not recollect at scale about
Mr. Belston's bet, and glad I was, as it could only
have served to aggravate me.

I had the same desire of winning upon Travel-
ler, on the first day at York, as ever I had to win
on any horse.

When this race was over, Mr. Baker's groom,
Tyziman, seeing Traveller had beaten Cavendish
a great way, he pressed me very much to let him
and Thomas Fields, the rider, off* of fifty guineas
which they stood with their master, Mr. Baker,
on Cavendish against Traveller, the match over
Newmarket the spring following, which had been
made on the Monday night.

* Tickle-Toby and Traveller were so near to each other pass-
ing the winning-post, that Walnut was shut out by them.

Tyziman

39

Tyziman said he knew the match was all of my
making, and that he was very sure that I could
let him off the fifty guineas if I pleased.

I told Mr. Tyziman that I had nothing to do
about Traveller and Cavendish being matched,
neither could I be of any service to him in his
bet-

I do not know that I should have made Mr.
Tyziman any answer, only before this I had much
respect for him, as I did and do think him a
good trainer. I had just marked him out with
the intention of recommending him as a fit per-
son for His Royal Highness's service as a training-
groom ; but after I found he knew more about
me than I knew of myself, and seeing him ca-
pable of pressing to be off a fifty-guinea bet at a
time which was so very unseasonable, I believed
this sort of conduct of Mr. Tyziman's was not fit
for a prince's servant. It was likewise said at
Newmarket I rode Traveller a cheat the first day
at York, to back him for the Thursday's race.

Of

40

Of the Occurrences relative to Escape.

In order to give myself a fair and clear chance
of being thoroughly understood in all that refers
to Escape, I shall beg leave to disclose my earliest
thoughts of him, from the first time he attracted
my notice, which was at Newmarket in April
1789. I thougiit Escape lost against Harpator
from his not waiting when they ran over the
Duke's Course.

And in the next October Meeting, in 178(),
Escape beat Nimble across the Flat (I thought)
with extraordinary ease ; and I considered Nim^
ble a fast runner. From this time I had a very-
high opinion of Escape's speed.

I was not present at Ascot Heath races in June
1790, but if I be correctly informed how that

rac©

41

race was run. Escape lost the Oatlands Stakes
there from not waiting.

Ill the month of August 1790 I was ordered to
York to ride Escape, and directly after my return,
Mr. George Leigh, a person in His Royal High-
ness's household, told me, on Egham race-
ground, that my conduct about Escape, at York,
had been much canvassed and blamed by the
company at Wooburn, and by none so much as
by the Duke of Queensberry. I shall therefore
be particular in all that occurred on this occasion.
Before I set out for York I had been informed
that His Royal Highness had taken three thou-
sand to two thousand, in one bet, that Escape
won both the Great Subscriptions ; and immedi-
ately upon my arrival there I asked Casborne if Es-
cape were well to run. Ele answered, " Yes ;" but
upon my telling him my reasons why he was not
so, Casborne came over to my opinion. I im-
puted no fault to Casborne, but thought he had
not had Escape under his care a sufficient time to
get him into running order. I charged Casborne,

42

as he was most likely to see Mr. W. Lake first,
in his way to York, to communicate these senti-
ments to him, which I would certainly do, the
first time I should see him.

I no sooner saw Mr. W. Lake than I told him
that'Escape was not fit to run ; yet I thought he
might win, fi-om his heing so superior a horse to
those he had to run against ; and I told Mr.
Lake that it was Neale's fault in not treat-
ing the horse in a proper manner before he left
Newmarket, it being impossible for any man to
get Escape well to run in the short time he had
then been under Casborne's care. Mr. W. Lake
appeared very angry at my declaring that Escape
had not been treated properly ; and I further ob-
served that Escape's unfitness to run was un-
pleasant to me, as His Royal Highness had much
money depending upon his winning both days.
However, as I had come such a great way to ride
so good a horse, I would have a little bet upon
him, and I took Mr. W. Lake thirty guineas to
twenty-five that Escape wins both days. That

was

43
was then the betting. I also betted five guineas
more the same way with a gentleman who lodged
at Mr. Knapton's CofFee-house, and Mr. Knapton
kindly paid it for me. I had no other bet what-
ever on either of those two races in which I rode
Escape at York, in 1790. After Escape had
been beaten on the second day, Mr. W. Lake told
mc that he had edged off all the Prince's money
but three hundred and fifty.

Escape was run very hard the first day by a
horse that was publicly known to run but very
moderately : but the next day Escape was beaten
very easily.

A circumstance occurred on the first day of my
riding Escape that gave rise to some ill-natured
reflections upon my conduct. I rode without
spurs ; which is very unusual. The reason for it
was, that I lis Royal Highness, just before my
setting off for York, had given me a pair of spurs ;
and 1 was (as I ought to be) much pleased with
them. I took them, and only them, to York.
Just before running I thought the spur§ were too
P 2 long

44

long in the neck, and became fearful to ride in
them. I knew Escape's free manner of running,
and concluded that he would go better without
than with those spurs, for that day's race ; and it
was my intention on the morrow either to ride in
tliosQ spurs or borrow a pair.

Before I come immediately to the riding of
Escape at the October meeting, I must notice
the circumstances that happened previous to my
riding him, on the 26th of April 1791, at New-
market, where he ran the Duke's Course (it is
something short of four miles) against Skylark, &c.
and Skylark was backed two to one to win. Es-
cape waited in this race, and won with extraordi-
nary ease.

After His Royal Highness's Baronet had won
the Oatlands at Ascot Heath, T. Perron, the train-,
ing groom, said Mr. Richard Veinon named it
about Newmarket that Chifney had been at his
tricks again. This calls lipon me to shew what
these tricks were. I likewise wish to make known
the very great change Escape made at that time

in

45

jn his running in five clear clays. This will ren-
der it necessary for me to follow Escape closely
from his trial till after his race.

On June the 13th, 1791, (being the Monday
after Epsom races,) I was at Tattersall's, where
Mr. W. Lake communicated to me a letter from
Newmarket, stating that the Oatland horses were
all well, and asked me what was best to be done
with them. I recommended their being ordered
up to Epsom immediately, and to run them two
miles round Epsom at the same weights as they
were to carry for the Oatlands. Mr. W. Lake
suggested, that as the horses then w'ere so well to
run, would it not be better for them to be tried at
Newmarket directly, and then for them to set off
for Ascot. I felt it my duty to persist in my first
opinion. Mr. Lake continued very much dis-
pleased; and then I replied that he might try
them at Newmarket if he pleased. I had been
asked, and told him what I thought was best to
be done, He then turned from me, saying, he

cared

40
cared not where they were tried, or any thing'
ahout them.

Soon after this, Mr. W. Lake called to me to
question me again about the horses, and I re-
marked, that it was of no use to say what I thought
about them, for whatever I did say I was sure to
displease him. He then replied, " Whatever you
" say is best to be done, shall be done." I re-
peated my recommendation, and the 21st of June
1791 was fixed to try them at Epsom.

Early on that morning I came from Mickleham,
and met Mr. W. Lake at the stable gate upon
Epsom Downs, before day-light. I observed that
I had made myself Qst. lOlb. thinking that he
would have me ride Escape. " No !" said he in
a sharp tone, " I meant you to ride Pegasus ; but
" I don't care what you ride." I offered im-
mediately to change my weights, observing, that I
had made myself the heaviest weight, as I did not
know which horse it would be his pleasure I should
ride, and had made myself the highest weight,

as

A7
as I could so much easier reduce than increase
my weight at that time of the morning. Mr. Lake
seemed much displeased, and said, he cared not
what I did. I then made myself ready to ride
Pegasus. I was here afraid to recoil against this
unfair usage of Mr. Lake's, fearful it might put
a stop to the Prince's business.

As soon as it was light enough, the horses ran
two miles, at the same weights they were to run at
for the OatlandSj on the Tuesday following, at
Ascot Heath. Escape won this trial ; he beat
Baronet about a neck ; Pegasus was beaten a great
way, and I think Smoker was beaten more than a
hundred yards from Pegasus.

When Escape and Baronet had about three
hundred yards to run, they were going by them-
selves in a very severe manner, and very fast, and
Baronet was then running at his utmost, and he
could not lay nearer than within about two lengths
of Escape ; but from Escape's making so very
free with himself in most parts of the race, it
made him come back to Baronet. I think Escape

would

48

would have beaten Baronet three lengths or more
if Escape had waited.

These four horses were all in the Oatlands
StakeSj at Ascot Heath, on the Tuesday following,
at the same weights as they carried in this trial ;
and to- run the same length of ground (two miles)*
Escape, 6 years old, carried. . . . Qst. lOlbs.
Baronet, 6 years old, carried. . . . 8st. 4lbs.
Pegasus, 7 years old, carried. . . . Qst. Olbs.
Smoker, 4 years old, carried. . . . 7st. Olbs.
After this trial I rode part of the way to Sutton
with Mr. W. Lake, and asked him to be pleased
to bet to the losing of fifty guineas for me that
Escape won the Oatlands, at Ascot Heath, on the
following Tuesday : begging him not to bet for
me on the next day, (being Thursday, and betting-
day atTattersall's,) but to wait till Monday, as that
was betting-day at Tattersall's again : for all the
people at Tattersall's would know that the horses
had been tried on that day, and that they would be
more fearful of betting on the very next day than
they would on the following Monday, and that I

thought

49

thought it likely to make some hundreds difference
in his laying out my fifty guineas.

Mr. Lake asked how they were to know about
the horses being tried. I said the horses stood at
a public stable, with other horses and boys ;
the smith was there to plate them, &c. it was
therefore to be expected that the people would
know that the horses had been tried. I told
Mr. Lake their knowing it was of little conse-
quence, the chief object being not to let them
know what they could do. At this time the bets
ran thirty to one against Escape.

On the next day the horses set out for Ascot,
and on Sunday afternoon Gaskoin, His Royal
Highness's groom at Carlton- House, went with
me to see them. Alighting from our horses, Gas-
koin went into the house, and I into Escape's loose
stable. I found him stripped, and the lad was
brushing him over. I instantly saw E!scape was
not well to run ; and I was very certain that his
chance for the Oatlands Stakes was all done away,
and entirely so from mismanagement. I then
Q went

50

went up to Escape ; I coaxed him, kissed him,
then left him. I then proceeded to Baronet's
loose stable, and I also found him stripped and
brushing over. I saw him very well, and I thought
he was likely to run for the race as he had done in
his trial ; and I immediately made up my mind to
ride him for the Oatlands ; for I thought I would
take his chance of winning, after seeing that
Escape had none ; as I presumed His Royal High-
ness would allow me to ride which horse I liked,
after giving my reasons.

I returned into the house to Gaskoin, where
there were several other grooms taking tea, he.
Bill Price, His Royal Highness's second training
groom, gave me a letter to deliver to Mr. W.
Lake, as I was going to London in the morning,
and I charged myself with its delivery. When
Gaskoin and I were coming away, B. Price de-
sired me to make his duty to Mr. W. Lake, and
tell him that Escape was as well to run as a horse
could be. I made no answer, and Price repeated
it. I was determined not to deliver any such

message,

51

message, and therefore endeavoured to appear as
if I had not heard it.

I assured Gaskoni how vexed I Vv'as at tlie
prospect of His Royal Highnesses losing the Oat-
land Stakes, upon which more money, I believed,
was depending than was ever known upon one
race, and this entirely from His Royal High-
ness's man that is with the horses not knowing
liis business ; and what teazed me more so is be-
cause I know it, and no other person can be made
to know it ; so that I am not likely to be believed.
But it is not seasonable for me to say any more
upon the subject, I wishing to reserve my opinion
upon it till 1 had an opportunity of submitting it
to His Royal Highness. Gaskoin went to Bag-
shot, and I to Egham, where I met with Mr.
Sykes the bettor, and took him five hundred to
thirty that Baronet won the Oatlands. On my
arrival in town the next morning, I instantly
wrote a note to Mr. W. Lake, to forbid him to bet
any money for me upon Escape, for the Oatlands.
I sent it, with Bill Price's letter, by a porter from
G 2 Hatchett's

52

Hatchctt's Hotel, directed to Mr. W. Lake, at
Carlton-House.

I then lay down till it was time to go to Tatter-
sail's, and there I took Mr. Vauxhall Clark five
hundred to twenty-seven that Baronet won the
Oatfends. Mr. W. Lake did not come to Tatter-
sal Ps that day.

Having returned to Egham to sleep, I was the
next morning on the race ground to wait for His
Royal Highness, who came on it with Mr. W,
Lake, on horseback. I immediately placed my-
self in sight, and His Koyal Highness called to
me, saying, " Sam Chifiiey, come this way.'*
I immediately got up to the side of His Royal
Highness and Mr. W. Lake, and His Royal
Highness said, " Saui Chifney, I shall run Escape
'^ and Baronet only ; which do you ride ? R ide
'' which you please, — say which you ride, — I am
" in a hurry.''

I answered His Royal Highness, " that I should
" ride Baronet." These were the first words that
passed from His Royal Highness to me concerning

the

53

the horses for the Oatlands. His Royal Highness
tlien turned to Mr. W. Lake, and said, " War-
*' wick Lake, Sam Chifney rides Baronet, you
" will tell Bill Price to ride Escape." His Royal
Highness and Mr. Lake then rode up the course,
and soon after, His Royal Highness came riding by
liimself, down the course, and asked me what was
the meaning of my riding Baronet ? " I thought
" you intended to ride Escape ?" I replied to His
Royal Highness, that I had intended riding Es-
cape ; but I thought him not well to run, which
is my reason for not riding him. His Royal
Highness said, -' Sam Chifney, — Bill Price and
" Warwick Lake assure me, that Escape is as
** well to run as a horse can be." I replied to
His Royal Highness, that I believed Bill Price an
honest fellow, but he knew no better; and I
should be glad if His Royal Highness would not
run Escape to-day, for the ground is hard, and
I am fearful he should get hurt, for he is a very
capital runner ; he is clearly a better horse than
Baronet at the weights they run to-day; and

Escape

54
Escape is much the host horse in England. Hi3
Royal Highness then left mo, and soon after re-
turned again, and said to mc, that he had seen
the groom and Mr. Lake again, and told thenv
my thoughts of Escape; they had both repeated,
that Escape was as well to run as horse could be ;
*•' therefore I must run him, Sam Chifney, as I
"• shall win such a great deal of money if Escape
*' win." I then observed to His Royal Highness,
that upon second thoughts I am glad Escape does
run, as that would determine it.

His Royal Highness then asked me, if I thought
1 sliould win upon Baronet ; I told His Royal
Highness that I was fearful ; but there being a
very great field to run against, I thought that
gave me a good chance ; I had thought very
much of Escape's winning, had he been well.
His Royal Highness then told me, he should be
glad to see me win upon Baronet, for he should
win a great deal of money if he won. I took the
liberty of asking His Royal Highness how much
His Highness should win as nigh as His Royal

Highness

55

Highness could guess. His Royal Highness said,
*' I think I shall win seventeen thousand." As
His Royal Highness was riding from me, I said
that I had backed Baronet, and His Royal High-
ness appeared pleased at my naming it. His
Royal Highness rode on, and presently came to
see the horses saddled, saw me mounted, wished
me good luck, and in "a short time after, Baro-
net's goodness carried me in first. This was a
very hard race with Baronet and Express till within
a few yards of the end. My very favourite horse
Escape was beaten a great way ; for when these
horses had near half a mile to run. Baronet at that
time was about four lengths behind the front
horses. Baronet was there by choice. Escape
was at that time about two lengths behind Baro-
net; but I saw him clearly beaten, and the man
was getting very severe upon him. I was about
to call to the rider to pull Escape up, but thought
better of it, because Escape was not only behind
me, but wide from me, and there weie horses
between us, and I was fearful of keeping my head

turned

5(5

turned till the rider should hear me, lest my
horse's fore legs should get entangled with the
other horse's hind legs. I very much wished Es-
cape to be pulled up, that he might not be abused
after having been so much beaten. I saw no
more of him in this race, but from the situation
I left him in, and the front horses renewing their
pace, he must have been beaten a very great way.
It is to be remarked, thai the same person that
trained Escape for the trial and r?.ce rode Escape
for trial and race.

Some time after this race was over, Mr. W.

Lake was standing on the course, before the

booths, and Gaskoin and I stopped with him.

Mr. Lake said, " Well, Chifney, these horses ran

" the same again." I replied, " Sir !" Mr,

Lake said, " Escape and Baronet, I mean ; they

• ran just the same to-day as they ran in their

' trial the other day." I said, " The same to-

' day. Sir, as they ran in their trial the other

' day ?" Mr. Lake added, " Yes, the very

' same to-day, as they ran in their trial ; for Es-

'* cape

^1

^' cape could have been second, ii' he had
^^ pleased."

The observations which the warmth of my
feelings on that occasion forced from me, the col-
lected calmness of my present situation induces
ine to suppress. They were uttered in the hear-
ing of Mr. Gaskoin.

This was an astonishing saying of Mr. Lake's,
telling me that Escape could have been second
if he had pleased. Had he amused himself with
telling this falsity to his saddle-horse groom, why
perhaps he might not have known that his master
had told him a falsity. If Mr. Lake attempts to
vindicate himself by saying that Escape's rider
saw Baronet could win, that he would not press
his horse farther ; this could not be ; for, a short
distance before coming to the winning-post. Ex-
press and Baronet's heads were even with each
other, and both horses at their utmost,. Express
tired first in this severe run, which flung Baronet
clear before him just before getting to the winning
post, and no one could see that Baronet could
H win

58
win till tbis happened. I don't see what this say-
ing could mean of Escape's being second^ but by
Mr. Lake's first trying it upon me, to see if he
Gould the better impose it upon the Prince, by
way of making it out that he had been right in
his standing it out to the Prince, before starting,
that Escape was well to run.

It appears to me that Mr. Richard Vernon had
been imposed upon in his information by a person
that had not an opportunity of knowing of Chif-
ney's changing his opinion from riding Escape to
ride Baronet, so early as those sort of agents are
generally used to, which would disappoint them
in their betting, &c. ; it is ungentlemaning them-
,selves to use those dirty little agents that make it
their business to hunt after the secrets of noble-
men's and gentlemen's stables, such as their pri-
vate trials, &c.

It has been alluded to me that I was tricking
Mr. W. Lake, my not telling him my opinion
changing from Escape to ride Baronet. I did
not like to name it to Mr. W. Lake ; for what I

had

59
had saidto him about horses' condition had made
him so very dissatisfied with mc^ there were many
unpleasant appearances to me. I thought Baro-
net's chance for the Oatlands might be done
away by some means, if I made my opinion known.
My silence on this I thought was necessary for
Baronet's safety, till led out for running.

I had always, till this time, made my opinion
known to Mr. Warwick Lake, on the Prince's
business, dutifully.

Mr. Richard Vernon — " Those are Chifney*s
*' tricks again."

Escape stood matched for the 3d of October
1791^ against the Duke of Bedford's Grey Dio-
med, at even weights, four miles, over New^-
market, for one thousand guineas. A long time
before this match was ran I wished His Royal
Highness to bet as much money on Escape, for
this race, as His Highness would ever wash to stand
on any one race. Before this match came on to
be run. Escape was tried across the Flat, which I
reckon to be about a mile and a quarter. He
H 2 was

60
was tried with Don Quixote and -Lance, and Es-
cape was beaten several lengths by both these
horses, before they had run half their course ;
and Escape was beaten a very great way at the
time that Don Quixote and Lance got in, and
LanCe was bcr.tcn easily by Don Quixote. Li
this trial I rode Don Quixote. After the trial
was over, as I was going home, Mr. W. Lake
asked me if I had any thing to say to His
Royal Highness, and if I had been satisfied w^itli
the horse's running that day, as he was going to
write to His Royal Highness at Brighton. I de-
sired my duty to His Royal Highness, and ex-
pressed my strongest wishes that he would not bet
upon Escape against Grey Diomed, for Escape
now could not run in the least ; and I wished His
Royal Highness would be pleased to give orders
for Escape to be tried again before his match.
Mr. Lake observed that Escape had run as well
this morning as ever, for he never could run any
better across the Flat — a very extraordinary say-
ing of Mr. Lake's, as Escape had been seen at

Epsom

6i

Epsom to run the fastest horse upon the turf, and
with Nimble this same course. I replied, that if
Escape did not run a great deal better against
Grey Diomed than he had run that day, Grey
Diomed would run quite away from him. Mr.
Lake still persisted in this opinion. I then
frankly told Mr. Lake that if he did not choose to
inform His Royal Highness what I had said, that
I must do it myself, as my duty required.

It appears to me after that His Royal Highness
did give orders for Escape to be tried again ; for
a day or two before the match Mr. W. Lake came
from Swaftham races to Newmarket, and he sent
Neale, the training-groom to me over-night, de^
siring me to be ready in the morning to try Es-
cape, provided it should rain in the night. It did
not rain, that I knew of, and Escape was not tried.

On the morning of the race (3d of October
1791) Mr. W. Lake came to me when upon the
race ground, wishing me to bet with him upon
Escape. I told Mr. Lake I certainly should not
back Escape ; for if he did not run a great deal

better

62

better to-day than he did in his trial, Grey Diomecl
would run clear away from him. Mr. Lake then
left me, and some time after returned, still press-
ing me to back Escape, which I declined. I now
felt myself teazed at being urgently and repeat-
edly pressed to bet upon Escape, so directly against
my desire.

I must here remark, that before I went over to
saddle I waited in expectation that His Royal
Highness would send for me to question me about
Escape, and to receive his orders, &c. : but His
Royal Highness did not send for me, neither did
Mr. W. Lake give me any orders ; nor do I to
this moment know why His Royal Highness did
not see me before starting in this, as he usually
did at other races, but this race particularly.

After this, as I was going over the course to
get ready to start, and when I was more than half
way over the Four-mile Course, Mr. W. Lake
rode up to me in a great hurry, and renewed his
a.nxiety for me to make a bet upon Escape.

I then observed to Mr. Lake, that I was

ashamed

63

ashamed to be the cause of giving him so iiuich
trouble concerning my making a bet ; therefore,
as it was his particular wish, I would bet him
twenty guineas tliat Escape won. It was merely
to say we were all on one side, either to win a
httle or lose a little, whichever might happen.
But I begged of him not to let this bet make him
imagine that I thought Escape would win ; I
merely betted to oblige him ; and this I desired
might be made known to His Royal Highness.
Mr. W. Lake turned back, and I went over and
got ready to start and run. Escape was just able
to win ; they were both upon a par a small dis-
tance from the end ; but Escape being the strong-
est horse, it let him just win.

Directly after the race was over, and the horses
were walking back to scale, His Royal Highness
rode up by the side of Escape, and did me the
very high honour of taking me by the hand, say-
ing, " Sam Chifney, no person but you shall ride
" for me."

Kind and flattering as these words were from

His

04

His Koyal Highness to mc, they notwithstanding'
created alarm and mistrust in me that attempts
had heen made to affect His Royal Highness with
impressions unfavourable to me, and tliat it would
have been of bad consequence to me if Escaj)e
had not won ; nor indeed could I ever account
for Mr. W. Lake's taking so much pains for me
to bet upon Escape.

On the 5th of October 1791^ one clear day
after this race, Escape and Grey Diomed met to
run together again, for a Plate, the same course^
and at even weights. Some distance before these
horses got in, I found that Escape could beat
Grey Diomed with great ease ; I therefore, by-
choice, made a near race of it, and the Judge
gave the race to Escape a head only.

When I came from scale, I advised Mr. Lake to
match Escape against Grey Diomed, and give him
5lb. or more ; telling him that Escape could give
Grey Diomed a great deal of weight and beat him^

I found Escape was coming fast to his capital
form, if not overdone in his work to take away

his

05

his speed ; but I heard no more about matching'
him. But on the evening of the igth of October
1791, I was in Mrs. Brett's bar with Mr. Vaux-
hall Clark and several others, when some jierson,
I think it was Mr. Bish^ called over the horses that
were entered to run for the plate the next da\',
amongst which was Escape.

An unpleasant sensation seized me instantly
about his being entered, for I was fearful that he
should be beaten, being doubtful he was not quite
fit to run.

I then went to the coffee-house to see at what
time the horses were to start next day ; and in
going, Mr. V. Clark accompanied me a short
distance, and asked if I thought Escape would
win to-morrow? I said, " Yes, if he is well!"
Mr. Clark replied, in surprise, '' Why is he not
" well ?" I said, " Yes, he is well, or what they are
** pleased to call ivell, otherwise the Prince would
" not let him be entered ; but I mean if he be well
«' to run, he will win; but if he be not well to run,
I "he

66

" he is likely to be beaten, for there is a strong
" field to run against."

Mr. Clark appeared to wish to draw me out to
speak more explicitly about Escape's not being
well, but I said no more about it *.

* I did not think it little or none improper of Mr. Clark
asking me this, as the Prince knowing he sometimes betted for
me, and a public horse like this.

I NOW

67

I NOW come to the immediate subject of Es-
cape's losing and winning.

On the 20th October 1791? as I was going on
the race-ground in company with others, His
Royal Highness from on horseback called to me
saying, " Sam Chifney, Escape is sure of winning
^^ to-day, is not he ?" I immediately rode up and
informed His Royal tlighness that I did not know
that Escape was sure of winning to day.

His Royal Highness said, " Yes, Escape is sure
** of winning to-day." I then wished His Royal
Highness not to back him ; for the odds are likely
to be high upon him ; that His Royal Highness
might lose a deal of money to winning very little.

His Royal Highness then turned short from
me, saying, " No, I shall not bet upon him, but
*' he is sure of winning;" and immediatelyjoined
the company that was riding down the lower side
of the running ground to the turn of the lands.

I 2 I now

63

I now found myself under a peculiar embarrass-
ment, for I very much wanted to tell His Royal
Highness that I was doubtful about Escape being
quite fit to run, and that this was my only reason
for wishing His Royal Highness not to bet upon
him ; jmd yet I thought Escape might win without
being quite well to run ; therefore, if I made any
complaint about Escape's condition, and he should
afterwards win, I thought I should be represented
by some as mischievous. Those thoughts were
what made me so slow in trying to break my opi-
nion to His Royal Highness^ that I was doubtful
about Escape not being fit to run ; under these
impressions, 1 wished to be well timed in ac-
quainting Elis Royal Highness with my doubts
about Escape's fitness to run. Then His Royal
Highness turned so very short upon me at the
time I was going to make known my opinion ; I
became fearful that he was tired of hearing me ;
being conscious that I had been very often trou-
blesome on the like occasions ; that 1 immediately
became so very much vexed, that the strength of

my

69

my limbs went from me in so extraordinary a man-
ner, I never felt any thing equal to it before. 1
thought it my duty to offer my ojjinion to the
Prince, and I was trained to it from being ques-
tioned upon the same.

After there had been a race or two over, His
Royal Highness was in the carriage with Lord
Barrymore, standing near the lower end of the
rails, by the turn of the lands ; and I was on
horseback, standing at a small , distance from the
carriage, when His Royal Highness called to me,
and asked me if Escape's race was coming next ?
I answered, " Yes, your Royal Highness." His
Royal Highness said, " Come this Vv'ay, Sam Chif-
" ney, I will give you your orders how to ride
" Escape." I immediately got up to the side of
the carriage, and His Royal Highness said, " Sam
" Chifney, I wish you to make very strong play
" with Escape;" then made a pause, as I thought,
for me to make answer: I. did not make answer.
His Royal Highness then said, " Sam Chifney, I
*^ am never afraid when that I am giving South

" and

70

" and you orders, for I know you are both too
" good jockeys to over-mark your horse; but
*^ now 1 will not compel you to make play with
" Escape ; providing there should be good play
*' made by any other horse, you may wait with
"■ Escape; but should there be no other horse
" make such as you think good play, you must
" take care to make good play with Escape. — I
" hope, Sam Chifney, you perfectly understand.'*
I said, " Yes, your Royal Highness, I perfectly
" understand." His Royal Highness then or-
dered the carriage to drive to the betting-post.

Mr. W. Lake had been standing with his
horse in his hand, near to the carriage, but on the
other side of the rails, whilst His Royal High-
ness was giving me my orders how to ride Es-
cape.

Directly the carriage was gone, I was then
passing near to Mr. W. Lake : he said, " Well,
" Chifney, has the Prince given you orders how
*f to ride Escape ?" I said, " Yes, Sir." Mr.
W. Lake said, " What are your orders ?" I told

Mr.

71

Mr. Lake that His Royal Highness wished me to
make very strong play with Escape ; but after,
His Royal Highness gave me leave to wait with
Escape, providing there should be any other horse
make good play; but should there be no other
horse make such as I thought good play, that I
must take care to make good play with Escape.

Mr. W. Lake then asked me if I thought that
the best way for Escape to run ? I replied, " No,
" Sir ; if I had my life depending upon Escape's
" winning to-day, I should wish Escape to wait
"^ by all means; but as His Royal Highness told
*^ me he should not bet upon him, and as I am
" so often contradicting my orders *, and as I
^^ was not asked my opinion, I thought it would
" be impertinent of me to offer to give His Royal
" Highness any more trouble."

Mr. Lake said, '' Well, Chifney, I think as you
" do, that Escape had better wait, so you will
*^ wait at all events ; and I see the Prince's car-

• Explained in page 78.

((

riage

72

" liage, I will go immediately and make every
" thing perfectly pleasant."

I immediately went over to sad<ile ; when I was
saddling Escape, I asked if he liad had a sweat
since he ran last; and I was answered that he had
not had a sweat since his last running against
Grey Diomed. The horses started, I waited with
Escape, and was beaten.

Immediately that the race was over. Escape
pulled up to walk back to scale. His Royal High-
ness came up to me, saying, " Sam Chifney, you
" have lost this race by not making strong play
" with Escape, as I desired you." I answered,
'^ I don't know that I have, your Royal High-
" ness." His Royal Highness then said, " Yes,
'^ you certainly have lost the race by not making
" strong play with Escape " I then hoped His
Royal Highness had not lost much money upon
the race. His Royal Highness said, " No, I
" have not lost a stiver : but that don't argue,
" for Escape certainly would have won, if you
" had made strong play with him, as I desired

73
*'' you ; and I do tell you, Sam Chifney, that I
" am a better jockey than Mr. Lake and you
" both, for you have lost the race by not running
" as I desired you." His Royal Highness turned
from me, for I was got to the scale-house to light
and weigh.

Whilst I was in the weighing-house, I received
a message to attend His Royal Highness. Imme-
diately I got my clothes on I went immediately to
His Royal Highness, who was on horseback with
Mr. W. Lake, standing close to the farther win-
ning-post of the Beacon Course. His Royal
Highness said, '•' Sam Chifney, what is the mean-
" ing of Escape's being beaten to-day, for you
" tell me that Escape is the best horse in the
" world ?" I replied, '' I did tell your Royal
" Highness that Escape was much the best horse
" in England, and I think the same of him now,
^'^ your Royal Highness." His Royal Highness
continued, " Sam Chifney, tell me your motive
*^ immediately why Escape is beaten to-day."
K '' I will

74
'^^ I will tell )our Royal Highness my motive im-
'^ mediately why I think Escape is beat to day.
*' It is a fortnight, or a fortnight and a day, I
'^ tiiink, since Escape ran last, which was with
" Grey Dicmed. During that time Escape has
^' not had a sweat, neither has he been tried
" since, but he has been tenderly treated ; and
'*' notwithstanding he looks straight and hand-
" some to the eye, he is unfit to run ; and this
" I believe is the reason of his being beat to- day^
*^ your Royal Elighness." His Royal Highness
said, " Very well." I then bowed, and drew
back to a small distance, facing his Royal High-
ness and Mr. Lake, not knowing whether His
Royal Highness had quite done with me ; and
while I was thus waiting, I heard His Royal High-
ness or Mr. Lake say something about Escape's
running to-morrow. I immediately took the li-
berty of asking His Royal Highness if Escape were
to run to-morrow. His Royal Highness said,
"■' Yes, I certainly shall run Escape to-morrow."

I said.

•75
I said, " I am vciy glad your Royal Highness
*^ does run Escape to-morrow, for I think Es-
" cape will win to-morrow ; and I wish your
" Royal Highness to back liim to-morrow to
" losing six or seven hundred ; and I wish you to
''^ back him, Mr. Lake, and I will back him, your
" Royal Highness: and had Escape not run to-
" day, I should not have wished your Royal High-
" ness to back him to-morrow, for this sharp rally
" to-day will not fatigue him ; it has caused a
" good perspiration, so as to lighten him of his
" flesh, and opened his pores, that he will run
*^ both faster and longer to-morrow ; and his
" running to-day is my only reason for wishing
*' your Royal Highness to back him to-morrow ;
" for had he not run to-day, I should not have
" wished your Royal Highness to back him to-
" morrow."

This is all that passed upon the subject this day.

I wish it to be understood that I don't mean that

horses are always to run better the second day

K 2 than

7()

than the first ; it is condiLionally. My motive
for wishing His Royal Highness to bet to losing
six or seven hundred was, 1 thought that sum as
much as I could wish His Royal. Highness to risk
upon my thoughts about Escape being likely to
run .better the second day, from Escape's running
the first day. I heard His Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales name twice, to gentlemen at
Newmarket, on the day after Escape's second
running, viz. the 2Jst of October 1791, the exact
sum His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales
betted upon Escape on the 21st of October 1791-
It was under four hundred guineas, and it was
near four hundred guineas.

Upon full reflection on past circumstances, I
conceive that it may be necessary to throw in an
explanatory thought or two upon my changing my
orders, after I had received orders from His Royal
Highness in person ; and this more especially, as
I had some time before intimated to His Royal
Highness that I was afraid of riding to Mr. W.

Lake's

77
Lake's orders ; and that I wished it could be made
His Royal Highness's pleasure that I should re-
ceive orders from any other person than Mr.
Lake.

Vv^hen at the carriage, His Royal Highness said
he wished for Escape to make very strong play,
and made a pause, as I thought, for me to make
an answer ; but from what had occurred at first
coming upon the course, likewise His Royal
Highness's speaking in so firm a manner when I
was at the carriage, that notwithstanding I so
very much wanted to tell His Royal Highness my
thoughts ; but as they were something like a
contradiction, I was fearful to name them, with-
out it was His Royal Highness's pleasure to ask
for them, as I particularly wished for Escape to
wait, and for His Royal Highness to have known
my reasons, (and none else,) to prevent any bad
constructions being hawked about, of what I
wanted to say about Escape's condition, provided
Escape won,

I must

78

I must observe, that when I last parted from
His Royal Highness I did not go to Mr. W.
Lake, thinking to change my orders that I re-
ceived from His Royal Highness. I stopped with
Mr. W. Lake, thinking it ill-mannerly to pass
him without stopping, as he apparently waited
for me to stop. Then Mr. W. Lake questioning
me, and his thinking as I did, that Escape had
better wait, saying that he would go immedi-
ately to His Royal Highness, and make every
thing perfectly pleasant ; and as I thought it so
very necessary for Escape to wait, I thought I
would agree to it, believing that His Royal High-
ness would think that I had some particular rea-
sons, and that His Royal Highness would be
sufficiently satisfied till the race was over to know
my motives ; and let the race come off which ever
way it happened, I thought for certain that His
Royal Highness would be perfectly satisfied with
my conduct. As to what I have before said
about contradicting orders, (in Page 71 J I meant

merely

79

merely to infer, tliat as I did not always think as
His Royal Highness and Mr. W. Lake did, with
their first naming my orders, I had sometimes ex-
pressed a contrary wish, from which I might be
thought refractory or contradictory : but I meant
not to hint at my riding Scota at Lewes, or Pe-
gasus at Newmarket, against Mr. W. Lake's or-
ders, for these facts I never made known to His
Royal Highness.

It is much rumoured that Chifncy will be mas-
ter, and, in other words^ that he will ride as he
hkes, and that he is obstinate and opinionated.
I don't like to be thought thus undutiful. I lived
with Thomas Panton, Esq. four years, and left
his service to come into the Prince's service. At
the time of my living with Mr. Panton I rode
most of the Duke of Bedford's horses from J 787
to 1790, and Mr. Panton told me that the Duke
of Bedford was the very best pleased with my
riding his horses, as I always rode to a T, as his
Grace told me.

I seldom

80

I seldom had strict orders to ride but from the'
Duke of Bedford, and His Grace had a particular
pleasure in having his horses run strict to his or-
ders ; and where I had but slight orders in my
riding I was the more open to faults in the opinion
of others. My being accused of obstinacy, &-c.
must proceed from my keeping to my own opi-
nion when once taken, and not explaining all my
thoughts on the subject : and, in my profession
and situation, it was not always proper for me to
say every thing I thought, for it would both offend
and teach others in my profession.

In running the race on the 20th of October I
waited with Escape, and Coriander won. Some
yards before Coriander got to the winning-post, I
gave over running with Escape, and at that time
Skylark, I think, was beaten about two lengths by
Coriander ; Escape at that very time was beaten
by Skylark three parts of his neck ; and Pipeator,
I think, was a length or two behind Escape. I
do not vouch for the exact order in which these

horses

81

horses came in. As Escape had been very much
beaten, I gave over, a few 3^ards before he got in,
from forcing him, and paid no attention to which
of the beating horses passed the post first of
Escape and Pipeator.

This race was from the Ditch-in, which is
called two miles, and there was but little running
made till they got a small distance over the turn
of the lands ; they then made a sudden start into
very severe running, and continued so all the way
in.

From where they set into this very severe run
ning was, I think, rather more than half a mile
from the winning-post. Soon after they started
into this very severe running, Escape in a veiy
little time was some little farther behind than I
wished him to be, and it frightened me at the
time, thinking I had been too tender with him ;
but I soon saw it was not so, but that Escape
could not run as fast as Coriander or Skylark.
Escape was at no time in this race able to get up
L to

82

-to Skylark's head ; I mean from the time they set
into severe running. At no one time of my riding
do I remember any horse to have so many severe
runs as Escape had in this race, trying to beat
Skj^lark. Coriander was running first, and to the
left of Skylark ; Escape was running to the right
of Skylark; and I am confident that had I been
riding any other horse than Escape in this race, I
should have given over running sooner than I
did, if I had felt that other horse as much beaten
as Escape was. The different changes which I
perceived in Escape's running I at the time believed
to be from improper management. I was not so
uneasy at his losing, as His Royal Highness did
not suffer by it ; and I thought that Escape would
run as well as ever when he was fit to run.

When His Royal Highness told me that he was
a better jockey than Mr. W. Lake and me both,
those words I thought were meant as forgiveness
for my riding contrary to orders, and I bowed
and laughed ; I meant as thanks ; particularly so,

because

83

because His Royal Highness thought I had lost

the race by it.

On the 2 1st of October 1791, when I was on
the race- ground, His Royal Higlmess came to me
near or in the Round Course,, over against the
Well Gap, as there had been a race over some
part of the Round Course before Escape's coming
on. His Royal Highness then said, " Sam Chif-
" ney, I will give you your orders again to-day ;
" and let me beg of you to take care that you
*' make no mistake to-day. I wishj Sam Chif-
" ney, for you to make play with Escape to-day ;
" but I will not compel you to make play to-day.
" Should there be tolerable good play made by
" any other horse, you may then wait with Es-
" cape ; but should no other horse make tolerable
*^ good play, you must make tolerable good play
" with Escape. God bless yon 1" As His Royal
Highness was leaving me, I said, " I wish your
" Royal Highness to back Escape ;" and he called
tome, saying, " Yes, I will."

1-2 I then

84

I then went to the Round Course Stand-house,
and waited till Mr. W. Lake came down ; when I
told him that His Royal Highness had given me
orders how to ride Escape, and told him I would
thank him to lose twenty guineas for me upon
Escape. Mr. Lake said, " No, I will have no-
*^ thing to do with it, there are so many unplea-
" sant things happen."

Some yards from this I waited for F. Small-
man's coming up to me to give me another hack.
Smallman then lived with me — he is a relation of
mine. I told Smallman that Mr. Lake had re-
fused betting twenty guineas for me upon Escape,
and that I durst not go over to ride till I had given
some person orders to bet for me, for I had
pledged myself to His Royal Highness to back
Escape ; " and His Royal Highness, after the
'• race is over, is very likely to give me joy of my
'* winnings, or say he is sorry for my losing,
*' whichever happens, and asking how much I
^* won or lost ; then for me to say I had no bet,

" why

85
'^ why His Royal Highness will not know what
*' those things can mean, where that I first be-
^' fore a race advise His Highness to bet, and say
*' I shall back the horse, then the horse gets
" beat, and I tell His Royal Highness I had no bet
" upon him." I complained to Smallman that
when I told one to bet for me, he generally made
it known to the betting-ring that he was betting
for me, which might change the betting so as to
make His Royal Highness have some hundreds
the worst of his bets, and all from my having
betted twenty guineas.

But I durst not go over without ordering some
person to bet for me ; " and as chief of my bets
** this summer has been with Mr. Vauxhall Clark,
^' I will not change him for this once." I thought
the field knew that Mr, Clark sometimes betted
for me ; that seeing him bet on Escape, the odds
were likely to change the sooner ; so I desired him
to go to Mr. Clark, and tell him to lose twenty
guineas for me upon Escape ; and assure him that

His

86
His Royal Highness intended to back his horse,
and that I begged of him not to make the least
offer of a bet about Escape till he was certain
that His Royal Highness had done betting ; for if
he did, and I knew it, I would never bet with
him more. I directly went over to saddle and
start. Skylark chose to make play, and I waited
with Escape, and Escape won.

As I came from scale, I was told Mr. W. Lake
had been saying something severe to His Royal
Highness concerning Escape's winning. I made
it therefore my business to go immediately to His
Royal Highness, who was riding with a gentle-
man near the Great Stand-house, when His Royal
Highness accosted me in the following words :—
" Sam Chifney, as soon as Escape's race was
*^ over, Mr. Lake came up to me, and said, ^ I
" give your Royal Highness joy, but I am sorry
" the horse has won ; I would sooner have given
" a hundred guineas.' I told Mr. Lake that I
" did not understand him j that he must explain

" himse /r. "

r

87
•* himself." I tlien made His Royal Highness
answer, saying, " Yes, your Royal Highness, it
*< is very necessary he should explain himself."*'
This was all that passed on the subject to-day. I
have been informed that His Royal Highness
called to a gentleman, when in the betting-ring,
in the hearing of all the bettors, saying, that he
had better not bet against Escape, for "Sam
** Chifney says Escape will run better to-day than
'* he did yesterday."

Whilst I was saddling Escape to-day, I believed
Jie had not been set upon muzzle, or that he had
been improperly filled, and I feared His Royal
Highness would lose all the money he betted upon
hinis and my opinion sacrificed. The betting,
indeed, greatly confirmed my surmise. The bet-
ting was four and five to one against Escape ; and
on all such occasions the field judges by one or
two men's manner of betting, that there is some-
thing wrong that runs the odds up so high.

In addition to the remarks I have already made,

I cannot

88

1 cannot entertain a doubt but tliat from His
Royal Highness's backing Escape, &;c. Escape
would have been the first favourite, had he been
brought out to run as he ought to have been.
This race was four miles, and Skylark made strong
play, anjl was first, as near as I can guess, till the
last hundred yards, or less, of the winning-post.
Skylark there stopped short, and gave over run-
ning from distress. Escape and another horse
passed him ; and, from Skylark stopping so very
short, the horses that had to persevere in were
likely to beat Skylark in several lengths. From
what I felt of Escape in this race, before he passed
Skylark, I don't know that Escape could have
beat Skylark in this race had they both run this
race upon an equal advantage ; but a much better
horse, if well, than Skylark.

Skylark was fast, a slug, and a jade, which was
very much against him, his making strong play
over the Four-mile Course.

Mr. W. Lake's conduct concerning Escape's

second

89

second day's running was confessing to His Royal
Highness that he had chose to put bad construc-
tions upon what he had heard me say to His Royal
Highness on the day before, why I thought Es-
cape was beat on that day, and why I thought
Escape would win on the following day.

Some years after this, Casborne was dismissed
at Newmarket for supposing him poisoning
horses for their races ; being concerned with those
breaking into noblemen's stables, the night before
running, to give the horse,' as was supposed,
opium balls ; and it is believed Casborne had done
it for many years.

Mr. W. Lake, Neale, and Casborne had the
management of His Royal Highness's horses till
His Royal Highness left the turf in 1791.

In 1797? it vvas reported among the noblemen
and gentlemen of the turf, that poison balls had
been given by Casborne to Escape before he ran
with Coriander, Skylark, and Pipeator, on the
20th of October 1791.

M But

90

But I had no thoughts of Escape's being poi-
soned ; my thoughts why Escape was beat are
seen in page 74; and from his being such a very
good runner, and his Jiesh and pores being light-
ened and cleansed on the day before : and under
the disadvantageous manner in which Skylark ran
this race, Escape might (as he did on this second
day) beat Skylark with his belly full ; although I
readily admit that Escape's winning with his belly
full must have greatly surprised those who knew
that he had been improperly filled for the race.
Then, from Mr. W. Lake's and Neale's infernal
conduct, directly the race was over, to the Prince
and me, the public might very well believe I had
lost upon Escape on the day before intentionally ;
for directly Escape's race was over, Mr. W. Lake,
in the presence of the company, was impudent to
the Prince of Wales because Escape had won ;
and I am told Nealc rode amongst the noblemen
and gentlemen, saying, that he hoped their eyes
were open now ; that it was plain enough now

that

91

that he was robbed of forty guineas that he had
betted yesterday upon Esea'^^e.

Now the appearance to ine is this : On the
first day of Escape's running, Ncale had not suf-
ficient skill to know Escape was not in proper
condition to enable him to run near his best form,
and he backed him, cried, and was rude.

Whether that severe saying of Mr. W. Lake
to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales di-
rectly Escape had won, on the 21st of October
1791, was meant thinking it would cause His
Royal Highness to be under the necessity of dis-
missing Chifney, I will leave Mr. W. Lake to
determine.

M 2 Occurrencrs

92

Occuj'rences on the Day Jul hiving my riding
Escape, on the 2]st October 1791.

On the 22cl October 179], in the morning-
after Escape had won. His Royal Highness sent
for me into his dressing room, and then ordered
me to be shown into an adjoining room, where
he thus accosted me : — " Sam Chifney, I have
*^ sent for you upon very unpleasant business. I
" am told, Sam Chifney, that you won six or
" seven hundred pounds upon the race on the
" day before yesterday, where you rode Escape,
'' and was beat upon him."

I replied, that I believed His Koyal Highness
had not such an opinion of me.

His Royal Highness continued : " I am told,

" Sam

93

** Sam Cliifney, that you won six or seven Imu-
'* dred pounds upon the race yesterday, where
*' you rode Esca[>e, and won upon him : I am
** told that Vauxhall Clark won all the money for
*' you." I answered, " May I not offend by
" asking who it was that dared to tell your Royal
" Highness so ?" His Royal Highness replied, .
" Sam Chiftiey, I wish to know if you liave any
" objection to take your affidavit, naming all the
** bets you had upon the race, every way, when
" you rode Escape, and was beaten upon him, on
*' the day before yesterday ?" I acknowledged
my readiness to do it, if it would give His Roya'
Highness any satisfaction. His Royal Highness
said, " Sam Chifney, your doing it will give
*' yourself satisfaction, it will give the public sa-
*^ tisfaction, and it will give me satisfaction.
" You will specify, in your affidavit, all the bets
" you had upon both days' races, when that you
" rode Escape on the day before yesterday, and
" was beat upon him ; and yesterday, when that

" you

94

'^ you rode EscapCj and won upon him ; naming
^^ all the bets you had upon both those races, and
" to take your affidavit as such. I hope, Sam
" Chifney, you do not misunderstand me." I
answered, that I did perfectly understand, and
would take care to do as His Royal Highness had
ordered me.

His Royal Highness said, ^' Sam Chifney, I
" wish to know if you have any objection to be
'^ examined by the Jockey Club, and in any way
^' that they are pleased to think proper." I told
His Royal Highness that I was very willing to be
examined in any way that His Royal Highness or
the Jockey Club were pleased to think proper.
His Royal Highness then said, " I am told, Sam-
" Chifney, that you were arrested, at Ascot
" Heath, for 300 1., and that Vauxhall Clark
*^ paid the money for you." I replied, that this
was the first word I had ever heard upon the
subject. His Royal Highness said, " Sam Chif-
" ney, I wish to know if you have any objection

'' to

95

'« to taking your affidavit that you were not ar-
*^ rested at Ascot Heath, neither did Vauxhall
*• Clark pay 300 1. for you?" I replied to His
Royal Highness, " I am very willing to do it.'*
His Royal Highness said, " Then you will do it. —
" Good morning !" and then left me.

The malicious invention of the false tale about
my being arrested, and Mr. Clark's paying money
for me, I believe must be to saddle me with obli-
gation ; and, from my being under obligation, it
might be their thoughts it would compel me to
improper connexion.

When I say the chief of my bets, this summer,
had been with Vauxhall Clark, those bets were
at other races, not at Newmarket ; and why I
betted more with Mr. Vauxhall Clark than with
any other person, upon His Royal Highness's
horses, w^as, that Mr. Clark chose to take more
pains to put himself in my way at times as I
thought were seasonable for me to bet without
disturbing or offending His Royal Highness's

and

0

and Mr. Lake's betting, which was generally
about sacklling-time, as then I thought His Royal
Highness and Mr. W. Lake were likely to have
tinished, or nearly finished.

At Newmarket, the horses generally go out to
startj a'nd run back. I generally betted there
with Mr. W. Lake upon His Royal Highness's
horses, as the great betting there is most at the
time of the rider's going over the course to sad-
dle, start, and run ; and I wished to avoid troub-
ling Mr. W. Lake with my bets as much as I
thought was proper, considering Mr. W. Lake
had His Royal Highness's bets and his own to ma-
nnge. I often went without bets for this reason.
I never received the value of one farthing from
Mr. Vauxhall Clark, not against any horse that
I ever trained or rode, where the above- men-
mentioned horse was beat, nor in no other way, of
Mr. Vauxhall Clark, that is the least improper.

On the same morning (22d of October 1790
His Royal Highness called to me across the bet-

twg

07
ling-ring. I instantly obeyed his commands, and
His Royal Highness put me between himself and
Sir Charles Bunbilry, and then rode out upon
the Heath. After His Royal Highness and Sir
Charles had talked upon the subject^ His Royal
Highness said, " Sam Chifney, I think you told
*' me that you were willing to be examined by the
^' Stewards of the Jockey Club in any way they
" please to think proper ?"

1 said, " Your Highness, I am proud to meet
" any man upon the subject." His Royal High-
ness then addressed himself to Sir Charles Bun-
bury : " There, Sir Charles, you hear him say
*' that he is proud to meet any man upon the
" subject. Now, Sir Charles, I beg of you to
" take every pains you possibly can, so as to make
" yourselves perfectly satisfied ; then inclose me
*' Sam Chifney's affidavits, and apprise me hov,
"^ the business ends, as I am going to Brighton
" to-night." His Royal Highness left Sir
Charles, and rode near the betting-ring, where
N after

9S
after he stood a little while, he said, " Sam
" Chifncy, this business should be explained."
I answered, '^ Your Royal Highness, I don't
*' know how to explain it." His Royal High-
ness then rode off the turf to town, before the
day's 'sport was finished, and I immediately went
home. Soon after this I reeeived from Mr.
Weatherby, Clerk to the Jockey Club, copies of
affidavits, which I swore before the Reverend Dr.
Frampton, naming that I had no bet upon the
race when I rode Escape on the 20th of October
J 791, and that I !iad twenty guineas, and no
more, betted upon Escape on the following day,
when I rode him on the 21st of October 1791 J
and that I had the same desire of winning upon
Escape, when I rode him on the 20th of Octo-
ber 1791, as I had when I rode him the follow-
ing ilay, the 21st of October 1791 ; and further,
that I never had been arrested at Ascot Heath*;
and that Mr. Vauxhall Clark never did pay any
jnoney for me. When I had sworn these affida-
vits.

99
vlts, they were signed by the Reverend Dr.
Frampton, and I immediately returned theip
back to Mr. Weatherby.

I was then had up before the Stewards of the
Jockey Club, who were

Sir Charles Bunbury, Bart.

Ralph Button, Esq.

Thomas Panton, Esq.
Sir Charles asked me some few questions ; what
bets I had upon the first day's race, when I rode
Escape on the 20th of October 1791 ; and what
bets I had upon the race, when 1 rode Escape oil
the following day, when he won ; and who made
my bets for me. I answered, that I had no bet
upon the first day's race ; that I betted twenty
guineas upon Escape the next day, and no more ;
and that Vauxhall Clark betted for me.

Sir Charles Bunbury then asked me what was
my motive for waiting with Escape on the first
day. I told Sir Charles Bunbury that he was a
wrong judge of his man.

N 2 Sir

100

Sir Charles Banbury now stopped, looking
about apparently dissatisfied.

Mr. Button said, '' I think Chifney spoke very
" fair." Mr, Panton immediately said, " Yes,
'^ very fair."

Sir Charles Bunbury did not ask me any more
questions.

I then said to Sir Charles Bunbury and the two
other gentlemen, that my motive for waiting with
Escape was because I knew he could run very
fast, I likewise knew that Skylark could run
fast, though a jade, for I liad rode against him
most of the races he had run.

I was now dismissed ; and this is every thing
that passed v>^ith me, from and to the Prince of
Wales, Mr. W. Lake, and the Jockey Club, on
this subject, at Newmarket.

Sir Charles Bunbury might think me too dry
or too harsh in my answer to him ; but it is to be
vecollccted that at this time I had made an affi-
davit, and answered every particular. That must

have

101

have satisfied every candid man. This question
of Sir Charle's, to know my motives for waiting
with Escape, went into private trials and abili-
ties. The other two stewards well knew this, and
they at this time could see that Sir Charles had
been wrong in his severely censuring me for being
beat on Escape r because, after the Prince had
left the race-ground on the 22d of October 1791?
and as I was riding home, a nobleman came up
to me, and I almost immediately asked him if he
could tell me what it was that they were about,
or who it was that was making all this disturb-
ance ; and this noblemun said it was Sir Charles
Bunbury's doing ; that it was him that had said
so much about it, that caused this disturbance
about Escape. When this nobleman came up to
me, I knew nothing more than what had fallen
from the Prince. These were my reasons for my
telling Sir Charles that he was a wrong judge of
his man. The other two stewards of course
spoke from these same reasons, when they told

Sit

102

Sir Charles that they thought Chifney spoke very
fair.

My motive for waiting with Escape may be col-
lected from the foregoing statement (in page 48) ;
as for instance, where Escape carried such extra
ordinary high weights, giving Baronet 20lb. and
beating him ; and yet Baronet, after having been
beaten on this trial by Escape, won every thing
he ran for that summer ; for, on the Tuesday
after that trial, (28th June l/Ql,) Baronet won
the Otlands stakes at Ascot Heath, forty-one
nominations, one hundred guineas each, against
eighteen of the best picked horses that drew up
for starting. On the IQth of July he won the
King's plate, at Winchester. On the 4th of
August he did the same at Lewes ; and on the
24th of August he did the like at Canterbury.

And on the 6th of October 1791, Baronet won
the King's plate at Newmarket, beating Coriander
at even weights. On the 20th, therefore, of this
same month (October 1790' I particularly wished

Escape

103

Escape to wait against Coriander^ Skylark, Pipe-
ator, for two reasons ; my first reason was, that
I had seen Escape run clear faster than Baronet,
p-iving him 20lb. Now Escape in this race only
gave Coriander 4lb.; therefore, as Baronet could
beat Coriander at even weight, it was natural to
expect that Escape should run faster than Cori-
ander ; and therefore Escape ought to have waited.
My second reason was, my doubting Escape was
not quite fit to run ; this rendered his waiting par-
ticularly necessary, as his condition might make
him less able to bear hardship in strong running;
and his trial with Baronet, &c. before Ascot-
Heath races, proved to me that Escape was the
fastest runner in England ; there can be no other
reason wanting why I thought it was D-iost proper
that Escape should wait.

I could have told Sir Charles Bunbury this, but
I thought it improper then to enter iato such
details.

I have

104

I have before remarked, in page 68, that when
His Royal Highness gave me orders to make very
strong play with Escape ; my thoughts pressed so
fast upon my mind, that I could not express my-
self to my own satisfaction. I then wished to
have said to His Royal Highness, that I should
like for Escape to wait were he quite fit to iTin ;
but as I was doubtful about his being quite fit to
run, it became the more necessary for him to
wait. I seldom troubled His Royal Highness
about the horses, trials, weights, &c. as he never
appeared to me anxious to be informed of these
particulars, leaving such matters to the judgment
and direction of Mr. W. Lake.

I had always waited with Escape in all his races
I rode him ; neither do I remember ever having
received orders how to ride Escape, but once
before these orders that His Royal Highness
gave me in person, as I have before related^
but when Escape ran with Skylark in the Spring

Mr.

103

Mr. W. Lake then gave ine orders to make play
with Escape ; but as Skylark chose to make good
play, I waited with Escape.

As to Escape's variations in running, Mr. W.
Lake well knew every thing that fell from me
why I thought Escape made those sudden changes
in his running ; he knew the very great change
Escape had made in his running in five clear days^
in the month of June, between his trial at Epsom
and his running for the great stakes at Ascot, &c.
And if on the 20th and 21st of October 1 79 1
there were any change in Escape's running for
the better, it was not any ways equal to the
change Escape had made for the better in his two
days' running, a fortnight before this, against
Grey Diomed ; and Mr. W. Lake knew this di-
rectly I came from scale, for I then told him to
match Escape against Grey Diomed.

I have again referred to these facts, with a view
to deprive Mr. W. Lake and Neale of any justi-
fication or even palliation of this conduct on the
o course.

io6
course, when they so unwarrantably endeavoured
to impress the pabHc with the idea that I intenti-
onally lost the race on the 20th of October 1791>
against Coriander, Skylark, and Pipeator. Seen
in page 90.

In no place that I have had the honor of living
since J 784, have I won a guinea against any horse
that was beat where that I either trained or rode
him.

In August 1/84 I had the honor of living
with Lord Grosvenor, and I rode his Lordship's
horse Fortitude, at York, against Faith and Re-
covery, &c. &c. I backed Faith against Recovery,
one win or no bet, and Faith won. I saw, before
starting, that Fortitude's condition would not
allow him to run, I did not conceive that I was
acting improperly in making this bet of a few
guineas. Lord Grosvenor was not there, and I
believe never knew it. Had Lord Grosvenor
been there, I don't know I should have mentioned
it to his Lordship about Fortitude being unfit

to

107
to run, for I had found my mentioning these
things made the training-grooms and others speak
very disrespectfully of me ; and I likewise saw
they were to be believed before me, which tired
me to mention any thing about a horse's condi-
tion, but at times when I believed it to be very
necessary.

Some argue that Chifney's business is riding,
and that he can have no business to say any thing
about the training-groom in his horses' condition.
Now if my master ask me any questions about his
horses, or that I see a likelihood of my master
losing his money, either from the training-groom
being a dolt or a rascal in his bringing the horse
to the post to run, am I to be that undutiful
wretch not to tell my master ? and if I do, I must
offend a dolt and a rascal, and his colleagues of
sharpers^ and be abused by them, and saddled
with falsehoods. But I am not that tardy,
worthless, cowardly knave to be thus withheld
from my master.

o 2 Then

]08
Then it is tried another way— they argue thus !
how is Chifney to know about the horses so well
as Neale, as Neale feeds and works the horses,
and that Chifney sees the horses but now and then
as they are on the exercise-ground ? This argu-
ing is 'likely to serve those that must know less
about the management of a horse for running than
Neale does. Noblemen and gentlemen cannot
know about a horse being thoroughly fit for run-
ning, it can only be known from practice with
genius. I was brought up under the best training
groom then on the turf, Fox, and Mr. Foley's
groom, Mr. Richard Prince. I went to live with
Iiim in 177 1, (it was the second year of my being
in the race-horse stables,) and in 1773 I could
ride horses in a better manner in a race, to beat
others, than any person ever knew in my time.
In 17/5 I could 'train horses for running better
than any person I ever yet saw. Riding I learned
myself, and training I learned from Mr. Richard
Prince ; and where horses are trained by dolts

that

109

lliat have been brought up under coblers, there is
much room for me to know more of the horses
being fit or unfit for running, that they train, than
they do themselves, if nothing unfair. I don't
talk to grooms about horses ; what I Iiave to say
about liorses, I say to the noblemeii and gentle-
men. This has occasioned me to be very much
hated and abused by those of this profession and
their colleagues ; noblemen and gentlemen, how-
ever, might soon stop those abuses. When their
servants are represented to them that their con-
duct is scandalous, they should make a strict
enquiry into their conduct, and if the servant is
in fault, he should be discharged ; if not, the ras-
cally author should be given up, and means used
to make him suffer* Dutiful servants might then
live with comfort.

The report of Escape's having been poisoned
for the race on the 20th of October 1791 brings
to my mind what Mr. Hodges, the great bettor,
told me since this race of Escape's, viz. that if I

continued

no

continued betting as I did, it would be impossible
for me to have a guinea left ; saying, that I always
backed my judgement in horseS;, but that I ought
to back men, not horses, for I should have no
chance if I continued backing horses. Mr.
Hodges' s observations were no check to me in
betting, though I found his words afterwards
come true ; yet had Mr. Hodges been able to
speak more plainly to me, I should not have
backed men. It shewed itself afterwards that
Mr. Hodges saw there was much danger to be
feared from some means, and it turned out that
there was a gang attendant on the turf who make
it their business to learn which horse is likely to
be the favourite at the betting, and then, by hav-
ing or procuring access to the stables, the night
before running, they give those favourite horses
])oison balls, to prevent them running on the fol-
lowing day near their proper form. If these balls
have produced their desired eftect, after the race is
over those privy to this diabolical practice have an

artful

Ill

artful way (apparently to me since) of duping
most of the public by hawking it about that the
reason the horse was beaten was, that the day, or
the ground, or the length he had run, &c. &c.
did not suit him ; and often saddle innocent peo-
ple with some bad management. When it has
been my lot to ride such races where those balls
had been given, or any other bad or unskilful
management, they generally saddled me with rid-
ing a cheat. It has clearly appeared to me that
this Casborne and his gang had a person or two
that could come to Newmarket, &c. and strip all,
according as people betted with them and their
agents. But all this, I believe, is put a stop to,
where that grooms are not indolent, or rascals. I
believe I have suffered more than any one by this
thieving-trap.

After my examination at Newmarket by the
Stewards of the Jockey Club, and I well know
that it was after the Duke of York's coming from
abroad /ro7?j the Puchess, that this subject was

renewed.

112

renewed. As I received a letter at Newmarket
from Sir John Lade^ for me to attend on the Prince
immediately, at Carlton-House, I went directly
to Carlton-House, and the Prince of Wales told
me that Sir Charles Bunbury came to him and told
him, that if he suffered Chifney to ride his horses,
that no gentleman would start against him. His
Royal Highness said, he told Sir Charles Bun-
bury that if he, or any person, could make it ap-
pear that Sam Chifney had done wrong, that he
would never speak to him again ; and without that,
he would not sacrifice him for any person. His
Royal Highness then said he should leave the
turf, as he could not be guilty of that ingratitude
to let his horses start for their engagements, to go
over for their forfeits, after being told that no gen-
tleman will start against him, but that he should
pay their forfeits, and leave the turf His Royal
Highness then said he could seethe meaning of it.
" They think you, Sam Chifney, a good rider,
" and they think you have won a race or two for

" me.

113

" me that you had no business to have won, and
" that there are others who wish to have you,
" and others who think you too good for me, as
'' they know you will, not see me robbed." His
Royal Highness then told me, he should be always
glad to see me, and for my own sake to let him
see me often ; and if he ever kept horses again,
that I should train and manage them. After this
I was ordered to attend His Royal Highness at
Sir John Lade's, in Piccadilly, which I did, and,
in the presence of Sir John Lade and Mr. F. C.
Phylips, His Royal Highness put his hand upon
his bosom and said, that he believed Sam Chifney
had been to him very honest, and wished me to
understand that the two hundred guineas a year
he gave me was for his life; saying, "^ I cannot
'' give it for your life, Sam Chifney, I can only
" give it for my own life." I answered His Royal
Highness, that I was the same satisfied.

N. B. Till this I thought the salary had been
for my own life.

p I am

] 14

I AM now going to refer to some recent facts,
which furnish the most positive proofs that the
malicious misrepresentations of my conduct in
riding Escape, on the 20th and 21st of October
sjgi, still operate most cruelly upon me ; so that
the publication of this narrative is indispensably
necessary.

I trained and rode for Lord Sackville from ] 794
to 1798, and his Lordship told me, on the morn-
ing after his horse Kit Carr had been running,
that he was told at the Jockey-Club diimer, by
Mr. Wilson and Mr. Upton, (I mean Mr. Chris-
topher Wilson,) that I did not try to win upon
him. This was the last time of Kitt Carr's run-
ning: it was the Round Course; and before
starting; I told Lord Sackville that Kitt Carr was
the best runner of the race he was going to run
in ; but I thought Kitt Carr not quite well in

condition

115

condition to run, which might beat him, and I
wished his Lordship to bad; the field against Ben-
nington *, (as his Lordship had told me that
Bennington was the first favourite,) as I thouglit
if Kitt Carr failed, that the Uuke of Grafton's
Minion was likely to beat Bennington, and that I
should like to bet twenty guineas with his Lord-
ship the same way. I thought his Lordship left
me with these intentions.

When the race was over, it turned out that
Lord Sackville had backed Kitt Carr (only), and
for a smart sum^ which made Kitt Carr come the
first favourite.

Gas won, the Duke of Grafton was second, and
Kitt Carr was beat several lengths from the first
two ; but Kitt Carr was able to beat Bennington
two or three lengths.

* Bennington was Mr. Wilson's horse. Most likely he and
his friend Mr. Upton spoke from his rider or groom, who were
two extraordinary characters 5 his groom was Casborne, and his
rider Casborne's colleague.

V 2 I did

116

I did my utmost to win this abovementioned
race upon Kitt Carr, and had the same desire of
winning this said race with Kitt Carr as I ever had
to win any race that I had ever rode.

I thought his Lordship would mean for me to
stand my twenty guineas the same as his Lordship
betted^ and I offered to pay his Lordship twenty
guineas, but he did not choose to take it.

In the year 1799 the Earl of Oxford assured
me that he had been informed that I rode his
horse Polyanthus booty, over Newmarket, for the
Oatlandsin 1795.

I did my utmost to win the above race with
Polyanthus ; and I had the same desire of win-
ning this last-mentioned race with Polyanthus as
I ever had to win any race I ever rode.

So little is the truth of the afFiiir known of Es-
cape's running, on the 20th of October i79U at
Newmarket, that at Brighton races 1800, there
was a young member of the Jockey Club, who
saw me ride there, and, with other members of

the

117
the Club, said he was astonished at seeing that
rogue Chifney suffered to ride, as he rode Escape
at Newmarket. I was informed of this by one of
the Jockey Ckib members, who said he was
present.

When I left Brightoh, I went to York races,
where Mr. Cookson took me off his horse Sir
Harry, signifying I rode him booty.

I did my utmost to win this race with Sir
Harry, and had the same desire of winning this
race as ever I had to win on any horse I ever
rode.

I must momit horses as they are. The affidr
of Mr. Cookson, I see, is, like these others, of
too much consequence to me not to particularize
the circumstances, which are as follow :

Mr. Cookson saw me in York on the Sunday
before the race, and he said, " Chifney, you will
'^ ride for me the week." When upon the exer-
cise-ground, Mr. Cookson asked me if I thought
Sir Harry's running the two miles for the Oatlands

would

118

would hurt him for his next day's race. I told
Mr. Cookson that in Sir Harry's situation I
thought he would run better the second day from
his running the first ; upon which Mr. Cookson
said;, " He shall run ;" and it being a handicap.

Sir Harry was five years old, carried 8st. 7lb.

Wonder was six years old, carried Sst.

Cockfighter was four years old, carried 7st. 7lb.
Cockfighter w on, and Wonder second. Sir Harry
last. After the race, I told Mr. Cookson that
Sir Harry was slow, and not able to run, and that
I wished him to back Cockfighter to win on the
next day, notwithstanding his having to carry
even weights with Sir Harry.

Mr. Cookson then ordered me to attend him
on the next morning. On this same afternoon
Mr. Cookson called at the stables to see Sir
Harry ; and seeing me near the stable, he called
me into the stable, by the side of him and his
groom, and questioned me about Sir Harry's
running, and made several excuses for Sir Harry's

not

119

not running better. I thought Mr, Cookson and
his groom, who was more fit for a tap-boy than a
training-groom, were making out that I had rode
Sir Harry a cheat. It was Sir Harry's condition
that made him run so indifferently.

When Mr. Cookson was going to his carriage,
I begged him not to let any person talk him out
of what I had said to him, that Sir Harry could
not run, and for him by no means to think of
backing him.

On the following morning I waited upon Mr.
Cookson, and he was getting more inclined to
think Sir Harry would win, and continued making
excuses for Sir Harry's running on the day before.
I repeated to him not to think about his winning.

Mr. Cookson said Cockfighter did not run,
neither did Wonder. He then said Sir Harry
must win to-day, as those were post-horses he had
to run against. I said 1 did not know about the
horses he had to run against, but I did know that
Sir Harry could not run, and I felt it my duty to

tell

120

tell him In that forcible manner. Mr. Cookson
said, " Very right."

I then told Mr. Cookson that they said I had
rode Sir Harry a cheat, and that I had been told
it in two places. Mr. Cookson acknowledged
they did say'so. I left Mr. Cookson. After this
his groom came to me, to tell me that Mr.
Cookson wished for another person to ride Sir
Harry.

After this I was in the room at the Dring-
houses, with Mr. Tyziman, one of the grooms,
and others, and Tyziman said, " Chifney, our
" north-country-gentlemen do not like your way
" of riding Sir Harry ; and they say they will not
" have such sort of riding here." I thought it
most proper to say but little to Tyziman, as it
would guide his betting, but to wait to let Sir
Harry's running answer for me. I then went
upon the course to see them run ; and when in
the betting-stand, and when Sir Harry was run-
ning, Mr, Cookson asked mc if I had betted upon

the

121

the race ; I said, " Yes, Sir, I have betted thirty
" to twenty, with Mr. Cholmondeley, Sir Harry
" is beat. I wish Cockfighter had run, as that
" would have made it safe." But it turned out
safe. There were four of those post-horses, as
Mr. Cookson called them, started against Sir
Harry, and Sir Harry was last.

After this Mr. Cookson came to me in the
standing-house, and said, " Chifney, you was
'' very right about Sir Harry." I told Mr.
Cookson that I had nearly been sacrificed several
times for these last twenty years, and all from the
noblemen and gentlemen falling dupes to those
cripples who have neither knowledge or honesty.

In my own defence I was drove to tell my
knowledge of horses' condition, and the effects of
it, which was my great advantage upon the turf.
I believe I was the cause of winning two of the
greatest races through it that ever were run, —
theOatlands at Ascot in 179I, and the Oatlands
at Newmarket in 1792, I mcan^ where more
money was depending.

a On

122
On the evening before running, I took the li-
berty of asking Mr. Vauxhall CLirk to tell Mr.
Bullock, I thought he might lose the Oatlands
from his not thinking as I did, that his horse
Toby could win ; Mr. Clarke told me Mr. Bul-
lock and his people backed his other horse Buz-
zard, which I thought made him not take pains
to get a person to ride Toby that was in high
practice in riding, as the person engaged was not
so ; and that I would give one hundred guineas
could I ride Toby, But I did not know if it
would be proper that I should ride him, from the
insult His Royal Highness so lately received at
Newmarket. And I begged for Mr. Bullock to
persevere in trying to have Lord Clermont's rider^
as Buzzard had no chance whatever of winning ;
and that Toby, I thought, had no chance of
being beat, without it was by riding. " Mr.
" Bullock (1 said) may think me impertinent pre-
" tending to know his horses better than he does
'* himself; but 'tis so, and a few hours will shew
" it."

Mr.

123

Mr. Bullock had Lord Clermont's rider to ride
Toby, and Toby won. Buzzard was beat a great
way by several horses. Toby became a great fa-
vourite before starting, and the odds got high
against Buzzard. I won eleven hundred guineas
on Toby this race. Mr. Cauty betted me seven
hundred to forty-nine, and four hundred to
twenty-four. There were fifty-six nominations at
one hundred guineas eacli in this race ; and
twenty picked horses started,

I see it as a necessity to name this meritorious-
ness, by way of proof against any more of those
bad constructions that might have lurked in some
minds, to say that Chifney's was imposture, where
he said to the Prince of Wales, on the 20th of
October 179^? why Escape was beat, and why he
thought Escape would win on the following day.
Seen in page 75.

This sort of apologizing of mine for the good

horse Escape, I saw was to the field greek. Had

I not been forced in my own defence, I would not

Q 2 at

124

at those times liave named about the condition
of horses, and the effects of it, to any person
for one thousand guineas.

Before I mentioned to His Royal Highness that
I wished to have my orders to ride from any
other person than Mr. W. Lake, I had wished
His Royal Highness to discharge all his people
that belonged to his race-horse stable.

I was informed the Duke of Bedford found it
difficult to match his horses without allowing
weight for my riding them.

Another nobleman, a great acquaintance of the
Duke of Bedford's, and who is now a member
of the Jockey Club, told me that he had such a
high opinion of my riding, that he had made up
his mind a long time back never to make a match
where I had to ride against him. I told his lord-
ship, that he, or the Jockey Club, ought to give
me three hundred guineas a year, for, because I
was thought to ride better than others, I found
I was not to be used.

When

125

When the Prince left the turf on account of
Escape's running, that renowned sportsman, Mr.
Richard Vernon, said, that " the Prince had the
*' best horses, and the best jockey ; he was best
" off the turf."

In 1802, at Brighton and Lewes race time, as
the Prince of Wales was walking on the Steyne,
holding a gentleman's arm, I told His Royal
Highness, that they cried out very much for him
at Newmarket. His Royal Highness said, " Sam
^' Chifney, there's never been a proper apology
" made ; they used me and you very ill. They
" are bad people — Pll not set foot on the ground
" more." I was delighted with His Royal High-
ness's answer, but at the same time I think it a
very great hardship on Newmarket tradespeople
to suffer from those above mentioned characters,
bad in tongues, offending the Prince and his
friends so that they will not come to Newmarket.

It appeared to me, that Sir Charles Bunbury
was, in a manner, the only steward that acted.

That

126

That this business most likely was left chiefly, or
quite to Sir Charles's management. And after
my having gone through the examination above
mentioned, every unprejudiced man must have
been well satisfied that my conduct on riding Es-
cape did not appear improper, than from the very
great part that Sir Charles had chose to take in
seconding those abuses on my riding Escape.
And knowing those abuses were gone abroad, —
and such a very particular occasion as this, it
certainly was Sir Charles Bunbury's duty to the
Jockey Club, &c. to have given their clerk or-
ders to inform the public, that the Jockey Club
had been imposed upon for a short time, con-
cerning Chifney's riding His Royal Highness the
Prince of Wales's horse Escape, unfiiir; and
that the Prince of Wales and the Jockey Club had
taken every pains to make themselves perfectly
satisfied, that it was a false, malicious representa-
tion. Had this been done, it would have done
away those characters from libelling the Prince

and

127
and me for these twelve years to the vvorkl, run-
ning Escape a cheat. Sir Charles Bunbury's
stewardship to the Jockey Club was very singular
in other respects, A (ew years back that one of
the persons was sent to prison for breaking into
a nobleman's stable to poison a liorse for his race.
Sir Charles Bunbury's groom named it about at
Newmarket, that his master, Sir Charles Bun-
bury, had told him, that he dare not search too
far into this business concerning those persons
breaking into the stable to poison a horse for his
race, as he was afraid there were too many in the
Jockey Club that knew too much about it.

Noblemen and gentlemen might bet from those
characters with no motives whatever but thinking
they were backing a person of very superior judg-
ment.

Mr. E. X. Tumor's horse, Oscar, run at New-
market on the 17th and 1 8th of October 1798,
and the first of those races was as rascally a race
on Oscar's side, as horse can be made to run.

This

128

Tliis was very visible to sportsmen that were then
on the turf those two clays. Why did not Sir
Charles Banbury strike this character off from
being used by any members of the Jockey Club ?
but instead of this being done, those characters
that are supposed to have to do with those break-
ing into stables to poison horses for their race,
and that trained Oscar for the abovementioned
rascally race ; those characters has and have,
with Colonel Leigh's assistance, worked them-
selves into the management of the Prince of
Wales's race horses, &c. and worked me out
of His Royal Highness' s service.

I received a letter, dated the 7 th November
1803, for me to be discharged from the Prince's
service, and my pension to cease to this date, for
my ingratitude to His Royal Highness, and my
son William's atrocious conduct to Colonel Leigh.
Where my ingratitude has been to the Prince I
know not. My pension I sold.

I could get no redress from the Prince, nor by

lavv.

129
law, (for I have tried both,) against the bad usage
myself and children met with from Colonel Leigh,
Equerry to the Prince. I have desired my chil-
dren, from their cradle, not to tell a lie, as they
can never untcll it ; never to be aggressors, to
taunt or offend in any way, but endeavour to
make themselves respected, by acting to all in ;i
becoming, dutiful manner; but to let no diffi-
culties make them tell an untruth, as that unmans
them; and for them to use vengeance, so far as
they are able, against insulting injuries.

The conduct of Colonel Leigh toward my son
William was an atrocious aggression, by repre-
senting him to a gentleman of the turf, on the
28th of April, as the greatest rogue and rascal
living. This not only hurt the boy's feelings, but
may be the means of depriving him of his liveli-
hood.

Colonel Leigh did the same to his brother Sa-
muel, and turned him out of stable and house
from board, and would not pay him any thing for
riding races on the Prince's horses three years.
R He

130

He and bis brother William badbut eigbt guineas
a-jear wage?, the same as the least boy in the
stable, for which he rode exercise the same as the
other boys. His riding the Prince's races was an
extra expense to the boy, in clothes, &c. They
had given -Colonel Leigh, nor others, no offence,
and I have reason to believe they were both duti-
ful and valuable servants.

Colonel Leigh also imposed upon their sister.
He ordered her up, in the Prince's name, ser-
vant to Carl ton -House, (I have the letter,) to be
under the direction of Mrs. Willis the house-
keeper. After having been there turned of three
years, and her age turned twenty-two, and no
wages allou'cd her, and from Colonel Leigh's
telling me, in the presence of Mr. Sandi-
ver of Nev,market, that the Prince had never
ordered the girl to Carlton- House, or any
thing about her, and from Colonel Leigh's bad
usage of me and my two sons, I ordered the girl
to leave Carlton- House.

On the 31st of May 1 803 I was credibly in-

iprmed

J31

formed Colonel Leigh had represented me to the
Prince to be the worst fellow living.

And in those last October Meetings, as my son
was standing by me on the exercise-ground, Colo-
nel Leigh, the Prince's Equerry, rode, calling to
Mr. Christopher Wilson, one of the Stewards of
the Jockey Club, to give Sam Chifney his stick to
lick me with. Mr. Wilson was on foot, with a
stout stick in his hand, with another gentleman
on foot with him. Colonel Leigh was at me the
same again to a gentleman on the race-ground ;
and he knew I had been ill for two years, from
losing the use of my limbs.

My son William knowing of those and other
insulting, injurious usage of Colonel Leigh to me,
himself, and his brother, and knowing also that I
could get no redress from the Prince, nor by law,
the boy licked Colonel Leigh. This is my son
William's atrocious conduct to Colonel Leigh, for
which Colonel Leigh is about to punish him in a
court of justice; while myself and family are un-
able to obtain redress for undeserving insults and
R 2 injuries.

132

injuries. I would rather see myself and boys
starved to death than their hands should be tied
against such usage ; it is destroying courage,
which cherishes badness, and those who would be
good become civil rogues.

From Mr. W. Lake's and Neale's conduct,
(pages 86 and 90), Sir Charles there w'ant deter-
mined up to his office; but after my examination
finished, (page 99,) what Sir Charles's motives were
for renewing it again to the Prince (page 112), I
know not. (Page 127) Sir Charles might then
speak from rumour or appearance, in seeing some
led in their betting by persons that are reported to
have been concerned with others that broke into
a stable to poison a horse for his race. Lord
Sackville, Mr. Delme Ratcliffe, and Colonel
Leigh, the Prince's Equerry, have for many years
been led in their betting by those suspected of
bflno; connected with stable-breakers. I left
Lord Sackville for this reason, telling his Lordship
the same, and my author — which was, that Bloss
and Casborne were up all night, riding about, from

their

133

their being alarmed at a person called Old Tight
being taken to justice for breaking into a stable to
poison a horse for his match of five hundred
guineas ; — and this Bloss his Lordship engaged to
be under me in my training.

In 1794 Frank More was training-groom to
Lord Sackville, and this More I saw was too
much acquainted, for me, with Richard Goodi-
son, then training-groom at Newmarket ; there-
fore I made up my mind to have nothing to do
with Lord Sackville's race-horses, if More was
not discharged; and he was discharged, as I
thought. After this it came out that Frank More,
&c. &c. were colleagues of Casborne and Old Tight
in breaking into a stable to poison a horse for his
race, and in what is called pigeoning, at the time
of the drawing of the Irish Lottery.

When I told this to Mr. Delme, (meaning Mr.
Delme Ratcliffe,) and my author, that he had- it
from Old Tight, Mr. Delme's answer was, "Why
" it can't be so, Chifney ! and he don't like to
" change his nurse, I see !"

When

J34

When I told Colonel Leigh that this said BIoss
and P'rank More were improper characters for
him to employ in training the Prince's horses, I
got myself much insulted. In 1800, when at
Lewes I was going to ride the Prince's horse
Knowsley for the Ladies' Plate, and just before

saddling, that I attended on ■ for my

orders how to ride, this Bloss and Frank More
were instantly called for aloud amongst the gen-
tlemen and bettors, to give orders how I was to
ride Knowsley. Directly on seeing I was to have
orders from such characters, my brow came
nearly over my eyes. It required a great general
to give perfect orders for Knowsley in this race ;
to know both horses' fortes, the course they were
going to run, each horse's condition, what they
were best able to bear, and how Knowsley was to
be sailed on all variety of changes that might occur
in running. The mare, his greatest antagonist,
had a bent sinew on her fore leg, and not well
to run, and Knowsley was not within twenty-one
pounds of his best form of running. Bloss and

Frank

135

Frank More were lost to their fortes and con-
dition, and riding they know little more of than
seeing horses run with their riders on their backs;
but an errand of their orders I should take care to
polish in my riding, which I did. I could have
won on Knowsley more than four lengths. I
could have won this same race on the mare more
than six lengths.

As for Neale's improper conduct, in objecting
me to the Prince's service, &c. I look upon Neale
as a dupe to more artful scoundrels than himself;
for he appears to me as ready to hark rudely, from
the clacks of others, as a cur is to bark at the
clap of hands.

From Sir Charles's being imposed upon twice
on the affair of Escape, I think it made him
timorous in acting up to his office, to search into
this gang that impose upon a field of noblemen and
gentlemen who run horses for sport for themselves
and the nation upon the most noble and honour-
able motives. Those characters can give much
information, tell more than they ought to know,

and

136

and more than they do know. There's mostly a
knowing one or two that is hungry^ and likes to
be fed by those improper characters, and then in-
trude themselves on noblemen and gentlemen in
giving great praises to those that will tell them
the most about their masters' and other horses.
The training-grooms want a new lesson at New-
market ; that is, not to be other people's servants
in telling horses, but let their masters tell their
own horses by their betting, &c.

I think no man more ready than Sir Ciiarles
Bunbury to clear bad ones away ; but he must,
like all good men in office, be well seconded.

Before I sold my pension, I asked Colonel Leigh
to be pleased to ask His Highness's leave for me to
sell my pension, as I wanted it towards paying my
debts. Colonel Leigh told me His Royal High-
ness said he was glad for me to sell it. I then
wished to have a few words in writing from His
Royal Highness, as I could then sooner sell it,
and get a better price for it. Colonel Leigh and
Mr. Caskoin told me I could not have it, &c. I

then

]37

then named those particulars to Colonel O'Kelly
and Counsellor Const. A gentleman in the Tem-
ple of the name of Taylor purchased it of me^ as
I believe, at a fair price, on the same terms as I
had it, — viz. on the Prince's honour.

In justice to the public and my children, and
for my own satisfaction, I subjoin to the above
statement the following

AFFIDAVIT,

Middlesex. — Samuel Chifriey, of New-
** market in the county of Cam-
** bridge, rider, maketk oath
** and saith. That he this de-
" ponent did ride a horse called
** Escape y hclo7iging to His
*' Royal Highness the Prince
** of Wales y in a race in which
*' he was beaten, on the twentieth
•* day of October one thousand
"■ seven hundred and ninety-one,
^* at Newmarket ; and that he
a did

]38

** did also at Newmarket ride
* ' the same horse in another race,
*' on the next day, viz. the
*' twenty-first day of OHober
*•' one thousand seven hundred
*-* and ninety-one, in which he
*' won. Andtliis do/ionent fur-
*' ther saitJi, That he made no
** hat ivhatsoever against Escape
*' for the tw ntieth day of Octo-
*' h(^r one tJiousand seven hun-
*' dred and ninety-one, when he
*' was beatjn ; but this depo-
*' nent had one bet of twenty
*' guineas ujion Escape^ and no
'•' more, for tJie twenty first day
** of October one thousand seven
*' hundred and ninety-one, when
*• he won ; whicli was betted for
'* the deponent by Mr. Vauxhall
"■ Clark. And this deponent far-
" titer saith, That he was not
" interested or concerned directly

*' or

139

** or indirectly in any other het
** what SOP ver against or for Es-
** cape for either of the before-
" mentioned days. And this de-
" /lonent further maJceth oath
*' and saith, That previous to
'* and on the said twentieth day
** of October one thousand seven
•* hundred and ninety^one he
" neither did nor caused, or pro-
" cured to be done anything to
** check, hinder or /irevrnt the
*' said horse called Escape from
'* winning, but on the contrary
" that this deponent did every
* * thing which his judgment sug-
" gested to him, and his powers
** enabled him to make Escaps
** win the race he ran on the
*' said twentieth day of October
** one thousand seven lamdied
* • and ninety-one. And this dejio-
*' nent farther maketh oath and
s 2 ** saith,

]40

" saithy TJuit ill no place that
" lie has had the honour of
" Vwing in since one thousand
*' seven hundred and eigJity-
** foury that lie has not won a
**. guinea against any horse that
** was beat where that he either
** trained or rode him. And this
" deponent further juaJceth oath
*' and saith, That that which
" is asserted in the foregoing
" narrative or statement is true,
** with his thoughts on the sam^

*^ SAMUEL CHIFNEY;*

" Sworn before me this thirteenth
* * day of March one thousand
** eight hundred and one,

** John Collick."

TO

]il

TO THOSE

Who are not so well acquainted with

THE TURF.

And as it often happens that horses make
changes in their twice running, I will mention a
few of those changes.

The most extraordinary changes in horses run-
ning twice that I remember^ were with the Prince
of Wales's horses Magpie, at Newmarket, and
Traveller, at York. Magpie run at Newmarket
on the Monday in the July Meeting J/QO, two
miles against Seagull ; and Seagull beat him so
easy that he had only to canter for more than the

last

14 '2

last iialf mile to beat Magpie one liundred yards.
Two elear days after, I rode Magpie, which was
the first time of my riding him^, and he won;
and I think Magpie beat in this race a better run-
ner than Seagull. I think Coriander was a better
runner. Magpie beat in this race Schoolboy,
Grey Diomed, Coriander, Skylark, &c. Seagull,
Magpie, Coriander, and Skylark were all of one
age, and carried even weights in both races.
Magpie, in his first race, carried 8st. 2lb. and in
his second race 8st. and both races two miles.
I heard no nuirmuring from any person about this
extraordinary change ; but from others' disap-
pointments in their horses not winning this race,
it pulled from theirmouthsgreat encomiums upon
Chifney's riding. A gentleman came out of the
crowd to me as I had just come from scale, and
told me that Mr. Clarke was lamenting about his
horse Schoolboy not winning the race, saying,,
how unfortunate he was that the race had not been
a. day sooner^ as then Chifney would not have

rode

143
rode the Prince's horse, and there was no other
person but him could ride, and that he won all
his races this way ; and, what was more extraordi-
nary, no person knows how he wins them but
himself. This gentleman then said, that the Duke
of Bedford appeared much dissatisfied, thinking
his horse Grey Diomed might have won this said
race ; and that His Grace said they had got his
rider from him (meaning Chifiicy); and that he
did not think of losing hhn, as helneant to have
had (lim.

It may be proper for me to say a few words here
on this subject. I had offered myself as rider to
His Grace the Duke of Bedford, and was open
to his Grace's service, from Epsom race till the
day before this race, at two hundred guineas a
year for life. My not agreeing to the Duke's
terms, His Grace used another rider. I then was
engaged, as I thought, on the same terms to the
Prince of Wales as I had offered myself to the
Duke.

Mr,

144

Mr. Dawson's Coriander made a great change
for the better in his twice running, on the 9th and
nth of April 1792.

Mr. Christopher Wilson's capital running horse
Champion, at York, in 1 800, was first beat easily,
several lengths, by Rolla. A clear day after.
Champion beat Rolla several lengths; the first
race a mile and a half, second race two miles^ each
race 8st. 2lbs. each. How is the field to know
which horse made the change in this race ? One
horse changing for the worse will make it appear
the other changed for the better, that the wrong
side may be censured.

Sir Charles Bunbury's capital running horse
Sorcerer, in October Meeting 1800, made a great
change in his running. He was first beat a great
A\ ay by an inferior horse ; he afterwards run in
capital stile, and won.

I rode, and won, on the Duke of Bedford's
horse Grey Diomed, five years old, 8st. 7lbs. a
match against the Prince of Wales's horse Bub-
ble,

145
blCj six years old, 7st, two miles, for three hun-
dred guineas. This was a very hard race.

I then rode and won on the Prince of Wales's
horse Bubble, 8st. 13lbs. for a subscription
weight for age, four miles, against the Duke of
Bedford's horse Grey Diomed, 8st. 61bs. I could
win this race many lengths in the last two hundred
yards. Those two races were in 1790; the
horses on both sides, and for both races, were
thouo-ht to be well ; and both races were as
honestly rode against me as man can ride.

Had I rode those horses, and the changes in
their running been thus against me, it's likely that
I should have been censured, if not sacrificed. I
rode this last race in a large hack saddle, a new
one, and the eye of the stirrup-iron broke, and
fell in running the first cjuarter of a mile ; but
I was my weight with the bridle.

I have seen horses chanc-e in their runninp-

on the same day, from their being brought

out too full, that a man might be censured

T and

110

and sacrificed by taking him oft' after a heat is
run.

And a horse will change in his two days run-
ning very much for the worse if he has been fed
and watered too plentifully. I have no doubt but
that's the case at times, and from a supposed
kindness to the horse, by unskilful people. A
horse should be fed and watered lightly for his
second day's race ; for, from a horse being sharp
set on the muzzle, and heated with running, his
veins and bowels are empty, narrow, and dry ; so
that what is given him is likely to stay with him
till after his second race ; and if a horse happens
to be thus overfilled, it must at times affect him
very much in his second running. None but the
person who had tlie management of Skylark
knows but he might be thus sent out to run his
second race with Escape. Skylark was a wonder-
ful close and large-carcased horse, and started
close to his stable this last day ; and if thus over-
fed, he liad not so great a time as horses generally

have

have to walk to circulate his bowels. Though
Escape was obliged to go over to the four-mile
post for his starting, (and it must have tlie same
effect upon horses as it has u[)on riders, in i)ropor-
tion to their species,) it often happens where a
rider has been trained for riding, (and the manner
is nearly the same as that adopted in training
horses,) that a rider of so light a weight as
seven stone at times will weigh seven pounds
or more on the following day. By this it may be
conceived how a horse at times may be affected
if too kindly fed, &c. for his second day's race;
thus a rider's character is staked against the train-
ing-groom's management and conduct.

Some people say by Sir Charles Bunbury as they
do by me, that Sir Charles at times runs his
horses to lose intentionally *, and this has been
said of Sir Charles ever since his horse Bellario
lost and won easy, at Newmarket, in 1770^ down

* I don't think Sir Charles can know of those things being
said of him.

T 2 to

148
to the year 1802 ; and of late, when those things
have been mentioned in my hearing, I have told
those people, that I believed neither myself or they
ever saw Sir Charles Banbury run a horse but
that he had the best intentions for the horse to
win. The cant* expression at Newmarket was,
that Sir Charles said Bellario had the head-ache on
the first day that he was beaten. But Sir Charles
Bunbury and others well know^, by their own sta-
bles, that Chifney gave them a good drilling in
1791, in teaching them the knowledge of horses
changing in their twice running. This not only
tauo-ht the knowledge of horses' condition, and
the effects of it, but it must prevent much dis-
satisfaction amongst noblemen and gentlemen in
unfair censuring their servants in horses changing
in their running. I believe horses never run two
days together alike ; sometimes the difference is
trifling, sometimes much.

In Spring Meeting 1791, Mr. W. Lake,
Neale, and Bill Price drew up together on the

race-

149

race-ground, and called me to them, and signi-
fied to me that I had written an anonymous letter
to the Prince, that Escape and Magpie were both
to lose at Ascot in i790, as Hindley was to ride
the in ; and that they would all leave the Prince if
there was not a change made. I told them I
thought it very necessary there should be a change
made. " I am not one of those envious, coward-
*' ly rascals to stab thus at a person in the dark."

Mr. Lake and Neale told the Prince that I had
lost His Highness's race on the IQth of October
1790. I had rode the Prince's horse Fitzwilliam
for a Stakes, thirteen subscribers, one hundred
guineas each, and was beat by Lord Grosvenor's
horse Rhadamanthus. It was as much as Rha-
damanthus could do just to beat him ; and di-
rectly the race was over, that 1 was walking back
to scale, his Royal Highness said, " Sam Chif-
" ney, Mr. Lake and Frank Neale say you have
^'^ lost this race by riding." I then wished His
Royal Highness not to let any thing induce him

to

130

to match till I saw His Royal Highness when I
came from scale. Directly I came from the
scale, His Koyal Highness said Mr. Lake and
PVank Ncale had hccn at him again that I had
lost the race. I directly made answer, " Your
*• Royal Highness, RhacUimanthus has now no
" engagements upon him, and upon such an oc*
" casion as this I am sure Lord Grosvenor will
'^ oblige your Highness with the horse, and I
". pray your Royal Highness let them be
" matched ; and for Rhadamanthus thus to give
*^ Fitzvvilliam twenty-one pounds to run the same
*^ course, and for me to ride Rhadamanthus ;
" and I wish your Royal Highness to bet five or
" ten thousand upon Rhadamanthus, and it is a
" thousand guineas to one shilling Rhadamanthus
<' wins. I will then show them such riding as
<' they never can be made to know."

When the Prince left the race-ground, he went
on the other side of the town to see the horses ex-
ercise, and the Prince came riding down the hill

from

151

from his race-horses, and said Frank Neale had
been telling him again that I had lost the race
with Fitzwilliam. I told His Royal Highness that
Neale was a weak man. It did not appear to me
that thei'e was any offer made to have them
matched. I did not feel myself satisfied, as the
Prince seemed to be nettled about my being beat,
from telling me so often about the same thing.
As for Mr. Lake and Neale's saying and pretend-
ing that Fitzwilliam was able to beat Rhadaman-
thus, why Rhadamanthus was rated to be one of
the first runners of his years. It was three to
one upon him against the field ; and Fitzwilliam
had been tried, a short time before the 8th of Oc-
tober, against Smoker and Chambooe, the same
course these horses had been running, and Cham-
booe had beat Fitzwilliam an astonishing way.
Chambooe was beat easily by Smoker, and
Smoker was thought not so good a runner as Rha-
damanthus. But it seemed as if Mr. Lake and
Neale had lost sight of this trial. It must be

from

352

from Fitzwilliam's winning on the Sth of Octo-
ber 1700. He then won a race of twelve hun-
dred and fifty guineas, and he won it by two or
three lengths, at even weights, though the horse
he beat could have given him, in this race, if rode
with judgment, 14 lb. and have beat him for
certain. I had not mentioned this chance man--
ner of Fitzwilliam's winning, as it would only
serve to inform my opponents ; for what I men-
tioned to one I saw generally served the field.
Where I acted out of the usual ways, both in
riding and training, I was continually abused
where I got beat ; and those trainers that abused
my training were all glad to follow my ways, so
far as they are able to make them out. I have
trained but seldom.

The Duke of Bedford took me off his horses
tv/ice, and threatened me a third time. The
first time of my having the honour to ride for the
Duke of Bedford was his horse Fidget, for the
Claret Stakes at Newmarket, on the 27th of

April

153

April 1787. Ontlie July following Goodison en-
gaged me to rid^e the Duke of Queensberry's liorse
Mulberry against Lord Clermont's Markho, and
Mulberry was beat easily; and it appeared to me
that Mulberry was not able to go a proper run-
ning pace In any part of this race ; and when I
came from scales, James Barton, Esq. told me
that Goodison had been telling the gentlemen
that I had rode Mulberry booty ; and Mi-. Bar-
ton said he told him if he dared to say so agam he
would ram his stick down his throat. Goodison
had been at these sort of abuses, and others, to
me, for a long time before this, that it made
gentlemen afraid to employ me. This Goodison
insulted me in public, that I rode Escape booty on
the 20th of October 1791. I have reasons to be-
lieve this Goodison is the original cause of the
Duke of Bedford and the Prince of Wales hav-
ing been thus troubled and disturbed concerning
me in my riding, by Goodison having been capa-
ble of imposing upon the public, reporting me to
u ride

154

ride booty, 8cc. that from his villainous conduct it
continually kept others to assist in keeping the
minds of the public ripe to think and say bad of
me.

In the following October Meeting the Duke of
Bedford took me off his horse Fidget, after rid-
ing him the first of his four five hundred-guinea
matches against Lord Grosvenor's Meteor. This
was on the Monday ; and on the Friday follovi'-
ing, Mr. Tumor, a gentleman from Bexley in
Kent, told me that the conversation at all the
dinners that week had been about Fidget and Me-
teor's race, whether it was a hard race, an easy
race, or whether Fidget was beat at all *. This
soon showed itself farther. The same night the
Duke of Bedford told his groom, Mr. Matt Ste-
phenson, to go to Chifney, and tell him that the
Prince of Wales wished his jockey South to ride

* The Duke's decease prevents me farther explaining what I
had said to his Grace, after Fidget's first race with Meteor.

Fidget

155
Fidget his match against Meteor to-morrow ; but
tell Chifney " he is to ride for me as usual."

On the following day, (Saturday,) the first race
that came on was Mr. O'Kelly's Augusta, 8st.
and Lord Derby's Paul, Sst. 7lb. Ditch-in, for
two hundred guineas. I rode Augusta, and she
was beat. She had run Paul a hard and near
race. Directly I came from the scale, I was told
Goodison had much abused me for being beat on
Augusta, and that he had matched her again
to run the same day, and the same course, Au-
gusta Sst. and Paul Sst. 4lb. for five hundred
guineas. About this time Mr. O'Kelly came to
me, and said he was very angry with himself at
letting the fellow have the mare to run again.

I told Mr. O'Kelly as he had done it, I wished
him not to bet upon her. Mr. O'Kelly said the
fellow had asked him to stand fifty guineas with
him on the match. I told Mr. O'Kelly to get it
off, and let the fellow pay for his impudence. As
Mr. O'Kelly was thus talking to me, the Duke
u2 of

156
of Qiieensberry came up and said, " I don't
" know what it is that my man means. I thought
" your niaie had the advantage in tlie race." I
made answer, "It was as your Grace saw it."

After this, I was told that Goodison wanted
Lord Derby to let him off the match ; but his
Lordship said he would not have those liberties
taken with him, but that he might, if he liked,
run as they had run before, for two hundred
guineas.

Then came Fidget and Meteor's race, and a
long distance from the winning-post Meteor
chucked up his head against his rider, Mr. Piatt ;
and it v\ iiS quite play for Meteor, as he run clear
away from Fidget. As the horses were walking
back to the scale, James Barton, Esq. and Lord
Henry Fitzroy came up to me, and his Lordship
said, '•' Chifney, I give you joy at Meteor's beat-
*' ing Fidget ; for had Fidget beat Meteor, I
*^ believe you weald never have rode another
" horse at Newmarket."

This

\57

This speech of his Lordsliip was double joy to
me — cherishing good conduct is spurning at bad.

Then came on Augusta and Paul, and Paul had
beat Augusta such a very great distance, more
than hali a mile from home, that there was
not a person scarce, that would take one
hundred guineas to one on the race. Mr. Pratt
rode Augusta, Sam Arnold rode Paul both his
races.

The field are as lost to parts of the best riding
as they are to training.

Some through craft have imposed upon the
Prince. As I am well informed the Prince of
Wales says, Chifney can't train, and has never
used me for training ; and I have nearly been the
same sacrificed by the field being the same lost
to some parts of the very best of riding.

Now in my own defence I will name one of
those very fine parts in riding a race, as it is
thrown in my face to this time as a very great
fault in my riding, viz. my riding with a loose rein.

The

158

The Duke of Bedford was near taking me off his
horses, saying, the people teased him because I
rode his horses with a loose rein, and desired me
to hold my horse fast in his running ; I was sorry
his grace was thus troubled, as it puts a horse's
frame all wrong ;-> and his speed slackened where
the horse has that sort of management to his
mouth. My reins appeared loose, but my horse
had only proper liberty, and mostly running in
the best of attitudes. It's usual, when that grooms
are talking and giving orders to their riders, to
hold the horse fast in his running ; and where a
liorse is intended to make play, their orders
mostly are, to hold the horse fast by the head^
and let him come, or come along with him ; but
it's very much against a horse to hold him fast,
or let him bear on his rein in his running; it
makes him run with his mouth more open, and
pulls his head more in or up. This causes him^
at times, to run in a fretting, jumping attitude,
with his fore legs more open ; sometimes it causes

him

log

him to run stag-necked ; this makes the horse
point his forelegs, (otherwise called straight
legged.) Sometimes it makes the horse run with
his head and neck more down, crowding and
reaching against his rider. This reaching his
neck against his rider, pulls the horse's forelegs
out farther than the pace occasions. In all those
attitudes his sinews are more worked and ex-
tended, he's more exertion, his wind more locked^
and thus reaching and pointing his fore-legs
makes them dwell and tire.

That the first fine part in riding a race
is to command your horse to run light in his
jnouth; it keeps him the better together, his
legs are the more under him, his sinews less
extended, less exertion, his wind less locked ;
the horse running thus to order, feeling light
for his rider's wants; his parts are more at
ease and ready, and can run considerably faster
when called upon, to what he can when that he
has been running in the fretting, sprawling at-
titudes,

i6o

titudes, with part of his rider's weight in his
mouth.

And as the horse comes to his last extremity,
finishing his race, he is the better forced and
kept straight with manner'*, and fine touching to
his mouth. In this situation the horse's mouth
should be eased of the weight of his rein, if not,
it stops him little or much. If a horse is a slug^
he should be forced with a manner up to this
order of running, and particularly so if he has to
make play, or he will run the slower, and jade
the sooner for the want of it.

The phrase at Newmarket is, that you should
pull your horse to ease him in his running*
When horses are in their great distress in run^
ning they cannot bear that visible manner of pul-
ling as looked for by many of the sportsmen ; he

♦ The word " manner" is knowing, putting, keeping self
and horse in the best of attitudes. This gives readiness, force,
and quickness.

should

i6i
should be enticed to ease himself an inch a time
as his situation will allow.

This should be done as if you had a silken rein
as fine as a hair, and that you was afraid of break-
ing it.

This is the true way a horse should be held Jast
in his running.

N.B. If the Jockey Club will be pleased to give
me two hundred guineas, I will make them a
bridle as I believe never was, and I believe can
never be excelled for their light weights to hold
their horses from running away, and to run to
order in, as above mentioned, as near as I thus
can teach ; and it is much best for all horses to
run in such ; and ladies in particular should have
such to ride and drive in, as they not only excel
in holding horses from running away, but make
horses step safer, ride pleasanter, and carriage
handsomer.

1()3

REASONS

TURF HORSES DEGENERATE,

GUIDES TO RECOVER THEM

TO THEIR

STRENGTH AND SPEED.

I have said in page 144, horses change in their
twice running. If a horse is in perfect fitness
for running, he immediately hecomes exhausted,
little or much ; he must then change in his run-
ning. A horse cannot keep his perfect fitness
for running more than one race^, till rested. I
X 2 have

164

have seen one sweat between tlieir twice running
change horses for the worse astonishingly. It is
destruction to horses to sweat them in the man-
ner they are sweated at Newmarket, as the prac-
tice there is to sweat them once in six days,
sometimes oftener ; and between those days of
sweating, it is usual for the horse to go out twice
a day, each time having strong exercise. In.
these sweating days the horses are mostly covered
with cloths, two or three times doubled, and go
in their sweats six miles, more or less, and at
times go tolerably fust. Directly the horse
pulls uy, he is hurried into the stable which is on
the spot for that purpose. As soon as he gets in,
there is often more cloths thrown upon him, in
addition to those he has been his sweat in.
This is done to make the horse sweat the more,
and he stands thus for a time, panting, before

he

1(35

he is stripped for scraping ; that with being
thus worked^ clothed, and stoved, it so affects
him at times, that he keeps breaking out iti
fresh sweats, that it pours from him, when scrap-
ing, as if water liad been tin-own on him. Na-
ture cannot bear this. The horses must
dwindle.

I think, in the first place, that the horse has
been too long at this sort of work for his sinews ;
then the clothing and stoving him forces his juices
from him in such quantities, must destroy their
spirits, strength and speed; and much clothing
jades horses. A horse don't meet with this de-
struction when he runs, for then he is likely to be
lighter in his carcase, lighter in his feet, having
plates on, not shoes, which is wonderfully in fa-
vour of his sinews ; and he is without clothes, and
not stoved, and his course in running is very sel-
dom

dom more than four miles; therefore this differ-
ence in sweating and running is immense.

When a liorse pulls up from his running, he
has time given him to move gently in the air, and
usually scraped out upon the turf, and by these
means the horse perspires no more than suits his
nature*.

When a horse is first taken into work after hav-
ing had a long rest, his carcase is then large and

* Horses should have different brakes against weather, to
scrape in. Buildings for this, I think, would be most proper
made after the horse-dealers' rides in London ; open in front>
being out of the weather, and not out of the air. Places of
this sort would be much the best for horses to saddle in ; for
horses saddling in those close, dark stables, they at times break
out with great perspiration when saddlingj and in fine, roomy-
places of this sort there would be proper room, &c. for noble-
men and gentlemen sportsmen to command a sight of the horses
at saddling ; and horses are less timid being in a crowd than they
are to hear it and not see it.

heavy.

i67
heavy, and the practice is to put more clothes
upon the horse, and order him to go a longer
sweat. But the horse in this stage of his training
is the less able to bear more cloths, and go
further in his sweats ; for the horse himself being
heavy, that, with boy and cloths, at times has a
great weight upon his legs ; that with this pressure
and his work heating him, it makes his sinews
full and weak ; and thus working a little too fast
or too long upon his sinews at one stretch, they
are forced out of their places. This once done,
the horse seldom stands training after.

It is ignorant cruelty in the great number of
horses being thus unskilfully lamed at Newmar-
ket ; and gentlemen not only lose the use of their
horses and their money by it, but it so greatly
deprives them of the sport that they otherwise
would have.

The

l68
The first fine care In training horses for running,
and hunters and liacks for hard riding, Is, to train
their legs to be able to carry their carcase ; using
them first to short exercise, short gallops, short
sweats, and giving time between their work for
their sinews to rest, or the best of legs will be-
come destroyed.

Horses' legs are very soon destroyed at first
coming into work ; but when they have had time
to be well trained, scarce any running or riding
will hurt them.

Some few, I am Informed, have a way of pinch-
ing their race-horses in their meat and water.
This is another certain way of perishing a horse
in his spirits and strength. Where a horse is too
large in his carcase, he should be well fed, as
horses, I believe, for the most part of them are
at Newmarket ; and, instead of pinching him in

his

169

his wiitcr, where a horse is greedy of it, he
slionld be watered very often, and at all times as
much as he will drink ; he will then drink less,
and come straight and strong in his carcase.

The outcry is. Why are there so few good run-
ners, or that the turf-horses degenerate ? Some
say they think it is from running horses too
young. My opinion is this; viz. That the best
running mares are trained till their running is
gone from them little or much, then turned into
the stud exhausted of their juices, as above de-
scribed. Perhaps drop a foal on the following
year, and so on year after year, suckling one foal
while breeding another. The mare is thus turned
into the stud, drained of her strength, and her
continually breeding keeps her so, without she
Y lays

170
Jays herself barren a year or two by her mis-
standing to the horse. This chance manner of
her laying herself fallow gives her an opportunity
of recovering her juices, or strength to enable her
to breed a stronger foal, provided the horse that
is to her is the same in proper plight.

And it is the same with the horses. They are
turned out of training into the stud, thus drained
of their nature ; and the better runner he is, the
more he is immediately pressed with iiumbeis of
the best mares, and in a manner all to the staU
lions at one time.

These are my reasons why the turf-horses de-
generate in strength, speed, and beauty.

FINIS.

D. N. SHURY, PRINIKR, BERWICK STTxEET, iOHO, LONDON.

Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at
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200 Westboro Road
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