BRINGS TOD SLOAN TO ENGLAND
Engagement of Tod Sloan as Jockey--Beresford Family
Affection--Caiman Wins Classic Race--Democrat and His Races--A
Tip for the “Blues”--Accident to Sloan--His Downfall--Five Years’
Racing and Winnings in Stakes Alone--Volodyovski Bought--At
Liverpool When Ambush II Won the Grand National
We are now dealing with 1897, when Tod Sloan was introduced to the
British public by Lord William, who had been keeping an eye on the
lad’s performances in America, observing that in 1895 he had 442
mounts, and won 132 races, in California four races being won in a
day. In consequence of this and what he was told of the lad, his
lordship sent a cable asking the jockey to come over here as he had
some useful horses to be ridden. The years 1897-1898-1899 and 1900
were great for the Beresford stable.
Sloan was for several years much in evidence, so it may be worth
while to pause a moment and introduce him to those of my readers
who have either forgotten or never known anything about him. His
real name was James Forman Sloan, when a very small boy he had been
adopted by people named Blauser, who thinking they were being witty,
called him “Toad,” because he was so tiny, this by degrees condensed
itself into Tod, and Tod Sloan it remained to the end of the chapter.
In America Sloan had been riding for Mr. W. C. Whitney, who released
him to ride for Lord William, saying he should very likely be in
England himself before long. As a matter of fact he arrived at much
the same time as the jockey, and met Lord William for the first time
at Newmarket, where Sloan introduced him to his lordship, the outcome
of this introduction being they became partners. At this time Jakes
Pincus was training Lord William’s horses, later Huggins, who came
over with Mr. Lorillard, reigned in his stead. Pincus was another
American; he had not been long in this country, yet he was the man
who trained the only American horse that ever won the Derby, if my
memory is to be trusted. Iroquois was the horse. The man was a bit of
a jockey himself, I have been told.
Mr. Cuthbert was secretary to Lord William’s stable at that time,
later I believe he went to Newmarket in the employ of Mr. George
Lambton.
Sloan was one of those fortunate jockeys who can eat what they like
without putting on weight, very different from some other jockeys
of that date. Fred Archer, for instance, who had to breakfast off
hot castor oil and a slice of thin toast with a view to keeping his
weight down, he dared not dine with friends, as owing to dieting so
rigidly he felt he was a wet blanket at a feast. Poor fellow, in
his endeavours to ride 8 st. 7 lbs., he became a wreck very early
in life, the wonder was he lived as long as he did. It will be
remembered at the age of thirty he felt he had had enough and took
his own life. Though much liked and perhaps the most popular of
jockeys he was severe with his mounts.
Sloan was fond of animals and gentle with them, Mornington Cannon
also, and they seem to have achieved equal success. Archer’s seat was
the opposite of Sloan’s, for he sat well back, while Sloan it was
introduced that peculiar monkey up a stick seat which became more
or less the fashion amongst the American jockeys. Archer was very,
very canny with his money, which at times used to annoy people, Sloan
on the other hand was too generous and let other people help him to
spend his earnings almost too freely. Cannon liked riding waiting
races, while Sloan liked to get away and come right through. There
was one occasion certainly when Cannon waited a little too long with
Flying Fox, not giving himself time to get home, but he was a good
judge of pace.
Sloan’s seat used to be much commented on when first he came over to
this country, people thought he rode with very short stirrups, but
he did not really, it was the crouching along the neck of the horse
when going fast which gave him that appearance. He attributed much of
his success to this attitude as it gave less resistance to the wind,
therefore helpful to the horses.
Sloan entirely agreed with me on one point, which I have already
expressed in my book _Women in the Hunting Field_, namely that horses
will not tread on you when down if they can possibly help it. _He_
went so far as to say they “would not unless pulled into it.”
Lord William used to say Sloan had no luck unless he was there, and
really it seemed like it. When Lord Bill lost a race he had been
hoping and expecting to win his face was a study, he had marvellous
self-control, and beyond growing very white showed no sign of feeling
and was always most generous to the unhappy and often equally
disappointed jockey.
Lord William thought he had a great horse in St. Cloud II. I fear he
did not fulfil his owner’s expectations, though certainly he was a
great horse, but it was in size, he stood seventeen hands.
The largest stakes Lord William ever went for was probably over
Sandia in the Cambridgeshire. Either St. Cloud or Sandia ought to
have won easily. Lord William and Sloan were under the impression
they had won with Sandia, but Mr. Robinson, the judge, was under the
impression they had not, but that is an old story now. At the time
there was a good deal of feeling about it.
Sandia won the old Cambridgeshire in the Autumn of 1897, and Diakka
won the Duke of York Stakes at Kempton Park, for which he started
favourite.
Lord William found time to go to York and help his brother, Lord
Charles, now Lord Beresford, who was standing in the Conservative
interest against Mr. Furniss. Lord Marcus also went to give a helping
hand. In Lord Beresford’s own book he gives some amusing accounts of
his brother’s smart and witty repartees to questions asked by the
electors. There was a good deal of excitement in the town at the
time. Lord Beresford won by eleven votes, rather a near thing. It
was too much for the poor Lord Mayor, he died the same night from
excitement and strain.
The three brothers were very happy working together over this
election, the affection they had felt for one another in youth had
not been estranged, they were still devoted to one another, it was
always charming to hear them speak of their relatives. What does this
family affection spring from I wonder? It is not often met with; take
two well-known families the Scotch Gordons and the Irish Waterfords.
The Gordons according to their own account could as brothers never
agree, if one told a story of what he had done at cricket, racing,
or some such thing, and one of his brothers happened to be present
he would flatly contradict him, telling him he did not believe it,
and he was telling tarra-diddles; followed of course by a free fight,
very often even when staying in friends’ houses. Once speaking of
their quarrelsomeness Lord Granville Gordon, commonly called Granny,
said, “You know our family is not like the Beresfords one bit, they
are always full of praise of one another and inseparable. If you were
to say to Lord Marcus or Markey as we call him, ‘That was a great
thing you brought off the other day,’ the reply would certainly be
something of this sort, ‘Oh yes, but you should see my brother Bill,
he can do ten times better,’ or ‘You should see Charlie, no one can
touch him’; the same with Lord Charles, it is always how much better
his brothers could do things than himself.”
An uncle of mine, the Rev. Francis Gooch, used to fish at Ford Abbey
in Northumberland by the kind permission of Lady Waterford. One day
when Lord Charles was up there and he was speaking to my uncle he
said, “Do you know my brother Bill?” The reply being in the negative
Lord Charles said, “Then bedad you don’t know the finest man in the
world.” It is really a beautiful and uncommon thing to have lived
through the great part of their allotted years, knowing each other
intimately, loving each other tenderly, without one spark of jealous
fault-finding, superiority, or littleness. The pity there are not
more families equally attached, they do not know what they miss;
looking back through the sketch book of their lives, that family
affection has added warmth and beautiful colouring to many of its
pictures, to be recalled and lived through again when the day is far
spent and night is near.
In 1898 Lord William owned many winners entered in the name of one
or other of the two partners. Caiman as a two year old won the
Middle Park Plate, value £2775, Sloan riding; beating the Duke of
Westminster’s Flying Fox ridden by Mornington Cannon. I am able to
give a beautiful photograph of Caiman at the starting-post the day he
won this race. It will be noticed Sloan did not ride very short, as I
have already pointed out. It will also be noticed his hand is up to
his mouth, this was a habit or trick of his, he always put his hand
to his mouth when a horse was walking or in a very slow pace. Whether
he had any theories about it or not I do not know.
[Illustration: TOD SLOAN IN LORD WILLIAM’S COLOURS]
[Illustration:
_Photo. Rouch_
CAIMAN AT THE POST FOR THE MIDDLE PARK PLATE THE DAY HE BEAT FLYING
FOX. TOD SLOAN IN LORD WILLIAM’S COLOURS]
Flying Fox was a horse that stood out prominently in racing records,
not only as a triple crown winner, but as the horse that fetched the
highest price ever paid at a sale by auction for a racehorse, namely
£39,375, Kingsclere and Prince Palatine being bought by private
contract by Mr. J. B. Joel at £40,000, a price that would perhaps not
have been reached under the hammer.
In the Two Thousand Guineas value £4250 Caiman only ran second, Sloan
up, Flying Fox winning this time, Cannon riding. For the St. Leger
at Doncaster value £4050 Flying Fox again won, Caiman second, both
ridden by the same jockey as in the previous races.
In 1900 Caiman only won the Lingfield Park Stakes value £2420, his
wins, however, as a two year old in 1898 were £3557, as a three year
old £3884 and as a four year old £2420, making the pleasing total of
£9861.
The chief races won in 1898 were the Clearwell Stakes and Middle
Park Plate by Caiman, Esher Stakes by Diakka, Thirty-fifth Biennial
at Ascot by Sandia, Exeter Stakes by Dominie. Mykka the Lancaster
Nursery First October Two Year Old Stakes, Prendergast Stakes, and
Sandown Great Sapling Plate. On September 30th, Sloan won the Bretby
Welter on Draco for Lord William by six lengths, the next race the
Scurry Nursery on Manatee, the next race again the Rous Memorial
Stakes on Landrail by three lengths, another on Libra, by two
lengths, the Newmarket St. Leger on Galashiels by a head, making five
wins and a second out of seven mounts, not a bad day for one stable.
Huggins, who was training the horses, lived at Heath House, the
former home of the great Dawson trainers, “Mat,” and after him
his nephew George. Heath House will always remain most famous in
connection with the name of the uncle, as most of “Mat” Dawson’s
greatest classic efforts came from that home; for the late Lord
Falmouth, Duke of Portland, Lord Hastings of Melton fame, and lastly
crowned with the success of Lord Rosebery’s Ladas.
The historic Democrat now came on the scenes in 1899. An American
bred horse, his sire being Sensation, his dam Equality. This handsome
and gentle chestnut with four white legs won no less than seven out
of eleven races as a two year old, worth £12,939, including the
Coventry Stakes at Ascot, the National Breeders’ Foal Stakes at
Sandown, and the Middle Park Plate and Dewhurst Plate. The light blue
and black cap was doing good business.
A record of all Democrat’s races may be interesting:
TWO YEAR OLD RECORD, 1899
May 1st. Great Surrey Breeders’ Foal Plate, Epsom; 4th
(Sloan).
May 5th. Royal Two Year Old Plate, Kempton Park; 2nd
(Sloan), £200.
May 11th. Bedford Plate, Newmarket; 2nd (Sloan), £50.
June 13th. Coventry Stakes, Ascot; 1st (Sloan), £1,826, beating
H.R.H. Prince of Wales’s horse, Diamond
Jubilee, ridden by Watts.
July 1st. Hurst Park Foal Plate, Hurst Park; 1st (Sloan),
£1,135.
July 15th. National Breeders’ Produce Stakes, Sandown Park;
1st (Sloan), £4,357.
Sept. 5th. Champagne Stakes, Doncaster; 1st (Sloan), £1,310.
Sept. 29th. Rous Memorial Stakes, Newmarket; 1st (Sloan),
£568.
Oct. 6th. The Imperial Stakes, Kempton Park; 2nd (Sloan),
£300.
Oct 14th. Middle Park Plate, Newmarket; 1st (Sloan),
£2,305, beating Prince of Wales’s Diamond
Jubilee.
Oct. 26th. The Dewhurst Plate, Newmarket, Houghton;
1st (Sloan), £1,432; Prince of Wales’s Diamond
Jubilee 2nd.
THREE YEAR OLD RUNNING, 1900
May 30th. Epsom Derby.
Democrat ran but was not placed, the race being
won by Diamond Jubilee, but this time Sloan
was not riding Democrat, but one called Disguise
for another owner, and was severely reprimanded
for this breach of Rule 140, forbidding
crossing.
June 14th. The New Biennial, Ascot. Democrat not placed;
ridden by Weldon. Sloan rode the winner,
Courlan.
Oct. 9th. The Royal Stakes, Newmarket; 1st (L. Reiff),
£586. This was Democrat’s last win; he ran
later at Liverpool for the Autumn Cup, but was
not placed.
I am under the impression that the last time Lord William’s colours
were seen on a racecourse was at Manchester, when his Billow II, bred
in Australia, won the Autumn Plate, ridden by Reiff. Jolly Tar won
six races in 1900.
The year Democrat won the Coventry Stakes at Ascot (1899) Lord
William was standing outside the “Blues’” tent after luncheon talking
to some of his friends, amongst others Sir Claude de Crespigny,
discussing the merits of the different horses, when he was heard to
say apparently as much to himself as his friends, “It’s all very well
their making the Prince’s horse (Diamond Jubilee) favourite; mine
has just as good a chance of winning.” This was repeated to some of
the “Blues,” who had not been having a very good time over the Trial
Stakes, adding, the Royal horse is at evens and Bill’s at three’s,
they selected the latter and landed the long odds. After this they
told Sir Claude if he had another good tip like that for the next
day they hoped he would come and have luncheon again.
Sloan was never a great admirer of Democrat, why I do not know, as
the horse proved himself one of the best of his years.
Riding at Kempton in 1898 a horse reared over with Sloan, hurting
his pelvis bone. Seeing what pain the man was in and knowing from
experience something about it, Lord William said, “Your racing is
done for to-day, my little man.” “But,” said Sloan, “who then is
going to ride your Democrat?” Lord William replied, “I shall put
Cannon up.” This was anguish to Sloan, who was somewhat jealous of
Cannon, but he may have found consolation in the result, as the horse
did not win. His owner thought it was due to the change of jockey,
horses are very susceptible to any change of hands.
Sloan always considered the greatest achievement of his life was
beating Flying Fox on Caiman in the Middle Park Plate, when Cannon,
as referred to earlier, waited just a little too long before letting
Flying Fox out, not leaving time to pick up and win.
In 1899 Lord William won his first and only classic race with his
Sibola at Newmarket in the One Thousand, Sloan riding. There were
great rejoicings in the Beresford camp. Sibola ought to have won the
Oaks that year, but got a bad start. Some people thought it was due
to a fit of temper on Sloan’s part, others attributed the defeat to
Sloan, but giving other reasons; be that as it may, it was a great
disappointment to the horse’s owner.
Sloan was altogether getting out of favour about now. At Ascot he
got himself mixed up with a waiter and a champagne bottle, resulting
in Lord William very kindly trying to pacify the piqued waiter. This
took some doing, but was eventually managed to the tune of several
hundreds, to save scandal and trouble. The Stewards enquired into the
matter and exonerated Sloan. In honesty to the jockey, I am pleased
to be able to state, when he found out what Lord William had done for
him, he insisted on the amount being deducted from his retaining fees.
Lord William was undoubtedly Sloan’s best friend, being exceedingly
generous and kind to him, but latterly he gave his mounts to Weldon,
the two Reiffs, and others, being disappointed with Sloan and fearing
he had got into the hands of those not likely to improve him, and
certainly about that time a number of desperate American gamblers
graced this country with their presence and heavy ready money
investments which put temptation into a jockey’s way. If a jockey
only bets on his own mount all may be well, but unfortunately they
get tempted sometimes to bet on others, while such a thing has been
heard of as a jockey squaring or thinking he has squared the rest of
his confrères in the race; and then failed.
The final blow came to Sloan over the Cambridgeshire of 1900, over
which there were many unpleasant stories afloat in connection with
his betting. It was a thousand pities, for he did so well when first
he came over to this country. Lord William was very pleased with his
riding, and many people had been most kind to him.
At one time, I think it must have been at Doncaster in 1899, the
Prince of Wales told Lord William he should like Sloan to ride for
him during the coming season, however, circumstances forbade this.
Codoman was the horse Sloan was riding in the Cambridgeshire when he
got into trouble over betting. Lord William again did all he could
for Sloan, but the Jockey Club were firm and advised Sloan not to
apply for a licence to ride during 1901. Of course he was acting
against the rules in betting and he knew it, but I do not think
Sloan was alone by any manner of means in this misdemeanour; again,
I say the pity of it, for he was a great master of his method in the
saddle; he always maintained his crouching seat over the horse’s neck
that had much to do with his success. Unfortunately he was a perfect
idiot where his own real interests were concerned. Here again he was
not alone, many of us are quite brilliant in looking after other
people’s affairs and yet make shocking hashes of our own.
It will, I think, have been clear to the readers all through these
chapters how very generous Lord William was to all who worked with or
for him; also indeed to many with absolutely no claim on his large
and kindly heart. Huggins, his trainer, was another recipient of his
open-handed generosity. At Newmarket he was a favourite amongst the
residents and Lord William had a great liking for him, but I doubt if
it is generally known that over and above other fees and charges Lord
William allowed him 10 per cent on _all stakes_ won. This would mean
a comfortable income if the stable was lucky. A glance at the value
of the stakes won between 1896 and 1900 will prove this.
_Year._ _No. of wins._ _Value._
1896 12 £5,186
1897 13 7,867
1898 16 8,029
1899 69 42,736½
1900 48 24,522
--- --------
TOTAL 158 £88,340½
In giving the above I am leaning heavily on the safe side, as there
were some wins of which I do not know the value, so cannot count them
in the total.
Lord William was still hoping to win the Derby, and believed at
last he was “going to do the trick” in 1901, for in 1900 he leased
from Lady Meux, a two year old horse named Volodyovski for his
racing career. For the comfort of my readers I may here state that
owing to the horse’s name being such a mouthful, and the difficulty
experienced by many in pronouncing it at all, he soon became known
as Voly, which will answer my purpose very well. This horse won five
races out of the last six he ran for Lord William, namely the Windsor
Castle Stakes, Rous Memorial at Goodwood, Newmarket Stud Produce
Stakes, Rous Memorial at Newmarket, other winners besides Caiman
being Jolly Tar and Jiffy II.
It will be remembered it was Diamond Jubilee that prevented Lord
William heading the list of winners in 1900, and Flying Fox in 1899.
But as the following shows it was a near thing.
1899, Duke of Westminster, 1st £43,965--Lord William 2nd £42,736½.
1900, Prince of Wales 1st £29,585--Lord William 2nd £24,585.
Race meetings of all sorts and kinds attracted Lord William, whether
running horses of his own or not; he was present at Liverpool when
the Prince of Wales won with Ambush II, and his own horse Easter Ogue
ran seventh. The scene outside the weighing-room door as His Royal
Highness awaited the return of his winning horse baffles description;
it was difficult to keep a clear space for Anthony to dismount; all
were so anxious to congratulate the Prince. One of the earliest to
express his pleasure and to congratulate him was the subject of these
memories, and it so happened that the camera man managed to squeeze
into the small space and photograph the King as he met the horse,
just as he left Lord William.
Always when flat racing was over Lord William turned his attention
to chasing, which he had liked from his earliest days. I remember
standing with him once in a crowd at a big “jump” meeting, and saying
to him, “I suppose you have always been too occupied to make a study
of the faces round you at one of these meetings?” He replied, “No
indeed, I have not been too occupied, but I do not like to look,
sometimes a race means so much to a man.” I remarked I thought a
certain friend standing near us, and owner of the favourite, was
looking rather pale and anxious, but he said, “Oh he’s all right, an
old hand at the game,” nevertheless when the favourite was over the
last fence I heard a big sigh and when the cheering began after the
horse had won by nearly a length the owner collapsed. I wonder what
would have happened if he had lost? Lord William told me afterwards
that if he had not won that race he would have been absolutely
ruined. The faces of a crowd on a racecourse, especially at a “jump”
meeting, is an interesting study and instructive.
It is painful to watch the restless hands and nervous twitchings of
those to whom it means “up” or “down.” Some of course go who delight
in a fair race when the horses are not ridden to death, that is to
say never again able to meet such a supreme moment; people who have
nothing of any consequence in any of the races, or who, like the late
James Lowther, seldom or never bet at all. Then again there are the
curiously constituted folk who flock round the most dangerous jumps,
presumably, to witness any accident that may occur; some people revel
in seeing accidents. One man I have known now for many years, has
never to my knowledge, been moved to mirth unless someone has hurt
themselves, then he indulges in a waistcoat contortion which answers
for laughter, his mouth spreads slowly across his face, but his eyes
take no part in his merriment.
Some of the accounts that appeared in the papers from time to
time relating to Lord William’s achievements were very funny. The
_Sporting Times_ some years ago referred to this in one of their
issues I am told, as follows: “Does Lord William Beresford read the
_Hornet_? Probably not, but if he does he must be surprised to find
that he is the third son of John, fourth Marquis of Waterloo. Why not
also first cousin of Viscount Vauxhall, and distantly related to the
Countess of Charing Cross?”
Lord William’s health about now was causing some anxiety, and he was
persuaded to try Homburg where he had been benefited several times
before, but on this occasion he came back looking worse than when he
went.
[Illustration: LORD WILLIAM AND LORD MARCUS BERESFORD]
The last time I saw his lordship at Homburg, the Prince of Wales, Sir
George Wombwell and Colonel Stanley Clarke were being greatly amused
at some of his jokes, and the stories he was telling against himself.
Shall we ever see his like again?