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And indeed the young horse, with the judgment of a veteran who knows to a yard when he may shut up, had eased away into a canter, and broke into a trot as he passed the post. The Last Card Chukkers was beaten out of sight. The Oriental in him blurted to the top. He lost his head and his temper and began to butcher his mount.
"She's got nothing up against her as I know of," said Jaggers in his austere way. "There's Moonlighter, the Irishman, of course." "He can't stay," said Chukkers briefly. "And Gee-Woa-There, the Doncaster horse." "He can't gallop." "And Kingfisher, the West country crack." "He beats himself jumpin'." "And that's about the lot only the Putnam horse," continued the trainer.
"He's headed the list for five seasons now." "He wins," said Monkey grimly. "Them as has rode against him knows 'ow." Silver edged his pony up along the other. "You've ridden against him?" he inquired with cunning innocence. The little jockey's eyes became dreamy. "My ole pal Chukkers," he mused. "Him and me. Yes, I've rode agin' him twenty year now.
And I sail 'ome alone. Oh, he was a reg'lar outrageous 'orse, Cannibal was." He dropped his voice. "When he come out of 'orspital of course he made a fuss about it, he and Jaggers and Jew-boy Aaronsohnn. But of course I knew nothin' about it; nor did nobody else. See, they all knew Chukkers. He'd tried it on 'em all one time or another.
America's feeling in the matter was summed up in the famous cartoon that appeared at Christmas in Life, where Jonathon was seen shaking hands with John Bull, the mare in the background, and saying: "I'll believe in you, John, but I'll watch you all the same." "That's God Almighty's Mustang, Chukkers up," said Old Mat. "The Three J's think they done it this time.
At the end of the third Chukkers, for the first time for seven years, no longer headed the list of winning jockeys. Then Ikey carried off his jockey to the States to break his luck. It was on this visit, at some old-fashioned meeting in the Southern States, so the story went, Chukkers discovered the mare from Blue Mounds.
So much, not even the arrogant English dared to dispute. But the rest was mystery. It was said that Jaggers himself did not know who was Mocassin's sire; and that Ikey and Chukkers, the only two who did, were so close that they never let on even to each other.
Chukkers, too, was taking his time, running no risks, his eyes everywhere, calculating his chances, fending off dangers as they loomed up on him one after the other. He was drawing in to the rails on his left flank for security from cannoning horses. The first few fences behind him, the danger of a knock-out would be greatly lessened. Till then it was most grave.
A few further inquiries, made by Mat, put the thing beyond question. Joses was watcher for Jaggers, who trained for Ikey Aaronsohnn, for whom Chukkers rode. In England, Australia, and the Americas, the three were always spoken of together as the Three J's Jaggers, the Jockey, and the Jew. Wherever horses raced their fame was great, and amongst the English at least it was evil and ominous.
When Chukkers rode the famous International that established him once and for all in a class by himself among cross-country riders, snatching an astounding victory on Hooka-burra from Lady Golightly, his win and the way he rode his race was largely due to Joses's report on the favourite's staying power.
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