Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 12, 2025
Yes, it was my first smell of the star-spangled jacket." "Was that when you got your leg?" "No, sir. That was eight years later. Boomerang's year. He was the first waler Ikey brought over this side to do the trick. My! he were a proper great 'orse, too. I was riding Chittabob like a pony alongside him. At the Canal Turn Chukkers ran me onto the rails."
The crowd was too maddened to pay attention to the little man and his great charge. Those who were not bent on murdering Chukkers were absorbed in watching those who were. Old Mat, trotting at Silver's side, was chuckling and cooing to himself like a complacent baby, as the pair descended the Grand Stand and made for the Paddock.
As it chanced, too, the mare's fiery spirit suited exactly the daring temperament of the great horseman. The invincible couple waited behind till the ranks began to thin and then came through with the hurricane rush that had become famous. A consummate judge of pace, sure of himself, sure of his mount, Chukkers never feared to wait in front; and the mare, indeed, was never happy elsewhere.
True the English, with characteristic bluff, when they discovered that they had found their mistress in the mare, took it for granted that her sire was an imported English horse and even named him. But Ikey and Chukkers both denied the importation with emphasis. Then there were those who traced her origin to a horse from the Bombay Arab stables.
Last night two telegrams had come to Cuckmere: one was to Silver from Chukkers, and the other to Joses from Jaggers. They had been written at the same moment by the same man. And the one to Joses ran Make-Way-There to-morrow. Standing under the lee of the lighthouse, seeing while himself unseen, the tout kept his eyes to his glasses. Little escaped him.
"I did," he answered brazenly. Monkey smiled the smile of a bottle-fed cherub. "'Ow's my ole pal Chukkers?" he piped. Joses grinned. "Just back," he said. "So I hears," answered the other. "Been teachin' 'em tricks in Horsetralia, ain't he? Went there by way of God's Country, same as per usual, huntin' fer black diamonds.
Chukkers was aware of it; so were the tens of thousands watching; so were his stable-mates. As Chukkers crossed to the rails Jackaroo, who lay in front on the inside, drew away to let the favourite up under his lee. Flibberty-gibbet, on the other hand, the second Dewhurst horse, had been bumped at the first fence, and pecked heavily on landing.
They had their work cut out, and used their bludgeons with a will. Round the man upon the beaten favourite the mob swirled and screamed like a hyena-pack at the kill. Chukkers was a brute; but to do him justice he was not a coward. The high-cheeked Mongolian, yellow with anger and chagrin, was using his whip without mercy.
"They're going to gallop her this morning, I believe," said Silver. "You hear Chukkers has let me down?" "No!" cried the girl keenly. "Yes; he wired last night to say he couldn't ride for me at Paris." If it was news to the girl, it was by no means unexpected, and she took the blow with philosophical calm. "That was certain once he knew we were training for you," she said.
And it seemed he was right. The fence before the Turn the brown horse was leading by a length and drawing steadily away, as the voices of the triumphant English and the faces of the Americans proclaimed. Mat stared through his glasses. "Chukkers is talkin'," he announced. "And he's got somefin to talk about from all I can see of it."
Word Of The Day
Others Looking