THE VALUE OF CONFIDENCE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1966, 24 January 1914, Page 3

THE VALUE OF CONFIDENCE.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—The account given by tho rider of tho Wellington Cup winner of. his feeling ■. of ■ confidence before tlib raco shows . what an extraordinary thing a little cfinfidence is. It has been related again and again that half of the success of the late Fred Archer was. duo to .the unlimited confidence he had in his own ability.'. Those who knew the YaMhurst jockey L. H. Hewitt, havo heard how lie was insulted when ail Australian owner offered him a' mountin the Metropolitan Handicap tho year Solution "was entered. . "What," ho said, "ride your horse?!' "Why not?" "BecausO I'm gosim to .Vido a horso that will eat your squio,"'was the jockey's reply. Everyone knows how correct tho, little man's judgment was. Wo hare seen tho same thing with others. When G. Price was riding ho had a wonderful record in conucction with the Rangitikei Cup, winning it on no fewer than five occasions. Before ho won on Marguerite it is related that he was extremely confident, and chaffed the other jockeys at tire post .about the stem-chaso for which they were entered, and I believe that when he had tho mount on 'J'anginioana he would not ..hear of tho horse being defeated. • Another ease - that comes to mind, is C. Jenkins and Lady Medallist, for Jenkins always.thought that to get on tho hack of the Caulfield Clip winner was to bo on a sure winner. There is...very littlo doubt thai when a jockey gets such an idea into his head —that is to say,-a capable, jockey—tho race is half won.,, Nothing but an accident is likdv to' bring about defeat — I am, etc.l GALTEE MORE. ,