BACKED BOTH WAYS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 554, 5 January 1929, Page 14

BACKED BOTH WAYS

AMATEUR MOUNTS RIDERLESS HORSE

When the riderless horses were coming in at Liverpool races just after the Molyneux Steeplechase—in 1 which only five of the runners finished —onlookers were astonished to see a youth in ordinary clothes careering down the course mounted on Uncas 11., whose jockey, Moroney, had fallen off in the country. The lad was Richard Howard, of Southport. The spectators rushed to the rails and cheered as the horse and its rider headed for the rails on the right of I the course. An accident seemed im- | minent, but the youth threw himself j from his mount when a few yards from the railings, and, relieved of its burden, the horse pulled up a few feet from the rails. A GOOD “TIP” Howard, who is a native of Southport, is 28 years of age. “I have a wife and child, but have been out of work for several months now,” he said, “and it "was with the idea that I might pick up a job that I came to Aintree. A man gave me a tip for watching his car. I put a shilling on , Uncas 11., little thinking that a few ! minutes later I should have the chance J not only of backing the horse, but rid- ! ing the animal also.” The crowd made a collection, and the would-be jockey received a sub- ; stantial sum*