1958-09-06 — Page 17

THE CHINA MAIL, -- SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1958,

by Rae Johnstone

CONCLUDING THE BIG SERIAL SUCCESS.......

The Summing-up

I dedicate my story to the racehorse, to all racehorses, without whom I should never have known so many people in so many lands.

Thanks for the ride.

TINETEEN

NIN

DRED FIFTY-FIVE been my year.

So thot by the time Alec, ness which the firm ground may gained a couple HUN-

Peter, "Quinney" Gilbey, and I have revealed already. AND met for dinner on Monday two days before. the had not evening

Derhy we were each trying to maintain

leaking the other's confidence.

trainer "the day"

represents

Peter and

the

of places

on when "Firal, No. 27" was called

we

appearance an + full-timo joelrey.

I did not want to say at the dime why I was retiring because It would have looked like crying, Asd I certainly had nothing to cry about. And I did not want anybody woeping any genuine.

ur crocodile, tears over me ofther.

Page: 17

ROUND-UP.

NEW SCHOOLS

COME 2,000 Yorkshire children are moving into seven new schools

In North Riding after the summer holidays. The schools have coot more than £100,000. Among them to a Secondary school at Stokesley, a Grammar School of Pickering, Modern schools at Bedale, Breltun, Tunaby and Malton and a school for education- ally, sub-nat children from the Clevelandă dizea nt Kirklestham MUSICAL MARATHON

KNOWN as "Musical Marle," Mrs Marie Ashton, 40, of Man- cheater, has just achieved what is claimed a world record in playing the plane. At a Blyth theatre she played continuously for. 133 houre. This beat her precious record of 131 hours, About 2,000 peoplo visited the theatre during the musical marathon, WOMAN DETECTIVE

POLICEWOMAN Florence Coates, stationed at Dartington, an

ex-WAAF. and nurse, is the first woman deloclive to be My last ride was no old friend, oppainted by the Durham County Polleg. Miss Coates, whose home Midzot Maybu, bad I been in at Easington, says being a policewormin a "on ideal job for a rking with maximum conf-woman if ado is not afraid of visks and has a sense of humour. Tho dence I would have won, unknown appeals to me." Maybe 1 would have held her

up that little bit longer instead

of hatching to the front a furlong from home and then getting beaten a neck in the Prix de la Porte Maillot But I had not been going well enough to be enjoying maximum confidence. And that, as I have said before is what a jockey needs so much. 'Thank you'

To those that have given it I over the loudspeaker, I did not me want particularly to

have to look down at my number say "thank you."

The

So tough

for

the descent. But, although had not sought any effort, "Walk him round, Perkins," were still a long way back, cloth to verify that it was that

Alec to his head Ind.

I had only announced my fuld

of Lavandim, ihst Derby runner Intention Pirate King was a good eight in 48 years of ownership Then he went over to Buisson

of retiring to two Ardent, to whom Roger Poin- lengths ahead

lonely Just a M. Pierre Wertheimer, who had sensation, efter of me,

And it was people. celet had been switched. How right we were good enough woo.

37 year of And my first ride of

Alte, of course, endured the typical of the game it would be, and I was beginning to think,

being wrapped up in the ridina 1956 on March 14 looked greater strain. A race-writer I couldn't help reflecting, if the maybe, yes. Then through the

game, walking off, the rice. waals to select the right horse stablo's other runner turned vat rain, now driving across our -

course before the end of the like setting the tempo is his paper. A jockey wants to to be the best of all,

near, side, I saw that Pirate

Longchamp programme, for for the new season - ride the whiner. But for the

King' was not in front. He was

the last time as a jockney, drove down to being led some live length by however far I went with the culminating point in many afte

crowd wan to a big in Epsom for a cup of Monterey!

The winner-supported or not-and

following month I flew it when Va Longtemps months of carefully,

practised coffee. Maybe it wasn't

although I was warm by now in home to see my mother; setting finished last of five at Le persistent-worry And

dei; keen observation, and cafe's fault that, it didn't taste

This was where we went. It the cold rain the reception was off from London Airport and in this 50. good.. We didn't say any is a matter of course. I am told, extra waming also. Old Ernie looking down a short way out, familiar Tremblay.

Instance peculiar circumstances think much. But it looked like for a winning jockey to say that Hales, my valet in the dressing an unmistakeably bolghtened the tension for Alec the end of a fairy tale all right, he always thought he was going room, was crying a little when sceno-Epsom mcecourse.

to win. In which case I shall I walked in with the saddle. one hundred fold.

Maybe, one day, I would That afternoon D I would be 31, an oge

much be conforming to pattern when At least I think he was. I train a horse to sun there for could not be expected to pro.

"We shall need a larger table fancied two-year-old whom Alec I say that, from he

moment was't seeing too good myself. the greatest race in the world. mote

Right Feler had brought over, Mehdi, ridden we entered the straight, that This was to be my 30th and last competitive

on Wednesday patronage,

at the by Roger Poincelel, was beaten was how I felt. and, I did not want

told the maitre d'hotel

classic success. That large table to Azzle

Meanwhile, with

deep Bul nono Mirabelle. out like a demp squib after

Half length in the Woodcote of us

a the Mirabelle was required sense of gratitude to all the not unlucky career.

really believed it. And it was takes by Mansbridge.

after all,

friends who have supported me, only a few hours later that three

I dedicate my story to the race- of us became reasonably con-

The Rao Johnstone story horst,

to all racehorses, vinced that there would be no

For once I "plcked him up" moves on to June-mid-rezson without whom I should never grounds for celebration on the

he levelled out and used himself that 1957.

When, having have known so many people in night of Wednesday, June 6.

with courage and zest, so that ridden a total of only three wine so many lands. Thanks for the

and ride. steady Lavandin curged up toners in England, France,

And to you, thanks for the leaders. A weakening Pirate Ireland, he contloues:-]

coming along on it, King left Monterey a long way clear, but with two furlongs to go Ruistar had collared him though his maximum effet had been expended in doing so,

In just under a month's time which

A

I was, In fact, in a mood for retirement

when Peter O'Sullevan and I dined togicher In Puris that evening after racing at Tremblay, Peter had been stables touring for the Daily Express and was wrapped up in a colt of M. Wertheimer's called Lavandin.

"I wish you were riding him this season,"

sald Peter, who had been insisting that good rides would materialise If kept going.

As I drove Peter back to the Rue Cambon and we pulled up

stepped out.

at his hotel, so M. Wertheimer

A drink was "roposed. We talked for long of old times. I won several years since a con- tract had existed between us. And We talked a te of Lavendin. "Ah, that is my pet." sald M. Wertheimer. And Peter murmured afterwards words to the effect that it was a pity I was no longer his pet,100.

In his book. Johnstone tells at a series of dramatic events that led to Alec Head nomiust- ing him for the ride on Lavan- din in the Derby....1

Off form

I was to meet Alee at Epsom at 8 o'clock on Tuesday morn- ing. I mughed that the plan would be to run Lavandin mund the turn and, maybe, sprint him up a litle,

The defeat obviously bore no relationship to Lavandin's Derby prospects. But somehow it was

not a good omen,

And so to "the day?""

A break

Cold, driving rain chilled and to

soaked us as we waited

All ready

THE END

It's tough at the top, they say. In other sporting opheres top men I have known, such a boxer Rocky Marciano, golfer Norman Von Nida and cricketer The Rae Johnstone Story will Keith Miller, have confirmed be published Inter this year by that to me from their respective Stanley Faul and' Co. angles. And racing is sure exception.

Peter and I arrived early on mount in the paddock, and

My follow was moving the downs, on a cold, drizzling later throughout the parude.

rhythmically, ready, thorough moming, so as to see other But it had not affected Derby horses who would be ground and it rede pretty firm. bed-like, to pull out every stop, working

****** But I only had to keep him go- Most of them were sent round

Going up Tattenham Corner

the

the ing as he was, ond inaldo the bill in at a good clip, and Pirate Kids, the top surface flying up from front 200 yards previously) I rain, with divols akimmed from last furlong (having struck the being led by the year older Gesture, took it with impressive the front rankers, I was more must admit I was already think emelency.

concerned with getting a good ing of his future, and suffering position at the mile post than him not to strike the ground too with studying the position of hard when further effort was the others.

noodless,

Weakness

I was surprised when Alct said: "All I want you to do is to canter steady seven fur- longs on the outside behind the lead horse. Buirson Ardent will follow you."

So we took a gentle cruise, as if were in Hyde Park's flotten Row, cased up Passing the slands and jogged on down to the paddock, And here it hap- pened..

Alec and Peter had driven Since I have previously fe- round on the inside car track marked on the value of being to murt us. I jumped down in form, You will appreciate allpped the relis over Lavan- that on arrival in England to din's head, and the three of us Derby week, with 1 losing saw him distinctly "prop" as he sequence

in France of 61, bent to pick grass,

was not exactly buoyant,

For those closely nasoclated Alec's face then showed ter with a horse who carries such a feeling Instant what those high hopes, the nearer you get bandages were for. And they to the event, the

does were not simply for protective confidence, tend to weaken. purposes, but to sustain a weak-

More

SIDE GLANCES

By Galbraith

no

But no one would complain

about that. Rather be grateful for having got there,

Now the game that had served

me so well looked like giving me

up. So I thought I would get

fri first. That was why, when

There were, I estimated, at I sensed a horse (Montaval, it I left Mary's and my apart- least seven strung out ahead of was) cerning at us in the lost ment on June 30, 1957 to drive me when I got a lucky break few yards when I was already the few kilometres to Long- at the top of the hill, went easing Lavendin down. In fact champ, I had already decided through on the "inner," and there was a "photo-inish" but that this was to bo my

'Head-Shrinkers'

(OR, MORE PROPERLY, PSYCHOLOGISTS)

Hand Out

The Jobs!

by SARAH ROTHSCHILD

Do you often get pink

spots all over? Do you share a room with

Is your wife?

your father a tyrant?

If you overheard, these ques- tions you might think you had strolled into one of the more embarrassing televibion quiz programmes,

But you would be wrong. For these are the type of questiona being asked by big business firms of their future employees.

And nearly all the big ness firms, like ECI

last

I LIKE things pretty well

as they are,

1 NEVER

about anything.

worry much

1 DON'T. care for books or music much.

1 LOVE MTLY wife and

children,

I DON'T let them interfere with my work.

Many of the tests are aimed at testing the candidaten "normality."

There is no place for the odd genius or eccentele in big business.

For instance, at one stage in Unilever's teste there is a

in

which

"group discussion," busi- candidates have to choose and Shell, discuss a tople. At one test Unilever, BP., and J. Walter they chose: Do Army officers Thompson, have their psychologiste:

reakdent

muke good managers? They rejected one on Ballet in Britain

At another stage the aspiring

"It's not really very difficult," a young man in Shell to me. business men alt in a semi-circle "A my Interview I was ked with the selectors ranged behind How do you see yourself in 15 their chairs, Each candidate years' time? Of course I did not has to tell his life story in two answer 'Smoking a cigar in the minutes. boardroom, but 'In an executive job carning £3,000 a year.'"*

Other questions were

HIS CODE

"WHAT was the last book

QUESTIONS based on the American system of trial by you real?" psychological tests.

CHEATS

on

QUESTIONS

whose anewere depend the careers of the future leaders of big business in Britain.

A paychologist explained to

me the purpose of the teste-

"We don't want to flod

whether the telan under

mideration · kmowe when

out

. Then comes the group task, The candidates have to pretend to be a board of directory argu- ing a tricky problem arising from a clash of personalities in their company","

keen

Big-business methods have charged in the last years. “In

said an old-tim those days,” "It's best," the Shell man told at Unilever nostalgically, we me, to pay any historical novel just sent in a formal application or biography--tiever Ovid ot to join the firm, our handwrit- anying highbrow,"

..ing was examined they were AND: "If you were Foot up those days we had to do a

vory

on, calligraphy in the River Niger in Africa tow fów sums. would you opend your spare timo?"

"Now the tests are just ico the ones they give in the Army "Iropiled: Playing gramo- to test leadership-except phone records,"", ssid the Shell don't have to jump over ditches.” I very much doubt whether

wo

the The examiner were satisfied, thown Industrial wizardo Bocke-

Robson Empire dedined or the He got the job. crews of the Boot-race in 1937.

We just want to find out whether

à candidato la quick upinico.”

8.4

"Quick on the uptake,"

gatharth

"Now don't ask me to do something faollsh-like

backing up!"

for a big buntovné“ lo

the

follor (whoso advice to busines sony was "Never be a jolly good Another expert on How to fellow") or Herry Ford (who the Chea

could Functiologisinin mah "History is bunk!!) American Witam

H. Whyto pass the costr

40 ectroc

tho Him advico, in “When in doubt aspiring busiems meus of today. repeat to yourecăt

v They purobiologista, would I LOVE my father and probably Deject, Chom me being mother, but my dether a lille sosledjurtacea or Hacking b bit.'more.

patartina leeliaračilo gunditler?

as

copped,, mesna knowing how to sheet the company paychologist.

7,700-MILE WALK

OR a pint of boor, teaching student, Bob Reid, 22, of Oundle, Northamptonshire, has hitch-hiked 1,100 miles. His rival was Derek Hadman, 21, a fellow student. The wager was who could travel the farthest in three days with only is. In their possession. Bob reached Leadmore, north of Ullapool, Scotland then returned to Oundle where he discovered he had travelled 100 miles farther than Derek, who had reached Inverness.

HISTORIC STANDARD

HIDDEN during the last war tron the Germans, the 32-year-oká standard of Boulogne British Legion was laid up in Folkestone Parish Church on August 31 during the town's French Week, it was replaced by a silken standard presented by the Folkstone branch and Its women's section and dedicated at an open-air service at which the salute was taken by the national president, Majon- General Sir Richard Howard-Vyse. "HAMS"

AMATEUR radio operators in Suffolk are setting up their own network to transmit urgent messages after serious crashes or lu other emergencies. The docision follows a recent Red Cross exercise in which officials found it took them half an hour to reach four vital contacts by telephone. The redio network is being m by nine amateurs in the Ipswich, Suffolk district. They include farmers, a printer, and a Royal Air Force corporal. A farm vehicle hus been turned into a mobile transmilter, SWIMMING

THOUSANDS of miles out at sea scores of youngsters have taloon their first lesson in swimming-in the swimming pool of the 22,000-ion liner, Strathmore, Swimming pool attendant-Belan Roberts, 32, of Worthing, Sussex, has taught 85 children to swimm since he joined the liner. He took the job to escape the hot galley in which he worked as a kitchen hand, Whenever the Iner docka in Australia, where she runs regularly, children he has taught often, come down to see him again.

FLOATING BOTTLE

THREE children from Beverwyk, Holland, Terry Jahos, 18, Paul, 14, and Pete, 13, are spending two weeks at Ipwich, Suffolk, ns a result of message in a lemonade bottle that drifted for 240 miles after being dropped from a rowing boat off Felixstowe. The bottle, discovered near their home by the children's father, a motor mechanic, was put into the sea by John Baxenden, 14, of Coleridge Road, Ipswich. The two familles become pen friends as a result. Me Baxcoden, an electriclan, says his family hope to make a return visit next summer. CAT CONGRESS

THIS month London is holding its first Cat Congress. On the agenda for discussion are such subjects as "minimum family rights for cats," a cal's life in a vegetarian home, and the problems facing a cat who must move as a result of the Rent Act. Sponsored by the London Committee of the Cats' Protection League, the Con- gress is being held in Westminster.

GREAT WAY TO KEEP GOING! HAVE THIS

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The

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