Do they know? At the turn to the straight br Where the favourites fail, br And every last atom of weight br Is telling its tale; br As some grim old stayer hard-pressed br Runs true to his breed, br And with head in front of the rest br Fights on in the lead; br When the jockeys are out with the whips, br With a furlong to go, br And the backers grow white in the lips -- br Do you think they don't know? br Do they know? As they come back to weigh br In a whirlwind of cheers, br Though the spurs have left marks of the fray, br Though the sweat on the ears br Gathers cold, and they sob with distress br As they roll up the track, br They know just as well their success br As the man on their back.