The Sport of Kings, and Liars
Nigel West Dickens
- Mission giver
- Nigel West Dickens
- Location
- Rathskeller Fork
- Starts at
- Cueva Seca
- Ends at
- Rathskeller Fork
- Unlocked by
- Complete the previous mission
- Unlocks
- The Assault on Fort Mercer
Player notes
At Cueva Seca, Nigel West Dickens tells John Marston that they are nearly ready to go after Bill Williamson, but his stagecoach still needs to be outfitted for the assault on Fort Mercer. West Dickens has found a way to raise the money. He has placed a wager on a horse race at Rathskeller Fork and wants John, whose riding has impressed him, to win it.
John follows West Dickens' wagon across New Austin to Rathskeller Fork. There, seven other riders wait at the starting line while the race announcer gathers the crowd. John joins the competitors, and the race begins across the rough country around the settlement. The riders jostle for position as they follow the course toward the finish.
John stays ahead of the field and crosses the finish line first. West Dickens collects on his bet and takes the winnings for the work needed on his stagecoach. John and West Dickens remain at Rathskeller Fork.
Gallery
06Screenshots from The Sport of Kings, and Liars, mirrored from Red Dead Wiki.
Trivia
- ◆Interestingly, apart from the three racing missions given to the player during the story ("Obstacles in Our Path", "Liars, Cheats and Other Proud Americans", "The Sport of Kings, and Liars"), the opportunity to race never presents itself again in single player. However, racing is available in the Grand Prix multiplayer game mode as part of the Liars and Cheats DLC.
- ◆One of the horse racers is Charlie Mash, a member of the Bollard Twins Gang. Interestingly, the player cannot harm him in any way. If he is shot during the race, it does not count as a Bollard kill and the mission is failed. Alfie Scruggs of Walton's Gang also takes part in the race but the same rules apply for him.
- ◆The title of the mission refers to the fact that horse racing has long been called "The sport of kings," a phrase originating in the British nobility's enjoyment of the sport.
- ◆There is a glitch that can be done just before the start of the race. If Marston enters the area where the other riders are waiting on foot, and points a gun at one of them, he may cause them to walk away and leave their horse behind. If the player then walks up to the side of the abandoned horse and presses the 'Climb Up' button, Marston will go through an animation of holding the horse's reigns and petting it with his hand, in a similar fashion to what the other NPC racers are doing. This can be repeated multiple times.
- ◆The Race Announcer uses the same character model as Clay Pettiford.
- ◆If the player is quick enough, you can actually ride shotgun on West Dickens' wagon. This will not effect gameplay in any way, apart from the fact that you don't have to ride to Rathskeller Fork as West Dickens' will drive the wagon for you.
Mission data from Red Dead Wiki, CC BY-SA. Not affiliated with Rockstar Games.
Last verified September 14, 2026