82 



OK AND Off TSE TURf. 



Pafcron was a very good three-year-old, and natur- 

 ally he was backed early in the season for the Cup. 

 On paper his chance looked as good as anything in the 

 race. Some of the first double-event wagers booked 

 were for Paris in the Caulfield Cup and Patron in the 

 Melbourne Cup. Before the date for the Cup arrived 

 Patron went wrong, and his name gradually receded 

 in the betting-list until, shortly before the race, long 

 odds could have been had about his chance. Paris 

 won the Caulfield Cup, and a well-known jockey — I 

 will not mention names — had the double, Paris and 

 Patron. So confident, however, was he that Patron 

 could not win, from information received, that he 

 hedged the whole of his Patron money to two book- 

 makers. Dawes, the jockey who rode Patron, had not 

 much faith in his mount, and Mr. Purchas, the owner, 

 laid off as much of his money as he could. T believe 

 that even as late as the evening before the race, it 

 was not decided whether Patron should run or be 

 scratched. This was certainly not encouraging for 

 anyone who had backed him. It was, however, de- 

 cided to start the horse and let him take his chance, 

 and, much to the surprise of nearly everyone, he won 

 after a good race with Devon and Nada. The latter 

 was in Mr. Wilson's stable, and was backed for a heap 

 of money. She had done a good trial at St. Alban'sy 

 and she evidently ran up to it. 



Devon was the unlucky horse of the season. He 



