84 RACING. 



a woman their own commissioners, and for the most part their 

 own touts ; and having issued their backing instructions, desire 

 not to be perplexed by any new wind of doctrine. Moreover, 

 his Lordship has the reputation of a man who hkes to be paid. 



Sir Laudator, who has frugally refreshed himself with a 

 biscuit and a glass of sherry, as the Scotch say, ' in his hand,' 

 slips out. 



On arriving at the rails which separate the private stands' 

 enclosure from the ring, he finds the market well set. Ro- 

 manus is firmly established first favourite at evens ; the public 

 fancy him, and despite his seven-pound penalty the public will 

 not be stalled off. 



The watchword of the day is ' Charley Wood, good busi- 

 ness,' and the mashers are plunging on him. Paul Pry is 

 second in demand, his weight, his public and (reputed) private 

 form, and the fact of his being Archer's mount, naturally 

 placing him in that position. Three to one is offered against 

 Ambrosia, hundreds to thirty, in some instances four to one, 

 against Osmunda, five to one Amulet, and the others are at 

 prices ranging from ten to twenty to one ; quotations which 

 the bookmakers unblushingly assert represent the worst betting- 

 race that ever was known. 



' A man can't get round nohow, and there's no money in 

 the market for the favourite neither.' 



Seven thousand is subsequently traced to the stable con- 

 nections alone of Romanus. ' Seven to four, bar one ; seven 

 to four, bar one,' resounds on all sides, but Sir Laudator is 

 well-known and industrious, and by much perseverance he 

 gets on the bulk of his own and his friend's money at fifteen to 

 eight, with here and there a stray bet of two to one to small 

 sums. 



As he closes his book, and Lord Olim, cigar in mouth, 

 appears on the scene, the flag falls to the first attempt. 



Archer always gets off, and Paul Pry, for a big one, is 

 singularly quick out of the slips, so for the first fifty yards he 

 holds a decided lead next to the rails on the stand side, then 



