BETTING. 271 



Possibly before these pages appear in print * the rule will have 

 been altered ; if so, they may serve the purpose of explanation. 

 The sooner the evil is remedied the better. 



The races which are legally considered as * play or pay ' ^ 

 under the rules of betting are but few — to wit, the Derby 

 and Oaks at Epsom, the St. Leger at Doncaster, the Two 

 Thousand Guineas, the One Thousand Guineas, the Cesare- 

 witch and Cambridgeshire at Newmarket, the Ascot, Good- 

 wood, and Doncaster Cups, and all handicaps above 200/. 

 value with two forfeits, the minor of which shall not be less 

 than 5/. ; and it is furthermore declared in Rule 17, which 

 deals with this matter, that the Committee of Tattersall's and 

 of Newmarket will take no cognisance of any disputes respect- 

 ing play or pay bets on any other races, or of any bets made 

 upon handicap races before the weights for such races are 

 published. 



Custom, however, in England not only frequently supple- 

 ments but often supersedes law, and as regards p.p. betting, the 

 ring have in their own interests established a custom which 

 they effectually contrive to enforce as law ; and this they have 

 done with such success, that all races on which anyone chooses 

 to open a book some time beforehand, are in fact considered 

 p.p., and deak with accordingly. 



It is true that the system of post betting has closed many 

 books till the numbers go up, but those which are open claim 

 the benefit of custom. 



Take for instance the Hunt Cup at Ascot and the Stewards' 

 Cup at Goodwood. Neither of tliese has any minor forfeit 

 at all, yet on each there is a certain amount of betting, often 

 a considerable amount, during several days preceding its 

 determination. How would the ring-men rage were the 

 backers of scratched favourites to decline parting, on the 



1 Since these words were written the Rules of Betting have been revised and 

 re-arranged by a joint committee of Newmarket and Tattersall's, and the desired 

 alteration as to default has been made. All races, malclies excepted, have been 

 made p.p. 



^ By the revised Rules all races have been declared play or pay. 



