SUCCESSFUL TIPPING 



strong article in favour of Spearmint, there was the 

 terrible feeling that I did not stand to win a penny 

 if the colt won. I was frantic, therefore, the next 

 afternoon to accept five hundred to twenty-five, but 

 the best offer available was a hundred to six. In- 

 wardly cursing their lack of enterprise the matter was 

 left. In the meantime Sarcelle had won the Payne 

 Stakes, and at Romano's one night I heard what was 

 really true, and have since had it confirmed from Mr 

 W. B. Purefoy, that at home Lally was twenty-one 

 pounds in front of Sarcelle. I did not take the tip for 

 Lally, but took forty to one about Troutbeck to go on 

 with, waiting for Spearmint to be at slightly longer 

 odds. It only shows you what a fool a man can be 

 From a hundred to six Spearmint shortened to 

 a hundred to seven, a hundred to eight, and then 

 less, and I hadn't a shilling on him. I met a man one 

 day, after another half-column begging the public to 

 back Spearmint, and he remarked : "I suppose you 

 stand to win a packet ? Well, you appear right about 

 him at all events," for by this time there were other 

 writers in favour of the colt. They had caught the 

 infection. But why prolong the agony which I suffered 

 eventually over Spearmint. You will scarcely believe 

 it that I did not have a shilling on him till the night 

 before the race. I was at a turf dinner at the Gaiety 

 Restaurant, and took fifty-five pounds to ten from 

 Thomas Henry Dey and fifty pounds to ten after 

 midnight. I also backed him for about the same 

 amount at starting price, and had an extra fiver on 

 Troutbeck for a place. In the way I was betting in 

 those days I should have been on easy street in the way 

 of finance for many years. But no ; I cleaned up a 

 little over two hundred pounds, which is money, but 

 I have despised myself ever since for being too greedy. 



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