THE LATE CHARLES GREENWOOD 



lie had the distinction of leaving a fortune, and that 

 alone singled him out for posthumous recognition 

 by many others less fortunate in either the capacity 

 to make money or back winners. Greenwood, how- 

 ever, had attributes which made him respected : a 

 thorough knowledge of the game of racing, the capa- 

 city to judge a good horse when he saw one, and to 

 winnow the information given him, sifting out the 

 absurd optimism of one and picking out that one little 

 grain of another's wisdom with the full idea that it 

 would germinate into a profit-yielding plant. On 

 occasions he was criticised for being too cryptic about 

 a horse's chance when he had a strong idea ; but that 

 was merely his method — not committing himself to a 

 tip too early in the day. Besides which, does it not 

 stand to reason that a turf correspondent may have an 

 owner's or trainer's confidence some time in advance 

 on the tacit understanding that it shall not be broken 

 until the eve of a race ? One horse I have in my mind 

 was St Bris, when he won the Cesarewitch. It was 

 said that Mr Greenwood benefited largely over his 

 success, although not tipping him until almost the eve 

 of the race. At all events he didn't tip another. Yet 

 St Bris was " Hotspur's " selection in the Telegraph, 

 and he won at ten to one ; that was in 1896. 



The name of Greenwood has been immortalised by 

 the inclusion of a race at the Kempton August Meeting 

 called the Greenwood Welter Handicap. Both Kemp- 

 ton Park and Hurst Park owed a great deal to the dead 

 journalist for the help he gave them in his articles. 

 They wanted pushing along, and, recognising the boon 

 the " Parks " would be to Metropolitan sportsmen, 

 the opportunity was taken to say this. On the Press 

 stand his great cleverness was in " reading " a race. 

 He could follow every phase of it, and speak it out for 



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