THE TURF 169 



and in his very best form, but heavily backed 

 to lose by certain influential bettors, he 

 would have no more chance to win than 

 if he had but the use of three of his legs. 

 What, may we ask, must be the opinion of 

 foreigners, when they read the uncontradicted 

 statement of the New Sporting Magazine^ 

 that in the Derby stakes of 1832, when St. 

 Giles was the winner, every horse in the 

 race, save one (Perion), was supposed to 

 have been made safe i.e. safe not to win ? 

 By whom made safe ? Not by their owners, 

 for many of them were the property of 

 noblemen and gentlemen of high personal 

 character. The foul deed can only be per- 

 petrated by the influence of vast sums of 

 money employed in various ways upon the 

 event in short, where the owners stand 

 clear, trainers or jockeys must combine with 

 the parties concerned in the robbery. But 

 what a stain upon the boasted pastime of 

 English gentlemen ! And then the result : 



' This yellow slave 



Will knit and break religions ; bless the accursed 

 Make the hoar leprosy adored ; place thieves, 

 And give them title, knee, and approbation, 

 With senators on the bench ! ' 



