178 THE TURF 



The heavy betting of jockeys is still more 

 fatal to the best interests of the turf, and 

 generally, we may add, to themselves. Why 

 did the late King dismiss Robinson, the 

 second best, if not, as in some people's 

 opinions, the best in every one's opinion 

 the most successful jockey in England? 

 Not because he had done wrong by the 

 King's horses, but solely because his Majesty 

 heard he was worth a large sum of money. 

 What did the great jockey of the north get 

 by his heavy betting ? Money, no doubt ; 

 but dismissal from the principal stud of the 

 north. In fact, no gentleman can feel him- 

 self secure in the hands of either a trainer 

 or a jockey who bets ; but of the two, the 

 system may be most destructive with the 

 jockey, as no one besides himself need be 

 in the secret. If he bet against his horse, 

 the event is of course under his control ; 

 and such is the superiority of modern jockey- 

 ship, that a race can almost always be thrown 

 away without detection. On the other hand, 

 if he back his horse heavily to win, he be- 

 comes, from nervous trepidation, unfit to ride 

 him, as has frequently been witnessed at 

 Doncaster ; we need not mention names. 



