140 CHASING AND RACING 



maximum (I wonder what the figure was) on Weasel 

 to-day. If Cockie rides I shall give the race a miss in 

 baulk." 



No. I (to No. 3). " Well, from what you say, sir, 

 it seems that Captain Harding Cox has not done so 

 badly after all. I shall have a fiver on Weasel and 

 chance the ducks ! " 



And then the train pulled up and we each and all 

 wended our way through " Robbery Road " to 

 Croydon race meeting G.H.Q. 



The hunters' flat race, in which Weasel and I were 

 to try conclusions, had closed over night with a 

 numerous and quite representative entry, and all the 

 leading riders were at hand. The event was first on 

 the card, but on examining it I found that whereas 

 all the others had claimed the full selling allowance 

 I had carelessly neglected to do so, and that conse- 

 quently Weasel would have to allow 7 Ibs. all round. 

 Now it had been pouring in torrents all night. Those 

 who remember the old Croydon track will realize what 

 that meant to the going ; especially on the far side of 

 the course. The soil there was of stiff clay and about 

 as sticky and holding as it is possible to imagine. 



Whilst by no means underrating dear old Weasel's 

 powers, I began to doubt the possibility of his being 

 able to concede as much as 7 Ibs. to three or four 

 others of the field under such conditions. This applied 

 especially to a gelding called Burton, which had a good 

 record, and was the mount of one of our very best 



