22 CHASING AND RACING 



some good dough out of Catona. Running her with 

 4-1 laid on her, cuts no ice and don't pay for her keep.'* 

 *' There is an open race at Cork with fjioo added 

 money, worth goin' for, eh ? and perhaps, a S.P. 

 job, that will figure out at 100-8. What about it .'^ " 



" It's a long way to go," I ventured ; " though as 

 you say, ;/^2oo of the best is not to be sneezed at. 

 But as for getting 100-8 or any sort of reasonable odds 

 S.P. I take leave to disbelieve you altogether. Why 

 her fame is as well-known in Paddyland as it is here ! " 



" Ah, that's where the laugh comes in. She can 

 be entered in any name and so disguised that even 

 you would not recognize her." 



** Jesse," I exclaimed with frigidity, *' you ought 

 to know me by now. What reason have I ever given 

 you to suppose that I would indulge in any sort of 

 crooked work } " 



" You misunderstand me, Squire, there is nothing 

 crooked in this deal. The race is open to all ponies 

 and galloways under 14.2 There is no question of 

 registration, declaration, or ownership. Any name 

 can be selected, and the handicapping is on the weight 

 for inches principle. In Ireland they change the 

 names of their ponies every time they run." 



" Well, as long as we do not contravene such rules 

 as may exist, I don't mind having a dart. Get a 

 move on 1 " 



In due time the entries for The Great Shamrock 

 Pony Race at Cork appeared — a formidable list of 



