52 THE RACING WORLD 



with scrupulous pains, though he will doubtless 

 have the figures well set in his mind, for he has 

 been estimating the animals' chances ; and he or 

 the owner will have engaged the jockeys — not 

 seldom a troublesome business. A ^^ 10,000 race 

 was lately as nearly as possible lost because the 

 saddle slipped — I am referring to Epsom Lad's 

 Eclipse Stakes — and this fact contains a lesson, 

 which, however, no trainer should need. He 

 must saddle the horse, or superintend that most 

 important operation, with the keenest attention 

 to detail, and, putting the jockey up, give him 

 (hoping that he will obey) instructions how the 

 animal is to be ridden, a subject to which he 

 will have been devoting much reflection, for often 

 a great deal depends upon what rivals you have 

 to beat. He will be energetically touted by all 

 sorts and conditions of men : some to whom, 

 for various reasons — such as that he knows them 

 to be intimate friends of the owner, who would 

 like them to be " on " — he will be inclined to 

 speak frankly ; others, who have no shadow of 

 claim to the information they pertinaciously seek. 

 With these latter he should have the wit to deal 

 — he can say nothing, at greater or less length, 

 with such politeness as the situation demands. 

 Some gentlemen touts, if they may be so de- 



