VIII 

 BACKERS AND BACKING 



BY A BACKER 



Let us, as an example of the proceedings of 

 the ordinary backer of horses, follow Mr. 

 Puntington and see what he is doing at Sandown 

 this afternoon. He is a very fair specimen, has 

 gone racing a great deal, has an extensive 

 acquaintance among Turfites of ail classes, and a 

 good many friends. He is not much of a judge of 

 horses, but has watched so many races that by the 

 light of experience he is able to see what is going 

 on in the course of the struggle ; and here he is 

 wandering round the paddock to find out if there 

 is anything likely to beat Mayblossom, who is 

 sure to be a hot favourite for the first event on the 

 card. 



The quest takes some time ; the horses are 

 being mounted, and as a jockey in a green jacket 

 is given a leg up on Catullus, Puntington comes 



M 2 



