BOOKMAKERS AND BOOKMAKING 205 



expended capital in the purchase of huge banners, 

 bearing on them the names of well-known firms of 

 bookmakers who advertised liberally ; and on 

 important days, an hour or more before racing 

 began, these banners would be floating on the 

 breeze. Stewards, if any could be found, were lax 

 and unwilling to exert their powers ; clerks of 

 courses ? — clerks of courses were odd creatures, 

 with all sorts of interests to consider ; the police 

 did nothing without definite instructions. The 

 firms thus libelled ? — the rascals always had in 

 their pay, and in immediate attendance, two or 

 three stalwart fighting men who could readily 

 summon reinforcements, and adverse criticism on 

 their methods was a very dangerous game. On 

 occasions strangers, i.e. comparative strangers, 

 appear in the rings and usually advertise them- 

 selves as " wrong 'uns " by shouting over the 

 odds. 



Making a book for a particular horse is some- 

 times done when the fielder has strong reason to 

 believe from information which has come to him 

 that this horse will win. He declines to lay 

 against it, perhaps giving would-be backers the 

 excuse that he is " full," or that " it is his worst." 

 Against all the other starters he lays as much as he 

 can, and if only the horse for which the book is 



