242 THE RACING WORLD 



they were engaged for the most part by big 

 bookmakers and occasional backers, but now, 

 although many of them still work for the 

 " pencillers, " they principally derive their incomes 

 by gleaning information for the newspapers. 

 With the doings of these men in days gone by, as 

 also with those of the present time, it is my 

 province, as a tout of many years' experience, to 

 deal. 



Previously to the publication of training reports 

 by the newspapers, large amounts were made by 

 leviathan layers out of future events. There was 

 tremendous gambling on the Derby, the Lincoln- 

 shire Handicap, the Chester Cup, the City and 

 Suburban, the Royal Hunt Cup, the Stewards' 

 Cup, the Cambridgeshire and Cesarewitch, and 

 many other of the big races. Where one book is 

 made now on these races — and that for but a 

 small amount — hundreds were made in the days 

 gone by. 



The reason of this state of things is apparent. 

 Without any guide being supplied to the public 

 by the papers as to the well-being of horses, the 

 only information obtained on these points went to 

 the bookmakers or professional backers who paid 

 touts to watch the doings of the prominent 

 candidates. If a horse went wrong the bookmaker 



