TOUTS AND TOUTING 251 



did not manage to find out about those gallops 

 you would be under the impression that the 

 horse could not have any chance of being 

 prepared for his race, being so backward in 

 condition, and you would accordingly send your 

 clients information to this effect. Perhaps some 

 tout, busier than the others, would find this 

 out, and he would send to his man what was 

 being done, and the bookmaker would take good 

 care not to lay any extended price against this 

 animal. Moreover, when the bookie was able, 

 he would, when a commission was put on the 

 market, at once step in and " help himself," 

 particularly if it were a cute stable to which 

 the animal belonged. 



Another favourite dodge was for the trainer or 

 one of his confidential men to deceive everybody 

 by taking the horse out at night, and galloping 

 him then, not letting even the boys in the stable 

 know that he had done any kind of preparation 

 other than canters in the ordinary way. 



Then, about a month before the event for 

 which he had been thus thoroughly prepared, the 

 owner would be able to back the horse for a very 

 large sum throughout the country, and in the various 

 markets which then existed a commission would 

 be launched for the animal. If the touts had 



