TOUTS AND TOUTING 253 



Epsom, where I was employed to watch some of 

 the cross-country horses being prepared for the 

 Grand National. I remember seeing a trial in 

 which Dick Marsh, the present trainer, who 

 rode Cecil, finished first. If I recollect rightly, 

 R. I'Anson was second, on Surney, and Bob 

 Wyatt, on Laird of Scotland, third. The trial 

 was something like four and a half miles, and we 

 touts stopped a waggon-load of straw and got on it 

 at Walton-on-the-Hill. There were a lot of us 

 watching the National horses in those days when 

 Jack Nightingall used to train, and it was no rare 

 thing for half a dozen of us to follow the animals 

 to Walton. 



I was at Russley in old Tass Parker's time, when 

 he guarded Mr. Dawson's stable, and a tough job 

 we had of it. I have waited there in the bushes 

 all night, as also have I in Macgregor's time. We 

 were beaten once by Mr. Waugh, who had a 

 couple of horses, brother and sister, very much 

 alike (I forget the names now) ; at all events, the 

 mare went wrong, and the trainer put a white 

 plaster on the brother's face and sent him out with 

 another horse to do a good gallop. The mare was 

 reported as doing good work each day for a long 

 time, until we found it out. 



I need not say that, as in all other walks of life. 



