TOUTS AND TOUTING 255 



that time well known as a horse watcher. This 

 man asked me one day to inquire of my father if 

 he could change him a cheque for J^200. 



I said to him, " That is rather a large amount, 

 isn't it, Mark ? " (His name was Mark Beswick, 

 and he will doubtless be remembered by many of 

 the old so-called " heads.") 



He replied, " Look at the signature," and, upon 

 looking, I found that it was signed by a great 

 nobleman. 



" How did you come by this } " I asked him. 



" Well," he said, " although very few people 



know it, the Duke of employs me and gives 



me ^C^oo 3 year to tout the work that his horses 

 do." 



But, reverting back, Harry Ivy and Brayley, 

 two well-known backers in the early 'seventies, are 

 men for whom touts did a lot of work. 



At the present time the game is comparatively 

 easy, because, with few exceptions, there is 

 practically no opposition made by any trainer to 

 having his horses watched. In some quarters it is 

 rather a difficult job to get correct information, 

 and you have to depend upon tips given to you by 

 either the head lad or some of the boys in the 

 stable as to the work the horses have done and 

 those which are intended to be sent to meet their 



