256 THE RACING WORLD 



engagements. You cannot keep all the animals 

 under your own observation, as many times 

 gallops in certain districts are miles away from 

 one another. 



The touts of the present day obtain their 

 information in the manner aforesaid, and then, 

 when the horses have done their morning's work 

 and trials, and we get to know the probable 

 runners for the next day from the trainer's head 

 lads and by watching the stations, we make our 

 way as quickly as we can to the telegraph office 

 and wire off to the various papers for which we 

 work. 



In some centres several touts combine to help 

 one another, or otherwise it would be impossible 

 to send our employers accurate news. 



Of course many of us "get a bit" now and again 

 for wiring or writing to backers when we know 

 anything that it is really worth their while to put 

 their money down on. If good horses, or the 

 horses that are fancied to be good, are known of, 

 the boys soon begin to talk, and we watch our 

 opportunity, when we think some animal has been 

 prepared for a race, then, whether we have any 

 information or not, we generally send to our 

 clients, and we are very seldom far wrong in our 

 ideas. If a horse has not done any work, you 



