TIPSTERS AND TIPPING 299 



boy " ; the third, because she thought the horse 

 had a " pretty " name ; another, through Mr. 

 George Cottrill's sea-green and scarlet cap being, 

 to her mind, such a tasteful combination ; and 

 so on throughout the card. I would add that it 

 was a thorough outsiders' day, and those who 

 made a life study of racing and had the form at 

 their fingers' ends were laying odds on defeated 

 favourites. Why need inspired knowledge after 

 this, and how many can confirm me in the 

 statement that we too frequently know too much .? 



No task is more thankless than that of giving 

 tips, either in print or verbally. As all newspaper 

 writers know only too well, whenever they give 

 the loser for a big handicap they are deluged with 

 a perfect flood of insulting letters, or more 

 frequently postcards. By the uninitiated, jockeys 

 and trainers are looked up to as perfect fountains 

 of knowledge ; but it is a fact that few racing men 

 are worse tipsters than jockeys, for they are often 

 prejudiced favourably towards their own horses. 

 The same is the case with owners and trainers, and 

 not unnaturally so. 



The tipster's office is indeed a very thankless 

 one. He is always between two fires and on " a 

 good hiding to nothing." If his selections win, 

 the bookmakers execrate him ; if he be wrong, as 



