SIXTY YEARS ON THE TURF 



"You are in a position to lay him. So get all 

 you can out of him. And think of me." 



" Come, come," I said. " I don't quite understand 

 you. Will this horse run ? " 



" No ! He'll be ' settled ' before then." 



"Ah," I remarked, "I'm much obliged to you. 

 But I'm afraid you have come to the wrong man. 

 I have no wish to be mixed up in that kind of 

 business." 



He was disagreeably surprised at my attitude, 

 for being a young and at times a heavy layer he 

 thought I would be sure to jump at the chance of 

 operating against a " safe 'un." 



"Well," he said, "as you say you won't act, 

 Hodgman, I suppose I can trust you not to 

 interfere." 



"It's your business," I returned, "not mine." 



Immediately he had cleared off I jumped into a 

 cab, and whipped off to Bishopsgate-street, to see 

 my old friend, Mr. Frank Robinson, to whom had 

 been entrusted the London backing of Wild Dayrell 

 by the stable. He was soon in possession of the 

 facts, and quickly wired to a Mr. Manning, at 

 Northampton (he had the supreme control of the 

 Derby commission) : "I will be down by such and 

 such a train. Meet me." After hearing the 

 incidents, Mr. Manning, with my friend, made haste 



72 



