THE SPORTING WORLD. 183 



first place, little as he knows about race horses, 

 he knows far too much of racing matters to 

 back horses "on their merits;" a truly danger- 

 ous system for any man to go on without he 

 knows the horse well, and in sooth, his master 

 better, that he may know his intentions on the 

 subject; and even then, of course it is a risk, 

 as all racing must be. A man may be perfectly 

 correct in his estimation of the capability of 

 the horse, but it would be very little satisfac- 

 tion to hear that he ought to have won when 

 he finds he did not. 



The better goes on the safer tack; he trusts 

 to neither horse or master ; he makes his book 

 according to the current odds against the horses 

 engaged. Keeping in mind the amount he may 

 win or lose on each horse, taking care so to 

 bet that win which will if he does not gain he 

 cannot be hurt, but if either of the, to him, right 

 horses win, he pockets something worth having. 

 His book is a kind of debtor and creditor 



