4 TURF BETTORS. 



is, when the loss or gain of money is the consideration : 

 but I glory in seeing a man delighted when his horse 

 wins ; there is a freshness in the thing that really 

 does one good to see. Depend on it, such a man is 

 no Leg. The latter wins or loses his money with 

 the most inflexible coolness ; he takes it as a matter 

 of business. If he keeps horses, so far from taking 

 any pleasure in them, he cares not if he never sees 

 them from one year's end to the other : whenever he 

 does, it is merely a visit of business. If his horse 

 wins, he pockets the money, but neither cares nor 

 thinks more about them than he does about the spit 

 that hangs in his kitchen, and has roasted the mutton 

 for his table. Unfortunately for racing, it is chiefly 

 this description of Turfmen who virtually (certainly 

 not virtuously) hold the helm of racing affairs : yet 

 such men might all be driven off the Turf. If such 

 owners of race-horses as keep them from the love of 

 racing, and the proper emulation of having the best 

 horses, would only set about the thing, it would cost 

 them neither trouble nor expense, but would put their 

 own characters beyond suspicion, and would at once 

 draw a distinct line between men who keep race- 

 horses merely as machines to win money with, and 

 those who keep them from a patriotic wish-to en- 

 courage the breed of superior horses, to enjoy sport 

 themselves, and contribute to that of others. 



Racing, we all know, was first established merely 

 as an amusement. This of course led to an emulation 

 among those fond of such amusement to get the best 

 horses ; and this induced people to begin to look for 

 means to improve their breed. Here was an absolute 

 good done to the country. No matter whether the race 

 was with chariots, whether the horses were turned 



