200 A MIRROR OF THE TURF. 



with the display of jewellery which adorned the 

 person of a trainer's wife ; probably enough, none 

 of the ladies of those owners who had horses 

 in that man's stables possessed such a valuable 

 collection of gems as she wore on her fingers and 

 bosom, nor did the lady evince much reluctance 

 about giving their history — she was not reticent. 



It has from time to time been hinted that the 

 money lost by backers of horses finds its way 

 to a good amount into the coffers of a few turf 

 sharks who are banded together in " a ring," and 

 who have dealings with not a few of the training- 

 fraternity as well as with a number of the jockeys. 

 There may be a degree of truth in what has 

 been said by certain newspapers with regard 

 to this mode of conspiracy, but much of this 

 kind of gossip which percolates through the 

 columns of the press is only gossip — not gospel. 

 Even if it were founded on fact it would be 

 difficult to find proof of such misdeeds. Those 

 persons who have the best chances of making 

 money by means of horse-racing are the men who 

 act as go-betweens for jockeys, or for trainers, 

 or for such owners of horses as are also keen 

 betting men. Of late years one or two of this 

 fraternity have come to the front, having proved 

 wonderfully successful at the business and put 

 money in their purses, honestly it is to be hoped. 

 At any rate they have become wealthy, and 

 from being helpers or touts on the training- 

 grounds have " risen," as one gushing writer 

 said about them. In other words, they have now 

 a bank account and enjoy the luxury of clean 

 linen and water-tight boots, which hundreds of 

 men who back their " fancy " cannot hope for. 



