212 A MIRROR OF THE TURF. 



long before the night of the draw ; indeed, the 

 moment betting begins, which is usually about 

 the middle of January or earlier, it will figure 

 in all the lists as " first favourite." But supposing 

 the dog were next year to belong to a gambling 

 owner, he would never be a party to its running 

 at any such odds as has been indicated ; he 

 would want most likely, for the benefit of himself 

 and friends, to back the animal to win some 

 ^20,000, and the longer the odds he could 

 obtain the less risk he would have of losing 

 money ; therefore, he looks about him to find 

 some gentleman possessed of a nomination but 

 without a dog good enough to run in such an 

 important stake as the Waterloo Cup. That 

 gentleman's nomination may be quoted in the 

 public betting at 50 or 66 to i, so that if it 

 can be arranged that he shall run the dog, a 

 large sum of money may be won (in the event 

 of victory) at excellent odds as prices are now 

 arranged. 



This sort of thing has occasionally taken 

 place, some of the tactics employed being 

 scandalous enough ; but where there is gambling 

 there must in time be scandal. Large sums 

 change hands over this great dog contest, 

 because, in addition to the " long odds " against 

 a dog winning the stake right out, there is an 

 immensity of speculation on every separate 

 course, when the "short odds" are taken 

 against one dog beating the one which goes 

 to slips with it. Probably there will be five 

 or six thousand persons present at the contest 

 busy betting on every course, and in this way, 

 in the course of the three days during which the 



