RACING ADVENTURERS. 247 



The struggle for that year's St. Leger was 

 no sooner over than it was alleged there had 

 been foul play in connection with the race, 

 and there is great probability that the allegation 

 was not unfounded, and that Mameluke was 

 " prevented " from winning the race — a species 

 of " turf tactics" not unknown even at present, 

 and occasionally resorted to when other modes 

 of " getting at " a horse, or his trainer, or jockey, 

 do not prove successful. The chicanery of the 

 turf is varied in its action : when the animal 

 itself can be " doctored," that of course makes 

 certain the " nobbled " horse will lose ; a pail 

 of water — "just a real hearty drink " (as a well- 

 known northern trainer used to say) — given to the 

 animal a little time before the race falls to be 

 run, generally, but not always, ensures defeat. 

 Other means of "doctoring" a racehorse are 

 sometimes resorted to, it being always a safer 

 plan to make the horse " right " than to depend 

 upon a jockey to " pull it," as riders whose evil 

 intention has been suspected have been changed 

 at the last moment, and the horse, being en- 

 trusted to the guidance of an honest jockey, may 

 win instead of losing the race. In the case of 

 Matilda, it has been stated that the starter was 

 the guilty party — that, in fact, he had been 

 bribed to give his signal to "go" when it would 

 be least advantageous to Mr. Gully's horse, 

 which, being a restless, irritable animal, con- 

 tributed much to the tactics of the opposition 

 by its fractiousness at the starting-post. 



The winner of the race was the property of 

 Mr. Petre, who has been mentioned as beinof 

 a patron of Robert Ridsdale, and in all pro- 



