272 A MIRROR OF THE TURK 



win a given event must suffer the consequences if 

 the animal has been all along a market horse : 

 bettors in such a case have only themselves to 

 blame for getting on a "wrong one." Happily, 

 no one can be compelled to bet, and if those who 

 do so miss the mark, one person has cause to 

 rejoice — he is the bookmaker. 



These gentlemen (the bookmakers), especially 

 those of them engaged in extensive ways of busi- 

 ness, are, it has been often affirmed, but such 

 statements must be accepted with reserve, able to 

 manage any kind of turf chicanery — money on 

 the turf, as everywhere else, being pretty well 

 omnipotent ; and therefore, it has been said, should 

 one of the fraternity find he is likely to lose 

 ^10,000 by the victory of a particular animal 

 in a given race, he thinks it well worth his while 

 (and no sin) to part with a few hundred pounds 

 to have the animal made safe, an operation that, 

 as has been hinted, can be achieved in various 

 ways. Such turf rogueries are more frequent 

 than is supposed by the general public. Many 

 a race that, before being run, was deemed a 

 certainty for a particular animal, has resulted in 

 a surprise that would not have proved so had 

 the truth been made manifest by a recital of its 

 private history. At one time it was no unusual 

 circumstance for an animal which had become 

 favourite for a particular race to be prevented 

 from winning by violent means. It was what 

 is called "nobbled" or "got at" by some person 

 hired for the purpose, or it might be lamed by 

 the farrier, or perhaps poisoned by a stable 

 attendant, or in other ways rendered hors de 

 combat, to the deep chagrin in many instances 

 of owner and trainer. 



