284 A MIRROR OF THE TURF. 



month before the race, find out by means of a 

 formal trial his best horse for the handicap at the 

 published weights ; next, that in a couple of days 

 thereafter the three should be tried together along 

 with the best public horse they were able to buy 

 or borrow to take part in the trial at a weight 

 agreed upon. 



Smooth, to make sure, invariably superin- 

 tended such trials himself, and, being an adept 

 at the business, he could generally foretell the 

 result as it would be in the race itself to a hair's- 

 breadth. Then he had the " form," as it is called, 

 of such of the other horses as might compete at his 

 finger ends, or rather, to express it literally, on 

 his tongue. Smooth's verdict on the trial was 

 anxiously listened to : " It will do ; only one can 

 win the race, and I think it will be Pretty 

 Jane ; she will be about half a stone better than 

 Magician on the day." Then followed an in- 

 teresting conversation, in which it was shown by 

 Smooth that, on public form, there were in 

 addition to the two which had just finished such 

 a fine gallop, other three, if not four, that might 

 prove dangerous. One of these, Smooth knew, 

 could be made safe, and if the owners of the 

 others would swim in with Pretty Jane, all would 

 come right ; they could then go in for a big thing, 

 and very likely bring it off. 



The effort is made. 



Smooth's philosophy illustrated in his constant 

 iteration of " only one can win, you know," 

 ultimately prevails, and the three most dangerous 

 animals in the race are made safe, although two of 

 the owners insist on rather stiff terms. NHmporte, 



