RACING IN CEYLON 327 



Cup (2nd class), and the Arab Derby. 

 Perhaps the greatest betting race was the 

 Champagne Stakes, a handicap T.Y.C. 

 scurry, with selling allowances as low as 

 £2^. It brought out all the patched-up 

 cripples in the place, but as it was nearly 

 all on the turn, the result was generally, in 

 such a bio- held, a fluke. There was also a 

 hurdle race every day. Practically the 

 betting was done by means of lotteries, 

 and ran into biggish sums at times. 



The racecourse at Colombo is nearly a 

 perfect oval, just a mile round, and would 

 not be a bad course if unfortunately the 

 apex of the ^gg were not the home turn, 

 the "straiorht" beino^ about three furlono^s. 

 This sharp turn could not be banked, for 

 a main road ran through it, and consequently 

 the turn was a dangerous one. Of course, 



