CHAPTER L 



REMARKABLE RACING DREAMS 



Of all forms of superstition by which sportsmen of the 

 gambling sort are affected, the most prevalent is the belief 

 in dreams as prophetic of future events ; and it must be 

 admitted that there is some ground for such belief, for in 

 many cases wonderful tips have come from dreamland. I 

 have collected a few of these as samples, and I have no 

 doubt most readers could add to the list. 



About a month before the Derby of 1873 Mrs Peters, 

 the wife of the steward at a certain London club where a 

 large Derby sweepstakes was made up every year, dreamed 

 that one of the members had sold his chance to her 

 husband, and that the horse won the race. At breakfast 

 next morning she told him her dream. The steward, who 

 was very sceptical about such things, laughed at her, but 

 asked the name of the horse. 



" Doncaster," she answered ; " I saw it as plainly as I 

 see this cup and saucer, and the whole thing was so vivid 

 that I am sure there's something in it." 



" Pooh ! pooh ! old girl ; Doncaster hasn't a chance," 

 replied her worser half. " I've backed the winner, and his 

 name's Kaiser, and you shall have a new bonnet out of the 

 stakes." 



The lady shook her head and stuck to her text, though 

 she knew it was no use arguing. A few days before the 

 great event came off one of the members of the club said 

 to the steward : — 



" I say, Peters, I sail on Monday for the East, and I 

 want to get rid of this ticket. Everybody says the horse 

 has no chance, and if you can get someone to give me a 

 guinea for it, let me know." 



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