AND OTHER SKETCHES 133 



A NOTABLE MILE HEATS RACE, THREE IN FIVE. 



** Remember that disastrous coup?" ''Well, I should 

 head. Old heads commenced to shake and prophesy that 

 old fellow, that day as hummers in a MuLtner swamp in 

 the month of June." Such was the exclamation of an 

 old-time turf friend when talking over the great mile heat 

 race, three in five, that took place at Hamilton many 

 years ago. It was a Waterloo, and no mistake. Jack on 

 the Green, Bay Jack and Rathowen were in it, but in the 

 opinion of the knowing ones it was a Gordon Setter 

 against a yellow cur that Jack on the Green would land 

 the trick. Archie Fisher was handling the favorite, and 

 weU I remember the confident manner in which Archie 

 and his friends stood round the box over night in the 

 Royal Hotel and backed their fancy. Jack on the Green, 

 $50 ; Bay Jack, $25 ; Rathowen, $5, and the field $4, was 

 about the average, and at these figures much money was 

 placed. 



Next day a goodly crowd gathered at the course, for 

 those were the days when the gentry of Hamilton came 

 to the front, and speculated a little in the pool-box them- 

 selves. The betting of the preceding evening was con- 

 tinued at about the same rate, and a heavy business was 

 done. The first heat was a stubborn struggle from end to 

 end, each horse in the race taking a turn at the favorite, 

 but the latter managed to shake them off and landed the 

 first instalment by a clear length. The apparent ease with 

 which the favorite had won the heat made him a still 

 hotter choice, and the backers of the stable, not content 

 with what they already had on, plunged still heavier, evi- 

 dently thinking they were finding it. In the second heat 

 the favorite was well away, and rounding the turn got 

 clear of his company, looking at that stage as if he easily 

 had the foot of the party, but turning into the back 



