On the State of the English Turf in 1865. 3 



dispense his favours without being called to ac- 

 count, is the bane, and will be the destruction of 

 country races. A new source of profit has been 

 lately introduced by the lessees of race-courses to 

 put up to auction the winners of selling stakes and 

 to pocket the overplus ; which by the 56th Eule of 

 racing is the perquisite of the owner of the second 

 horse. As this is a lucrative business — 14,000Z. per 

 annum paid out of the pockets of horse-owners — 

 selling plates of a paltry amount are introduced on 

 every occasion ; winners to be sold for all prices, 

 with allowances of weight ; and the bait is very 

 tempting to a great gambler. He enters a 500Z. 

 horse, winner to be sold for 30Z., backs him for all 

 the money in the ring, and then repurchases him 

 for his real value, or makes a bargain with the lessee 

 before the race, and the sale is fictitious. As far as 

 the race is concerned, the moment the favourite has 

 apparently an advantage, the other horses pull up 

 to avoid the unenviable place of second, and the 

 fair sportsman has no chance to win. If the Jockey 

 Club would interpose to correct this lawless system 

 they might offer a compromise which would par- 

 tially redress the evil, viz. by passing a law, that 

 when winners are sold by auction, the owner of 

 the second horse is entitled to receive a moiety of 

 the surplus. This policy is established at the 



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