THE DAYS OF MY YOUTH 13 



notwithstanding this defeat, took 20 to i about her for 

 the Chester Cup two months before the weights appeared, 

 and we then heard of a perfect understanding between all 

 parties. 



We may, I think, assume that Mr. Padwick 

 and John Day suffered much anxiety concerning 

 Virago until the time within which she might be 

 claimed had expired. It was, as Admiral Rous 

 stated, the Chester Cup, then a big ante-post 

 betting race, that Day and his patron chiefly 

 had in mind. In his entertaining book. Sixty 

 Tears on the Turf^ the late George Hodgman 

 throws some light on the subject. Hodgman 

 knew of most movements " behind the scenes " 

 in those days and for long afterwards ; it was 

 part of his business to collect information. So 

 far as the Virago business was concerned he 

 would have no difliculty in arriving at the truth, 

 or at an approximation thereto, because he was a 

 friend and confederate of George Lambert, one 

 of the few men John Day took into his confidence. 

 According to Hodgman, very shortly after 

 Virago's defeat at Shrewsbury, Mr. Padwick 

 took 5000 to 75 from each of two bookmakers 

 about the filly for the following year's Chester 

 Cup, and during the next few weeks any long 

 odds offered against her were eagerly snapped up. 

 Hodgman went out of his way to tell Mr. Topham 

 (who made the handicap for the Chester Cup) 

 that Virago had been backed to win a big sum. 



