340 



and a "knowing shot" said to me, not long ago, that Ormonde beat 

 Minting for the Hardwicke Stakes at Ascot "in a walk," and when 

 I laughed at him he pompously informed me that he saw the race, and 

 that I did not. Upon this Juggins' dictum I wa^ therefore to assume 

 that Fred Archer was wrong when he said that the only horse in 

 England able to stretch Ormonde's neck was Mirjting, and that the 

 Hardwicke Stakes at Ascot, in 1887, was not entitled to be enrolled 

 among the greatest races of the century ! 



Such are examples of the nonsecse we hear from scores of people on 

 every racecour.-e in the kingdom. 



How pitiable it is to see scores of these infatuated young men shelling 

 out, with long-drawn faces, the sovereigns they can so badly spare, and 

 nearly as pitiable is it to see those few who do win a trifle pocketing 

 their gains. 



Yes, the winner over horse racing is almost as much to be pitied as the 

 loser, for the winnings are seldom put to good account, nor are they 

 usually reserved to meet the losings. As soon as a young fellow has 

 had what he calls a " good day " he proceeds to tr^at his friends, and so 

 scatters most, if not all his winnings, thus annihilatmij the only means 

 he has of recouping his losses, and shows conclusively that " heads " he 

 loses and " tails " he does not win. 



Again, what simpletons some of these young fellows exhibit them- 

 selves to be when, to a man they never saw before and know nothing 

 about, because he is a bookmaker, they pay their stake beforehand. 

 Surely when they have lost the bet is time enough for them to pay. 

 The bookmaker does not pay before he loses. Why, then, should 

 the, backer do so ? 



To borrow some of the phraseology employed by the Bishop of 

 Durham wht-n he, not long ago, delivered a lecture iu condemnation of 

 this horrible vi e, I will say that betting to the extent it is at present 

 practised disturbs and dl^credits honourable, resolute and patient 

 labour, and tends to encourage recklessness. It isola-es, hard«-ns, and 

 deadens sympathy, and it destroj^s alike social life aud domestic happi- 

 ness. Betting is the embodiment of selfishness, and selfishness is the 

 essence of sin, and, with his lordship, I feel convinced that gambling is 

 hecomiwi a naticmal peril. 



I don't care for any sort of gambling. I don't want to possess 

 myself of ether people's money, nor do I want others to get mine ; but 

 I do dearly love to look at a good and well-ridden race. My chief 

 enjoyment at a race meeting is first to inspect the cour.-e, then to look 

 over as many hor.-es in the paddock as I can get the chance of, 

 and therefrom to pick out the one I fancy most. If be pleases me 

 in his preliminary gallop I watch him through the race, and by the 

 manner in which he acquits himself I flatter, or nor, myself upon 

 the judgment I showed in selecting him. As a rule it is a matter of 

 perfect indiff'-.rence to me which horse wins other thun the one I select 

 myself, unless a fii^nd of mine rides or has a horse engaged. All I 



