164 A Good Thing 



to bet on jump races, in spite of the chance of a fall, 

 than on races under Jockey Club Kules. The means of 

 verifying Upton's idea is always at hand, and anyone 

 who cares to look back through a few ' Calendars,' and 

 note the proportion . of favourites that won respectively 

 on the flat and over jumps, may ascertain to what extent 

 he is right. Doubtless, however, he knew the form past 

 and present of jump horses better than that of flat-racers, 

 and this of course aided his calculations ; for, dangerous 

 as it may be to trust entirely to form, past performances 

 a^i'e by no means to be ignored without some reason. 



CHAPTER II 



The South Downshire Hunt and w^hatever regiment 

 chances to be quartered in their country hold their meet- 

 ing over a course partly natural^ and partly artificial — 

 that is to say, with the natural fences made up stiff where 

 required, and the N.H. regulation jumps duly arranged 

 — not far from a popular watering-place, so that there 

 is generally a pretty good attendance. There were on 

 the card three regimental races besides the match, two 

 confined to the Hunt, and two open events — a sufficiently 

 liberal programme. The day was fine and bright for the 

 time of year, the temporary stand well filled, and a long 

 row of carriages, including four coaches, showed the 

 popularity of the meeting. Some ten or a dozen well- 

 known bookmakers, and a number of others who, for 

 ■some reason best known to themselves, confine their 

 operations to minor and out-of-the-way fixtures, were in 

 the ring, and a few more with slates and chalk to write 

 down the odds were outside, on the look-out for rustic 



