192 THE BLUE RIBBON OF THE TURF. 



gamble clay by day, and it pays me to do so. The 

 small prices which we lay, you see, are greatly in our 

 favour. I sometimes gamble as well on the larger 

 handicaps, at the post especially, when they back six 

 or seven at pretty fair prices. I won some money by 

 laying against Todhunter at Liverpool. The price of 

 that animal was seven to two ; it had become first 

 favourite, an 1 was most extensively backed, but made 

 no show in the race. As the reporters said, it never 

 looked dangerous, and was well beaten throughout. I 

 considered that another horse, with Archer on its back, 

 had the best claim to support. From its previous per- 

 formance it was second favourite, and I also laid as 

 much as I could against it ; but the people seemed 

 crazed about Todhunter. We were near " skinning the 

 lamb," as the race was won by a short head only, the 

 odds against the second horse being 20 to 1 ; the 

 horse which was placed third started at 16 to 1. Races 

 often result in that way, so that one cannot help 

 gamblino^ a little on such occasions. Then, you know. 

 I sometimes get into a good thing when there is a 

 ** plant " on in which any of my training friends are 

 interested.' 



II. 



Some of the bigger frauds and chicaneries of the 

 turf would require to be discussed at length ; but the 

 ever3'-day frauds, which in one way or other affect 

 the state of the odds, may be alluded to in passing. 



Frequently a * plant ' is arranged to come oti' in con- 

 nection with some of the little handicaps, or, to put 

 the case in plain English, when it is found that a horse 



