64 THE TRAINING GROUND. 
About a week before the Chester meeting, Starter and 
Our Mary Ann, the property of the same owner, were tried 
for the cup, and the latter found to be by far the better of the 
two. The result was telegraphed in cipher to the owner, then 
at Newmarket. He at once went into the ring and did as 
follows: On asking the price of Starter he was offered 
700 to 100, supplemented with an offer to take 800 to 100. 
The owner laid the odds, and being asked to do so again, laid 
them again, when the taker a book-maker, obligingly offered 
to lay 1000 to 10 against Our Mary Ann. These odds the 
owner took, and other bets followed until he had in all 2500/. 
to 27/. tos. laid against the mare—the two animals ultimately 
standing in the betting, Our AZary Ann 1000 to 15, Starter 
8 to I. 
Now mark what would have taken place had the horses 
been at a public place and the immense difference in results 
to the owner. Immediately after the trial, there would have 
been a race to the telegraph office, and the lynx-eyed 
fraternity would have telegraphed the result to thousands of 
people within a few hours. When the owner would back 
his mare, he would have been offered 700 to 100 and been 
told it was a good price; and should he not like it, the book- 
makers would have offered to take 800 to 100 themselves and 
have finished by offering 1000 to 10 against Starter. 
The frequent occurrence of disappointments such as might 
here have occurred had the circumstances been different, will, 
I think, clinch my arguments in favour of quiet training 
quarters for all that race either for profit or, it may be said, 
their own pleasure, 
