248 BETTING AS IT IS. 
class, are more harmful in their operations to owners of horses 
than all the rest of the forestallers put together—those who 
make backing-books. They back, with few exceptions, all 
the horses at the first appearance of the weights or shortly 
afterwards. In most cases they commence by backing ten 
or twelve horses, from 1,000 to 10, 20, or 30 as the case may 
be, and then wait the result of the acceptance. The horses 
are then quoted as backed. The public see and follow, 
believing that the money is put on for the owners. The 
horse becomes a favourite and the backing-book-maker 
hedges and stands to win a certain sum, the best he can 
make of it, to nothing; whilst some time later the owner, 
obliged to look on with intense disgust, strikes his horse out. 
Of course the backer has in this case to run the chance of 
acceptance; for should the owner not accept, he can have 
no chance to hedge. After the acceptance he again backs 
a few of those that appear to have the best chance and then 
waits till the day of running and again backs the most danger- 
ous-looking ones. In this way the winnings of such men are 
seldom much, and at times their losses are heavy. The 
same thing is done for the weight for age races. Long odds 
are taken about well-bred horses, and those recommended 
directly or indirectly by the tipster and tout. Indeed but 
for these men, few would be bold enough to attempt to make 
a backing-book ; a process which almost surely ends in ruin. 
I may fitly, here, mention a circumstance rather amusing in 
its result if alarming in the outset, which befell me asa boy, 
as showing an extraordinary combination of fidelity and hard 
living in one and the same person, Mr. R--— an inspector 
of police. 
I went to Abingdon Races to ride for Mr. Sadler, and 
whilst doing so, asked Mr. Montgomery Dilly to take care of 
