THE WORK JUSTIFIED. 315 
match was made to be run at Newmarket, when the one horse 
died and the other was unfit to run, and stratagem was used 
on either side. When in the end the match was declared off, a 
little pleasantry was indulged in ; the one sportsman declaring 
his horse was scarcely able to walk out of the stable, whilst 
the other retorted that his was dead and buried in it. On 
another occasion, a jockey was bribed not to win, and telling 
his employer, was recommended to take the bribe, which he 
did ; and the owner himself rode the horse and won. Again, 
a gentleman who shall be nameless, matched his horse 
for £200 a side against that of a baronet, now deceased. The 
baronet had, as it afterwards appeared, no intention of running, 
and merely sent his horse, in order to frighten his oppo- 
nent. But the latter, whose horse in reality was too ill to 
leave the stable, substituted another for it, and sent the 
impostor to the spot (Newmarket), with strict injunctions to 
his trainer to give all inquirers an evasive answer. The 
baronet, by the aid of his trusty touts, learned of the arrival 
of the false horse, and believing it, on the same trustworthy 
evidence, to be the real Simon Pure, paid forfeit. This was 
no doubt sailing rather near the wind; yet the baronet had 
tried to frighten his opponent with “false fire,’ and clever 
tactician though he was, was perhaps deservedly outwitted 
by one more wily than himself. 
There is a savour of “ Munchausen” in these stories, it 
may be thought; yet they have a substratum of truth which 
few of the marvellous conceptions that appear in books on 
racing matters can boast. And they must suffice. 
In my treatment of the various subjects it has been my 
desire to introduce only those things that are relevant to it; 
although perforce some matters will appear of more interest 
and greater importance than others to racing men. The 
