V KT K RI N A R Y JU R I SPRUD KNC K 
537 
The Solicitor -General, : — Now, Lord John, will you be good 
enough to tell me, if a man enters his horse for a certain race, is 
he entitled to withdraw him at his option, and without giving any 
reason ? 
Lord J . Fitzroy. — Certainly. 
The Solicitor-General. — Then, if the owner of a horse bets 
against his winning a certain race, and he withdraws him before 
the race comes off, is he entitled to receive the bets he has made 
against him ] 
Lord J. Fitzroy. — There is no rule of the turf to prevent a 
person betting against his own horse, nor against any horse being 
withdrawn at the option of the owner. A party who bets against 
his own horse is undoubtedly entitled to receive his bets, in case 
the horse loses. 
The Solicitor-General. — Would the Jockey Club compel the 
payment of the bets, in case sufficient reason for withdrawing 
the horse was not understood to be given? 
Lord J. Fitzroy. — I have never been a steward of the Jockey 
Club, nor have I heard of any case of the kind you mention 
coming before them. All bets and proceedings of the club are 
supposed to be conducted according to the rules of honour. It 
is a very common thing for horses to be withdrawn from a race. 
I do not know an instance of a person having betted against his 
own horse, and afterwards withdrawing him. All disputed bets 
are referred, not to the Jockey Club itself, but to the stewards of 
the club, to be decided according to their rules. 
The Solicitor-General. — Then you say, Lord John, that bets 
made by a person against his own horse, however heavy they may 
be, according to the rules of the Jockey Club must be paid ? 
Lord J. Fitzroy. — I know of no rule of the club to the con- 
trary. 
The Solicitor-General. — I suppose you think that this is one 
of the rules which might as well be altered? 
Lord J. Fitzroy . — It is very difficult to prove a case of the 
kind you speak of. 
Mr. Thessiger. — Now pray, Lord John, what is your opinion 
with respect to such a case as has been stated by my learned 
friend ; that is, where a party had betted against his own horse, 
and had afterwards withdrawn him ? 
The Solicit or- General. — My Lord, I must object to this ques- 
tion. Lord John’s opinion cannot be received as evidence. It 
would, undoubtedly, be good evidence in reference to the rules 
and practices of the Jockey Club, but that had nothing what- 
ever to do with the law of the case in question. 
vol. xv. 4 c 
