Racing In Far India.: Dr. Bossler Describes Conditions and Declares There Is Good Opening for Americans., Daily Racing Form, 1909-06-01

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RACING IN FAR INDIA. Dr. Bossier Describes Conditions and Declares There Is Good Opening for Americans. Lexington. Ky.. May :i0. — Out of the venture of Dr. Harry Chain Bossier, who is to sail from New York f..r Bombay next Saturday with a coaaurameal of American thoroughbreds and logger Walter :t. a Chicago boy, to ride them, there may come the creation of a market iu India for running horses bred iu tlie United States. I»r. Hosier is a native of Ieun-vlvania and is a graduated veterinarian. He has for the past four years been iu the employ of the Britisb government as an examiner of bones for tic army in India. siel lias made several trips to India with large consignments of horses aud mules bought in the United States. "1 Miring my sojourn in India I have seen much of tlie racing at Calcutta aad Boinbav where tlie principal meetings are held." said Dr. Bossier, "aad I am i-onvinced that tlie Arabian horses, which arc used almost exclusively for racing, are not the equal of our American thoroughbreds, and bv that I do in t mean our topaotcbers. but ordinary selling rial ers. I was also satisfied from my observations ami experiences tiiat an average American locker would hare twenty pounds advantage over the bids that are riding ln-st over there. "I talker the matter over with a friend who is an extensive dealer in horses. He agreed Willi me t.iii an opportunity t make nminv was at band aad wo formed ii partneruhta for the venture. 1 eanic over iu I-.bruarv expecting to low within thirty days about a down borseS of the tvpc 1 had in mind for prices that would average about 8888. I have found them exceedingly ditli. -tilt p. locate, and I hare to date onlv live with a reasonable assurance of getting three more and maybe five more whin 1 reach New York next Monday. 1 will have to Bar much mare than I expected for ury load, and I will go away v. itli two and possibly four horses leas than I Intended. I am taking only marcs and geldings and nothing under three years uid. Stallions for racing do not do well in India and -ince there are no raves for horses of si.eeilied ages a horse vounger than three years would he at too great a disadvantage in competition. "The horses thai I hgre purchased thus far are The Missus. Nancy. GalbMee. Wine Merchant and Sam Clay. They do not rank highly among the racers of tills master, but that thev will get the money in India I have absolutely no fear. The purses are Large enough to !»• a consideration, but tile money is to lie made in betting. The majority of tlw booksnakers are natives, i.r India and the others are Fliglisliuient. The natives, layers and bookmakers alike are no pikers. When we used to go to New York and hear of the plunges i.r the Dwyers Pittsburg lhil. Kilo- Grannau. John W. Gates, etc.. we thought thev were the heaviest belters in the world, but there are ihraens of wealthy Indians win. would Im-I more to a race than our Plungers would bet iu a day, and vu never beat the least stir shout it. It is all done quietly. N- money passes. The big better slnii.lv walks us to the bookmaker, asks him in an ordinary tone it he will accept a lax looilioi of rupees 832.008 on :i certain horse. In seven eases out of tell the Ix-..; maker will access thai amount. Iu the other three he will take half a lax. Settlement i- usually made j:, the clubs down town ill the evening after Ihe ran... if tlie bookmaker .and the bettor should batmen to meet so i ally, hut there is no specified time for settlement. No one ever bean of a weeher in India. "The riieing season continues from October to April, aad ill that time there will be about seventy live dis of the pirt. The ionises at Bombay and Calcutta are a mile and a half oval . and the racing i- all on the grass. The predi-inimiit events are sprints for ponies, of which there are two classes as to size 11.2 hands and II hands and mater. 1 traveled out to Salt Lake Citv butt week in tar expectation of having Booger Red for the pear races but I found Mm It. 2.. Had he been 11.2 ..r under 1 would have -.live:! 85.000 for lini in a iilTr. He is ideal tor racing in India, lie is as sound as a brass IhII and has every oilier imalilieatioii. except iis to siz.. "I like jockey Ott very much, and I am satisfied that he will make good with ine over there. He has tlie chance of his nr«. In making the contract wit!-, his mother I agreed to pay her a certain sum per month, advancing her four months pay, aad, further, to pay i very item of expense for the boy out of mv own purse, ami to let him ride approved mounts from oilier stables aad collect for himself the fees lor Buck liding. If he doesnt make 0.oon between now and next spring 1 miss my guess. "It l hare success with these horses I will be back here next spring for another lot. and I ureadd not be surprised if some American owners should turn tledr attention t" the Indian field. It isnt so far iiwiiv as a lot of folks Imagine, and. let me teil yon. tbecg is plenty of money to lie bad there iu raring, but it must come on the level. Thcv will not stand for crooks iu India."


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1900s/drf1909060101/drf1909060101_6_12
Local Identifier: drf1909060101_6_12
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800