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STORY OF THE SUFFERING OWNER "A long time ago I was traveling to a meeting in company with an experienced racegoer, who was familiarly acquainted witli what are called tho ropes. " writes "Gareth" in the English Referee. "He and I were divided in our views about two horses which were well in and much fancied, quite realizing that another had a great chance. The third man iu the compartment, an acquaintance of both of us. who was just beginning to go racing, listened with a faint smile which indicated superior knowledge, and presently lie broke in with: I can tell you what will win the So-and-So colt. I met the owner yesterday lie happens to lie a friend of mine and he told me that he didnt think ho could lose! Yes, tho other man quietly replied, but I dont suppose he knows much about it. The youth was vastly astonished. His knowledge of owners was small, and he found it difficult to imagine that if an owner fancied his horse it was not going to win. Some people have an idea that owners must know, in spifo of the freqnency witli" which, before almost every big race, half a dozen or more owners back their horses with confidence and are, perhaps, beaten by some creature they havo not regarded as on the map. There are times when the poor owner gets badly left. Some years since .1 colonial came to England and bought a. number of good horses, with which he interested himself when not engaged in adding to his fortune east of Temple Rar. One of them had been well tried, looked a pretty good tiling, and he motored down to back it on the day, wondering whether lie could get 1 to 1, as lie thought probable. On arrival he found that the top price was O to 4. He-felt equally surprised and vexed, for the gallop had been brought off quietly, nothing had appeared about it in the sporting papers, the boys who rode did not know the weights they were carrying. AVhere had the money come from? Somebody told him that, his trainer had taken tho market, his friends following suit, and coming across this trainer the owner mentioned the rumor, adding that, of course, he did not believe it. Yes, I did back it. the man lie left England long since answered. Why shouldnt I? You can make money in tho city. Ive got nothing but my horses to depend 011. Yes, the owner, who was not without humor, rejoined. I had not looked at it that way. You see. I thought the horses were mine. "
