"Is this your jockey?" asked Ella.
"Yes; Tommy, this is Miss Hallam, an Australian, a friend of Miss
Berkeley's."
"They bring some good horses from Australia," said Tommy.
"And probably my father will have two or three of the best when he arrives," she said.
There was little time to spare and they returned to the stand, Harry
Morby with them.
Having seen Ella to the box Alan went with Harry to the ring. The second race was over and the numbers had been called out for the Epsom Plate; the bookmakers were already shouting the odds.
"Craker's horse is a hot pot," said Harry, "there'll be danger in that quarter. When Peet puts his money down he generally has good reason for it."
Peet Craker was a big bookmaker, owner of horses, a heavy bettor on his own animals; he had an enormous business on the course and off.
The horse in question was Bittern, a champion over seven furlongs, he could not quite stay the mile, and he was conceding ten pounds to Robin Hood.
Alan knew Craker well, the bookmaker often did business with him and for him. Sometimes he went to Trent Park. He was a man of good education, there was no coarseness about him.