"No favourite of yours, eh?" asked Barry.
"No, he's about as big a rogue as we have on the turf. He bribes our young lads and ruins half of them, he's not fit to mix in honest men's society."
"In that case I have no objection to falling in with any plan you may suggest for keeping him in the dark, but we must play no games with the public."
Joel Kenley laughed as he replied—
"The public are apt to jump too quickly to conclusions, which are very often wrong and unjust, and when you commence to look after their affairs you take on a thankless task."
"Nevertheless, there must be no suspicion about any of our transactions," said Barry.
After a long conversation it was decided to enter both Lucky Boy and Black Boy for the Sydney Cup, and to run them both in two or three races before that date.
"The Cup takes a tremendous lot of winning," said the trainer, "and I tell you candidly I do not think either of your horses good enough for it at present. They will improve, no doubt, at least I hope so, and probably Lucky Boy will be the better of the pair."
"What do you think of that?" said Barry, laughing.
"Time will tell," replied Jack. "I have a presentiment Black Boy will win the Cup outright."