18. Short sprint. Bad draw for position extinguishes chance.
19. Public back the favourite. Stable wins with outsider. See Dieudonne and Jeddah.
20. Crowding at a turn. Jockey hopelessly shut in.
21. Jockey skilfully shuts himself in. “Couldn’t get through, sir.”
22. Horse knocked out of his stride by a cannon during the race.
A famous trainer of the old school said, “I have been in this business through a long life; there is little that anybody can teach me in training. I can do all things in this world with a horse except—be inside him.”
Sceptic.
What a splendid letter this is! How true indeed are the 22 reasons! What thought each one gives to the backer if he is a sensible man and will but think over them. How we bookies know full well the absolute truth of them, as do also the jocks, trainers, and owners. We have referred in conversation to the Sun correspondence. What care we for it? It won’t stop the fascinated backer. No fear; we persuade ourselves that nothing will stop him except “running the length of his tether.”
It is almost amusing to read in the newspapers the excuses given by the “Racing Prophets” for the predicted horses “not pulling it off.” Almost daily you will find some of the above reasons given. I have just picked up the Daily Mail. Racing at Nottingham is described as “an unsatisfactory affair.” For whom? The bookmakers? Certainly not. For whom then? Why, the backers of course. Then comes the usual and oft-told excuses—amongst others—why such and such a horse did not win, as follows:—
Excuse No. 1.—“The well-backed Shot Gun ... threw no resolution into his work.”