The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-09 00:00:00

THE ADVERTISING' PROPIiETS.

The racing season being now about to commence,
the advertising prophets have resumed active'
operations. We advise those who wish to speculate
on the turf to follow the advice of the writers for
the sporting papers. What knowledge can a cos-
termonger living in the precincts of Newgate-mar-
ket, or a street hawker in Lambeth-walk or the New
eut, have about the intentions of owners of race-
horses. They may know that diseased meat is some-
times sold and seized in the one and that pickpockets
abound in the others, and no doubt their informa-
tion ends here. It makes no difference which horse
wins a large handicap, as the next day their adver-
tisements are sure to be headed " Glorious success !"
" Right again !" " Show my circular to your
friends." " Send per centage or I will scratch
your name from my list"—although, out of the
whole of the horses sent to their subscribers,
they did not name even one of the first twelve
in the race. If any of our readers are " picked up"
by this fraternity after this caution they have only
themselves to blame. If the advertising tips know
of such " good things," how is it they do not keep
their secrets and realise large fortunes for them-
selves ? The following judicious remarks and
extracts from the Racing Times will be read with
interest :

THE ADVENT OF THE TIPS.
The tips have broken out in great force since the api ear-
ance of the acceptances for the spring handicaps, and they
are as mendacious as usual, and spiced more than usual. It
is amusing to read the phraseology adopted by these lights
of the turf, and we subjoin a few of the parties that we have
strung from the published list.
Harkforward informs the sporting world :
" Having given no less than a hundred and twenty
winners during the past racing season, his own bona fide
selections, as also thirty-eight who ran second, and twenty
that ran third, of which undoubted fact he refers the public
to his Table of winners. "

" Having given" this information, the reader is left to
form his own inference with regard to it, as " the tip" in
question evidently thinks it unnecessary to suggest it
himself.

IV. Goodwyn announces that the "sources from whence
he obtains his information are unrivalled. His immense
success is well-known to thJusands, and requires no idle
puff I" and consequently, as he requires no idle puff, he
goes on modestly to say—
" From his connection with the principal stables, and
extensive means of procuring the best information, all who
follow his advice are certain to be brilliant winners. It is
an acknowledged and well-known fact that a fortune cannot
be made by backing without thoroughly good and success-
ful advice ; indeed, a backer of horses constantly requires
the assistance of a competent and experienced adviser, who
can detect 'dead uns ' (there was a precious lot of them
last season), and is in a position to learn, and that quickly
too, the result of all the important trials, also whether the
right money is going on, &c."
This is a funny specimen of what a tipster considers is
no "idle puff." The same individual adds :
" No change—stick to my selections—we shall win as
easily as we did last season, and by investing freely you
may realise a fortune."

We have no doubt they will win just as 9asily—in fact,
in precisely the same way.
Another vaticinator gives a list of the winners of all the
great races for the last 10 years, which, by a singular coin-
cidence, are the very horses he sent in his circular. There,
however, is a discrepancy in this individual's announce-
ments, because he invariably announces in his advertise-
ments, just previous to such races as the Liverpool Chase,
the Two Thousand Guineas, Chester Cup, Derby, and
Oaks, and other great races, that his selections are then at
66 to 1 or some such preposterous odds, and therefore it
naturally follows, if his statements are to be credited, that
all those great races, for years past, have been won by rank
outsiders.
Henry Field (no relation, we presume, to the detective
and spy), informs the world that--

"Every one anxious to make money, every one who in,
tends to book a bet, should subscribe at once. The infer
illation upon all races is first-hand, exclusive, and certain,
and always issued in time to get long prices."
This is another seer who inferentially proclaims that no
favourite ever wins.
Another worthy is indeed bold in his declarations, for he
thus publicly proclaims
"DUNDEE MUST LOSE! Fairplay has just received
some important private information; feels confident it is
coining money to bet against Dundee for the Derby; he
cannot get even placed. You will find the right parties
anxious to bet against him. Try my Derby outsider. "
Try his Derby outsider; why, is he to be cut up in
steaks, then ? The same advertiser also announecs—
" WRY DUNDEE CANNOT WlN.—This important secret
can be known by any gentleman who will pledge his
honour not to disclose it."
Of course this mast be a secret worth knowing ; but then
how can that be a secret which is open to any one who will
Fend a stamped envelope ?
From one advertisement that has appeared it would
seem, supposing its statements to be true, that in every
training stable in the country there is a traitor, and that
all their communications and treachery go towards the
west. Here is the advertisement :
" Henry West did not send the winner of every race las'
year, as some 'prophets' profess to have done, but the
success which attended the majority of his selections
enabled all who acted on his advice to win large stakes.
H. W. would impress on those who intend speculating on
the turf the importance of having genuine, reliable, and,
above all, early intelligence of what transpires in racing -
quarters, whether as regards merits, conditions, or inten-
tions ; this Henry West is confident of being able to
afford his subscribers, as the extended arrangements he
has been, during the recess, engaged in effecting, will en-
sure his being immediately apprised of every movement of
importance which may take place in any training stable."
Here is plenty of advice gratis, even in the advice that
is intended for sale.
A new system of making an enormous fortune in less
than no time is thus promulgated :
" £1,500 A YEAR.—The advertiser has discovered a most
wonderful secret, whereby the above sum may be made
annually by merely backing horses for about £5 each, An
enormous sum would have been won during the past eight
years. In fact, the system is so sound it cannot fail to
prove very profitable. It will be imparted to a gentleman
gratis unless the above facts can be proved by the Calen-
dars, and he is quite satisfied it can be carried out, though
a reference will be required."
There is a good deal of obscurity in the last paragraph,
but probably that is intentional.
Then comes a metaphysical philosopher, for he pro-
claims :
" WANT OF MONEY WANT OF COMFORT.—George
I Foster hit the nail on the head by sending the winners of
1 the principal handicaps iu 1860, Rix oulacribers may