Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-15
RACING EXPERIENCE.
one that Resulted Somewhat
Cnple asantlv.


one that Resulted Somewhat
Unpleasantlv.
was walking across the famous
Newmarket Heath on Tuesday, the
second day of the Spring Meeting,
1882, vending my way toward
Tattersall's and the Paddock, when l
was accosted by rough-looking
specimen of the genus "tout," Dick
Roberts by name, Who intimated that he
had some intelligence which might be
of use to me. Now Dick and l were
on the best Of terms, for every now
and then Dick would by some means
or other get wind of good thing. l,
in return for this information, never
failed to reward him with handsome
douceur when his tip was successful.
"Well, Dick" said 1, ''what is it to-
day." Dick held up his card, and
pointing with a dirt-begrimed finger
to the third race thereon, whispered
in that mysterious voice which
"touts" affect, although there was no
one within half a mile of us: "Cheiry
Ripe is d dead sure thing. She's
entered to be sold Tor G260, and
she's worth thousand if she's worth
a penny. AS sure as | ana
standing here SIR" he continued, 'sshe
beat Despair this morning in five
furlong spin with only stone the
best of the weight, and you know that
ought to be good enough" Now | was
rather skeptical as to the truth OF
this intelligence, as Despair was, per-
haps, at that time the best five fur
long horse in England, and it was
hardly likely that Cherry Ripe could
have improved SO much as to get
within stone of his form. Roberts,
however, was SO emphatic in his
asseyerations that what he said was
true that l agreed to back her. for
fifty, of which he was to have tine
odds to a couple of sovereigns. |
went into Tattersall's Ring and did
some mild plunging on the first two
races, with no better result than back
ing a second and third, the latter
in field of three, but l consoled my
self with the thought that / would
play even on Cherry Ripe. Up went
the mum mbers for the third race. There
were seven starters, and to my surprise
among them was not only Cherry Ripe
but stable companion, Sir Modred.
Now Sir Modred, being entered to be
sold for $1,000, had to carry consider
ably more weight than the mare, but
he was Immediately installed favor
able in the betting at 7 to against.
Perhaps tie fact that Fred Archer had
the mount, had something to do with
this. Anyhow, the betting fraternity
tumbled over one another in their
eagerness to back Archer, whilst
Cherry Ripe was paratively friend
less in the quotations. The mare was
ridden by a stable boy named Col
, lius, and this, coupled with the fact
that 100 to eight was offered against
her all over the ring and no takers,
led me to conclude that she was, what
is known in racing parlance as "stif'
'un," or, in other words, that she was
not out for the stuff In the mean
time the price against Sir Modred,
was shortening, and as l had little
doubt in my own mind that the stable
were backing him, putting two and
two together, the wonderful trial of
Cherry Ripe and the boundless conf
dence which some one seemed to re-
pose in Sir Modred, / decided that it
must be dead cinch and would over
play my limit a little accordingly.
After making the rounds of the books,
/ found that | had about two hun
dred on him at an average Of II to s.
l had not long to reflect as the sound
of the bell told me that the field was
racing towards the winning post.
Through my glasses 1 saw Archer
going easy on the rails half a length
in front Of Lucerne, ridden by Can
non, whilst Lord Roseberry's Cipollina,
George Barrett up, was right in the
middle OF the course. At the Bushes,
Archer began to come away from his
field and Cannon after riding hard
hundred yards eased Lucerne
seeing pursuit hopeless. Cipollina
stuck to the flanks of Sir Modred, but
as Archer had not to call on him COM
ing up the hill he held her perfectly
same. Pleasant visions of success
rose before me when to my utter con-
founding something in a red jacket
and white cap, the second colour Oh
the Sir Modred stable, shot out from
the field, passed Cipollina, and to my
intense disgust, despite Archer's des-
perate exertions, who saw the danger
when too late, beat the faVorite out
half length. l could hardly believe
my eyes but the number Of the win
ner on the board proved to me conclu-
al yn1v that there was no delusi0n for
there it was in plain black and white,
Number 13, Mr.. Monton's Cherry
Ripe. To add insult to injury the
starting price was returned at 100 to
against, and I had to ante up to
Dick Roberts the sum of twenty-eight
pounds, in return for the two sove-
reigns which had promised to invest
for him on tip in which refused
to trust. ANGLTCE.