St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-08
RACING IN INDIA.
An Interesting Interview With an
English Bookmaker.

English BoOkmaker.
OF course there is racing in India, for
how could it be otherwise with the large
number of EngliShmen present in that
country. They have carried their love
of the thoroughbred with them from
their native land and tranSplanted it on
Indian soil, where it would seem, from
an interview with Il boOkmaker just re-
turned from that country, published in
the London Sporting Times. to have
flourshed. The interview, besides be-
ing interesting, contains many hints
that might prove valuable in this cOun-
try, and hence it is reproduced in full.
1t is as follows:
TEL me all about this happy and
better land" [ asked, "for | am sure
all Sportsmen will be interested in the
subject
Very pleased" replied the inter
national boollie. ''In the first place,
you see, WEIGHING is unknown. Before
man can start to bet lie has to deposit
with the Calcutta Turf club the sum Of
10000 rupees-or rather, in their name
with the bank of Bengal. l had to do
this myself. The old form of betting
there was the t0taliZatOr. Now, the
betting liSts-there are not many of
them-are placed behind the stand, SO
that ladies can walk about without the
annoyance of hearing the odds shouted
out. in fact, they neither see nor hear
anything, as 10 Betting is permitted in
front of the Stand.''
''Then the cry of ) to to the fieee-
eeld' would be riddle to them9"
certainly, they would think it was
the cry of man who had something
novel to sell"
''WaS the tOtalizator a Suecess?n
10,
odds they are going to have. The ma
chine arrangement averages about el0O
race, chiefly in 10-rupee notes.
'Were there many bookmakers when
you were THEREOF
Only SIX
Are the Indian meetings open or
sate-money ventures?'
''All OPEN"
What about the gee gees?"
well, most of the horses running are
called whalers, that is, Australian bred
horses, but ponies form strong ele-
ment in the racing"
What about the raceS?"
"The Civil Service Cup for ponies)
1872 and under, is the most important
race in India, excepting possibly the
Viceroy'S Cup, and from six to eight
thousand pounds could be cleared in
stakes, lotteries and bets. provided you
could get one good enough"
''What about the Jockeys?''
''The jockeys are nearly all Euro
peans, G. Dunn and r. VinalI being the
principal English riders. OF the Aus
tralian contingent. Robinson, Greenhall
and Southall are the best"
About the lotteries, how are they
worked?"
well, it is rather difficult to make
Won understand ROuohlv SpaaLinr
they are worked in this way. Say the
stake is 1000 rupees. On the night be-
fore the race a subscription is opened in
the rooms at the grand stand. This is
open to buyers of 10 rupee tickets.
which are sold in lots-generally tossed
for. The horses these represent are
put up by auction: the highest bidder
gets them in each case. Sometimes, in
the case of a tavorite, the bidding runs
into a lot OF money. but in the case of
outsiders the horse goes for song. The
price realized is divided, one-half going
to the pool, and the other half to the
man who has bought the ticket. The
winner gets not only his own share but
the whole OF the pool and the original
stake. II the market will run to it. sew
eral pools are started. and the lucky
Spectator reaps rich harvest"
That, OF course, would not be al
lowed III England?'
"No, suppose not. The law is more
severe than in the enlightened East"
What would you give as the aver
age of the fields in India?"
We'll, they would range from six to
ten horses"
What about the climate and the race
courses?"
The climate from December to Feb