"I fancy you know as much as I do about them, perhaps more, especially
about Black Boy."
"Was that a straight go the other morning, when Lucky Boy won?" asked
Abe.
"You know Joel Kenley, and that ought to be sufficient. The trial was
straight enough."
"Then you think Lucky Boy is the better of the pair?"
"He must be on that form, and the market tells the same tale," replied
Bricky.
"I don't care a hang for the market, figures can be faked anyhow. You
have not told me your opinion. Come, I'll give you a couple of sovs. for
it, that's a professional fee."
Bricky thought there was no harm in expressing his private opinion, it
would not be betraying any stable secrets, for it was well known that
Joel Kenley preferred Lucky Boy. A couple of sovs. under such
circumstances were not to be despised.
"I can only go by the trial," he said. "That is the safest guide, but if
you want to know which of the pair is my favourite I may tell you it's
Black Boy. Don't run away with the idea that he'll beat the other fellow
in the Cup, although I would like to see him do it, Joel knows more
about it than I do."
"You have not told me much," said Abe, "but here's a couple of sovs. You
really prefer Black Boy to Lucky Boy?"
"As a horse, yes, but whether he will beat him in the Sydney Cup remains
to be seen."
"Which shall you back?"
"I have no money to back horses with," said Bricky.
"You had plenty at one time."
"I had and did it on like a fool. I daresay you had some of it."
Abe Moss laughed, he thought this probable, as he had an interest in one
or two books and had often played cards and billiards with Bricky.
Jack Redland went into Tattersalls' Club frequently, and was very
popular with the members. They recognised him as a good sportsman and
readily acknowledged he was a cut above the general run of racing men.
Considerable interest was manifested as to which horse out of Kenley's
stable he would back, and when he accepted several big wagers about
Black Boy at a thousand to thirty there was a disposition to follow his
lead. As a natural consequence, Lucky Boy dropped in the quotations, but
when Jack snapped up a tempting offer at the extended odds he speedily
recovered. There was nothing sensational about these transactions, and
when one or two questions were asked he merely replied that he was
backing Lucky Boy for Barry Tuxford, and Black Boy for himself.
"We may divide the spoil if either horse wins," he added, laughing.
This was feasible enough, the horses were in different ownerships, and
would therefore run independently, but for all this there was an air of
uncertainty about it.
If Lucky Boy was the better horse, why had Barry Tuxford cleared out
instead of remaining to see his colours carried to victory. It must be
very important business to take him away at such a time.
Joel Kenley secured two reliable middle-weights to ride the horses. Andy
Wilson was to have the mount on Lucky Boy, Will Sleath was to ride
Jack's horse. There was not much to chose between the pair; if anything,
Wilson had a larger number of followers. They had ridden the horses at
exercise and each jockey fancied his mount, so that a rivalry, quite
friendly, existed between them, as to which would prove the better of
the two in the Cup.
They were talking it over the night before the race, and eventually
decided to make a wager of five pounds aside, each jockey backing his
own mount. They were not sanguine of success, as there were many good
horses in the race, including three or four cracks from Melbourne.
Jack Redland was exceedingly anxious. Sleath was to wear Sir Lester's
jacket, which he had brought out from home, and in which he had ridden
Topsy Turvy to victory at Lewes. He impressed upon the jockey that there
was a halo of romance hanging about the jacket and that he must strain
every nerve to win.
As he looked at the brilliant orange sleeves, and the dark body, he
thought of the last time he had worn it and wondered how everything was
going with Winifred and Sir Lester. Somehow he felt sanguine of victory,
and if Black Boy won he determined to cable to Sir Lester, who would be
delighted to receive the news. He wished Barry Tuxford could be present
to see the race and judge for himself as to Lucky Boy's running if he
was beaten. Not that Barry would doubt anyone, he was too honest for
that, but Jack felt it would be a disappointment to him if his horse
lost.
It was also an anxious time for Joel Kenley, who had several horses
running at the meeting. The trainer was still puzzled as to the merits
of "the two boys", as he called the horses. Common sense told him Lucky
Boy ought to beat Black Boy, and yet he could not drive away the idea
that Jack's horse would beat him, if not actually win.
As he went round the boxes the night before the race, he found Bricky
looking earnestly at Black Boy.
"Anything the matter?" asked Joel.
"No, sir. He never was better. He's as hard as nails and fit to run any
distance."
"You seemed a trifle anxious about something."
"I was wondering how much he'd win the Cup by," said Bricky, without a
smile.