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Star (Christchurch), Issue 5664, 8 September 1896, Page 3

"Delaware" tells the following story concerning the backing of a horse for a certain race some years ago which has the merit of being both amusing and true : — Mr Humphrey Oxenham had All Sorts (by Marvellous) running in a race which he thought very open, and not fancying his own much, decided to lay against the favourite. Whilst engaged at this, he was approached by a well-known and respected sportsman, and asked what he thought of it. H. 0. told his friend that he didn't fancy anything, and thought the race very open. As the backer was leaving the leviathan commissioned him to " put .£ls on All Sorts, and not to take less than i 10 to 1." Without looking at the card, the backer went round pricing different animals, and managed to secure 50 to 5 about Eemembrance, and 50 to 5 about another. Eeturning to his principal, the backer showed him what he had done, sayin«*. "I'll get the other fiver on something°for you directly." "I didn't tell you to back those horses; I told you to put .£ls on All Sorts," said H. O. "Well, that's just what Im doing, putting .£ls on all sorts of outsiders," replied the backer, who did not know Mr Oxenham had a horse named All Sorts. The best of the joke was Eemembrance won, and the mistake brought in .£SO instead of a loss. ■ ■ According to the method which is now adopted for reckoning leap years in England, December, January and February will be the summer months about 720,000 years hence. .. __