Horse racing has long been a part of life in Daylesford and district. In the 19th century, local race meetings drew large crowds of punters, bookmakers and fortune-seekers, all hoping for a lucky day at the track. But where money changed hands, there were always risks, not only of losing a bet, but of being cheated out of a win.
As the recent Flemington Carnival reminded us, the thrill of a flutter is nothing new. Back in 1882, one Daylesford sportsman learned the hard way that not every bookmaker could be trusted. The following story, reported in The Daylesford Advocate of 2 March 1882, tells how a “welsher” a con man who took bets without paying out, tried to swindle a local punter and found himself on the receiving end of frontier justice.
A “welsher” who yesterday visited the racecourse found that he could not, with impunity, attempt to swindle a local resident. One of our sportsmen accepted a bet from one of those strangers who so vigorously offered odds on the several events, of £3 to £1 against a horse running in one of the races.
The former won, but when he went for his money, the holder of the stakes had decamped; and enquiries elicited the fact that he had hired a trap to convey himself and his confrere to Creswick. They were overtaken near Leggat’s. When asked to hand over the amount of the bet, he told his victim to go to a place where there is probably little leisure for betting. The odds were now against the local sportsman, and he had to give up for a time.
He was not to be done, however; for he obtained the assistance of a friend, and both started in pursuit, coming up with the runaways at Mount Prospect. One held the horse, while the other entered the cab, and was proceeding to deal out summary punishment to the offender, when the latter elected to hold over the money.
As it was, he had a few moments’ rough handling.
From the Daylesford and District Historical Society. https://daylesfordmuseum.net/
