I have been searching for the source of the above term form about 12mths and finally realised I should come and ask people who know their racing. As you may well guess I'm not really invovled myself , it's just that my mother used this saying regularly and her people were quite involved in the Sydney racing circles up to WWII. I was told that it may even have been used pre-WWI .

So does anyone know of the derivation of the Sydney [ ? ] based racing term / saying " [more ] Fruit for the sideboard" ? Can it be attributed to any one bookie ? Has this saying fallen out of general usage ?

Any comment would be appreciated.

Sorry Passing Interest, I can't really offer much, except to say I have only ever heard this phrase once before. Couple of years back. I think I took it to mean 'easy pickings' at the time.

Perhaps some of our other forum folk, can enlighten you more.

__________________
Ta me go maith

From "The Winning Way", by Don Scott, page 244.

During the war, American servicemen on leave in Sydney had a reputation for backing 100/1 & 200/1 chances regardless of form. Bookmakers competed for their custom & regarded their bets as "fruit for the sideboard". Retired rails bookie Aub Guyatt tells the story of one figures bookie who decided to gamble to get his fruit.

The bookie was only a small operator, laying each horse to take out $300 (pounds) and no more. provided he laid all the horses for the same amount and made a perfect book, he stood to win 20 per race or 140-150 per meeting. This particular day at Randwick he had worked hard and well at his trade & had made a profit of 150 on turnover on the first 6 races. Flushed with success, he put up his prices for the last with the worst horse, Mayflower, at 100/1. An American sailor walked up with a $10 note.
"Ten pounds on Mayflower, please".
"Not that much," said the bookie, remembering his perfect book, "I'll lay you 300 to 3".
"Come on", said the sailor, "it's only 10 pounds".
"All right", said the bookie, deciding fo once in his life to gamble & grab some fruit for the sideboard. "You can have 1000 to 10.

Mayflower won the last by a head. The Ameican came back flourishing his ticket. The bookie, forced to borrow from others to settle & swearing under his breath neve to gamble again, started paying out the 1010 pounds.

"Whatever made you back Mayflower"?, he asked.
"My ancestors came over to America on the Mayflower", said the sailor.
The bookie went on counting out the money. "I wish they'd come over on the ************ Titanic", he said.


This may not be the origin of the saying, but it's a funny story connected with it.

Great story Mark!

It matters not whether it's true, just entertaining.

:wink:

Yes, some great stories on this forum, and echo Chrome Prince's words - It matters not whether it's true, just entertaining. :smile:

Chrome,

Here's another term for you: taking ' Levels on the splonk '. It refers to taking evens or a level bet. The 'splonk ' refers to a cricket ball hitting a bat and had something to do with a certain English private school and the saying was borrowed and became a racing bet term. ' Levels ' had something to do with laying down behind the sight board [ ? ].

Cheers.

Is a "sideboard" similar to a "dresser"?

A sideboard is more a decorative thing in the hall or lounge. a dresser is a bedroom unit. With a mirror it is known as a dressing-table.

'Sight board ' above should read ' sight screen '. Whatever was I thinking ?

Cheers.