Summary
This quote is a humorous way of describing a situation where someone takes a risk or makes a bet, but the outcome does not come to fruition until much later than expected. The "horse" symbolizes the thing or event the person was counting on, and "ten-to-one" suggests that the person had high hopes and expected a significant return. However, the phrase "didn't come in until half-past five" implies that the desired result or outcome took much longer than anticipated. Overall, the quote highlights the unpredictability of life and the comical contrast between expectations and reality.