26 Horse Racing. 



starters are respectable men, but notoriously in- 

 capable. They have no control over the jockeys 

 and the public are sometimes induced to believe 

 that the starter has a pecuniary interest in some 

 particular horse ; or that he is determined to serve 

 in every instance one particular jockey. When 

 the jockeys behave ill, it is owing to their masters' 

 instructing them to get well off. Country stewards 

 will not efficiently support the starter by fining 

 and suspending ; then there is a scene of disorder. 

 We require a person of experience, whose authority 

 must be well supported by the stewards, who will 

 start his horses on a well-defined system, clearly 

 understood by the jockeys. This person must be 

 universally employed, for different systems produce 

 confusion. Newmarket and the principal race- 

 courses could afford to give him 600Z. per annum, 

 and money well laid out. No person fills a more 

 arduous or trustworthy situation, if he performs 

 his duty strictly and conscientiously. He may be 

 at variance with the eager jockeys, and occasionally 

 in bad odour with horse-owners, annoyed by the 

 suspension of their hired servants, to whose artless 

 narratives they lend a willing ear. 



On the subject of riding races, I have little to 

 add to my remarks in 1852. A good judge of 

 pace, a fine hand, patience, good temper, and high 



