RACECOURSES AND THEIR MANAGEMENT. 181 



in the Colonies as an Australian rider in the old 

 country. The two systems of race-riding are entirely 

 different. The Melbourne Cup, two miles, is ridden 

 from start to finish. This is not absurd, as I have 

 heard some English racing men say, it is the true 

 test of a horse^s capabilities to get the distance. 

 Sprint racing is fast spoiling the staying powers of 

 the race-horse. Horses should be bred for speed, 

 but stamina should not be neglected. How many 

 two-mile races are run in England at the present 

 time ? There are not many horses can get two 

 miles. Not a fourtb of the horses annually entered 

 in the Cesarewitch Stakei have the remotest chance 

 of running the distance out. 



When starting machines were first tried on 

 Australian racecourses there was a considerable 

 amount of prejudice against them. The general 

 opinion was that the old system of starting w^as 

 the best, and the man with the flag would beat the 

 machine. To this view I inclined, but changed my 

 opinion when I saw how admirably the starting ma- 

 chine worked. It is mere old-fashioned prejudice that 

 stands in the way of its adoption all over the world. 



In the space of twelve months the whole system 

 of starting in Australia was revolutionised. At the 

 present time the Victoria Racing Club and the 

 Australian Jockey Club are unanimous in favour of 

 the machine, and it has been adopted on the courses 



