RACECOURSES AND THEIR MANAGEMENT. 183 



the raising of the barrier, not enough to frighten even 

 a timid horse. Racing men who have never seen a 

 starting machine at work will argue vigorously 

 against it. They do not think it possible for a big 

 field of spirited thoroughbred horses to stand quietly 

 behind such an insisfnificant obstacle as the barrier 

 presents. That it is possible I know full well, and 

 no starter with the flag, no matter how good he may 

 be, can get horses off as cleverly as the man at the 

 machine. 



Instead of long delays at the post, when a 

 machine is used, the horses are sent off at the first 

 attempt. Many a horse's chance has been ruined 

 by long delays at the post. Constant breaks away 

 take a lot out of a horse. Races in the Colonies are 

 run punctually to the time on the card, and if the 

 jockeys are not at the post in time they are fined. 

 It would be an excellent plan to adopt here, as at 

 most of the meetings I have been to since my return 

 to England, punctuality is apparently the last thing to 

 be considered. With regard to the objection that 

 starting machines are dangerous, this I think can easily 

 be dispelled. If a horse bolts, the machine can be 

 raised quickly enough to give him a clear course. 

 A horse will never bolt when standing up to the 

 machine. He does the bolting in his preliminary 

 canter, and then the machine is not lowered. A 

 horse often bolts at the start with the man with the flag. 



