22 THE TURF 



The office of judge at Newmarket varies 

 from that of others filling similar situations. 

 He neither sees the jockeys weighed out or 

 in, as the term is, neither is he required to 

 take notice of them or their horses in the 

 race. He judges ', and proclaims the winner ; 

 by the colour that of every jockey who 

 rides being handed to him before starting. 

 Indeed, the horses are seldom seen by him 

 until the race begins, and, in some cases, 

 till it nearly ends ; as they generally pro- 

 ceed from their stables to the saddling- 

 house by a circuitous route. The best 

 possible regulations are adopted for the 

 proper preservation of the ground during 

 the running, and we know of nothing to be 

 found fault with, unless it be the horsemen 

 being allowed to follow the race-horses up 

 the course, which injures the ground when 

 it is wet. It is true, a very heavy iron 

 roller is employed upon it every evening in 

 the meetings, but this cannot always be 

 effective, 



The racing ground on the heath has been 



destroying the tracks of old roads, particularly on that 

 part called the Flat, which is undoubtedly the best 

 racing ground in the world. 



