THE NOBLE ART OF BACKING WINNERS 1 63 



what about the owner and trainer and 

 the unfortunate backer ? If you study 

 and take note of the report in which such 

 a jockey as I have Indicated (who never 

 will come along without most emphatic 

 orders, and not always then) finishes in 

 the first two, you will find **just failed 

 to get up, and was beaten a head" is 

 more often recorded than ''won by a 

 head on the post." 



I believe it to be a common fallacy 

 amongst trainers and jockeys that because 

 a horse is top weight in a handicap he 

 should necessarily be held back and waited 

 with, as is generally done. The said 

 horse has displayed merit, and shown some 

 previous form to place him in the position 

 of top weight amongst his rivals, and by 

 keeping him back I contend that you deny 

 him the opportunity to bring his merit 

 into play until the last final dash, to 



