RESULTS OF HAVING BOYS IN THE SADDLE. i6i 



Of all the reforms needed in turf matters, the revision of 

 the light-weight scale is the most urgent. The necessity 

 of this is not more keenly felt, or its adoption more earnestly 

 desired by any, than by the older jockeys and by trainers, 

 The result of the riding of the pigmies who are now put up, 

 is but a series of mistakes from first to last, as owners must 

 have learned to their cost. 



At the start, boys (for I allude to them — the light-weights 

 of the present day) are generally left at the post or get 

 badly off, and ride their horses to a standstill before half the 

 distance has been gone over, in the vain hope of regaining 

 their lost ground. After the race the youngster has the 

 audacity, with smiling face, to tell you he was first away to a 

 very good start ; at any rate he will never admit being further 

 from the first horse than a length or two. It may well be 

 asked how is the trainer or his employer, who has not himself 

 witnessed the start, to know the merits of his own horse or of 

 those of other people, when condemned to accept the state- 

 ment of these urchins .? What possible chance has your 

 horse in a race, T.Y.C. or six furlongs, with twenty or thirty 

 runners, in which the loss of a few lengths would seriously 

 jeopardise your chance in the hands of an experienced jockey, 

 if with a mere boy up, treble that distance be lost } The 

 horse would in reality be very much better in his stable. 

 These mishaps not only occur daily, but will never cease to 

 do so, so long as boys are in the saddle. 



It is unfortunately not much better in long distance races. 

 It is true that in these the start is not so all-important. The 

 lost ground may be made up, and your hopes momentarily 

 raised at the prospect of success : yet before the lad's assist- 

 ance is needed, it is apparent he is too tired to urge his 

 horse to his utmost speed ; he loses a race he ought to 



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