258 BETTING AS IT MIGHT BE. 



an old and simple rule — show that you know what is right 

 and that you intend to accept nothing short of it, and you 

 have gone a long way towards its accomplishment. Were 

 this the custom, commissioners would perforce have to act 

 honestly. They would see that such conduct is a necessity 

 in a matter of trust, and that by serving their employers well 

 they would be best serving themselves. They should not 

 be permitted to make a bet for themselves until the com- 

 mission entrusted to them was fully executed ; not an un- 

 reasonable condition, for they can, and as a matter of fact 

 always do, stand in for any reasonable sum in it. Some such 

 plan must necessarily be adopted by owners who wish to 

 remain long on the turf, and who do not choose to work 

 their own commissions and totally ignore the agent ; for 

 then they would, if nothing else, have the satisfaction of 

 knowing they have taken the market-price from a 

 responsible man. 



Another effective blow might be dealt to the evils of the 

 current practice of betting, by an alteration in the system of 

 nominations and entries for the big handicaps, which, if tried 

 and found successful, might easily be applied to other races. 



In cases when the stakes close some time before the day 

 of the race, I should suggest that instead of the entries being 

 made as now, the following plan should be adopted — taking 

 the Caisarewitch Stakes as an example. I would have it run 

 pretty much as follows : — 



" The Ccesarewitch Stakes, a free Jiandicap of 2^ sovs. 

 each, lo forfeit, 3 sovs. entrance. The names of 

 the ozvners and horses to be pnt doivn at Messrs. 

 WeatJierbys on the \st of Angnst, the 7veights to be 

 declared on the \st of September, and accept an ee to be 

 signified three 7i'cehs before the day of the race." 



