48 RACEHORSES IN AUSTRALIA 



jockeys, and trainers. In the Old Country the barrier met with strenuous 

 opposition for a long time, and literally, gallons of printer's ink must have 

 been used in condemning or upholding the "machine." 



But it all came right in the end, and anyone advocating a return to the days 

 of the flag would now be "locked up" right away. Long delays at the post, 

 and false starts, are no longer seen, and every field of horses is sent on its 

 momentous journey within a minute, or at the outside, a couple of minutes 

 of the advertised time of starting. Of course a great deal of this punctuality 

 and good starting is due to the splendid officials whom our leading clubs 

 employ. For a starter must have a particular temperament in order that he 

 may be perfectly fitted for the job. The present V.R.C. official, Mr. Rupert 

 Green, is very nearly an ideal starter. He knows the game thoroughly, he is 

 almost uncannily quick at seizing the first opportunity, and in that lies the 

 mainspring of his splendid efficiency. If you fail to take your first opportunity, 

 you are lost, at this business. He has the complete confidence of the boys, 

 and these, as a general rule, are masters of their mounts. Everyone, of course, 

 must have a bad start occasionally, but the majority of these are due to the 

 horses themselves. Some are naturally slower than others in finding their feet, 

 and do what you please, a certain number of them, out of hundreds, will 

 misbehave themselves in some way or another after the ropes have flown up. 

 But in the course of several years, during which I have witnessed many hund- 

 reds, perhaps thousands, of starts, 1 cannot recall more than, at the outside, 

 half a dozen where there has been anything to complain of so far as the 

 human element of the transaction was concerned. The late Mr. Godfrey 

 Watson was regarded as the Prince of Starters, in the same way as his father, 

 Mr. George Watson, was acknowledged to be the King. But I have not 

 seen anything in these two which is not at least emulated by our official of 

 the present day. Nor indeed is Mr. Norman Wood, who officiates at most of 

 the down-the-line meetings, and at innumerable country gatherings in Victoria, 

 out of the running. And I have no doubt that there are other admirable 

 officers over on the other side, whom it has not been my fortune to witness 

 handling the big fields that assemble behind the barriers at the many suburban 

 and outside meetings near Sydney. At any rate, "The Gate" has completely 

 altered the whole aspect of the racing, and especially of the sprint racing 

 of to-day. 



The numbered saddle-cloth is another strictly Australian innovation. It 

 is such an obvious improvement on the old state of affairs that one wonders 

 how the Jockey Club in England has never adopted the idea. The use of 

 the cloths is meant only for the convenience of the general public, be it under- 

 stood, and not for the use of the judge or other official. To these, of course, 

 the different colours are so familiar, that I do not suppose they ever notice 

 that the numbers are there. But I confess that, for myself, I occasionally find 

 them extremely handy. Where there is a large field, and two or three, per- 

 haps, of the jackets are new to me, I often refer to the numbered cloth, which, 

 with powerful glasses you can read from almost any point on our largest 

 course, and I acknowledge the convenience. 



When I was last at Newmarket, in England, I saw a device which we 

 might do well to copy. At the July Meeting at Newmarket, the horses, instead 

 of being in stalls or in boxes awaiting their race, parade round paths cut 

 through the Plantation. It is very delightful, on a hot summer's day, to sit 

 on a comfortable garden seat, and take stock of the high-bred animals stroll- 

 ing round through the chequered light and shade, whilst the spectators, many 

 of them also highly bred, from His Majesty the King downwards, watch them 



