HANDICAPPERS 221 



been worked out ; this is a good practice for the 

 memory, and it is interesting to compare the actual 

 order when the weights have been finally adjusted 

 with the original order, the result of your first 

 impressions. With constant practice you will find 

 that in about two out of every three races you will 

 write down first the name of the horse which is 

 eventually destined to carry top weight. Curiosity 

 whilst writing this has prompted me to ascertain 

 the result of my work in this direction during 

 1902, and I find that out of 289 handicaps recorded 

 in the book the first horse written down was 

 awarded the " post of honour" on 190 occasions as 

 against 99 when another top weight was sub- 

 stituted, though there was frequently a very narrow 

 margin between the two. 



Cavillers might say that this is a proof that you 

 are not impartial, and that you allowed your first 

 impressions to overrule the result of your investi- 

 gations, but I am confident that were the books of 

 other more or less experienced handicappers to be 

 inspected the same results would usually be found. 



After afiixing the age of each horse to his 

 name, the next column of index numbers referring 

 to the horses' performances (in whatever guide is 

 used for the purpose) is filled in, the latest refer- 

 ence number being in each case sufficient ; then 



