HANDICAPPERS 229 



appreciate the difficulties of thus adjusting the 

 weights in a comparatively strange land than the 

 writer. Depend upon it, when a licence is once 

 granted, implicit confidence should be placed in 

 the official until he has shown by his conduct that 

 he is unworthy of it, and then, and not till then, 

 should steps be taken for his immediate removal. 

 The unsystematic handicapping, if I may so term 

 it, of the present day prevents handicappers from 

 being in that constant touch with each other 

 which, in my opinion, is indispensable to success in 

 adjusting the weights ; and on the conclusion of 

 each and every meeting they should be empowered 

 to draw up a report of the racing, taking note of 

 any marked disparity of form, calling attention to 

 any horses manifestly unfit, and, indeed, making 

 any remarks which they considered likely to be of 

 service to their brother handicappers. This report 

 might be forwarded weekly, or more often if 

 necessary, to the Secretary to the Jockey Club, and 

 circulated privately amongst the other handi- 

 cappers, so that each and all would be in pos- 

 session of every fact relating to the week's racing 

 which a handicapper should know, and of which 

 at the present time he is frequently entirely 

 ignorant. Under present arrangements, of course, 

 this idea might be carried out, but as matters now 



