230 THE RACING WORLD 



stand it would involve the writing of six or seven 

 letters by each official, and would not be stamped 

 with the same air of authority as in the course 

 I have here suggested. 



What has always seemed to me one of the 

 weakest points in our handicapping system is the 

 right that is claimed by any person who considers 

 himself aggrieved in the matter of handicapping 

 to call the official framer of the weights before 

 the stewards and ask for an explanation. It is 

 practically impossible to frame one handicap of any 

 size out of twenty that will not, on the face of it, 

 appear hard on the nominators or owners of one 

 or two of the horses. Horses are not the mere 

 machines so many suppose them to be ; at times 

 their running is contradictory, more especially 

 during their early career on the Turf, and their 

 first appearance is frequently marred by a " green- 

 ness " which practice rapidly dissipates ; and 

 consequently a revolution in the form appears. 

 The book tells you nothing here ; but careful 

 study and discernment throw timely light upon 

 the very many obscure difficulties with which you 

 are constantly confronted. The Stewards of race 

 meetings, though as a rule the most honourable of 

 men, and most anxious to do their duty, are by no 

 means always well versed in the technicalities of 



