302 THE RACING WORLD 



horses have done in a race than about the perform- 

 ance of their own mount. 



A racing vaticinator must weigh up all the 

 material he has at hand, thoroughly study the 

 public form of the horse, and then consider the 

 suitability of the course, the distance, the going, 

 and what is no less important, whether his jockey 

 will be able either to hold him, or, if a slug, " get 

 him out." Some horses of course go best for a 

 featherweight, coming through from end to end ; 

 with others a light weight is a serious disadvantage 

 if they are either too impetuous to be restrained or 

 require strong handling. Every writer is influ- 

 enced, particularly in moments of wavering, by 

 incident or accident. Naturally, a good memory 

 is half the battle, for form is our chief stock-in- 

 trade. The " book " is of course not applicable 

 early in the season, when some handicap horses are 

 simply having an " airing." Two-year-olds give 

 no collateral basis ; then at jumping the novices 

 may be only having a necessary " public school." 



A racing writer receives no end of communi- 

 cations from numerous professional touts at the 

 training centres and stable lads themselves, 

 offering information about horses with whom the 

 writers are associated. Both sources of knowledge 

 are, I believe, accepted by certain of the smaller 



