132 THE TURF 



which the fault-finders can know nothing ; but no one 

 ever attributes their proceedings to unworthy motives, 

 and the most absolute confidence is reposed in their 

 earnest desire to do their best for the sport. Their 

 powers are great; for to be "warned off" not only 

 prevents a man from visiting Newmarket Heath or 

 entering any ring or enclosure at a race meeting, but 

 involves a social stigma which irreparably ruins 

 character ; and, to make the penalty more sweeping, 

 the warning off is usually reported to the National 

 Hunt Committee, and to various foreign Jockey Clubs, 

 by whom it is extended to meetings under their 

 control. 



RACING OFFICIALS 



The duties of the various officials will be found 

 fully set forth in the Rules of Racing, and need 

 not be repeated here at length. That a Handi- 

 CAPPER should give general satisfaction is of course 

 not for a moment to be expected, as there are many 

 owners who do not really want a handicap with 

 which no fault can be found, but a compilation of 

 weights which gives their horses an advantage. Very 

 palpable blunders are, however, not rare. They 

 sometimes arise from carelessness in trusting to recol- 

 lection instead of looking up form ; sometimes they 

 are due to haste, a handicapper undertaking work 

 which he cannot possibly do in the short time he can 

 give to it ; and not seldom they are a consequence of 



