RACING OFFICIALS 135 



tension of anxiety to see what number he has in- 

 structed his assistant to hoist in the frame — possibly 

 it may be no number at all, but the " o o," which 

 stands for a dead heat. 



The Starter's duties are at present threatened 

 with supersession by the introduction of the " starting 

 machine," a colonial invention, first tried in this 

 country last year (1897), which has found warm advo- 

 cates and no less energetic opponents. Starts under 

 the system which has for so long a time prevailed not 

 seldom occupy much time, and with the machine in use 

 there would very likely to be less delay at the post ; 

 so much must certainly be admitted ; but good starts 

 are by no means assured by the employment of the 

 contrivance. Some horses never take to it kindly, 

 others become very clever at it, and when it is used 

 there must always be a grave risk of accidents ; for the 

 horses advance to the barrier in a compact line, and if 

 a vicious, irritable, or " calfish " animal kicks out, as 

 some always will, broken limbs are an exceedingly 

 probable result. If there is no machine in front of the 

 iield, a jockey whose horse becomes troublesome can 

 ride it on in advance, or swing it to right or left : the 

 field are not all wedged together. The opinion of the 

 very great majority of those professionally engaged 

 in the sport is most strongly opposed to the starting 

 machine. Where the English method is in vogue, the 

 starter makes his way to the post, usually on horse- 

 back, dismounts, and, red flag in hand, takes the field 



