136 THE TURF 



in charge. The jockeys have drawn numbers in the 

 weighing-room, to determine their places in the line, 

 and these the starter reads out from a paper. His 

 assistant, with a large white flag, then takes his place 

 some fifty yards in advance, his business being to 

 lower his white flag when the starter, by dropping the 

 red flag, has given the signal ; the red flag will be 

 hidden from several of the jockeys farthest away 

 from it, all of whom, however, can see the white flag 

 well in front of them. The starter's object is to get 

 the field in a line, to see that no jockey is trotting or 

 cantering, but that all are at a walk ; and, when the line 

 is once straight, to say " Go ! " and flash his flag to the 

 ground. The business is difficult, for several reasons. 

 Jockeys often cannot restrain their horses ; sometimes 

 a few are all anxiety to get away, just to anticipate the 

 fall of the flag, and so steal an advantage ; on occasions, 

 it is to be feared, they do not all want to get off too 

 well ; and there are times when they lose their tempers 

 and give as much trouble as they dare, persistently 

 disobeying orders to "come on" or to "come back." 

 Admirable patience and equanimity are among the 

 chief requisites for a starter ; and it must be added 

 that these are found to an extraordinary extent in 

 the present chief occupant of the post, Mr. Arthur 

 Coventry. 



The Clerk of the Scales is on duty in the weigh- 

 ing room, his business being to weigh every jockey 

 who is going to ride, and make out a list of those 



