A QUESTION OF WEIGHTS 181 



Some nine years ago a proposal was made to raise 

 the regulation racing weights. In the controversy 

 which arose out of the suggested " reform" I wrote 

 as follows : — 



1 " In the year 1856 the weights for the Derby and 

 St. Leger were — for colts, 8 st. 7 lb., for fillies, 

 8 st. 2 lb. For the Oaks, fillies carried 8 st. 7 lb. 

 each. In most of the stakes for two-year-olds, 

 colts carried 8 st. 7 lb., fillies 8 st. 4 lb. In handi- 

 caps, the minimum weight was 4st, ranging up 

 to 9 st. 



' " In the year 1886 the weights for the Derby 

 were — for colts, 9 St., for fillies, 8 st. 9 lb. For the 

 Oaks, fillies carried 8 st. 10 lb. each. For the St. 

 Leger, colts carried 9 st., fillies 8 st. 11 lb. In most 

 of the stakes for two-year-olds, colts carried 8st. 10 lb., 

 fillies 8 st. 7 lb. In handicaps the minimum weight 

 was 5 st. 7 lb., ranging up to 10 st. 7 lb. 



' " It has been suggested that the weights should 

 again be raised. If we go on raising the weights, 

 where are we to stop, and where are the next 

 generation of jockeys to come from ? I quite 

 agree with Matthew Dawson, who remarks that, if 

 the weights are raised to 10 St., 11 st. men will try 

 to ride that weight. For the sake of a good mount 

 jockeys will always be ready and willing to reduce 

 their weight. I own it is very hard on such men 

 as Webb, J. Osborne, and Watts to have to be 

 continually wasting, but it always has been and 

 always will be the case, raise the weights as you 

 will." 



