CHAPTER VJIl. 



IIANDICAI'S. 



It cannot be long now before the whole system 

 of handicapping mnst be dealt with. It is found, 

 and has been for a considerable time past, to be 

 extremely unsatisfactory, and to work on lines no- 

 body seems to clearly understand. 



The late Major Egerton was a most assiduous 

 handicapper, and he was thought by very many to 

 have a special gift in the art of adjusting the bal- 

 ance, as is were, between notoriously bad horses 

 and those having form and creditable running cre- 

 dentials, with which he had to deal in framing a 

 handicap. When he failed, as I am afraid he often 

 did, to give satisfaction to numerous oAvners, it was 

 certainly no fault of his; for, as far as human inge- 

 nuity could go, that estimable and gallant gentle- 

 man's efforts were directed in the most upright and 

 painstaking course. 



In no sense could he be called an unjust or vin- 



