226 HORSE-RACING IN ENGLAND 



tion of the sporting press (as regards the number, 

 the diurnality, the voluminousness, the self-asser- 

 tion, and the accepted authority of newspapers), 

 the all but absolute immunity of the ' tout ' 

 under the patronage and the segis of the said 

 press, the glorification of the 'gambling hell/ 

 the institution of elective handicapping (first 

 tried for the Babraham Plate at Newmarket, 

 1892, when a choice was made between three 

 separate handicaps), the final and utter collapse 

 of ' the Arabian ' (exemplified by the poor 

 performances and poor sale of Mr. Wilfrid 

 Blunt's breed of Arabs), the abolition of Royal 

 Plates (1887) in England, the competition 

 of nobility and gentry for the post of paid 

 'starter,' the mystery of the 'Jockey Ring,' the 

 elevation of the trainer (who is now but a very 

 little lower than the angels, is ' interviewed ' by 

 ' Society papers ' and has long biographical articles 

 written about him, sees the weddings of his sons 

 and daughters, with ' full choral service ' and pre- 

 sents of diamonds and rubies, recorded in the 

 ' fashionable intelligence,' as if he were a 

 ' Royalty,' or at the very least a Duke, and has 



