BUSINESS OF HORSE-RACING. 8i 



by withdrawal of their horses for the race, and 

 their non-entry in future contests, any flagrant 

 instance of favouritism. At some race meetings, 

 perhaps, as many as fifty separate weights will 

 have to be adjusted, from day to day, during the 

 progress of sport, besides those assigned to horses 

 in standing events before racing began. 



No meeting is perfect without the assistance 

 of the " starter," an official whose business it is to 

 start the competing horses. The duty of the 

 starter, more particularly when there is a large 

 field of young horses (two-year-olds), is difficult 

 to perform satisfactorily, especially when the short 

 distance to be run (say five furlongs) is taken into 

 account ; it is of the utmost importance, therefore, 

 that each horse shall start on equal terms. A 

 starter must possess firmness and decision of 

 character in no ordinary measure, as he may 

 have at times as many as forty jockeys under 

 command, several of the boys being mounted on 

 very unruly animals, while others may be wilfully 

 goading their horses into unruliness on purpose to 

 delay the start, thereby so fatiguing the younger 

 riders as to make them lose command of their 

 horses, and thus lose their chance of winning. 



Starters have necessarily much in their power ; 

 and instances are known of such officials having 

 occasionally favoured a particular horse, by allow- 

 ing it to obtain what is called, in racing parlance, 

 a " flying start," or some other advantage. Dis- 

 obedient jockeys may be complained against by 

 the starter to the stewards, who will reprimand 

 them for trivial offences, or perhaps suspend them 

 from riding during the continuance of the meeting 

 for grave faults ; or remand consideration of the 



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