BUSINESS OF HORSE-RACING. 97 



It has hitherto been a fashion to hold up 

 Admiral Rous to the admiration of the turf world 

 as the greatest artist in the " putting together" of 

 horses that has ever been known, but statements 

 to that effect must be taken only for what they 

 are worth. Such a man as " the Admiral " was not, 

 of course, open to accept any vulgar bribe ; no 

 person would have had the hardihood to offer 

 him a " monkey," or even a pipe of fine old port, 

 to be allowed to place his own weight on his 

 own horse. But the Admiral was quite as easily 

 deceived as many other handicappers, with the 

 result of being occasionally remorselessly "sold " in 

 the same way by a well-devised " plant," of which 

 some carefully-kept horse which had been ridden 

 out of its distance at petty meetings was the hero. It 

 is impossible, with the fierce light which now beats 

 on his work, for a handicapper, unless he has been 

 deceived himself, to go far wrong ; he does his 

 duty, as may be said, in a glass house, under the 

 eye of all interested, and dare not therefore, if 

 he would, commit any serious faux pas, how- 

 ever great might be the temptation held out to 

 him. 



The work of the starter is occasionally most 

 onerous and difficult to perform satisfactorily. 

 Firmness and decision of character ought to be 

 the chief characteristic of this officer of the turf. 

 At times as many as thirty, and even on occasion 

 forty horses will assemble to compete in some 

 popular handicap, each jockey being eager to 

 secure an advantage over his neighbour at the 

 start. Many of the lads are mounted on animals 

 difficult to govern, whilst others of the jockeys 

 will, of set purpose, do their best to goad their 



