RACING REFORM. 317 



number of meetings. So long as the public 

 support these meetings in a way that brings profit 

 to their promoters, just so long will they continue 

 to flourish and no longer. What the owners of 

 horses who do not gamble desire is to win big 

 stakes rather than little ones, and owners who 

 keep animals simply for gambling purposes can, 

 of course, offer no objections to well-attended 

 centres of sport ; it being borne in mind that the 

 sixpences and shillings paid by the multitude for 

 admission provide the stakes, just as the " small 

 money " received from little gamblers enables 

 bookmakers to lay big amounts to " the swells " 

 against their horses. 



Looked at in this light, the well-organised 

 gate-money meetings now held in the vicinity of 

 great seats of population will, in time, absorb 

 a large portion of the racing capital and enterprise 

 of the country, so that the small old-fashioned 

 county gatherings will undoubtedly dry up. The 

 "Innkeepers' Plate" and the "County Members' 

 Cup" will speedily be no longer heard of; and 

 a time will come when the hat will not be sent 

 round among the tradespeople of a county for the 

 purpose of providing a racing trophy for the local 

 meeting. The only county races of the kind 

 indicated will, there can be little doubt, dwindle 

 ere long into farmers', hunters', and yeomanry 

 meetings. 



In seeking after turf reform, it must be borne 

 in mind that there are some things which the 

 Jockey Club cannot possibly accomplish ; but it is 

 undoubtedly the province of that body to regulate 

 racing so far as the ages of horses are concerned ; 

 they can determine when two-year-olds shall first 



