RACING REFORM. 323 



often result in failure when the acceptances come 

 to be declared. We read occasionally in the 

 newspapers that " the Messrs. Asterisk have, as 

 usual, succeeded in putting together an admirable 

 specimen of their art, the fifty-nine horses entered 

 being apportioned such weights as makes it 

 difficult to find a flaw in the handicap," etc. etc. ; 

 but despite this flattery and a liberal bonus of 

 added money, probably not one-third of the horses 

 entered are found to cry content on the appointed 

 day. 



It is long since a professional handicapper was 

 advocated. Admiral Rous was looked upon by 

 the racing world as being, in his day, an adept 

 in the art of handicapping ; but a flaw was fre- 

 quently discovered in some of his indictments, 

 and in the opinion of really good judges better 

 handicaps than those which, after the Admiral's 

 death, emanated from the office of the Messrs. 

 Weatherby were never made. Now that gate- 

 money meetings are coming into vogue, the 

 professional handicapper is imperatively required. 

 A gentleman who put together the weights for 

 a big race to be run at one of these gate meetings 

 was heard to say, when his handicap was published : 

 *' By George, sir, I didn't know my own work " — 

 it had been so mangled to suit particular owners, 

 some of whom were shareholders in the concern. 

 The appointment by the Jockey Club of an official 

 handicapper for their own meetings was a move 

 in the proper direction. 



Another racing reform which would naturally 

 result from the raising of the scale of weights 

 would be the abolition of boy jockeys, who are 

 really a blot on the turf. Many of these spoilt 



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