324 A MIRROR OF THE TURF. 



children of fortune would be better at school than 

 engaged in riding horses which many of them 

 are quite unable to manage. A lad weighing 

 6 St. 7 lb. cannot, it is true, be very much of a man ; 

 but an increase of even half a stone on the present 

 lowest weight would give a wider choice of horse- 

 men than at present, and as the weights would 

 be increased all round, older jockeys would more 

 frequently obtain a mount than is now the case. 

 Many of the liliputian riders are so early spoiled 

 by one or two successes that it is to be regretted 

 the system which called them into being was not 

 abolished before it had time to take root. Many 

 gentlemen have long since seen the evil of en- 

 trusting great interests to mere children. It has 

 been often said of child jockeys when they have 

 been employed to ride horses pitched upon to 

 carry the fortunes of a stable, but which have 

 failed to win the race, that " it was not the horse 

 that was beaten, but the boy." It is earnestly 

 to be desired, then, in the interests of all concerned 

 that weights should be raised all round to a 

 standard that will admit of a larger number of 

 horses being ridden by men. 



As to the distances fixed for races, it may be 

 assumed that the Jockey Club should be able to 

 lay down such rules as would be acceptable to the 

 majority of owners. And here again the gambling 

 element comes into notice in relation to the 

 increasinof desire that seems to be entertained 

 for " short spins " for races, that is, of a mile or 

 less. The horses which can be calculated upon to 

 run for two miles and a half may almost be enume- 

 rated on the ten fingers, so that there is little 

 room for betting on the result of races in which 



