380 RACE RIDING. 



The saying that a man will generally beat a boy when it 

 comes to racing, is equally true when applied to starting. 



" At the start, boys (for I allude to them the light weights 

 of the present day) are generally left at the post or get badly 

 off, and ride their horses to a standstill before half the distance 

 has been gone over in the vain hope of gaining their lost 

 ground " ( William Day). It often happens that in a big 

 handicap, after two or three false starts, the light weights 

 are " all over the place," and their horses are fretful and out 

 of hand. When they return with difficulty to the starter, 

 they are unable to get them quickly " on their legs," and they 

 let them " go all abroad," with the certainty of running them 

 to a standstill before they can take a pull ; while one of the 

 top weights, who on public form appears to have several 

 pounds the worst of the handicap, gets off well in front with 

 his horse cool and collected, and is not caught by the lightly- 

 penalised ones, until their bad start, or misapplied efforts, 

 have deprived them of the greater part of the advantage 

 which they appeared to have on paper. After that, when it 

 comes to a finish, what chance can a tired boy have against 

 a strong, resolute man ? 



JUDGING PACE. 



A jockey should not only have a firm seat, good hands, be 

 thoroughly well up in all the tactics of race riding, and have 

 courage and dash to carry them out as opportunity may offer ; 

 but should also know at what pace his horse is going in 

 comparison to that of the other runners, should be able to 

 regulate his speed so that he may have the best possible 

 chance of " getting home " successfully, and if required, 

 should be able to select the exact spot from which he ought 

 to make his effort at the finish. Constant practice and 

 natural aptitude are necessary to enable one to acquire this 

 valuable art. 



