Its Makers, Past and Present 



befits his dignity — walks to the weighing-room, there to 

 see the jockeys scaled. 



It was about the year 1770 that professional judging 

 replaced that of amateurs, when, owing to a dispute that 

 took place at Burford Races, in Oxfordshire, over the 

 decision of a race, it was resolved by the Jockey Club that 

 the duties of judge should be performed by a paid official. 

 This important office was accordingly conferred upon John 

 Hilton, who retained the post until 1806. In those days 

 he had no easy time of it, when as the Daily Telegraph 

 observes, ' 'the 

 game of racing 

 was played with 

 all the advan- 

 tages, or in other 

 words, when 

 jostling, unfair 

 riding, and com- 

 bats on horseback 

 between the 

 jockeys with their 

 whips were of 

 constant occur- 

 rence. " John 

 Hilton was a man 

 of peculiar tastes, 

 and, according to 

 his contempo- 

 raries, found re- 

 laxation from his 

 work in the 



JOHN CLAKK 



27: 



