On the State of the Law, 



CHAPTEE n. 



ON THE STATE OF THE LAW. 



The modern improvements in racing are the 

 assistant starter, with his flag and the Telegraph 

 board. The latter is a necessity to the racing 

 public, and indispensable with a large field of 

 horses. It appears extraordinary that races should 

 have been conducted without this necessary ap- 

 pendage for so many years; but the Telegraph 

 is not a legal requirement, or alluded to in the 

 * Rules of Eacing,' excepting when an alteration 

 be made after the numbers are exhibited. The 

 stewards may fine the owner, trainer, or jockey, 

 but the stewards have no power to disqualify a 

 winner if his number never appears on the Tele- 

 graph; and if the jockey omits or refuses to 

 weigh before the race, or if after any false starts 

 a horse duly entered arrives in time to take his 

 place at the starting post, and comes in first, he is 

 the legal winner of the race. The owner or 

 trainer may be fined 50^. for the absence of the 



