86 TRIALS AGAINST TIME. 



veriest wretch becomes quite a respectable animal in 

 that race ; but not if handicapping ever goes, like 

 kissing, by favour, as I have heard it insinuated it some- 

 times does. But there are always some ill-natured 

 people in the world ready to malign the innocent. 



I remember in one instance my innocence being put 

 to the test in a case of handicapping. I was requested 

 by the steward at a country meeting to fix the 

 weights for seven horses. So soon as the weights 

 were declared, I had not only the very popular owner 

 of one of the horses on my back, but trainer, jockey, 

 groom, friends of the owner, and all : "I was deter- 

 mined to shut the horse out," was said : " I had put 

 a stone too much on him," was added: "he should 

 be drawn," &c. He was not drawn, however, and 

 Avon a good length, though not in a canter as was 

 wished. I was innocent of any intention that he 

 should, but not i7inocent &l\o\x^\ to be cajoled into any 

 alteration of the wei2:ht. 



I have heard much said for and against the idea of 

 trying horses' " speed against time." I believe it is 

 *' pretty considerably" practised in America, and Jona- 

 than knows something about racing as well as we do. 

 I have heard some persons ridicule the practice; others 

 support it. My private opinion is of little consequence 

 certainly ; still I have never heard enough against it 

 to induce me to join in the ridicule, but on the con- 

 trary I see many advantages in it. In a trial with 

 another horse, let it be remembered we have to trust 

 to him, as our trial horse, being fit to go, willing to 

 go, the jockey making him go, and perhaps — I only 

 say perhaps — on some particular occasion the trainer 

 wishing him to go, or otherwise. Now a good stop- 

 Avatch we may depend on as to going ; it is not ridden. 



