SOME NEVER RISE IN CLASS 



stewards would be absurd unless the right men could 

 be drawn into it. 



Alluding again to the apprentice question, with the 

 exception of the starting gate the present apprentice 

 arrangement has been the worst enemy possible to 

 racing. If the idea mentioned above was carried out, 

 and apprentices up to a certain stage of proficiency 

 kept to their own class, there would be a pride of spirit 

 to encourage them to learn riding and not play monkey 

 tricks in the saddle. The best way possible is for 

 them to observe other riders in their own races and 

 take lessons from their elders or the promoted who 

 were expected to give good exhibitions. During the 

 last few years, judging from the performances of 

 many fully licensed jockeys, I have no hesitation in 

 saying that many should be put back to the apprentice 

 class. This is not said in any way because I do not 

 happen to be in the saddle myself, but because for 

 absolute incompetency many would take a medal. 

 They seem to lose all idea of equihbrium and altogether 

 may have lost their nerve and any knowledge of pace 

 ever possessed and generally are no good at all. Ask any- 

 one in England, from the Stewards of the Jockey Club 

 downwards, whether race riding has deteriorated and 

 they will all agree that it has. Yet it is possible for 

 riding to be revolutionised within the next genera- 

 tion or so. I would repeat, and this very emphatic- 

 ally, that, like aviation in this year of 1915, race riding 

 may be only in its infancy and what Harry Grifhn, 

 Lester Reiff, Johnny Reiff, and perhaps myself have 

 done is only the beginning of what may be discovered 

 by those coming after us. 



But the first thing to do is to battle with the 

 apprentice question and remove that horrible 5 lb. 

 allowance and let them learn properly. One of the 



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