WELL BALANCED AT START 



should include in those with knowledge such riders 

 as Lester Reiff, Maher, George Stern, Lucien Lyne, 

 Frank Wootton, and Frank O'Neill. Now what per- 

 centage does this give of those riding within the last 

 few years in England, France and Belgium ? It has 

 been spoilt altogether by apprentices when mixed in 

 with horsemen. The youngsters do not know what 

 action a horse is in when he " breaks " for the start. 

 That is why so many of them are thrown right up in 

 the saddle, and even lose their seats, not being in any 

 way in unison with the horse. 



Let it be said here too that it is not always the horse 

 which gets away that can be looked upon as a winner. 

 A well-balanced horse getting away last or nearly last 

 has frequently the " bulge " on the others from 

 the very beginning. Look for yourself in any race 

 meetings you may go to, and the horse which slips 

 into his stride when the tapes go up will certainly 

 have to be reckoned with before the finish. Referring 

 too to inconsistency owing to inability at the gate, it 

 must be remembered that a horse never gets away 

 quite twice alike. It is not always the boy's fault 

 when it is said of him that he has ridden a bad race ; 

 it is often because he is ignorant of the first principles 

 of how to get away. 



I don't suppose any of us can look for any alteration 

 in the rules of racing, and it is certainly not for me to 

 criticise them, but some day the question of the better- 

 ment of racing will have to start on the question of 

 apprentices and the gate ; and alterations made in 

 this respect for these two blots on what are best for 

 the game. It is no use arguing whether the standing 

 start or the walk-up would be better. Let other 

 things be settled first. The gentlemen who rule the 

 Turf are not jockeys, nor will jockeys ever be stewards, 



293 



