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begin making improvements in flat-racing in the same way as their 

 collaborators have done in steeplechasing. 



They might begin by cancelling their rule which relates to nominations 

 becoming void by reason of the death of the nominator. A rule so 

 fraught with absurdity comment upon it is unnecessary. 



Then, after having put the more important matters right, they might 

 make it compulsory upon trainers to have exhibited on their horse's 

 clothing in the paddock, and on the saddle cloth when going to start, 

 a large red number corresponding with the horse's number on the 

 card. Such would be of the greatest convenience to the public, and 

 would save stable-boys having to reply a hundred times a day to the 

 question, *' What horse is that ?" 



As I said more than once, love of sport pure and simple is not the 

 chief inducement nowadays to attend race-meetings. Racing men look 

 upon the Turf the same as every commercial man does upon his busi- 

 ness — simply to make money out of, while the geaeral public go for the 

 purpose of betting. We could find few people who would care to see 

 a race between, say, five horses of real good class ding-dong from post 

 to post won by half a head, with heads separating the others, if the 

 race was only for a sweepstake of 5sovs. each. Still fewer are found 

 who care to look on at a trial. If Mr. John Porter was to send an 

 invitation to one hundred of his friends to come and witness a trial 

 between the cracks at present in the Kingsclere stables, including Orme 

 and La Fleche, I venture to say very few would avail themselves of it 

 for any purpose other than to spot the best to back in the future. 



In old times there were a great many men in England who raced 

 purely for the love of the sport. No doubt most of them betted, but 

 lots of them did not. In recent years we had Lord Falmouth, and 

 now we have Baron de Hirsch, imbued with the same ideas ; neither 

 betted, while the latter gives the stakes he wins to various charities. 

 We must remember, however, they were very rich men ; moreover, 

 they won large amounts in stakes. If such were not the case, the 

 question arises, would they be satisfied with honour and glory alone ? 



Newmarket, with all its historic associations, and where between the 

 best horses of the year magnificent sport is to be witnessed, never 

 attracts large crowds except on the days of the Two Thousand, the 

 Cesarewitch, and the Cambridgeshire. Why 1 Because to get there is 

 very troublesome, and except upon those three races there is no very 

 heavy betting. 



At all suburban meetings, where racing is not nearly as interesting 

 as at Newmarket, but where there are greater facilities of access, 

 huge stakes, and prodigious betting, people assemble in thousands. 

 Multitudes fiock to Ascot and Goodwood, because to attend them is 

 "the fashion" and the "right thing," but they care not for the sport. 

 Many do not even look at the racing ; they go simply to be seen by 

 and to see others. 



Not so to Doncaster for the St. Leger, Aintree for the Grand 



