LORD REDESDALE’S BILL CONSIDERED. 199 
subject, more to the incapacity of the boys put up to ride 
than to the demerit of the horses. 
In a book entitled “Horse Racing,” published in 1863, 
I find it is said, 
“In 1860 Lord Redesdale introduced the light-weight racing 
bill into the House of Lords: by which it was proposed that 
after January Ist, 1861, no horses should start for any racing 
prize, carrying less that 7 st. weight, under a penalty of 
forfeiture of the horse so running and £200.” 
The bill, though it gave unqualified satisfaction to many, 
was disliked by some; the then Lord Derby amongst others 
not approving it. He said, 
“Tf the minimum were placed at 7st. the consequence 
would be in all handicaps the superior old horses would have 
to carry 11 and 12 st. There was a reason, however,” said 
his lordship, “why it was rather desirable that the weights 
should be slightly raised ; viz., the great difficulty of procuring 
jockeys to ride old horses in the present competition with the 
light-weight system.” 
This does not seem to me to be a slender reason; for if we 
raise the standard, we get what his lordship desired—men in 
the saddle in place of boys. It cannot be said, after what 
has been shown, that a weight of eleven or twelve stone is 
likely to hurt the horses. Mr. Osbaldestone’s match must 
have escaped Lord Derby’s memory when he implied that 
horses could not carry this weight; although it must be 
allowed that the opinion on his part can only be inferred—he 
did not actually assert it. He goes on to say that it was the 
intention of the Jockey Club to raise the weights for the 
Derby, and some other races, from 8st. 7 lbs. to 8st 10 lbs., 
thus leaving untouched the whole gist of the matter, which 
is the raising of the lowest standard from 5 st. 7 lbs. to 7 st. 
