ON HANDICAPPING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2441, 26 December 1900, Page 40

ON HANDICAPPING.

Our. handicapping, says an English writer, is not m a saxisiactory condition. Lord Durham, in- a recent speech, characterised the handicapping of the immediate past, a period which covered the time when he himself was ir ofiice as a steward, as haA'ing been distinctly bad, pnd by way of improving it, the curious step was taken'of prohibiting a handicapper from doing work for more than one meeting in each week. Some handieappers, it was ' found, were asked to do too much work to permit of the proper care being taken, and-soino restriction of the amount was distinctly advisable. If the stewards had said that no' one man should handicap on more than four days each week, a reasonable enactment would have been passed. Some men, of course, are more capable, and work more quickly than others, but one cannot legislate for individuals. What must be selfevident is that the more practice a man has within the limits of his powers, the better able he is to undertake work. The result of the latest rule has been to limit the work of some handicappers — good handicappers — to one or two days per week, and this is not sufficient from more than one point of view. Handicapping at the present day is, and must be, a matter of pounds, shillings, and pence. In the first place, you want a gentleman of character for the office, then you must pay sufficiently well to enable him to visit all the principal and many of the less important race meetings, for it is only by being an eye witness of the running that a man can keep himself in touch with contemporary "form." If a man is limited to one or two days per week he cannot do this, -since racing expenses are often on an extravagant scale, and the official on duty has no choice but to pay.' The man who would handicap for the mere love of the thing, and do it well, comes once in a generation perhaps ; the others must be paid on a scale that shall enable them to do their work painstakingly, and with a thorough knowledge of the subject. On a day or two each week this is not possible, especially as the practice of one handicapper underbidding others in the matter of price has crept in. This is a matter which should receive the attention of the authorities. It also seems but fair that, once a handicapper is given his license, every facility should be afforded him to witness racing. But we understand that this facility is not universally accorded at headquarters, where, of course, the beginning should be made.