New-York tribune., 1905-07-10
AN APPRENTICE JOCKEY.
Auo5cances Are a Necessary EUI
SGqs Lord DOzcne.

At the annual meeting of the English Jockey Club
late in June long discussion was held anent the
extending Of the time during which apprentice
allowance could be claimed by boys when riding
horses trained by the persons 10 whom they
apprentced. There quite difference of opin-
ION and pertinent points to all interested in
turf government were brought out Lord Crewe
was in favor of change in the rule as it stood.
He reminded the club that the question of the
apprentice allowance had been before them for
certain number of years. and that the object with
which it was started was TO increase the number
OF Jockeys. At that time they becoming
rather alarmed at the great number OF foreign
Jockeys. and it thought that methng ought
to be done TO increase the number of the home
grown article. Various suggestions were made.
and one was to create a school for Jockeys; but
that seemed difficult TO carry out IN practice 1t
seemed 10 him that the question Had the
object OF Rule 55 been completely fulfilled? He
thought that It had been fulfilled to certain de-
gree. and IN certain directions but not in others
1t had certainly produced some excellent appren-
tees. but it had not had the effect that they had
hoped # would have OF producing a very large
number OF competent Jockeys and Il had not had
the effect, apparently, OF inducing trainers as a
class to take much more trouble than they took
before 10 educate Jockeys.
The matter had fallen into the hands of two or
three trainers who had Cquits IegttinateIy as he
thought made it a profession to train boys as ap-
prentices. and who, he had doubt, found that
particular profession exceedingly lucrative
one. The first point that he desired TO raise was
to the amount of the allowance, five pounds He
thought there was doubt that there was he
would not say a prevailing impression, but GER
tainly very general impression. that that allow
ance somewhat too large under the circum-
stances under which it allowed. and he has
tened to say that If the more valuable races were
excluded from the purview of the rule he for one
would be content to have the allowance to remain
at five pounds.
That was TO say, If a rule adopted similar to
the French rule. which. he thought limited the
value Of a race on which any allowance could be
given TO $780, he=did not know that the allowance
would be excessive, What happened now was that
this allowance was given for valuable and i'm
portant handicaps 1t was notorious fact and he
did not think anybody would deny IT, that when
handlcapers were preparing the weights for an
important handicap they took into account In al
loting the weight to a particular stable the fact
that that stable could command the services of a
particular apprentice, and therefore, although il
was a very good thing TO have an apprentice Of
your own. it was much better thing not TO have
one OF your own. but to be able 20 purchase the
services Of somebody eses apprentice. because the
handicappers then would not have taken into ac-
count the extra skill of the boy
bord DoWne said he was sorry that he entirely
olsagreed with Lord Crewe He looked upon the
allowances 10 apprentices a necessary evil They
distinctly were evil. One wished to know wba+
morse was to carry. and the Handicapped wished to
know what weight to put, but he could not tell
whether the owner would get an apprentice TO ride
OF whether he would not. He Oord Downe) quite
realized the object for which the allowance was
given and he had doubt it had taught a certain
NUMBER or Jockeys, but he thought to extend the
PITlhCipIe would be the greatest possible mistake
ne thought that one year was ample The only
9uesuon was whether instead OF taking it for 365
LAYS IL would not be better to take certain num-
per OF wins One boy might win one race or two
races IN year, and another boy might win a praar
many, he thought that would be safer but 10 ex-
tend the time would be a decided mistake
LORD Durham said he thought that there was a
general opinion that the apprentice allowance at
tne present moment as granted, was not satisfac-
@ aory he would suggest that instead OF the allow
dnce Delng granted for 360 days. should be granted
unuI the apprentice had a certain nur1ber of
races, irrespective Of whether he had done so IN
one year or IN two years. more, because as mac
oeen pointed out, some Jockeys might win thirty or
forty races in a year while some boy in a small
stable would, perhaps only win race in whole
year de would like that boy TO go on riding a 3
long as he was an apprentice with the apprentice
allowance until ne had a specified num-
Der or raceS-twenty-f1ve thirty whafever
tt might be- II they eliminated the big handicaps
there was no inducement the gambling owner
TO pay large for the services or these Jockeys
and therefore he thought that the boys would NOT
De Kept back as they would be If the club allowed
dicaps. 20 W