The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-03-10
Desire in England for Higher
Scale Of Weights Than
at Present.
MORE HORSES IN TRAINING
THAN EVER BEFORE
Horse Gallops Better in Hands
of Trained Man Than In
der Green Boy.
Tribune Special Sporting Service.

Tribune Special Sporting Service.
NEW YORK. March 9.-In view of
the number of heavyweight American
jockeys who have been obliged to seek
engagements abroad because Of ina
bility to keep down 10 the low scale
of WEIGHTS in use in Il majority Of
events on this side Of the Atlantic, it
is rather surprising TO note a desire
in England for still higher scale of
weights than at present in vogue. Yet
no less an authority than the Sports
man finds that the present English
scale caters to immature riders to too
great an extent, and advocates an in
crease IN the leading races at least.
The Sportsman says: With the in
crease in the number Of horses IN train
ing at Newmarket and elsewhere. there
is no commensurate increase in the
number of steady respectable and able
horsemen OF horsemen who can scale
at 81 pounds the number Is few indeed.
We also find a decided deficiency Of
Jockeys who can go TO scale at or about
9S pounds. In fact, the lowness Of the
scale makes itself felt all through to
what is now considered the maximum
weight. With such a number Of horses
in training and the difficulty of OBJ
tanning jockeys to ride them, the pres
ent state of things should certainly
cease TO exist
That horse gallops better in the
hands of a Jockey who has thoroughly
learned his trade or profession than it
does in those of an inexperienced boy
goes without saying. and in the short
races of the present day, in which
qulckness in getting away is essential,
the owner who has the benefit of the
saddle is certainly IN far better po-
sition than he who has to rely on the
efforts of willing but half trained lad.
With horseman in the saddle, one
who has served his apprenticeship and
is thoroughly acquainted with his pro-
tesslon, how differently are things man
aged. He seldom gives the starter any
trouble occasionally with n nervous or
eNcltable horse he may cause delay, but
these are events thoroughly excusable !;
he is yet always on the alert. Those
who often walk down to the post and
like to see the start can tell YOU the
few horsemen who know their business.
The principal difficulty against an
increase of good Jockeys is the fact
that owing to the fattering handicaps
which are the rule, and the lowness of
the weight scale. 40 few Of those who
are apprenticed TO trainers are suited
by nature 10 follow their profession
when they arrive at maturer age As
boys, many are naturally small and of
pygmy proportions, but how often IL is
when mans estate is reached they fill
out and are no longer able To 90 to
scale at anything approaching 1l2
pounds. II the minimum scale for han
dIcaps and other races were raised even
II pounds, 1t would go a long way
toward increasing the number OF first
class jockeys, and in due course it
would show its benefit with owners. as
then they need not entrust heavily
backed horses, who are real good things
for certain races, TO any other but ex-
perienced horsemen. while the rider
whose only recommendation is his pyg.
my proportions would be banished from
the turf forever -