The foregoing observations on the "business" of horse-racing may be
fitly supplemented by a few additional remarks about the officers of
the turf--chiefly with regard to former doings by these gentlemen,
whose positions to-day are less "picturesque" than they were half a
century ago.
Various meetings are becoming nowadays hard to sustain, and there is,
in some instances, it is generally believed, a good deal of begging on
the part of the clerk of the course to get the requisite funds; in such
cases that gentleman performs, or used to perform, a liberal share of
the work. It may be mentioned here that when on a particular occasion
a Queen's Plate, usually run for at the popular Scottish Musselburgh
meeting, was disallowed by Parliament, at the instigation of a Radical
member of the House of Commons, the clerk of the course, Mr. James
Turner, along with some friends, conceived the idea of replacing the
disallowed trophy by a "People's Plate" of the same value, £100; a
subscription was suggested, and the requisite sum of money was obtained
in the course of a day or two, mostly in pence.
In a work published forty years ago, which probably few readers of
these pages have had an opportunity of perusing--"Turf Characters" is
its title--the following summary is given of the higher duties of a
clerk of the course:
"The clerk of the course has many obligations to fulfil, the due
execution of which requires almost incessant attention throughout
the whole period of the year, apart from the race-week itself. For
the efficient performance of those obligations, he must bring into
full exercise not only appropriate capabilities in his own part, but
their judicious application with regard to others. He is an important
connecting link; and upon himself depends, in a considerable degree,
the success and popularity of the meetings with which he is immediately
connected, as well as the maintenance of his own reputation. He should
not only be well acquainted with the laws of racing, but with all the
matters and propositions--with, in short, the prevailing state of the
turf; and, although it may not be needful that he should be, as it
were, a walking calendar with regard to past decisions generally, or
to pedigrees in particular, he should arm himself with every needful
information to strengthen his energies and aid his success. He should
be accurately acquainted with the several studs of horses in training,
what has been accomplished hitherto, and what is in anticipation. He
should be known to the respectable owners as well as to the trainers
themselves. To the former his deportment should be respectful,
without subserviency; zealous without intrusion; ready to give every
information as to added money on the one hand, and as to weights,
distances, penalties, and forfeits, on the other. With the latter, he
should be on comparatively familiar terms; as ready to communicate
propositions as to listen to suggestions; commanding respect by a
uniform civility, and assuring confidence by faithfulness and integrity.
"He should attend all the race-meetings throughout the country, not
only for the purpose of obtaining information as to the proposals
emanating from other great and competing race-meetings, but for
securing additional subscriptions or nominations contained in his own
red book, which, at the suitable opportunity, should be submitted to
the noblemen and gentlemen then present, although, perhaps, he may have
previously communicated with them by circulars through the post.
"By adopting this course, he places himself in the focus of turf
intelligence, from which radiates the information which he should turn
to the best account. While he thus becomes well known to all parties,
and esteemed for the propriety of his deportment on all occasions,
perhaps lauded for his praiseworthy zeal and assiduity, he becomes also
the best means of communication with all the owners of horses, and is
thus fully enabled to carry out the views of the race-meeting of his
own locality, city, or burgh, the most judicious appropriation of the
grants of the municipal body, or the subscriptions of the inhabitants,
and ensure the success and popularity which in racing matters are the
life-blood of the meeting."