Raising weights in handicaps.

31. Any member of a Racing Club riding in with the leading horses in a race shall be fined to the amount of 251., and all other persons to the amount of 51.

32. Rule 10 (ii) of the Rules of Racing. extends at Newmarket to the highest weight left in at ten o'clock the preceding evening in handicaps for plates and stakes, where there is no declaration of forfeit, provided the weights are fixed the night before running.

33. No rule or alteration of a rule of the Jockey Club takes effect until it has been published in the Racing Calendar, unless specially ordered to the contrary at the time the said rule or alteration is adopted; and no new rule of the Jockey Club can be passed, and no rule be rescinded without previous notice being given in the Sheet Racing Calendar, except when it relates to the private business of the Club, when notice shall be sent by circular to all the members in the week preceding the meeting, nor at any meeting at which less than nine members are present.

1885.

REPORT OF THE PRINCIPAL PROCEEDINGS OF THE JOCKEY CLUB DURING THE YEAR, ABRIDGED FROM THE SHEET

CALENDAR.

The Annual Financial Meeting of the Club was held at Newmarket, on Wednesday in the Craven Meeting (April 22nd).

The Senior Steward presented the accounts for the past year, which had been audited by a public accountant, and, on retiring, naming Ld Hastings as his successor, which was agreed to unanimously.

A Meeting of the Club was held at Newmarket, on Wednesday in the First Spring Meeting (May 6th).

Ld Cadogan, in bringing forward the motion of which he had given notice. viz.;

To add to Rule 41

In all selling races, every horse engaged, and not struck out, shall be liable to be claimed before the race by the owner of any other horse remaining engaged, for the value of the race, and double the amount for which the horse is entered to be sold, half of which latter shall go to the Race fund, such claim to be made in writing to the Clerk of the Scales during the fifteen minutes preceding the time fixed for weighing under Rule 31, and during which time no horse can be scratched.

A horse claimed before the race cannot run, but the claimer shall pay his forfeit and entrance money, and take his engagements if a condition of the race.

If more than one claim to be settled by lot.

When a horse has been claimed before a race, such race shall not be void, but the added money shall be given, even for a walk-over.

No horse to be entered for a selling race "not to be sold,"

referred to the recommendation of the Committee appointed in 1870 of a similar rule, and also to the trial of the rule by the Stewards, at Newmarket, during the years 1874 and 1875, The D. of St Albans seconded the motion.

Ld Zetland, on behalf of the Stewards, intimated that they could not support the motion.

Sir George Chetwynd, the D. of Beaufort, Mr Lowther, and Sir John Astley, opposed it, and Mr Chaplin and Mr Craven spoke in favour of it, and, on being put to the vote, there appeared

A Meeting of the Club was held at Newmarket, on Wednesday, in the Second Spring Meeting (May 20th).

Mr Leopold de Rothschild, in bringing forward the motion of which he had given notice, viz.

To add to Rule 4 (iii)

"At each meeting advertised in the Racing Calendar, there shall be not less than one weight-for-age race per day, not a selling race, and not confined to two yrs old," read some statistics showing the small proportion of weightfor-age races run during the last year.

Ld Cadogan expressed his willingness to second the motion, but suggested, as there appeared some doubt of the meaning of the expression "weight for age," the addition of the words, "with or without penalties or allowances."

Mr Leopold de Rothschild accepted this addition.

Ld Suffolk proposed to modify the rule by requiring only one weight-for-age race at a two days' meeting, but one per day at larger meetings.

After some conversation, in which Mr Lowther, Mr Craven, the D. of Beaufort, and Ld Zetland took part, the motion was agreed to unanimously, in the following terms

To add to Rule 4 (iii)—

"At each meeting advertised in the Racing Calendar, there shall be not less than one weight for age race, with or without penalties or allowances, not being a selling race or confined to two yrs old, and at every meeting of more than two days, one such race each day, provided there are five entries, and three horses the property of different owners start."

A Meeting of the Club was held at Newmarket, on Wednesday in the July Meeting (July 8th).

The addition to Rule 4, passed in the Second Spring Meeting, was brought up and confirmed.

Four Hon. Members were appointed on the Committee of the Bentinck Benevolent Fund.

A Meeting of the Club was held at Newmarket, on Wednesday in the First October Meeting (September 30th).

Ld Zetland, on behalf of the Stewards, brought forward a

motion

To alter Rule 15 (4th paragraph) as follows, the addition being in italics

66

"No declaration of forfeit, except for races of the current week, shall be fixen to be made at noon, or at any hour earlier than the end of the day, nor on any day but Tuesday."

which was carried unanimously.

The Hon. R. Carington was elected a Member of the Club.

A Meeting of the Club was held at Newmarket on Wednesday in the Second October Meeting (October 14th).

The alteration of Rule 15 (4th paragraph, passed at the last meeting, was confirmed unanimously.

Ld Cadogan then brought forward the motion of which he had given notice, viz.:

That a Committee of the Club be appointed to consider the subject of Selling Races and the Rules and Regulations under which they are now conducted. Col. Forester seconded the motion.

Ld Zetland said the Stewards would not oppose the appointment of a Committee if the Club desired it.

Mr Craven opposed the appointment of a Committee, and moved, as an amendment, that the Stewards be requested to take the subject under consideration, and report on it in the Craven Meeting. Mr Leopold de Rothschild seconded the amendment. After some discussion, in which Ld Suffolk and Sir G. Chetwynd took part, Ld Cadogan said he would be willing to leave the matter in the hands of the Stewards if they would undertake it, and, with the consent of the meeting, withdraw his motion. The Stewards having consented, Ld Cadogan withdrew his motion.

A Meeting of the Club was held at Newmarket on Wednesday in the Houghton Meeting (October 28th).

The D. of Beaufort brought forward the motion of which he had given notice, viz.—

To add to the Rules of the Jockey Club, Nos. 22 and 23, relating to the Challenge Cup and Whip:

But in no case shall the Cup or Whip leave the United Kingdom."

Mr Craven seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.

THE ANNEXED SCALE OF WEIGHT FOR AGE is published under the sanction of the Stewards of the Jockey Club as a guide to Managers of Race Meetings, but is not intended to be imperative, especially as regards the weights of two and three years old relatively to the old horses in selling races early in the year.

It is founded on the scale published by Admiral Rous, and revised by him in 1873, but has been modified in accordance with suggestions from the principal trainers and practical authorities.

This scale has been adopted by the Master of the Horse for the Queen's Plates.