horse may enter without a certificate, provided he carry the same weight as the aged.

For the best of the Plate, where there are three heats run, the horse is second that wins one.

For the best of the heats, the horse is second that beats the other twice out of three times though he doth not, win a heat.

A confirmed bet cannot be off without mutual consent.

Either of the bettors may demand stakes to be made, and on refusal, declare the bet void.

If a party be absent on the day of running, a publio declaration of the bet may be made on the Course, and a demand, whether any person will make stakes for the absent party; if no person consent to it, the bet may be declared void.

Bets agreed to pay or receive in town, or at any other particular place, cannot be declared off on the Course.

At Newmarket, if a match be made for a particular day in any Meeting, and the parties agree to change the day, all bets must stand; but if run in a different Meeting, the bets made before the alteration are void.

The person who lays the odds, has a right to choose his horse, or the field.

When a person has chosen his horse, the field is what starts against him, but there is no field without one starts with him. Bets made in pounds are paid in guineas.

If odds are laid without mentioning the horse before it is over, it must be determined as the bets were at the time of making it. Bets made in running, are not determined till the Plate is won, if that heat is not mentioned at the time of betting.

Where a Plate is won by two heats, the preference of the horses is determined by the places they are in the second heat.

Horses running on the wrong side of the Post, and not turning back, distanced.

Horses drawn before the Plate is won, are distanced.

Horses distanced, if their riders cross and jostle.

A bet made after the heat is over, if the horse betted on does not start, is no bet.

When three horses have each won a heat, they only must start for a fourth, and the preference between them will be determined by it, there being before no difference between them.

No distance in a fourth heat.

Bets determined, though the horse does not start, when the words Absolutely, Run or Pay, or Play or Pay, are made use of in betting. Example. I bet that Mr. Robinson's bl. h. Sampson, Absolutely wins the King's Plate at Newmarket next Meeting; the bet is lost though he does not start, and won though he goes over the Course himself.

In running of heats, if it cannot be decided which is first, the heat goes for nothing, and they may all start again, exeept it be between two horses that had each won a heat, but if between two that had not each won a heat, then it is no heat, and the others may all start again.

Horses that forfeit are the beaten horses, where it is run or pay. Bets made on horses winning any number of Plates that year, remain in force till the first day of May.

Money given to have a bet laid, not returned, if not run.

Matches and bets are void on the decease of either party, before determined.

LAWS OF RACING.

To prevent disappointment and unnecessary trouble to persons who may be inclined to submit any matters in dispute to the decision of the Stewards of the Jockey Club, we are desired to insert the Conditions on which alone they give their opinion.

The matter in dispute must relate to Horse Racing. The parties must agree upon a statement of the case in writing, request the opinion of the Stewards of the Jockey Club thereon, and agree to abide by their decision; and such agreement must be signed by the parties. -If the dispute should not occur at Newmarket, the reference must come through, or with the sanction of, the Stewards of the Races where it happened.

Except the case arise at Newmarket, they decline giving any opinion where facts alone are in dispute: such as a complaint of foul riding, &c. All such cases are most effectually investigated on the spot, whilst the matter is fresh in the memories of the witnesses, where their attendance is most easily procured, and their credibility best understood.

All communications must be addressed "To the Keeper of the Match-book, at Newmarket," and delivered free of postage. By order of the Stewards,

E. WEATHERBY.

NEWMARKET, 16th May, 1816, Some disputes having arisen respecting the qualifications of horses to run for particular races, as well in regard to the time when the certificates should be produced, as to the person by whom the qualification or disqualification should be proved, the Stewards of the Jockey Club, in the hope of introducing a uniformity of practice in this respect, and with a view to prevent disputes, declare it as their opinion, that when the qualification of any horse is objected to before starting, it is incumbent on the owner to produce a certificate, or other proper document, to the Stewards, or Clerk of the Course, before the race is run, to prove the qualification of his horse; and that if he shall start his horse without so doing, he must be considered as disqualified; and further, that their decisions on all cases referred to them on this point, will be regulated accordingly. By order of the Stewards,

EDWARD WEATHERBY.

CASE I.

JULY 4, 1776. A Subscription of 10gs each, for Hunters that never won either Plate, Match, or Sweepstakes, 12st. each, one 4-mile heat, &c. To be named on or before the 1st of April, 1777, to the Clerk of the, &c. &c.

The Stewards of Newmarket were requested to give their opinion -whether a horse having won a Subscription on the 23d of April, 1777, was qualified to run for the above?

Answer. The Stewards are of opinion, that a horse being duly qualified at the day of nomination, is entitled to start.

CASE II.

Signed by order, &c.

A. B. and C. ran for a subscription, the best of heats. A. wins the first heat, B. the second.-C.'s rider, after saving his distance the second heat, dismounts between the distance post and the end, but remounts, rides past the ending post and weighs as usual; starts and wins the third heat, and weighs, without any objection being made.

A. being second the third heat, in a short time afterwards demands the Subscription (not knowing till then that C.'s rider had dismounted) and refuses to start for the fourth heat, which B. and C. run for, and C. wins.

Query-Which is entitled to the Prize? Answer. The Stewards are of opinion, that no objection having been made to C.'s starting for the third heat, C. is entitled to the Prize. Signed by, &c. &c.

1

CASE III.

The winner of a Plate, whose horse had distanced all the others, applied for the Stakes or Entrance-money, which was advertised to be paid to the second-best horse that won a clear heat-one of the distanced horses had won the first heat.

Answer. The winning horse cannot be deemed the second horse, and therefore is not entitled to the Stakes, to which the owners of the other horses (being distanced) have also no claim.

CASE IV.

For a Plate, the horses came in as follows:-Question, whether B. was entitled to the Stakes?

It was decided that B. being distanced, was not entitled to the Stakes.

The owner of B. claimed on the ground of A.'s disqualification, he having the preceding year won a clear heat at Chelmsford, to entitle him, according to their articles, to the Stakes or Entrancemoney.

Answer. The Stewards are of opinion, that A. was not disqualified, and consequently is entitled to the Cup, &c.--the term "winner," they conceive, applies only to the horse that beats all the rest.

CASE VI.

An enquiry whether a horse having won a Sweepstakes of 23g3 each (3 subscribers) is qualified to run for a 501. Plate, expressed to be for horses that never won Plate, Match, or Sweepstakes, of that value?

Answer, by the Stewards of the J. C.

That it has been the practice in estimating winnings, to consider the clear sum gained only, and consequently to exempt the Stake of the Proprietor; the horse, therefore, which had won a Sweepstakes of 46gs only, viz. two Stakes of 23gs each, was not thereby disqualified for the 501. Plate above-mentioned.

CASE VII.

Mr. Baird having entered two horses for the King's Plate at Newcastle, in 1793, and won it with Sans Culottes-his other horse not starting the owner of the second horse objected to his receiv ing the Plate, on the ground that he was disqualified by having entered two horses.

The matter being referred to the Stewards of the Jockey Club, by his Grace the Duke of Northumberland, they determined that Mr. Baird was entitled to the Plate.

CASE VIII.

A. betted B. that a Mare should trot a mile in five minutes, in four minutes and a half, and four minutes; all which it was stated she won with ease; but B. measuring the distance after the races were over, found it was short of a mile by four yards.-The Stewards of the J. C. to whom this point was referred determined, that as no objection was made to the measure of the Course before starting, and the mare having performed the distance set out, and not objected to, A. won all the Bets.

CASE IX.

In 1799, on a case referred to them, the Stewards determined as follows: The receiver of a forfeit is not deemed, in our opinion, to be a winner of a race, unless specified to be so by a particular article."

For other Decisions, see Vol. 1797, p. 115; Vol. 1809, p. 118; and Vol. 1810, pages 104 and 141.

By particular desire, we mention what constitutes an untried stallion or untried mare, viz. one whose produce has not started in public at the time of making the engagement.