CHAMPIONSHIP RULES

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 68, 20 March 1936, Page 13

CHAMPIONSHIP RULES

HANDICAP WEAKNESSES

A FREE-FOR-ALL FINAL

"The points system is one which commands great commendation, because it affords facilities for potential and accepted champions to race side by I side without eliminating any due re- ! cognition of their respective greatness, but 1 am prepared to suggest that in future the progressive points awarded for times and performances should be calculated separately lor the purpose of declaring me grand champion," says a visitor to the Perth championships. "Fortunately for Perth, a variation of allocation of points would not have affected the result, although a careful perusal of the system will reveal what would have happened." Apropos of tne above, it will be remembered that Evicus, the champion, did not win a race, but her times gave her the greatest number of points. Logan Derby, who went through the series undefeated, was generally acclaimed the best horse at the meeting, but he did not have to put up as fast times as Evicus.

This is where the points system is not entirely satisfactory. A defeated horse, no matter what its handicap, cannot, in a strict sense, be acclaimed a champion, because there is no saying to what extent a favourably-handi-capped horse, such as Logan Derby, could have improved if he had had anything to extend him.

There has been no suggestion in reports from Perth that the conditions will be altered for future interDominion championships, but many will agree that the final could be advantageously decided under free-for-all cc.iditions. This would leave no room for doubt.