TROTTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 206, 31 August 1928, Page 11

TROTTING.

WHEEL AND TRACK NOTES. (By ORION.) SEASON'S FIXTURES. September B—New8 —New Brighton T.C. September 15—Wellington Trotting Club. October 6—Methven T.C. October 13, IT—Auckland Trotting Club. October 20. 22—Greymoutn T.C. October 22—Oaniaru T.C. November 6. S. 9—Metropolitan T.C. November 17, 21—Otahunu T.C. November 24 —Wellington T.C. November 29, December I—iforbury Park T.C. December I—Waikato1 —Waikato T.C. December B—Cheviot T.C. December 15. 17—New Brighton T.C. December 26—Gore T.C December 27, 29, 31—Auckland Trotting Club. December 26—Ashburton T.C. December 26, 27—South Wairarapa T.C. December 26, 27 —Westport T.C.

Handicaps for the New Zealand Trotting Cup are due to make their appearance on Tuesday next.

A payment is due at noon on Saturday for the Trotting Derby, to be decided at the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's meeting in November.

The handicaps for the Wellington Trotting Club's meeting appear to-day, and followers of the sport will have something upon which to centre their attention during the next fortnight.

A season or so ago Marshall Neil was ticked off as one of tlie most promising pacers then in commission, but though he went some good races, the son of Xeil Dennis never approached what was expected of him. He is well engaged at the Wellington meeting, and is on the front end at one mile and two miles.

The stable companions Peter Bingen and Jackie Audubon, both,of whom were successful at the recent metropolitan meeting and were afterwards treated to a light spell, have been taken up again by J. J. Kennerley. It was reported a few days ago that there was a chance of Peter Bingen changing ownership, but so far no deal has taken place.

Kingscraft, who went 4.2S 4-5 to win a minor event at Addington, is now racing from a mark which means he "will have to be all he is claimed if he is to get good money. He is in the Bollard Handicap at Wellington, and with a 4.36 Jimit D. Withers' pacer is handicapped on 4.30, which is treating the horse fairly, seeing that he will have a good field of horses to pass.

When Dillon Huon went 4.30 1-5 to win, driven right out at Addington, he was subsequently handicapped at the meeting on 4.30, which appeared to be treating the chestnut rather hard. At the Wellington meeting Mr. Paul has bee-n more lenient with Mr. Corrigan's gelding, and has put him on a 4.32 mark. Even at this handicap, Dillon Huon will find it hard to get any of the money at two miles.

The New Zealand Cup Trial Handicap, 2.45 class, which is the star turn at the Wellington Trotting Club's meeting, should provide a great race, as several New Zealand Cup candidates are booked to compete. Last year the winner was the speedy Prince Pointer, who, by the way, is not engaged this time. Black Admiral was second, and St. Maura third, but they did not play any part subsequently in the New Zealand Cup.

If Rebel could be relied upon to reproduce his run of the opening day at tho recent meeting at Addington, he would be entitled to a lot of consideration in the Bollard Handicap at Wellington. At Addington, in the Trial Handicap, Rebel was always well up, and eventually finished third, his time for the two miles being 4.32 4-5. In the Bollard Handicap has has been handicapped on the limit of a 4.36 class. However, in the past Rebel has not been regarded as too reliable, and it may be he will not repeat his Addington performance.

Great Bingen was greatly benefited by the race he had in the Farewell Handicap at the last meeting at Addington, and D. Withers should have him well forward for his New Zealand Cup engagement, says "Argus." He will probably take the opportunity to give the champion a race at the Wellington meeting next month, and this outing should still further assist in his training. Last year Great Bingen was set to give away starts up to S4 yards in the Xew Zealand Cup, but with the tighter class he will be much nearer to the limit horses.

The report of the Ashburton Trotting Club state that the club had experienced another satisfactory year. The three meetings on December 26, 1927, April 21 and June 9. 1928, respectively had shown a • substantial profit. The year's operations resulted in a net profit of £S3l 19/1. Several improvements had been carried out. Sixteen new horse-stalls and a large dividend board were erected, tho motor paddock enlarged and new exit gates erected. The fence round the birdcage and along the course in the out. side enclosure had been replaced by a new one. Three highly esteemed members had passed away during the year, Messrs. H. C. Crbel, A. J. Keith and H. McConnell.

Tlie Forbury Park Trotting Club' stewards received a well-deserved rap over the knuckles at the annual meeting of members, says '"Sentinel" in the Otago f- Dailv Times." One of the speakers referred in pointed terms to the running of two horses during the same meeting. The running of one horse may admit of an acceptable explanation; but whether that is so or not the fact remains that the honorary stewards and the stipendary stewards are seriously lacking in duty to themselves, to the -welfare of the sport, and to the honour of those under a cloud of doubtful sportsmanship if an opportunity for explanation is not officially offered and officially published.

In placing Padlock on the same mark as Tom Thumb, Ahuriri, Cardinal Logan and Acron in the New Zealand Cup Trial at Wellington, it-is clear that Mr. Paul regards the son of Hal Zolock as a class horse. Six wins and a second out of seven starts last season is a remarkably fine record and as Padlock finished up with an easy win in the President's Handicap at Addington, it is difficult to say just how good he is. In that race he was always doing his part comfortable in front of the field and covered the two miles in 4.26 3-5, which saw him subsequently handicapped on 4.26, and entitled him to be entered for tho Xew Zealand Cup. He has gone a mile and ahalf in 3.21 2-5, and a mile and a quarter in 2.44 2-5, both winning, so that no chances could be taken with a horse of his calibre. Whether he wins or not at Wellington he is bound to be one of the fancies for the New Zealand Cup, in which he will be on the limit taking a line through the lagt time he wu handicapped at two miles.

Theoretically, the essence of handicapping is to give as many horses as possible a winning chance. Young horses and those with no disclosed form must upset that theory at times (says a Sydney writer), but it is decidedly unfair to owners of other horses making vp a field to expect them to start repeatedly against a runner which they know cniy

an accident can beat. So many ej.rcumstances can affect the time taken for a race that the handicapper who accepts :t : as his only guide is not a haud:capper at all. in the true sense of the word. 11c is merely a time machine. Certainly, j time is a very useful adjunct to handicapping, but its use needs the tempering ; influence of that mature judgment without which no handicapper is worth his ' salt. Does the fact that Limerick may take 1.16 to do six furlongs or 2.37 lor , a mile and a-half make him any the less a champion? Xct a bit of it. Yet. would any handicapper of gallopers be expfected to consider Limerick a thirdrater just because he recorded those' times? There are just the same basic features in handicapping gallopers as trotters. Both are horse races, even though the medium for expression of quality is weight in one instance and yards in the other. Both trotters and I gallopers are affected by the same set of ] circumstances, such as state of the track, interference, pace, condition, age, etc. But no handicapper of gallopers would be beguiled into giving one winner - more weight than another winner if they met at their next entry, simply because the one registered faster time than the other. The time would be just one of | the many considerations bearing on the I weights allotted.