COUNTRY KING'S PENALTY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 141, 17 June 1930, Page 13

COUNTRY KING'S PENALTY.

Tlie penalty of 12yds imposed upon Country King in the Hobson Handicap at Auckland because of Ms win at Ashburton on Saturday will be satisfactory to those who still maintain that the present method of handicapping winners is fair, but those owners who have horses in the race will be having a second think about the fairness of it all. At tlie Canterbury Park meeting two weeks ago Country King finished second to Harold Logan in a mile and a half. Country King s time being 3.21 4-5, which works out at 4.29 for two miles, although, of course, something would have to be allowed for the extra half mile. Going on to Forburv,. Country King easily won a mile and three furlongs race in 3.17 2-5. On Saturday he was produced in the Farewell Handicap, one mile, at Ashburton, and this time, according to the report of the race, he won with something in hand and went 2.13 1-5. Country King was originally handicapped on _ the limit (4.40) of the Hobson Handicap, to be decided next Saturday, and he has now been penalised 12yds, which means that he is on 4.39. To put a horse who can ;:o a mile and a half in 3.22, and a mile in 2.13, on 4.39 for two miles is farcical if owners of other horses are to be given "a reasonable chance of winning. Ol course, if it is only a question of system, and not of fairness to all, then Country King's handicap is all right. There are several Southerners besides Country in the race and they may be equal to bringing about his defeat, but the eight Aucklanders in the race do not look to have a thousand-to-one chance of ning, with perhaps the one exception or Peter Pirate.