PUBLIC PERPLEXED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 2, 3 January 1931, Page 11

PUBLIC PERPLEXED.

The handicapping of Red Shadow and Arethusa on the final day of the Auckland meeting caused considerable discussion.' The pair met 09 even terms in the Derby on the middle day and Ked Shadow beat Arethusa, the pair finishing first and second. The next day, in the Park Handicap, run over the same- distance as the Derby, Arethusa was set to give Red Shadow 24yds. On the fact of the Derby result the handicap not only appeared to be, but was, absurd, but under the present handicapping system, or whatever it might be termed, many absurd things happen. In the case of Ked Shadow and Arethusa it is only right to mention that the handicapper could not have reasonably acted otherwise than he did. Arethnsa's mark for a mile and a half prior to the Derby was 3.25, and Red Shadow's 3.27. But the Derby, under the present system, is stipulated to be recognised as t a 3.31 class. When Red Shadow won, the extreme penalty for a 3.31 class win was 48yds, 'and Mr. Paul rightly placed, him on 3.27. jHe kept Arethusa 011 3.25, because if he let her out to 3.27 to give her a chance of beating Ked Shadow it meant that he was treating other horses in the race unfairly. It was a difficult problem to deal with, but it made things easy for backers.