TROTTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 117, 20 May 1933, Page 15

TROTTING.

AM INJUSTICE.

PENALISING IMPORTED HORSES.

EULE SHOULD BE ELIMINATED.

If ever a sporting body showed a lack of the true sporting spirit it was when the New Zealand Trotting Conference embodied in its rihles the one which imposes penalties upon any trotter or pacer coming to New Zealand from Australia. The challenge issued by the owner of Walla Walla this week opens up the question again, and with the present season drawing to a close the opportunity will be presL .ted of eliminating the mcist unsportsmanlike rule in connection with trotting, and the delegates from all clubs outside Canterbury should unhesitatingly see to it . that the imposing of unearned penalties on horses coming from Australia is eliminated.

The rule in question is unfair. It provides that imported horses will _be assessed 011 the basis of their best time performance, according to the handicapping table, or penalised the maximum penalty from the time mark from which they wero placed, whichever brings them to the faster mark, plus the following penalties: One second for one mile and one mile and a quarter, two seconds for one mile and a half and one mile and live furlongs, and three seconds for distanced over one mile and five furlongs. And in New Zealand there is hardly a horse handicapped on a mark equivalent to his best recorded time, practically every 0110 being handicapped seconds slower than his record. Surely it is sufficient to ask Australian horses to concede seconds start 011 actual recorded times, without imposing an additional penalty ?

Prior-to the rule being made one of the •laws of trotting, the sport was at its peak point. Stakes were big, and a number of Australian owners came across with horses. Not all were successful, but the majority were, and when five Otahuhu Cups, an Auckland Cup, and a New Zealand Cup were taken by the visitors in a few years, there was a wail that the visitors were being too well treated. Maybe they were, but that was the fault of the haudicappers, if any fault there was. Among the horses to come over were Happy Voyage, Sheik, Machine _ Brick, Minton • Derby, Delavan Quest, just to mention a quintet, brilliant horses every bit the equal to the best New Zealand had, and the kind the public willingly pay to see racing.

But apparently there were those in the Dominion who objected to visitors bringing over horses capable of beating our own, and so a rule was added which amounted to almost a complete banning of Australian horses. I wonder what would bo said if, when the English or Australian, cricketers came to New Zealand, wo insisted that their teams be limited to eight men against our eleven, or when a good runner comes from overseas we insisted that he start from behind scratch? Surely such would be every bit as sporting as handicapping visiting horses better than their records. The American welcome horses like Pliar Lap and Winooka.

Canterbury is in the fortunate position of having a surfeit of horses, moderates and champions, but other provinces are far from being so well placed, and would gladly welcome visiting horses, particularly good performers, to add to the now depleted ranks of. old friends. What benefit lias anyone outside Canterbury derived from the ban—that is really what it amounts to —placed upon Australian horses. Certainly some of the stakes would have been lifted by visitors had there been no ban, but the sport might not have slumped to the extent it has. A fillip is badly needed just now, and in the interests of the sport itself it is up to every delegate representing clubs outside Canterbury to have deleted the rule providing for unearned penalties upon Australian horses. During the present season there must have been something like 100 gallopers sent from New Zealand to Sydney, and they won innumerable races, but we have- yet to hear any suggestion from Australian owners that the invasion should be stopped.

/ VMLLA WALLA 2,2 2-5. The Australian pacing champion Walla Walla, who on Monday last-created new figures, 2.2 2-5, for a niile, was bred and is owned, trained and driven by Mr. L. S. Martin, of Dalton, New South Wales. Walla Walla is a stallion and is rising 11 years. He is by Globe Derby from Princess Winona,- .by Dixie Alto (imp.) from Winona. Barney Alto, winner of the -trotting division of - the recently decided Sydney Derby, is by Winn Alto from Dixio Lass, a descendant of Dixie Alto, and Win Alto is by Dixie Alto from Winona, gran da m of Walla Walla. Globe Derby, 2.8%, sire of Walla Walla, was raced in New Zealand, but that was when he had passed his prime, apd in his seven races in the Dominion lie did not finish in a place. He is by Mambrino Derby (Owyhee, imp.—Lucretia, imp.) from Springheel, by Globe from Fidget, by Vaneleve from Madcap. Dixie Alto, Globe Derby and Walla Walla have all held Melbourne Show records. Walla Walla also holds the Sydney Show tccord, the mile race record of Victoria, the course record of 3.17 for a mile and a'half in winning the Harold Park (Sydney) £1000 of' 1930, and his latest conquest, that of the half-mile track mile record of 2.2 2-5, which time is 1 l-5s faster than Acron's New Zealand record of 2.3 3-5, which was established in a race.