STABLE AND TRACK NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 11, 13 January 1934, Page 14

STABLE AND TRACK NOTES.

PROGRESS OF EPIGRAM. Epigram was treated to a dose of physic on his return from Auckland, but has resumed work again at Trentham. He is looking well, and J. McLaughlin hopes to be able to secure the services of £.. Voitre for the Wellington Cup. FRACAS RECOVERING. Fracas is gradually getting over the injury to one of her legs, which was caused by contact with a fence (says a southern writer). Some time will elapse yet before she is fit to resume work, and she may not be at her best until Easter. She was one of the best of last season's two-year-olds, biit she has shown no form of note this season. CONSISTENT FORM. There are few horses in training at present who can approach for consistency the form shown by True Shaft this season. He made his first appearance at Trentham, when he was fourth and then second, while at Riccarton he was fourth in the Stewards' Handicap, and third in the Members' Handicap. Early in December he won over six furlongs at Ashburton, and a fortnight later he was fourth in the Hororata Cup. During the holidays he was second in the first day's sprint at Awapuni, and won over nine furlongs on the concluding day, while later he won at Marton and was third in the chief event next day. In ten starts he has won three races and has never been further back than fourth. IN BIG FIELDS. A correspondent, "Sportsman," writes: The Auckland Racing Club is to be congratulated on its prompt recognition of the faulte of . the new system of totalisator wagering. Its decision to change to the former method of two dividends has already restored the confidence of race patrons. Not that the old system is perfect; in fact, although widely accepted as satisfactory, it has one glaring fault. This is because two dividends are paid on a. field of six runners, but only two dividends are paid if there are 26 runners. What ie needed is a third dividend from the one pool when the runners number 14 or more. This could be arranged in the proportion of 60, 25 and' 15. Alternate suggestions may be considered of 60, 20 and 20, also of 65, 20 and 15 per cent respectively. Often in a large field one horse stands out as the likely winner, and is a firm favourite. One or two others are nibbled at, but many of them are poorly Punters are not keen to wager on about twenty others for a prospect of second dividend. If, however, the third place carried a dividend the aspect of such a race completely alters. With two chances of a dividend, apart from the favourite's mortgage on the winning chance, practically all the starters would get good support. This would make a far bigger total of investments on such races, and therefore should-not diminish the odds of the favourite by taking a smaller winning percentage. An innovation of this nature is desirable to create more interest in events with a large number of competitors. The system, now being abandoned, of having to find two investments for the one race, goes out with, the acute condemnation of race followers. But this should not deter racing clubs from making a further experiment for improving the old system.