TROTTING Change In Probationary Drivers’ Races Sought

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28321, 5 July 1957, Page 5

TROTTING Change In Probationary Drivers’ Races Sought

A remit which, if passed, would spell the end .to races restricted to probationary drivers is to be brought forward by the Greymouth Trotting Club at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Trotting Conference in Christ-

church next Wednesday. At present Rule 206 makes it i mandatory for the clubs with four or more days of racing in one season to include one race restricted to probationary drivers. The Greymouth remit seeks to make this discretionary by altering the word “shall” in the second line of the rule to “may.” Support for races restricted to probationary drivers has been ; extremely half-hearted as far as 'the majority of clubs and othei ; organisations associated with '■ trotting have been concerned. However, in the last 18 months most people closely associated with the sport have realised that , there is considerable merit in the scheme. While it may not be the complete answer to the problem of the encouragement of boys to work in stables, it , has given youth some incentive. I The Greymouth remit could be ruled a direct negative. If passed, it would be tantamount to revokI ing the rule.

; How slow clubs are to do anyj thing to help young drivers has been emphasised during the present season. In the spring the executive of the conference asked : clubs that wherever possible they run more than one race for proi bationary drivers each season. It ' was also suggested that clubs with less than four days of racing I include one race for young i drivers. As far -as known the s only clubs to have run two races this season have been the Invercargill Trotting Club and the I Ashburton Trotting Club. Strong Opposition

The Greymouth club has been one of the clubs most strenuously opposed to races for probationary drivers. In some re- : spects they have a sound argument to place before the meet- , ing next week. The Greymouth [club has been most unfortunate in the lack of support for these races at its meetings. Usually the club has run them at its summer meeting. Last January, a race over one mile and five j furlongs for horses with one win , was selected as the race for probationary drivers. A field of eight, including two brackets, i started and with only six totalisator numbers it was natural that totalisator investments on the | race would be light. I The same class of horse was 1 catered for again later in the day and on this occasion there were 13 starters. On the first day of the meeting, this class, oi horse had only one opportunity. If the club had made that race the one for probationary drivers. [ a much larger field would have I been obtained than when horses j had two opportunities in the one day. I It was the same at the We»j lington Trotting Club’s recent . winter meeting. The club selected i a two-mile race for horses with ! one win as the one for proba- | tionary drivers. This race also drew only eight starters, but a sprint race later in the day catering for the same horses drew a field of 17.

One of the reasons advanced for the small field in the Wellington race was the lack of suitable

drivers, this being due, it was claimed, to the fact that the Ashburton Club, which raced the same day; had a similar race on its programme. It would not have been too difficult to have arranged for the clubs to have had their probationary drivers’ races on different days. Also, the horses in the Ashburton race had but one opportunity during the day, and owners and trainers were not hesittant in supporting it. There were 18 starters and in spite of the large field, a most satisfactory race resulted. It is obvious that if clubs put more thought into the framing of their programmes no difficulty would be experienced in gaining satisfactory fields for races restricted to probationary drivers. This is expected to be the attitude adopted when the Greymouth remit is discussed next Wednesday. Back In Work

Gay Lad, which was gelded earlier in the season, is back in work at Addington with W. K. Tatterson. Gay Lad had two starts early in the season, but went amiss just before the New Zealand Cup meeting. A rising seven-year-old by Josedale Grattan from Sporting Girl, he is a half-brother to Happy Man. an outstanding winner both in New Zealand and in Western Australia, •pay Lad was campaigned with success in New South Wales by Tatterson in the latter half of last season. He is a type of pacer, and next term he should add to his record for his Christchurch owner, Mr A. E. Ison.