HANDICAPPING TABLE FOR PACERS CHANGED

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28324, 9 July 1957, Page 5

HANDICAPPING TABLE FOR PACERS CHANGED

Some minor alterations to the handicapping table for pacers have been approved by the executive of the New Zealand Troting Conference. The changes, which will come into effect on August 1, were released yesterday by the chief handicapper (Mr R. C. R. Morton).

During the last two years handicappers have been able to impose varying penalties over different distances on winners from marks of 4min 36sec and faster for two miles and equivalent marks for other distances. The new table has been filled out from 4min 36sec for two miles down to 4min 28sec and is virtually the same as the table operating up until two years ago.

The new table has been marked off into nine sections. This had been done to help clubs when framing programmes, said Mr Morton. The average horse would graduate to the next section after each win, and owners and trainers, as well as clubs, would know what mark horses would reacn after each win. It was realised that the position could be complicated by horses racing out of their classes and also incurring penalties for second placings These horses, however, would be a small minority. Figures taken out on all meetings up to Easter of this year showed that there was very little difference in the average stakes allocated to the various classes throughout the Dominion, said Mr Morton. Average Stakes The average stake for maiden pacing races in the South Island was £lB7 10s, compared with £l9O in the North Island. Races with limits down to 4min 49sec for two miles had an average stake of £272 in the South Island and £273 in the North Island. Races with limits down to 4min 45sec had a stake of £383 in the south and £375 in the north; down to 4min 41sec, £560 and £471; down to 4min 37sec, £730 and £730; down to 4min 33sec, £B6O and £900; down to 4min 30sec, £lO2l and £865; from 2min 45sec for one mile and a quarter and 4min 28sec for two miles, £llB3 and £ll3l. These figures did not include classic and semi-classic events, he said. •

There would be horses in one island with much larger stakeearnings than others on the same marks in the other island. Thia could be the result of wins in

races with much larger than average stakes. It could also be caused by the number of placings recorded by a horse.

It was intended that horses would have won 10 races by the time they reached New Zealand Cup class, said Mr Morton. That was provided they won only over a distance after reaching a twomile assessment of 4min 28sec.

The middle distance free-for-all limits have been raised from 3min Msec for one mile and a half and 3min 31sec for one mile and five furlongs to 3min 16sec and 3min 33sec. This had been made necessary by the removal of any distance penalties on sprint winners with a 2min 45sec assessment for one mile and a quarter. Last November, General Sandy won the New Zealand Pacing Championship at Addington from 3min 16sec and 3min 33see assessments, said Mr Morton. That

horse had been penalised over all distances. In future a horse on such, marks would not be I penalised over a distance for winning a similar free-for-all. Availability of Horses Some clubs, particularly in the South Island, could find there were not many horses available for the limit of races with a front of 4min 45sec, said Mr Morton, but this would be remedied with the operation of the table. “In changing horses to the new table, their present two-mile marks will be the basis for conversion,” said Mr Morton. “Thr only horses affected will be those which have established a two-, mile mark of 4min 32sec in the last two years. They will receive a benefit of 12 yards at one mile, one mile and a quarter and one mile and a half. Horses having established a two-mile mark of 4min 31sec for two miles, will be 12 yards worse off at one mile and five furlongs. “Where a horse has incurred a penalty through starting out of his class, he will be converted to the tightest mark of the time given away. Headmaster is a good example. He is at present assessed at 2min 12sec for one mile, 2min 46sec for one mile and a quarter, 3min 19sec for one mile and a half, 3min 36sec for one mile and five furlongs and 4min 30sec for two miles. He will be reassessed to 2mih llsec, 2min 45sec, 3min 19sec, 3min 36 sec and 4min 29sec.”

The trotters’ table had not been touched, said Mr Morton. Clubs had used the present table to the best advantage by framing programmes with limits which ensured that winners went from the front of one race to the front of the next