TROTTING SUCCESS OF MOBILE BARRIER AT HAWERA

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28559, 12 April 1958, Page 7

TROTTING SUCCESS OF MOBILE BARRIER AT HAWERA

"The Press?* Special Service HAWERA, April 11. Although the biggest field started was 13, the mobile barrier was well tested at the three*day Hawera Trotting Club's annual meeting.- Over the three days 10 fields were Started with the barrier. They were six maiden events, two fields of two-year-olds, and two fields of intermediate-class horses.

The maiden fields, which were the largest, had the poorest starts, but the others were almost perfect. The maiden fields included many bad barrier performers and a lot of green horses.

Earlier on the circuit at New Plymouth, a lot more horses lost a great deal more ground in the maiden events from orthodox starts. It was noticed, too, that quite a few horses with bad records at the barrier got away with the others. *

It has been suggested that the inside horses have an advantage, but a check taken showed that horses drawn towards the outside began just as quickly as those with low barrier numbers. For instance, Mary Emma, a good beginner, was one of the leaders at the end of a furlong on each at the three days, regardless of the position she drew. The barrier has been improved recently and has no difficulty in leaving even the fastest beginners. It has a special booster which enables it to pick up speed mo» quickly and at Hawera it had iw> trouble in getting away and was not even in top gear. A major point to ensure a good dispatch seems that a good run is desirable. This enables the horses to settle down and gradually work to speed for the start. It was shown at Hawera that the run up can start on a turn. This was done Tor four of , the six starts from the mile and five

furlong post and they proved better than the two short runs up tried on the first day from the same barrier. The first two were at the request of the drivers. • Drivers Satisfied

Of the drivers interviewed, most expressed -approval, and the starts were popular with the public. This seemed reflected in attendances and totalisator turn-

‘ over. The turnover on-courso , for the meeting was a new record for - the club. Hawera is a town where much ’ more is known about gallopers . than pacers and trotters, but the , turnover for the first two days of » the recent trotting meeting was higher than the turnover for the - two days of the summer galloping fixture. The barrier has yet to prove it can handle really big fields but the it started the 11 runners in the last race was outstanding. They were in a faster gdass and went away as one horse. It will be surprising if more clubs do not design their programmes to include a mobile start. It is unlikely* that* flying starts .will *be used for all races, but it seems that there is a definite place for it in the sport.