TROTTING Action Against Slow Races Proposed

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31780, 10 September 1968, Page 5

TROTTING Action Against Slow Races Proposed

Drivers at Harold Park, Sydney, will in future have to ensure that a respectable rate is maintained in races. New rules are to be framed to prevent a repetition of the farcical Quality Handicap run on August 23.

A long inquiry was held last week into the race, the stewards pointing out that at present they did not have the power under any specific rule to punish drivers for their tactics. The Quality Handicap was won by Smokey Blaze, which led all the way at threequarter speed, with the crowd hooting and booing for most of the race. The time for the race, 3min 30 l-ssec for the 11} furtongs, was 28 4-ssec outside Halwes's track record. The stewards severely reprimanded three of the seven drivers in the race. The drivers, all with wide experience, were L, Moulds, V. Frost and K. Newman. In their report the stewards said: “With great misgivings the stewards did not invoke against them rule 114 which deals with conduct calculated to injure the sport of trotting. In the circumstances we are completely dissatisfied with the driving tactics of Moulds, Frost and Newman. “Frost was severely reprimanded and informed that his display fell far short of the driving tactics expected from a driver of his calibre. “Moulds and Newman were told that their actions in this race, although maybe within the rules, had brought great discredit not only on the sport but also on themselves.” The stewards added that

they were satisfied the public was “justified” in its resentment of the tactics employed by the drivers. A report on the race is to be submitted to the committee of the New South Wales Trotting Club. Recommended In addition senior officials have made a number of recommendations to the committee. These are expected to be adopted and they should prevent a repetition of the unnecessarily slow race of August 23. The officials want a mile rate of about 2min 16sec imposed. If track conditions are normal and the field travels slower than the required rate, then the prize will be halved. A special rule is to be framed so that stewards can punish drivers who adopt excessively slow tactics. In the August 23 race Frost drove Bingo, Moulds drove Smokey Blaze, and Newman drove the Christchurch-owned Really Good. Ringo finished fourth to Smokey Blaze, with Really Good in fifth position. The drivers of the other horses also attended the inquiry, but their explanations were accepted. In their report the stewards said Frost had told them he did not quicken the pace as he thought such a move would have resulted in him being “caught” three wide. He had said that in the light of previous statements to stewards regarding Really Good’s poor form when in the lead,

he did not seek to take the lead from Smokey Blaze. The stewards agreed that the records showed Really Good was not at his best when allowed to set the pace. Moulds had told the stewards that although he would have preferred to have taken a trail, he chose to proceed at a slow pace until some other driver forced him to increase his speed. The stewards also said that they had given serious consideration to charging Frost with incompetent driving. However, it appeared that the punishment of Frost alone would satisfy neither the stewards nor the public.