TROTTING Mobile Start Arguments To Be Reconsidered

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32119, 15 October 1969, Page 6

TROTTING Mobile Start Arguments To Be Reconsidered

The whole question of mobile start racing is expected to be opened up again at the next meeting of the executive of the New Zealand Trotting Conference, due to be held in Christchurch on November 10.

The president of the conference (Mr R. J. Rolfe, of Thames) left for the international conference on trotting in Columbus, Ohio, a few days after changes had been made on September 6 to the conditions governing mobile start races.

Generally it was felt that while the decisions would not meet fully the demands of the critics of mobile starting, they would go a long way towards creating general, satisfaction, particularly in the South Island. Many groups are still far from satisfied with the new conditions, and some will not support mobile start races in any form; but most of the latest criticism comes from the North Island. Many persons in the north are highly critical of what they claim have been decisions of a “South Islandloaded executive.” This could hardly be further from the truth. Before any decisions were made Mr Rolfe travelled widely, particularly in the North Island, to obtain views on mobile starting from owners. trainers and club officials. Also, he had discussions with conference employees, and called a meeting of a subcommittee of the executive to meet representatives of North and South Island horsemen, as well as owners and trainers.

Mr Rolfe said after the executive meeting that he felt the new conditions, while not necessarily the complete answer, would go a long way towards helping the position throughout New Zealand. Most of the new regulations were developed by Mr Rolfe himself after wide discussions, and after some minor amendments they were passed with a minimum of opposition.

Some North Island members of the executive appear to have, weakened under pressure of lobbying from some extremely vocal sections In their home districts. They are trying to save face among their own supporters by agreeing that changes should be made so that perhaps ceb tain conditions should apply to the North Island and a different set to racing in the South Island.

Trotting in the northern part of the North Island is not making the progress expected of it and stakes are in many instances, even at meetings of the Auckland Trotting Club, below the average for the whole of New Zealand in the respective classes last season. Worse still, in some classes the stakes are below the averages paid in 1967-68. Perhaps trotting officials in the north should get behind the president of the conference and give the new regulations a reasonable trial before condemning them out of hand.

The Auckland club, for in- I stance, had a most successful I meeting in September, invest-1 ments on-course for one day ; and one night reaching $479,047, against $453,098 for two nights last year. The offcourse total declined from! $432,890 to $314,105. However, at the night meeting on-course betting increased to $267,173 from $237,539. The club’s fail-i ure to use an invitation nee as a leg of its main double was probably solely respon-. sible for the drop of about, $20,000 in off-course betting; that night The club used the mobile, barrier for two races that night and usually uses it for two or three races on each programme. No Barrier The Wanganui club did not use the barrier at all for its meeting, where betting showed worth-while increases,, both on and off-course. The Morrinsville club was not particularly successfull

when it became the first club really affected by the new conditions. But then its programme could hardly be described as attractive. The limited use of the mobile barrier could have beneficial effects in the North Island. Three, four or five mobile events on a programme should provide sufficient variety. If the standard in standing start events slips as low as some critics claim it will, then the stipendiary stewards must be falling down on their duties. The claim that mobile-start events are essential for the greatest number of races possible at North Island meetings is not borne out by the fact that quite a number of northern trainers have been able to bring horses to meetings of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club and win fairly consistently. And the mobile barrier is not used at those meetings, which are by far the most successful in New Zealand and provide stakes far in advance of those generally available at Alexandra Park.

Obsessed The North Island critics at the moment seem to be obsessed about the use of the barrier, rather that cansidering what harm might be done by an excess. They would hardly be enthusiastic about

its use for a race such as the Auckland Cup, and certainly they cannot expect South Island clubs to agree to the use of the barrier for much more than 50 per cent of races anywhere. Clubs in the north want the barrier to be used in races for two-year-olds. Perhaps club officials should give consideration deleting two-year-old races from programmes run before mid-November or early December and so give trainers greater opportunities to educate their horses for standing-start events.

The early start to two-year-old racing in the north—often early in September—does not appear to have achieved much. Some precocious youngsters have been able to win a race or two, but the majority have not trained on and advanced far through the classes.

The judicious use of the mobile barrier has an important part to play in trotting today, but it would be folly to continue away from stand-ing-start handicap events which have always been such a feature of our racing and have been so favourably commented on by visitors from overseas. Too many mobile starts could result in the adoption of the American style of racing with about eight starters contesting each race over one mile. Nothing more boring could be imagined.