TROTTING Lack of interest in naming of drivers

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33778, 26 February 1975, Page 9

TROTTING Lack of interest in naming of drivers

A general lack of interest by some trainers and officials is undermining the scheme, introduced this season, whereby drivers of horses engaged in the legs of the T.A.B. double are advised by 4 p.m. on the Thursday before meetings held on a Saturday.

The experience of the Timaru Trotting Club, which had only a handful of drivers listed for the legs of the T.A.B. double bv 4 p.m. last Thursday, is now common throughout New Zealand. However, the executive of the New Zealand Trotting Conference is adamant that the scheme should continue in its present form. It is only 10 years ago that newspapers throughout New Zealand began to publish lists of drivers for trotting meetings; and this, it is felt, has had a worth-while effect in boosting off-course turnover. Originally the lists were published at the request of the New Zealand Horsemen’s Association, which felt it would help trotting.

From the start of this season the Trotting Conference has allowed clubs to include a condition in their programmes providing for owners or trainers to notify drivers by 4 p.m. on the Thursday before a Saturday meeting. Some trainers and owners have supported the scheme to the full; but the majority seem half-hearted and usually ignore the condition in the programmes. Provision is made for persons failing to meet the requirements of programmes to be fined. However, the stipendiary stewards have declined to take any action other than to condone the decision of owners and

trainers to ignore the condi-; tion. Australian visitors expressed puzzlement that drivers did not have to be named at the Inter-Dominion Championship series h€ld recently in Auckland. Throughout Australia trainers supply the names of drivers or jockeys for al) races to the clubs and these in turn are relayed to the news media. Sydney view “New Zealand horsemen are cutting off their noses to spite their faces.” said Mr W. Whittaker, of the “Sydney Morning Herald,” one of Australia’s most experienced and respected trotting writers. “The scheme works like a charm in Australia,” he said. "The horsemen, the clubs, the press and the public are all happy with the system and would not have it any other way.

“After all boosted T.A.B. betting means boosted stakes and in the long run the horsemen themselves profit,” he added. Mr Whittaker agreed that there was some validity in arguments that the scheme was difficult to operate in New Zealand because fields were larger than in Australia and often horses were balloted out with the right of re-entry. This is one of the main arguments put forward by the North Island branch of the New Zealand Horsemen’s Association, which is strongly opposed to the scheme. However, the association is not unanimous. Opposition from horsemen and trainers to any change seems to be par for the course these days. At times they might have to face difficulties in naming drivers, but such instances are small in number. And the scheme is sufficiently flexible to ensure that nobody is penalised unjustly.

Possible changes The possibility of changes o? drivers resulting from illness or injury is always present and this is one of the factors betters have to contend with, whether off-course or on-course. But, like most of the other arguments advanced by horsemen and trainers, such instances are infrequent. Mr Whittaker also pointed out that there was fierce opposition to the scheme when first it was introduced in Australia.

However, as is the case with any progressive move, it won through. “It is worth making sacrifices for because you can’t buy public confidence cheaply,” he said.

The scheme can be made to work in New Zealand with the full co-operation of owners, trainers, stipendiary stewards and clubs.

Quite a number of trainers today list drivers When lodging nominations with clubs; and many more could do the same thing. Should changes be necessary these could be notified before the deadline. Some persons might find it irksome complying with the requirements of the condition in programmes. However, it is something here to stay, and it should be made to work, ultimately to the benefit of all connected with trotting.