Conference committee to review class structure

Press, 19 April 1989, Page 45

Conference committee to review class structure

By DAVID MCCARTHY A Racing Confemece working party, chaired by the West Coast Conference delegate, Mr Jack O’Donnell, will discuss the class structure in racing at a meeting in Wellington next Wednesday. The five-class system (including maidens) has come under scrutiny and has been criticised by owners and trainers. Now that Australia is planning a two-tier system which will probably apply across the f jard in all states by next year, many consider it opportune to review the New Zealand system, though how it can be improved is itself a controversial topic. Representatives at the meeting next week include Jeff Lynds, Dave O’Sullivan and Brian Anderton, from the Trainers Association, Tony Enting, Bill Freeman and David Lloyd, representing clubs, and Rex Johnston, lan Cox and Dean Nowell, who are prominent handicappers.

The classification system was introduced in 1973, replacing the previous maiden , “hack” and open-class racing.

Originally there were four classes (beside maidens) and this was increased to five after a short period. It was subsequently returned to four. Class 4 caters for the winners of one race, Class 3 for the winners of up to three races, Class Two for up to five wins and Class One, which may be open to all categories. The system has not been without critics, the main objection being the relatively small number of horses getting through to Class One with the result that fields in those classes, especially in sprint races, are often difficult to fill.

Various solutions have been advanced, one popular one being an extension to the system along the lines of harness racing where there are 10 classes. But practical problems may work against the feasibility of such a scheme.

There seems a strong feeling among trainers that set weights for class racing below Class Two would help push the talented horse through the grades but again there are two sides to the question.

Such a ruling would remove quite a lot of betting interest from races such as the Linwood City Handicap (Class Three) at the recent Riccarton Easter meeting where the weight differential was a crucial factor.

It would give trainers less scope in placing thier horses and would give, for example, northern horses a greater advantage over their southern counterparts in lower-class racing at Riccarton.

David Lloyd, secretary of the Canterbury Jockey Club, believes there are disadvantages to a set weight schedule. “It is not bad in theory but whether trainers are happy to run against a horse like, for example, Prince Kumai at even weights while he is coming through the grades is the question. I believe part of our problem is that really we have too much Class One racing and with our talented horses going to Australia or being sold there it is becoming increasingly difficult to fill the fields,” he said. Australia proposes a

two-tier system incorporating four grades and six classses, wins in grade racing not being penalised in class racing. It is unlikely New Zealand has the horse population to sustain a similar system though open-class horses which strike a purple patch of form in the South Island at present can find relief a long time coming when their form falls away, especially without visiting horses to alter the scale.

A further point of view was voiced recently by the Wellington Racing Club handicapper, lan Cox, on the comparative dearth of stayers racing here in recent years. While not blaming the class system for the problem, Mr Cox believes that horses do not enjoy the advantages potential stayers enjoyed under the old system where they could be developed more gradually. "We pride ourselves on breeding stayers but we don't put the races on for them to develop their potential. We place too much emphasis on speed horses in our class racing,” he said.