NEGLECT OF THE TROTTER

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 153, 26 December 1936, Page 6

NEGLECT OF THE TROTTER

SERIOUS SITUATION

The excellent field of trotters ithatwas carded to parade in-.the-Winslo.w-Handicap at -Ashburton this afternoon represented as fine a-collection'of this class of light-harness performer ■as could be brought together at the present time. The quality'of the entrants could not ;be faulted,' three' of: them being champions, and the. others better than the average good trotter. . ... , However, this' field of nine, repTe-. senting the best of the trotters available, contained only three ybungTiorses —Air Flow, -Discord','and Sea-Gift. None of the others appeal as likely'to^ get much further in the handicaps, al % , though they have' the ability1 to win occasional races.- This lack of young material is most pronounced at - themoment, and in the limited: number of high-class1 trotters only one, Sea Gift, can be classed as other than an old stager. At the same time there are few horses in the "slower classes'-who ap-; pear likely to develop greatness, and the improvers are not rising to the ?ood classes, as they should.-Promis-ing material is sadly lacking. - , ; • , - In the business of the light-harness sport quick, returns are essential." The pacer comes to hand quickly." Rich classes are provided for him, and later there is an almost unlimited ■■ field' of opportunities for him in good company. On." the: other hand, the trotter-, doesnot "come" as quickly as the hoppled horse. . There are no classics for hirru and when good company is reached,his opportunities are .few,, .if not at an end. . ' ' ' . - : ~! Even though he occupies hard marks the present pacing champion, Indian, apolis, is still a valuable racing proposition, but a horse his equal-as a trotter would be practically useless.-■ ■ It would seem .that:the present trotter was born under a- handicap and that little is being done to ease his burden. During the last season there were 752 light-harness events decided in New Zealand, arid of these 157; were for trotters'. -'- ■''"".' TROTTERS' PROPORTION. However, of the trotters' proportion of races, no fewer, than 58 were for maidens and near-liiaidens, while another 67 events were allotted to horses on 3min 40sec or slower over a mile and a half, leaving 32 races for horses on tighter marks. Only 10 of these went to horses assessed on 4min 40sec or better for two miles. The best class of trotters, those on 4min 36sec "or better over two miles, of which there were quite a number, were, given'one race.' In the, preceding season they were given four, races, and 'so it would seem that ■ passing time finds their lot becoming, harder and their opportunities restricted. ' Apart irom this apparent course of elimination by clubs, it cannot be claimed that the trotters' handicapping table has been framed to advantage. The other department is set out to make the best horses the most valuable, as it should be, and when a pacer reaches select company the 'table is so arranged that he can go, within limits, from sprint to distance •racing or vice versa, and be penalised only over that distance at whielv* Jie is successful, thus doubling his value. In contiast the trotters are not granted these concessions A win over any distance usually results in a penalty in every class. ' ' A trotter good enough to win against the pacers over sprint distances would suffer a greater penalty over two miles than if he had won at the latter distance in his own department. This is a direct contradiction of, the principle of the pacers' table. When a pacer has entered the best company a rich field of opportunitiesl is*open ■to him. When a trotter has-entered the best company the doors are barred ■to further progress ■ ' . Trotters are being neglected' oiv all sides, and there is much to belaid in favour of classic races for juvenile trotters, such as the New Zealand Tiottmg Stakes, which will be run "by the Timaru Trotting Club for the first time at the Autumn Meeting next year.