RACING NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24541, 25 March 1943, Page 5

RACING NEWS

TROTTING HANDICAPS SEVERITY OF PENALTIES BY ABAYDQS The criticism of the present system of handicapping, and the severity of penalties in certain classes and in classic races, by Mr. J. R. McKenzie, treasurer of the New Zealand Trotting Association, has attracted considerable interest. The .subject is not by any means new, as for some considerable time the Auckland Trottintc Owners and Trainers' Association stressed the point of the severe penalties and anomalies in their application where the optional clause applied, but requests for a revision of the system received a very unsympathetic hearing from the authorities. At a meeting of the Canterbury Owners and Breeders' Association recently Mr. McKenzie stated there was little wrong with the system as it was first introduced, as the greatest penalty any horse couU receive for two iniles was 60 yards. From time to time these penalties had been increased until to-da.v they had maiden horses receiving 90 yards penalty. Ho felt sure that the association had not approved of these increases. Horses were now penalised 81 yards for winning .£l2O in some classes, added Mr. McKenzie. These extreme penalties were severely affecting owpers, breeders and trainers, and they were reducing the value of the trotting horse very considerably, Mr. Nicoll's reply to his query as to why trotting horses could not win about one-third as much as a galloper was that the proportion of racing days was three times that of trotting. The number of racing days had no bearing on the amount, of money a horse could win. ]f it was difficult to win with a horse on his penalised mark, the fact that there were any number of race days would not make it any easier for that horse to win. Classic horses, that is, two and three-year-olds, said Mr. McKenzie, were penalised so severely that they graduated almost to cup company before winning an open handicap. Under this system a three-year-old capable of winning all the classics next season would be back-marker for the succeeding New Zealand Cup. A suggestion that a delegation be arranged to wait on a select committee of the New Zealand Trotting Association chosen by Mr. H. F. Nicoll, president of the Trotting Conference, to further discuss the system was approved.

WAIMATE FIELDS LIST OF ACCEPTANCES (P.A.) WAIMATE, Wednesday Acceptances for the Wainiate Racing Club and .District Hunt Club's Combined Meeting on Saturday are:— STUDHOLME HIGH-WEIGHT HANDICAP, of £100; 1 mile.—Tea Drop, Taxpayer, 10.12; Nightglass, 10.11; Vaiantua, 10.5; On Call, 10.2; Good Sun, 9.11; Night Lancer, 9.9;, Gunga Din, 9.8; Israel, Patria, 9.2; Overland Red, Valens, Commemorate, Glad Refrain, Golden Herald, 9.0. TRIAL PLATE, of £100; special weights; 6 fur. —Berrima, Red Ace, As Required, Fairy Board, Sox, Congregate, 5.7; .Gay Weils, Irish Treasure, Nisi Prius. 8.4; Boolamskie, Even Calm, Thaifsha, Paper Smith, 8.0; Cloud Dance, Victory March, Winning Rose, Miss Myra, Fairy Dell, Bundles, Owaka, 7.11. WAIMATE CUP, of £205; 1 % miles.— The Raker, 9.0; Eulogist, 8.11; Arctic Dawn, 8.7; Night Pal, 8.1; Gold Flight, 8.0; Nightglass, Maggiore, 7.2; Beau Ciel, 7.1; Little Secret, Gay Lancer, Good Health, 7.0. MORVEN TROT, of £105; limit 3.43; 1% miles.—Erinara, First Degree, Francis Logan, Horatio Nelson, Kerry Bell, Paddy Pointer, Pencarrovv, Scotch Music, Scintilla, Special Trust, Steamboat, Sylvia Direct, Vanard, Wee Peg, limit; Bluestock, Nola Scott, Sea Fortune, Vault, 12yds bhd; First Venture, 30. THE HUNT HACK HANDICAP, of £1.05; 6 fur. —Princess Myosotis SJ.O; Filibeg, 8.10; Night Lancer, 8.7; Dash o' Dink, 8.0; Midgard, 8.4; Royal Rae, 8.2; Wise Girl, Miss Clorane, 8.1; Sister Sal, 8.0; Bold Sheila, Divorced, 7.12; Rebel Rose, 7.10; Papeete, 7.9; Socks, 7.8; Paper Smith, 7.7. PRESIDENT'S HANDICAP, of £125; (5 fur.—Marshall Hall, 8.9; Passaform, Rawhamai, 8.8; Bali, 8.2; Symbol, 7.13; Grilse, 7.11; Rex Maitland, 7.7; Tea Drop, 7.5; King Gustavo, Mauretania, Sham Boy, 7.4; Winning Flight, 7.3. HOOK TROT, of £100; limit 3.5; 11/*l 1 /* miles.—First Degree, Francis Logan, Hardy Annual. Horatio Nelson, Paddy Pointer, Pencarrow, Scotch Music, Trusty Scot, Scintilla, Special Trust, Sylvia Direct, Treasured Gift, True Metal, Vanard, limit; Bluestock, Nola Scott, Sea Fortune, Vault, 12yds bhd; Bay Acron, 24; First Venture, 36; Parole, 48. STEWARDS' HACK, of £105; 7 fur.—On Call, 8.10; Lunaria, 8.4; Paladeo. 8.3; Carolyn,. 8.1; Wildfire, 7.13; Sister Sal, 7.9; Silver Sox, 7.5; Pal Bill, Commemorate, Victory March. 7.7.

SCRATCHINGS POSTED The following were posted yesterday for the Bay of Plenty Racing Club's Antnmn Meeting at Paeroa on Saturday:— Trial Plate.—Miss Velocipede. First Jack Tanner Memorial Handicap.--Lysander's Last. Chevolita. Handicap Hurdles.—Acreman, Jayola. Second .Tack Tanner Memorial Handicap.~ Linbury. President's Hack Handicap.—Mr. Chit>* Stylosa. Prince Baffles, Our Nation