TROTTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21978, 13 June 1933, Page 4

TROTTING

By Sentinel. Indianapolis was made an odds-on-chancc when he won at Ashburton. Sir Gowan, the gelding by Rey de Oro— Daisy Pointer, who was credited with a work-out of 3min 23sec, failed at the finish of the Sapling Stakes. Although Probationer, who put up a track record when she won at Forhury Park in 3min 16 4-6 sec, looked well in on paper at Ashburton, she failed to gain a place. Reclaim, the winner of the Stewards’ Handicap, is a sister to Wrackler and Arethusa. Trix Pointer has produced three good winners. She was foaled in 1914, and her stud merit makes it a matter of regret that she did not make an earlier retirement from the race track. Her first foal, Wrackler, was produced i 1 in 1925. When Indianapolis is fully furnished and muscled to gather and hold his speed he will always show his best form on a' big track. Such a long-striding horse wants ample room for full action, and the bigger the track the better his chance. It will be remembered that he broke up * when on the turn into the back stretch when racing in the Derby. This mishap cost him a royal chance of winning. i i Only one favourite in Indianapolis got home at Ashburton, and although some ■ good dividends were paid throughout the I 1 day, the totalisator returns show a substantial increase on last year’s figure. The i ; unusual interest in the Sapling Stakes materially contributed to the general sue- 1 ■ ccss of the meeting, ,]

The race record for the Sapling Stakes was, held by Arethusa at 3min 25 l-ssec. The only other winners to go better than 3min 30sec in the race are John Jinks 3min 28 l-ssec and Silver de Oro 3min 25 4-ssec. The placed lot in this year’s race each went well inside the race record, and incidentally broke the record for a winning three-year-old held by Village Guy at 3min 23 l-ssec. When seen racing at the Addington spring meeting when Taxpayer won the Derby in which Indianapolis suffered interference contributing to an apparently unlucky defeat, the latter showed far .more scope for improvement than the winner. Taxpayer was then a medium-sized gelding and appeared to be fairly well set and furnished and altogether more likely to be ready to show early speed than Indianapolis. On the other hand, Indianapolis was then a big, loose-framed colt with long-striding action that would with ordinary care and luck gather strength to his frame with increasing age and so continue to improve in racing form. In the latter part of the season Taxpayer has been shaping disappointingly, while Indianapolis shows promise of developing into a champion. At Ashburton, Taxpayer , suffered defeat' by two lengths from : Worthy King, who, starting off the same nivi’k, won in 3min 18 2-ssec. Later in S the day Indianapolis came out and won easily in 3min 18 2-6 sec. Regarded from that point of view. Indianapolis is now a much better three-year-old than Taxpayer. It had been suggested that another relief trotting meeting should be organised i by the Canterbury Owners and Breeders’ Association, which raised £I7OO for the relief of distress at a trotting meeting last year. It was decided at a recent meeting of the association that if: another such meeting were held by any other body, the Owners and Breeders’ Associa- . tion would give it every support. I F. J. Smith has a very powerful team entered for the, Auckland trotting meeting, his representatives being Kewpie’s Guy, Pegaway, Nell Volo, Raider, Guid , Hairst, Chancellor, Mazda, Mauco, and the novice Worthy Light, who has not yet sported silk. With the exception of Manco, who recently, joined the stable, these horses have been good winners duri ing the season and should be in splendid form for their approaching engagements. The seven regular members of the team (says “Abaydos”) listed for the first ■■ day have so far this season won 28 races | between them, as follows:—Nell Volo, 6; j Raider, 6; Pegaway, 4; Guid Hairst, 4; Mazda. 3; Chancellor, 3; Kewpie’s Guy, 2. Although Kewpie’s Guy and Pegaway failed badly in their last appearances, it it hardly likely that the public will condemn either on that showing, as their form prior to the local May meeting was brilliant. - The Canterbury Owners and Breeders Association has drawn up a new handicapping system, that of fixed penalties, which it decided at a recent meeting to place before the New Zealand Trotting Conference for consideration. -■ Mr G. R. Hunter, chairman of the association, was recently delegated tp supply particulars of the .advocated system to a meeting of trotting officials. The principal proposal is that there should be one permanent handicapper in sole control, assistance to be given by deputies where required. The handicapper is to have the authority to correct any errors such deputies may make. Most of the trouble with the present system is caused by, some handicappers not being, thoroughly conversant .with the correct method of operation; . consequently they vary greatly in opinion of the merit of the win of a horse. At present, and for the last 18 months, the work of handicappers . has had to be thoroughly checked and supervised. The number of corrections notified in the official calendar and the comparison of inconsistencies are illustrations which point to the need of a more simple and set system. At present the sum of £I3OO is expended for the services of handicappers by the various clubs throughout the Dominion. If fixed penalties were in force this amount would be reduced considerably. It is proposed by the association.also to'levy,clubs for the amount required for handicapping expenses under the new system, and it is anticipated thaUa great deal of expense will be saved by, this method.