TROTTING NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22366, 13 September 1934, Page 5

TROTTING NOTES

By Sentinel. Nominations for the New Zealand Trotting Cup are due on September 27. Gay Sister i? said to be the best maiden performer seen out at the Wellington Trotting Club’s meeting. Some promising youhg pacers in, Drag Harlan, Ironside, and Moana Tama figure amongst the acceptors for; the Ashburton meeting. In a discussion on stakes at the annual meeting of the Wiptou Trotting Club, Mr W. G. Clark said 15 clubs had held one-day meetings during last season. In the matter of prize money given, the Gore Trotting Club held pride of place with £1375. The Northland Club was next with £IO9O, and then followed Wyndham £IOSO, Methven £IOOS, and Winton £IOOO. He thought .Southland was doing its fair share towards the encouragement of trotting. At the annual meeting of the Winton Trotting Club, the president (Mr A. Baird) said: The last year’s working augured well for the future activities of the club, and he considered that the most difficult period was now past, and in future clubs would get the benefit of what came along. Mr Baird said that he thought the decision of the stewards in bringing Harold Logan to Winton was an exceedingly wise one. Hundreds of the club’s patrons were given the opportunity of seeing this great horse establish a mile record of 2min llsec for the track, which would probably stand for some time before it was lowered. He wished to express the club's appreciation of a donation

of £lO 10s received from Mr G. Drydeu, of Invercargill, and a donation of £3 3s from a Nightcaps donor towards the expense of bringing Harold Logan to Winion.

“Anticipating the adoption of the New Zealand systein, the Menangle Club is preparing a trotting track,” says an Australian paper. “ Patronage will be excellent, and it wag only the fear of , a fast track that made trotting men cease their, patronage of this club. Victoria •Park is another bugbear to trainers and owners, A fast day on the cinders at Victoria Park has ruined the chance of many a coming performer. These cou.siderations alone make the future of trotting in New South Wales much brighter. Other clubs will come Into existence as licenses, now neglected, will be used. , Every branch of the industry will benefit, especially the breeder and those owning untrained horses. By the set-penalty system winners of the slow class races will be gradually eliminated from that class, as no horse will be let up for a year, and only 12 yards then if the committee in charge of assessing horses agres that there is an exceptional reason. New horses will be required as horses move up tq better classes. At present it pays a trainer or owner to find an old performer, and, under the allowance system, work him up to a good mai'k. This would probably take six months, and he would then have a ready-made horse on a- mark that, with ordinary luck, would allow him to win two or moro races. If he bought a young or untamed horse it would take him at least six or nine months to get him ready, and even _ then he might not have the same winning chance as the tried performer. The continuance of this policy would stop the appearance of fresh horses, but the new system definitely encourages them, as it, eliminates horses from the slower classes after, at most, two wins, and they can.never get back.”