TROTTING NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22447, 17 December 1934, Page 15

TROTTING NOTES

By Sentinel.

Acceptances for the Gore Trotting Club’s meeting are due to-day. Taxpayer is reported to be looking in good shape and hopes are entertained that he will race up to his early promise. Tempest is considered one of the smartest sprinters in training and has done well since racing at the Forbury Park meeting. Wise Guy has been greatly impressing the track watchers. He is credited with jogging Smin 20sec at Addington last week. Private information states that Indianapolis “ was not out of a walk ” on Thursday last when he covered two miles in 4min 27 3-ssec. Arrangements have been completed for Indianapolis to make an attack on the mile record of 2min 2 2-ssec at the midsummer meeting of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, which will be held at Addington on January 19. R. B. Berry is working the American trotting filly Pantine, and she is moving with great freedom. She is a stylish trotter, and promises to come to hand quickly. She has been nominated for the Progressive Handicap at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club’s meeting. A. Holmes has an addition to his team in the 12-year-old gelding Native Chief, but (says the Press) he has a big task in front of him to win a race with this erratic pacer. Native Chief at one time was the fastest racehorse in New Zealand, but he was always handieappeil by a peculiar temperament. He held a mile record of 2min 4 l-ssee made in the match in which he beat Great Bingen, and this did not nearly represent the limit of his speed. At times he has been credited with pacing half miles in 58sec, but he would show r this speed only so long as he pleased. All his Successes were gained under the care of J. J. Kennerley, but J. Bryce also tried his skill with the gelding. Native Chief is by Logan Pointer —Regina de Oro, by Copa de Oro -—Regina Belle, by Bellman—Regina, by Berlin. He was bred by Mr J. Duffy, Winton, and at the recent Forbury Park meeting he raced in the nomination of Mr F. Johnson. In his latest displays Native Chief displayed all his old-time Bullishness at the barrier, and if he wins a race his young trainer will deserve it.

Indianapolis is a model of fitness, and his track work at Addington is inspiring. An opinion obtains among daily track watchers at Addington that he will pace a mile in 2min and two miles in 4min lOsec at short notice. He is definitely a better horse to-day than when he won the New Zealand Trotting Cup, but even among his most ardent admirers (says “Argus”) a doubt exists regarding his desire to pace as freely on the Auckland circuit as he does at Addington. On previous visits to Epsom he has not acted as confidently going the reverse way to that to which he has been accustomed, and for that reason his defeat in the Auckland Trotting Cup would not come as a shock to students at headquarters. The inability of Indianapolis to handle the Auckland course was known by the late W. J. Tomkinson. Just whether the horse will create a similar impression with his present trainer remains to be seen. Indianapolis is a year older than when he led the field home in the principal event in December last, and this, coupled with the racing and travelling experience he has enjoyed in the meantime, may cause him to race as confidently at the approaching meeting as he does at Addington. A correspondent of the Melbourne Globe writes:—l offer the following simple and honest system of penalties in handicapping trotting horses to the governing bodies throughout Australasia, believing it would be a benefit to the sport if all States were handicapping under one system. After years of careful study of all systems of handicapping trotting races as practised in Australasia, I am fully convinced that the human element should be eliminated as much as possible. Hard and fast laws are sure to fall heavily in some cases. In reply to that, I say there never lived a man in any walk of life that did not fail in his efforts at some time or place. The fact that each of our States is handicapping under different rules "proves the weakness of all systems operating at present. Victoria, New South Wales, and New Zealand handicap all races up to one mile and a-half as if the races were only one mile. Why should a horse stand hard on the time it runs in a one-mile race and get a concession of one-third in the one mile and a-half races? My proposition is to give the same one-third concession in all races. To simplify matters, I propose to cut out all odd distance races, such as nine furlongs, one mile and three furlongs, one mile and five furlongs, and one mile and three-quar-ters. They serve no useful purpose. .All

races should be one mile, one mile and a-quarter, one mile and a-half, and two miles. Horses that win without improving their time to be penalised one line and remain upon the penalty mark for 12 months. To prevent penalties being too severe, I propose to give all horses in all' races a concession of one-third of their actual time record or handicap over the full distance of the race. It matters not what the front or limit mark may be. In a one-mile race the penalty shall be 8 yards per second, in a one mile and aquarter race 10 yards per second, in a one mile and a-half race 12 yards per second, in a two miles race 16 yards per second. In placing this simple system ■before the handicappers and governing bodies throughout Australasia, I do so with confidence. It is superior to any system now in operation in any of our States or New Zealand'. The following table will show how simple its operation will be: —

One Mile. li Miles,' Horse’s Horse’s Horse’s Horse’s Record. Handicap. Record. Handicap. 2.20 scr 2.20 scr 2.19 e 8yds 2.19 10yds 2.18 16yds 2.18 20yds 2.17 24yds 2.17 30yds 2.16 32yds 2.16 40yds . 2.15 40yds 2.15 50yds 2.14 48yds 2.14 60yds 2.13 56yds 2.1 S 70yds 2.12 64yds 2.12 80yds 14 Miles. 2 Miles. Horse’s Horse’s Horse's Horse’s Record. Handicap. Record. Handicap. 2.20 scr 2.20 scr 2.19 12yds 2.19 16yds 2.18 24yds . , 2.18 32yds 2.17 36yds 2.17 ’48yds 2.16 .48yds 2.16 64yds 2.15 60yds ■; 2.15 80yds 2.14 72yds . • 2.14 '96yds . 2.13 84yds V- 2.13 112yds 2.12 96yds ■ 2.12. ' ■■ 128yds