SPORT AT NIGHT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22505, 25 February 1935, Page 13

SPORT AT NIGHT

Among the suggestions put forward by a deputation from the Victorian Trotting , Owners and Breeders' Association to the Victorian Trotting and Racing Association is one asking if there is any possible nope of conducting trotting meetings at Ascot on Saturday nights under electrio light. Before, such is practicable legislation will have to be passed by the Gov- .. ernment. Some years ago there was a move to establish night trotting meeting* . at Richmand (says a Melbourne paper), but nothing ever came of it, though keen observers will remember that there is still an electric light standard on the course. That was about as far as the matter went. Adelaide, the* "city of churches," and Perth conduct night trotting fixtures, which are immensely popular. A recent revival of the light-har-ness sport in South Australia resulted in nigHt meetings being held at W&yville. For two years past Brennan Park, Perth, has been the scene of highly successful fixtures. West Australia boast* of the success and popularity of the light- . harness sport. If such is the case, there is no reason why night trotting would not be even more successful in Victoria. Trotting has just as much right to receive support from those in power in Victoria as any other sport. It is the relaxation of the small grazier and farmer, who, if they possess a horse which • shows anything like speed, naturally cannot resist the temptation to have a "flutter" on the trotting track. Galloping clubs enjoy the benefit of all the Saturdays and public holidays, while trotting men are faced to race on Mondays. The Breeders and Owners' 'Association, casting round for some means of improving the financial aspect of the sport, have decided that the only way out is to ask. the Government for permission to race on ' Saturday nights. Small graziers, farmers, and tradesmen—who need the light-harness horse in their work and business and consequently must breed it- 1, makes no complaint of the privileges enjoyed by the galloping community,_ but merely draw attention to the very different treatment meted out to them. Monday is not the ideal day for trottjng. Owners are compelled to race on that day, when they should be attending to their business. The position is not tenable from any point of view, and the Breeders and Owners' Association holds the idea that it is not fair to force it on the tradesman, who is entitled to his measure of sport just as much as anyone else. All the association wants is the right to conduct meetings- on Satur-, day nights. Let the galloping community, have all the Saturdays and holidays. Light-harness sportsmen will then be able to attend to their work on Mondays and trotting will not interfere with tbeir industry. There are people < who raise all sorts of objections to night trotting, but a big argument against their ideas is that there are several speed coursing clubs racing under electric light each week in close proximity to Melbourne. The Breeders and Owners' Association, which, has the progress of trotting at heart, has decided to make other suggestions to the Victorian Trotting and Racing Association, with the idea of improving the sport. It intends to ask the controlling body to compel the country handicappers to make their adjustments according to the automatic system of handicapping, and also is putting forward the view that where an owner starts two horses in the same race they should be bracketed on the totalisator. The association further holdg the opinion that bona fide amateur owners should be allowed to drive their owf horses in novice handicaps. Another sujf-. gestion to be placed before the ruling club aims at giving assistance to the breeders, who have done so much for the light-harness sport.