TROTTING NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23463, 30 March 1938, Page 15

TROTTING NOTES

By Sentinel

Championship Meeting General entries for the championship meeting are due to-morrow. Galliard Gallaird is in work again after a light season at the stud. A New Set An almost new set of pacers will be produced at Waimate as compared with what comprised the fields at Oamaru. King Potts King Potts, who went 3,27 at the Oamaru meeting, is on a 3.39 mark at Waimate. New Idea! New Ideal has an enlarged knee, and will be treated to a lengthy spell, A Sale of Stock A big sale of light-harness stock will be held in Christchurch during the championship meeting. A Snapshot According to a snapshot of the start of the Waikaura Handicap run at Oamaru, only one ur'ver was wide awake and alert, and this was E. J. Smith, who drove Mankind and won from end to end. A good start helps to make a good finish. At the Barrier E’ J. Smith was wide awake at the start of the Waikaura Trot Handicap at Oamaru, and a photograph taken just as the barriers were released shows his horse, Mankind, on the way while some of the others are evidently viewing the scenery. It is quite plain that most of the drivers have been taken by surprise, and this is possibly not the fault of the starter Yet all the drivers should not have been caught napping, and it is apparent that a “ snap ” start was the reason for Mankind’s early advantage which led to victory Most of the pacers engaged in this race had had previous experience, and it is strange (says the Press) to find only one of the 10 photographed in the front row ready to begin. It is quite apparent that trotting and galloping are two different sports and different licensed starters as well as different licensed handicappers should be in control. The Callous Mouth Trouble at the start and breaking by either pacers or trotters during a race is principally caused by the callous mouth which defies control, and so horses over-run themselves and go to a break because they cannot be steadied. The origin of al’ trouble at the start and during a race is due to the callous mouth, which gives the reins very little or no control. It is quite a common sight, and frequently commented on in thi past, to see drivers laying back on the reins and so compelling a horse to pull lock stock, and barrel on the mouth. It is inevitable that a horse must develop

a callous mouth when handled in such a senseless manner and so be difficult to control at the start during a race. It is a most important part of a horse’s education that they must not be taught to pull, but mouth-pulling is seen a i every meeting, and is the source of the bulk of trouble in racing.