TROTTING NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25299, 9 August 1943, Page 4

TROTTING NOTES

By Sentinel

Each of the two trotting events to be decided at the Otago Hunt Club’s meeting on September 4 carries a stake of £260. The Brockville Handicap is for a 3.38 class and the Wingatui Handicap 3.34. At the meeting of the Trotting Conference on Friday Mr H. Halliday, on behalf of the Forbury Park Trotting Club, moved " That all races at a meeting of a club or racing club at which the totalisator is used shall be started by the starter or his duly authorised substitute from a raised platform not less than five feet in height, on which such starter shall stand at leas, nine feet back from the rails. Mr Halliday said the remit aimed at fairer racing to all, especially to drivers of horses at the back of a field. An arrangement as suggested would give all drivers a chance to see the drop of the starters flag Mr H E August (Wellington) seconded the motion and said the alteration was an urgent necessity. His own club was at a disadvantage in having to race on a borrowed course, but this was only a wartime difficulty. The question whether racing, clubs, who also catered for trotting horses, could be compelled to erect special stands for starters caused discussion and Mr W. Grieve (Invercargill) moved an amendment to the effect that it be a recommendation from the conference that clubs provide facilities along the lines suggested in the remit. The amendment was carried.