DIVISION RACES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26849, 13 August 1948, Page 6

DIVISION RACES

MOVE FOR ELIMINATION SOUTH CANTERBURY OWNERS AND TRAINERS P A TIMARU, Aug. 12. A - move sponsored by the South Canterbury Owners, Trainers, and Breeders* Association to assist in the elimination of division ra «s was discussed by representatives of the South Island associations in Timaru to-day and later endorsed at a conference of racing and trotting clubs in the South Island s country circuit. It was r ® Col P l ?rt nd he that all clubs in New Zealand be circularised asking for their supportbe fore the matter was taken to the Trotting C< The were that in races for trotters and pacers assessed on Line and not faster than Line 4 where the course safety number was exceeded by the number of probable s ta r ter«, practice of holding such r£C , es , i l f} i^ i n v ‘ si ?hl be abolished in favour of limiting the size of the fields through elimination by ba &l' reasons given were:—(a) That division races were disliked by both clubs and racegoers; (b) that divided stakes were not an adequate reward, (c) tnat winners were placed on awkwMdmarks. It was further recommended that before any eliminating baliot was he d the following conditions should apply.—(a) Preference to horses that have received a qualifying ticket at any properly constituted matinee meeting, the time f a etor to be taken into consideration; (b) :preference to horses A ave f placed first, second or third at any totalisator meeting during the current or preceding season; (c) that in the event of the number of probable starters still exceeding the numbers qualified to start in terms of (a) and (b), an eliminating ballot shall be taken; (d) that such matinee trials be conducted by the Owners and Trainers’ Association in conjunction with local clubs.” It was further recommended that races for the slowest class pacers and trotters be confined to horses assessed on Line 1 and not faster than Line 4.. The recommendations do not apply to any classics or semi-classic, races. . A scheme for training farriers for the benefit of racing throughout the Dominion was discussed. It was decided to recommend to the Racing and Trotting Conferences that an effort be made to secure a group of men willing to train as farriers in a school directed by an experienced farrier. It was suggested that the expenses could be met by the conferences. , ~,,