TROTTING HANDICAPS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 984, 29 May 1930, Page 15

TROTTING HANDICAPS

another system for NEW SOUTH WALES -DISCRETIONARY” POWER With the handicapping question ve ry much in the limelight in New Zealand at the present time, the following comment on the situation as presented in the light harness world of New South Wales, by a Sydney critic, will be read with interest. “The -few South "Wahs Trotting flub has again altered its system o£ handicapping, and in future penalties for winning a race, even though a. time record is not exceeded, rest with .he discretion of the handicappers. Mr. tf Mackenzie and Mr. X. llollier. At * na time handicapping at the club’s meetings was by seconds, and then in more recent years by yards, horses being handicapped on the equivalent Of their best winning times. That "eemed quite satisfactory until one or two good horses, exceptionally good performers, iron race after race without exceeding then- handicap figures, and .so escaped penalty. T hen it was decided "to penalise each winner 12yds handicap time was nut exceeded. This does not appear to satisfy the committee, for now the handicappers have instructions to impose what penalty UP to 24yds they think lit. There is one difference, for whereas under tho old conditions three unplaced efforts were necessary before the penalty was lifted, the handicappers may, at their discretion, now lift the penalty after one unplaced run. Early Application When the handicaps for tho next meeting- were published, one of the tirst horses dealt with under the new scheme was Marble Iliilge, the most prolific winner racing-, and as a corol - lary the most consistent performer, tie was a winner at the last meeting of the club. Handicapped to pace 2.14 to the mile in the Flying Handicap, he ran 2.16 on a slow track, winning by a length. For the corresponding race at the next meeting he is on tiOyds behind, and if the scratch horses run up to their times lie will be required to pace at a 2.12 gait to win. As a matter of fact, he has never won i mile race at much better time than 2.16, although he has done better in races over a greater distance. For the Harold Park Handicap he has also gone back 24j ds. Mintonette, also a. winner at the last meeting at Harold Park, has only been penalised 12yds n a similar race for the next. He had won at a 2.22 gait, and to show that the handicappers erred in awarding him only 12yds more, he won a mile and a-quarter race at Victoria Park veaterday at a 2.20 gait. He will, of course, again come under official notice. Drivers Should Assist •*lt is difficult to arrive at a generally satisfactory basis of handicapping, Most trainers endeavour in their own interests to beat the handicapping, and at the same time keep secret the speed of their horses, and where one horse appears to stand out. it is remarkable the number of occasions on which he is allowed to get to the front, slow down the field, and then win without anything sensational in respect to times. It is against this horse chat the alterations in the system seem to be aimed.

“The solution, and one that would be very much appreciated by the public, who, after all, count most, is that all drivers in a race should make the good horse do his best by forcing the pace, even at the risk of showing their “wn horses favourably. if all were honest in this endeavour, betting possibilities would be improved, the true handicapping level would be reached, and the plane of trotting made higher. “The committee should not be forced to take a hand in a matter that could be adjusted by the drivers themselves.’*

HORSES IN FORM

ADDINGTON POINTERS DISCUSSED BY “ABAYDOS” With business quiet locally followers of the popular pastime are taking a keen interest in the Canterbury Park fixture, which opens at Addington bn Saturday. Many horses taking part at this function will no doubt visit Auckland next month, and their form in the South will be closely followed. * * * The aged trotter Mat Voyage has not been heard of since his visit to Alexandra Park in the spring. He made some friends on that occasion who will feci inclined to have a look at him off the end of the 12-furlong trot on Saturday. When Nelson Parrish won the Matapu Trot at Hawera he jogged home in 3.38 from a 3.41 mark. The second day he failed off 3.39, but the Canterbury Park adjuster has taken no risk with Berkett’s trotter, which is now' un 3.37 at Addington. Standby is one of the improved type mat should race well at Addington. The Nelson Bingen trotter won com-

fortably at Forbury Park in 3.35 and the following week at Oamaru went * hne race into second berth from K Yards behind the field. From 3.37 on Saturday ho will be a nuisance. . The grey filly Fifa, by Guy Parrish, is JJ* trotter of morthan useful calibre, and she can stay over a journey. The first day at Dunedin J. Glarke drove her home easily in 3.34. on the second day she registered J-31 into third berth. Twelve yards cehind in a 3.38 class looks like more money for Fifa. Good and all as th«; Aucklandowned filly White Satin is, she W| I find her task on Saturday of conceding Fifa and Standby 36yds a difficult one. If the daughter of v »ra succeeds in her mission, she will be crowned as the woncjcr the age. The Author Dillon gelding Editor is f S°°d sort of pacer when dressed n , s best. He did not strike form ar!y this season, but recently at ran two creditable thirds. 7 1 at Ashburton he defeated a field over a mile and a-half in ir°- On Saturdav he is in the PenHandicap off a 3.27 mark. Br*ntiight. u.n Alburn representaone that has threatened lately

to turn up trumps. At Dunedin lie ran a solid race into second place behind St. George and several good pacers finished behind him. Off the end of a 3.29 mile and a-half, the Matchlight gelding must be reckoned with. There was a five-year-old mare racing at Hawera called Wild Voyage which gave “Abaydos” the impression she 'would improve as the season advanced. After finishing fourth in a mile dash the first day, the daughter of Happy Voyage did better tho second day to finish close up to tho winner, Ngahuia. Wild Voyage figures on the front of a 3,29 mile and a-half on Saturday. * * # Without winning a heat this season Young Carbine has put up several useful performances, picking up quite a tidy bit of place money. D. Withers has faith in the El Carbine gelding’s ability to yet notch a victory and his turn may come during the Canterbury Dark fixture. The Bon Homme mare Kyra lias not run a bad race since signing on with trainer R. Townley, who has a fine record with horses of the squaregaited style. Kyra stays on well and from the 12yds mark at Addington this week-end her chances arc not to be passed over lightly. Two trotters engaged in the two-mile event on Saturday with splendid performances over 12 furlongs are Adm iral Bingen and Rose Audo. Both were recent winners over the shorter route at Addington during Easter. The former registered a tick under 3.23 and the latter 3.27 for the distance. Over the two miles they are handicapped on 4.40 and 4.43 respectively, which allows them plenty of time for the final half. If either can hang on to the bitter end, the rest will be kept busy. * * * Harold Logan at Hawera, after losing a lot of ground at the start of a two-mile heat, and then covering extra ground to get round a big field, went 4.40 from a 4.47 mark. A few days later he won the Taranaki Cup in great style, maJcing his total four on end. At Addington Harold is on the front of a 4.40 heat —“nuff sed.”

Logan’s Pride, a consistent and well-seasoned performer, claims two engagements at the Canterbury Park meeting the first day. Whichever he takes on the Hutt-trained pacer will make a bold bid for success, but to give Harold Logan 48yds looks a stupendous task in two miles.

Kid Logan is one of the fastest sprinters in commission at the present time in the Deminion. At Easter the Logan Pointer mare set tongues wagging by creating a mile saddle record of 2.S 2-5. She has also gone very fast in harness, so that her chance off 2.47 for a mile and aquarter looks rosy-hued. *

At Ashburton last month Eugene de Oro put, up a pleasing performance over 10 furlongs when he defeated good ones in Wrackeen and Shady Spot to register 2.47 4-5. In the Stewards at Addington this week-end Eugene has tho handy mark of 2.47 in a similar distance.

Travis Axworthy's party decided in favour of the shorter race ‘ for the Canterbury X*ark opening day. which means that the aristocratically-bred American horse will have a good chance. He is a brilliant customer over this distance.

Teremoa’s great dash in saddle at \ Ashburton, when he registered a tick j under 2.12, should see the New ! Brighton-trained pacer made' a sound 'avourite for the Railway Handicap .his week-end. If he reproduces that effort those behind him will have to .ravel extra quick^ Great Triumph has a torrent of speed when on the journey, but the chief difficulty appears to be getting lim to set out on his mission at the correct time. “If” he leaves the mark, the opposition feel sick early, but it is not every day the Triumph gelding is in the mood. * * * Form is a great factor in saddle Heats, and on this account it will i not be wise to discount the chances of El Direct. He won like a good one at Dunedin each day, the last time going 2.12 1-5. The El Carbine pacer is on 2.13 on Saturday, and while a couple on the front will make his job exceedingly hard, it will not be surprising to see him wear them down and register 2.10 on a good track. | Final McKinney’s performance at Oamaru in conceding Royal Comrade 36yds and running him to a length at the wire was a particularly smart one and suggests that Jock Henderson’s pacer is coming back to her best i form. Being only 12yds from the limit of the fast harness mile, she will make her rivals tramp merrily. * * * The Great Audubon gelding Rolex, while taking a long time to make good, has raced consistently this season. He is now asked to tackle the higher class company, but off the front of a 2.14 mile dash, Rolex should make things decidedly interesting.