TOO LARGE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 296, 14 December 1931, Page 10

TOO LARGE.

Fields in Slow Class Trot Events. CHANCES SPOILED. The Trial Handicap at New Brighton on Saturday was run over a mile and a half and was for trotters, the class being 3min 50sec. It attracted, as usual, a very large nomination and an acceptance of twenty-eight. The following race was run over the same distance and was for pacers, the class being 3min 38sec. There were twentyfive acceptors. Most of the acceptors were on the limit in each event, there being twenty in the first line in the trotters’ race and one fewer in the pacers’ event. A number in both events had done little racing and were therefore inexperienced at the barrier. As was to be expected, many in each race failed to begin right and, what was far more important, prevented others from having a fair chance at the start. Judged by the manner in which quite a number were supported on the machine, their chances were not viewed very favourably either by their connections or the public. It is hard to understand why owners, who are in many cases, it must be admitted, guided by their trainers, start horses without any reasonable chance of success. In times such as these, it might be imagined that owners would conserve expenses in nomination and acceptance fees, but it is a noticeable fact that in ail slow-class events large fields go to the post. Large fields do not conduce to good racing, and the first two races at Brighton, which are only mentioned as examples, would have resulted in much better contests had half the number in each event started. Owners and trainers are well aware of the fact that these events are hard to win, and considerable improvement on handicapped time is necessary to ensure success. In the pacers’ race at New Brighton, Royal Pa'rade, the winner, went nearly thirteen seconds faster for the mile and a half, and this feature in these events is not at all uncommon. It would be far better for the sport if owners and trainers would refrain from entering horses in slow-class events until they possess at least a reasonable chance of winning.