BETTING SYSTEMS

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20360, 18 July 1934, Page 12

BETTING SYSTEMS

Win and Place Popular at Trentham. One of the features of last week’s meeting at Trentham was an unmistakable improvement .in the reception the win-and-place system of betting had from the public, writes “ Rangatira ” in the Wellington “ Post.” There is, of course, no argument that win and place caught the public when it was first introduced, but later on there was a fairly general definite swing-awav in opinion from the new system. There are probably many who will still cross swords on this asser tion, but they* are not' those who are most keenly* observant. Perhaps in another twelve months or so it will be recorded that the 1934 winter meeting at Trentham was the point at which the true co-ordination of the rival systems was ultimately made patent. The Wellington stewards are deserving of the highest praise for the wayin which they have persevered in educating the public to the principles of win and place. They have spared no pains in improving the method of indicating the dividends being paid at every moment during the currency of the betting, and it is to this that must be attributed the renewing popularity* of the mode as shown last week. If win and place survives, as it now certainly* promises to do at the main centres, •the Wellington Club will be entitled to claim the lion’s share of the credit. Trentham’s Example. The method of working the system at Trentham .is far in advance of that operating in any* other course in the Dominion. The latest improvement is that the barometer now shows both the win and the place dividends at every stage of the betting, in the same column, the win dividend above the place dividend, so that bettors have very complete information about the progress of the betting. The only further improvement that could now be incorporated is the electrically-oper-ated barometer, which is used in Australia and England, and which records the changes in the betting automatically immediately they are registered on the selling machines. It is quite a possibility that such a machine will be set up at Trentham in not far-distant day*s. Big Centres Only. The experience at Trentham may* not, of course, be taken to -Show that win and place is a totally superior system to the single pool. It is necessary to consider the aspect more widely than this. The experience at other centres, and particularly .at small meetings, is that the win-and-place mode has a restricted applicability. It seems suited only to meetings where there are large attendances, big fields, and a clash of form among the bestclass horses. Wh£re pools are small and dividends thus easily affected by bets of any size, and where form is so well exposed among moderate fields that one or two horses stand out from the others, the single pool may always be the best.

The centres in the Dominion, which could continue profitably to operate the double pool are the four main cities, and possibly one or two others that have holiday dates and therefore a good attendance! and turnover. It was unfortunate in a way that the small clubs should have rushed in as they did to make the changeover, for win and place was not suitable to their conditions. Before long it may* be that win and place will operate only at Trentham, Riccarton and Wingatui, and perhaps at Ellerslie again and a few of

the larger provincial courses, and at these centres it should be found to work rather more satisfactorily than the # single pool when it is properly supplemented with up-to-date methods of recording the progress betting. Wellington’s Work.

In demonstrating these possibilities in win and place the president and stewards of the Wellington Racing Club have earned the gratitude of the sport in the f Dominion, for it is owing to their increasing and unwavering efforts that the system has had. its real opportunity* of proving itself under the right conditions. The recent Wellington meeting has shown the sporting public that the mode has some advantages under such conditions as regularly pre vail at Trentham. The line of demarcation has been drawn between the systems, and the public may now be convinced that win and place is the mode for the big meetings and the single pool for all others.