Handicaps.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2020, 21 January 1887, Page 2

Handicaps.

To the Editor of the Standard.

Bib,—Will yon favor us with a small amount of space in order to express our thanks to ” Phil Garliek ” for his efforts to teach us bow a handicap should be made. We assure you, sir, that we feel better because of “ Phil’s ” suggestions, already. We find that our old notions of handicapping is altogether wrong, bat there is the excuse lor us that we have not had the benefit of •• Phil’s ” advice, until too late. We were laboring under the mistake that Payne and Scott (WK) who are both maidens, should have a start of Catt who is not a maiden. But we are wrong, for Catt belongs to Carterton ; we were also (wrongly of course) under the im. pression that Wellington maidens were no better than Wairarapa ones, except they were known to be, wfaioh they are not; but of course (again according to “ Phil ”) they shonldnot be allowed a show at all, as they are visitors to the Wairarapa. Again in the ease of Baumber and Coleman, although we know that the former is the better man (and has two arms by the by), we should have given him a start of Coleman. We might have thought that G. Parker was a maiden, bad he not enclosed a list of good performances ; with even then, we know now, that he should have a start of maidens, because they are Wellington men, Indeed we quite acknowledge the justness of “ Phil’s ” idea that anyone ontside the Wairarapa should be allowed no show. It would no doubt be the best way to encourage them to enter again or even accept for these Sports. We were again decidedly wrong in supposing that if a man won one race and another two races or even half a dozen, that it would have made any difference who competed in a race with them, even if the one beat Monnock and the other had a lot of ” Phil Gatlioka ” to meet. “ Phil ”is quite right as to the names of the Handicappers, and although we have acted in that capacity for a nurnOer of years wo are evidently unfit for the position in thinking that if Payne and Scott (maiden) could give Catt ten yards in 100, that the said Catt has no business in starting for a race at all. Thanking “ Phil Garliek ” for not ” being hard upon us.”

We are, &c., The Handicapi'Ees,