HANDICAPPING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 41, 9 May 1891, Page 6

HANDICAPPING.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —It is to be hoped that before another North Shore meeting takes place new arrangements will be made as to handicapping, as no horse-owner can be expected to continue as such in the face of such eccentricities as Mr. Knight is in this case responsible for. Compare, for instance, the weights for the Maiden and Welter Handicap, both distances being the

Now, what justification can be urged for such an adj ustment. In the second race Octopus meets Theorem nine pounds, Forget-me-Not fourteen pounds, Warrior eleven pounds, Tuna twelve pounds, and Relation twenty pounds better. Fancy Forget-me-Not giving Warrior weight! Then, again, at Tattersalls, Tuna receiving nine pounds from Forget-me-Not beat her. At Avondale, Tuna gave her three pounds and ( a beating. Now, Forget-me-Not, for being beaten, had to give eight pounds, i.e., meet her on eleven pounds worse terms. Theorem has run unsuccessfully on the flat several times, carrying 6st 121 b. Warrior has won, and yet because Theorem won at Otahuhu the hurdle double, he now has to carry Bst 71b, and give Warrior weight. The other handicaps contain as many peculiar items, but there is no useful purpose to be served by pointing them out. Would it not be possible to form

some union among owners to bring pressure to bear to remedy the matter ? Thanking you in anticipation for kind insertion—l am, etc., One of the Victims. [One must agree with the remarks made by “ One of the Victims” regarding Mr. Knight’s eccentric handicapping for the Takapuna Jockey Club’s Winter Meeting. It has long been a wonder among racing men how he got the appointment; but they forget the New Zealand rule that appertains to everything, political or otherwise, “Kissing goes by favour.” Taking the Maiden Race and Welter Handicap to start with. Theorem, in the Maiden, has to give Forget-me-Not 71b, in the Welter 21b, both the same distance. Now, Forget-me-Not is a pony, therefore better able to carry a light weight. Besides that, she has won several races on the flat, while Theorem has not; but anyone who understands his business would most decidedly have made Forget-me-Not give Theorem weight in the Maiden Handicap, and perhaps reversed it in the Welter. The handicaps all through may be called disgraceful; but as it will take some time to work them out they had better be left until next week, when we will then expose some more glaring mistakes. -Ed. S.R. j

same: — lb Welter. st lb Maiden. st Octopus. 9 o Theorem . 9 o 8 7 Octopus . 8 12 Forget-me-Not .... 8 O Forget-me-Not ... . 8 12 Warrior 7 12 Warrior . 8 7 Tuna 7 4 Tuna . 8 o Relation 6 IO Relation . 8 o