TROTTING HANDICAPPERS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 414, 30 June 1898, Page 10

TROTTING HANDICAPPERS.

To the Editor.

Sir, —I have noticed the handicaps for the Hawke’s Bay Trotting Club’s Meeting, and would like to pass a few remarks in reference to the handicapping done by the majority of the North Island trotting clubs. You will hear on every side that trotting is on the decline in the North Island, and it is only a matter’ of a short time when some of our once flourishing clubs will drop out of existence, and I may add that the cause of this is nothing else but inferior handicapping, for if the services of a capable handicapper could be secured I would be safe in predicting that trotting would boom in the North Island. To analyse the handicaps issued by different clubs during the past season would be encroaching too much on yonr valuable space, but it is quite apparent the handicappers have striven to please owners of the 3.30 brigade and have not given the good horses a chance, To prove this just look up the handicaps for the Hawke’s Bay Meeting. There you will find that Violetta, Junr., is asked to give away 52sec in one and a half miles, and the basis on which the handicaps are framed on had she been nominated in the saddle race the limit would have been 72sec for two miles. When the handicappers are asked to explain why they make such extremely long and absurd limits they will tell you they know the limit horses to be duffers, and they had to be placed on that mark to have a chance. Now, I maintain that no maiden, or any horse, should be handicapped (in an open race) as worse than a 2.55 performance. The day has now arrived when no man with any knowledge of training trotters will persevere with a horse unless he gives promise of going a mile in something better than even time, but unfortunately we see plenty of horses on our tracks that cannot go anywhere near this gait, and it is this class of horse that has sickened the public of trotting, and has also killed speculation. Would it not be better for clubs to crush the duffers out and bring a few good horses together. That would provide fast and good racing for the public, and also encourage speculation, for you will find there is always plenty of money to back good horses. What has paralysed betting is that there is always a “ dark ’un” turning up in the long start division. A correspondent in your last issue says trotting on the coast is killed by the “ dead-’uns,” but. what is the cause of so much crooked running ? It is the handicapping. Some owners will continually run their horses stiff until they get them near the limit, but if class racing was introduced it would prevent this, and it would be an inducement for owners to keep and train good horses. As things are now, you have a bigger chance of winning a race with a crock that costs a tenner than you have with a horse that costs £l5O. But many people will tell you that there are not sufficient good horses in the North Island to introduce class racing. lam certain if we had class racing, many of the good horses that are now running idle about Canterbury would be brought up here. In conclusion let me state that the public will not tolerate trotting unless they can see something go fairly fast, and a set-to between two good ones would be a greater draw than a paddock full of the other class. Clubs should bear in mind that when the good ones are going, there is always plenty of money for the machine. Trusting I have not taken up too much of your valuable space, I am, etc., • Pacer. Palmerston North, June 28, 1898.