HANDICAPPING.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 226, 24 September 1929, Page 12

HANDICAPPING.

LETTING HORSES UP. HOW WRACKLER BENEFITED r HIS ASHBURTON HANDICAP. After tlie case of Admiral Bingen at Addington just over a week ago, which race was reduced to a fiasco because of the handicapping of that horse, right on top of it we have the case of Wrackler at Ashburton on Saturday last, and it would seem that there are matters yet to be straightened out before anything like a hard and fast system is in use. Wrackler won the Rakaia Handicap on .Saturday, but the race was really presented to him, taking actual records of the horses into consideration. Writing before the race "Argus," in the Christchurch "Prese," penned the following: — ,; It was reasonable to suppose that after the Admiral Bingen fiasco at New Brighton and Addington, handicappers would be extra careful in the matter of framing handicaps, but there is every possibility of another Admiral Bingen affair happening at Ashburton on Saturday. In this case the horse concerned: i<3 Wrackler, who is handicapped 84yds 'behind, or on 2.53, in the Rakaia Handicap, a three minute mile and a-quarter race. From a time point of view pure and simple Wrackler is on a false mark, for in hie laet engagement over a mile and a-quarter he was handicapped 30yds behind, or on in the Marconi Handicap, 2.51J class, at the Auckland winter meeting. Wrackler is handicapped to go at the rate of something like 2.18J to the mile at Ashburton tomorrow, while at the Ash'burton T.C.'s winter meeting in June he went two miles in 4.29 1-5, a mile rate of better than 2.15. Whether Wrackler wine or not on Saturday need not concern anyone for the moment, but if he docs win what will be the position when Wrackler is next handicapped over a mile and aquarter? According to the new system the mast that he can be brought back is 48 yards, and with the full penalty ■inflicted his mark would then be 2.49, which is a better mark than he was handicapped on in Auckland. Wrackler is a very well treated horse in to-morrow's race,' and unless some of those far-, ther out in the handicap improve a good deal on their handicap time he should ; be amongst them t>y the time the first mile is completed. In his last two mile race he was asked to go at the rate, of 2.15 -J to the'mile, and over a mile and a-quarter a 2.18 gait should find him improving on 'his handicap." THAMES TROTTING CLUB. PRESIDENT'S REPORT. In his report to be presented, together with the balance-sheet, at the-annual meeting of members qf the Thames Trotting Club at the Protestant Alliance Hall on Saturday, the president, Mr. J. Twohill, states that the sum of £1245 in cash and a silver cup valued at £30 donated by a well-known supporter of the club who desired to remain anonymous were given away in stakes, the excellent programme again drawing good nominations and acceptances. Nicely balanced fields contested the various races, and very even and interesting racing was. witnessed. The club had received many congratulatory messages on the manner in which the meeting was conducted. In connection with the expending of the rebate the committee had been striving for many years to have the Finance Act amended to provide for the erection of stables away from an established course. The committee were exceedingly pleased to state that this object had been achieved, although little or no support was received from other clubs. The sum of £10,662 10/ was. passed through the totalisator, a decrease of £1052, several winners paying fairly substantial dividends being in a measure responsible for such decrease. Under various headings the Government received the total of £1265, surely a big; sum for a small meeting to pay. ; For the past two seasons the club had ! unfortunately clashed with the Bay of i Plenty meeting held at Tauranga, but j this rear March 29 has been granted to' this club, and no clash will occur. In . connection with the next meeting, Mr. G. McMillan, the well-known Auckland trot'ting enthusiast has generously donated a cup valued at £50 to accompany the stake in the Thames Trotting ' Cup Handicap. j In accordance with the rules the pre- ' sident, vice-president, stewards and four members of the committee retire. Nominations for the vacancies have been called for, and as the nominations received are not in excess of the number required an election by ballot will not be necessary. The committee regret to report the death of a number of esteemed members and officials of the club—A. Bateman, W. C. Kelly, J. C. M. Gibson. J. Costello —and desire to convey to the bereaved families their deepest sympathy.

• OFF THE FRONT. HOW LIMIT HOUSES FARED. The majority of those who go looking for winners in the trotting sport Lold the opinion that it is from the limit horses that winners arc most likely to come. Naturally this is the case because there are more handicapped on the limit than on any other mark. The Wellington writer "Overeheek" has been going through last season's results, nnd dealing with horses starting from the limit ho has compiled the following interesting figures:— Order of Number of times favouritism. First Second. Third. I:::: I :::: jj? :::: jtg 8 ..... 39 2S 213 The average dividends paid were, to nearest sixpence:— Order of First. Second, favouritism. £ b. <i. £ s (] 1 212 0 OIS 0' ~ 3 17 0 1 4 0 3 i> 1 C 1-18 G There were eight occasions or, which the .second horse did not return a dividend, and these were not taken into account when working out the average d"'jj J .o«"l °