No Penalties For Young Trotters

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31118, 22 July 1966, Page 5

No Penalties For Young Trotters

Penalty-free races for two-year-old trotters have been approved by the handicapping committee of the Trotting Conference. In races restricted to three-year-old trotters, no handicapping penalty shall be incurred if the total value of the race is £5OO or less. These changes were announced yesterday by the secretary of the conference (Mr J. Rowley).

The changes had been decided after submissions by the Canterbury Park Trotting Club had been considered, said Mr Rowley. It was hoped that they would encourage the development of trotters. The new regulations would be subject to review at the end of each racing season. The Canterbury Park club has done more than any other to foster racing for trotters. As well as running a race valued at £3OOO at its New Year meeting, it has run several non-totalisator events each season for two and three-year-olds. This season it provided stakes for two

races for two-year-olds, as well as running one such event itself.

The breeding of trotters should be encouraged by the change, and trainers are expected to make greater efforts to fit young trotters for racing.

Several clubs are interested in providing totalisator races for young trotters and if sufficient horses are seen in action at trials such races probably will be provided next autumn.