PENALTIES TOO SEVERE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 137, 7 December 1938, Page 17

PENALTIES TOO SEVERE

(By "Ariki Toa.")

It has been a matter of contention for some time that the handicapping penalties are too severe, and, judging by some of the assessments of recent months, changes are desirable, either in the revision of the scale for classes of 4min 32sec or faster, or in the rearrangement of limits. The contention is forcibly illustrated by the case of Lucky Jack. Undoubtedly one of the best pacers in the Dominion, this horse has worked himself back to a 4min 22sec mark, and has won the biggest stake in New Zealand today, the Trotting Cup, and yet his total earnings to date are not much over £4000. There is something wrong with a system that allows the best horses in, the sport to win only such small amounts in stakes. Under the old system of handicapping by seconds and the present method when the penalties were not so severe, the leading pacers won more like £10,000 in stakes. , In this direction the winnings ot Great Bingen, who amassed £14,000, may be quoted. Further, Harold Logan. Peter Bingen, Ahuriri, Author Dillon. Red Shadow, Indianapolis, Cathedral Chimes, in fact a host of other -highclass horses, all won more than £IO,OUU. This pertained when the penalties were less severe than those of today, it is not much encouragement for an owner and breeder to go to the expense of educating and training a horse when the best horse in the country can. win. little more than £4000 to £5000 in. It would seem that the schedule of penalties for two-mile races with a limit of 4min 32sec or better should be revised, and the apparent combination of money won and imaginary futures of horses be eliminated, and every performer treated alike The only^ alternative is for the clubs to tighten the classes and offer good stakes for the star performers. In view of the limits framed for most of the big events .at metropolitan meetings recently this does not appear likely. The only way of amending an anorna ous srtuat oj therefore seems to be to revise tne present handicapping penalties.