SEVERE PENALTIES ON PLACED MAIDENS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 224, 10 December 1927, Page 11

SEVERE PENALTIES ON PLACED MAIDENS

JEAN MCELWYN BILLY CARBINE BOTH SUFFER

Judging from a few cases of maiden pacers and trotters which have clipped big slices off their times for second money already this season, that vigilant organisation, the Canterbury Owners’ and Breeders’ Association, will have further evidence to bring in favour of its argument that “a horse be considered a maiden performer by the handicapper until it has won a race.”

THE association in question has during the last few years been agitating for a rule to this effect to be placed on the statute book of the New Zealand Trotting Parliament, but so far its efforts have not met with success. “Nil Desperandum” is one of the slogans of the live-wire Canterbury organisation, and no doubt the members will propel the scheme again this year.

There is undoubtedly a good deal to be said in favour of the proposal, and when the cases of Jean McElwyn, the Canterbury-trained maiden pacer, and Billy Carbine, the Auckland maiden trotter are considered, it certainly looks as if the Canterbury Association is on the right track regarding maiden performers. The recent defects of Jean M wyn furnish striking evidence in fa-our of the suggestion. At Wellington in Septemper Daphne de Oro conceded Jean 48 yards and a beating, but the track being fast, the 12 furlongs were cut out at a merry clip. At that time the handicaps were out for Ashburton, and Jean McElwyn still had the chance of breaking her status from the end. Although the filly had shown a time improvement of 13sec. at Hutt Park, and was suggested as unbeatable at Ashburton, she was eventually defeated by another novice in Lady Matchlight and Jean from all accounts was lucky to be even second.

Between the riod of her Wellington performance and the event at Ashburton tie handicaps for like contests were declared for Geraldine, where she had been entered i Iso. Because of her second at Wellington she, in accordance with precedent and the time she registered, had to give starts up to 72 yards to maiden pacers, some of which were better than herself. Now tie fallacy of it is that if she eould not win off the 3.45 marks she was on both at Wellington and at Ashburton, how was she going to win giving away 72 yards ; t Orari. It points favourably to the old ar nent &at a maiden should remain so till it has won a race. BILLY CARBINE’S CASE

Coming nearer home there is -Ally Carbine’s case in which recently at Alexandra Park the maiden trotter went 4.53 from a 5.2 mark for second j&oney. The handicaps for the Waikato meeting were not framed when 1139 lightning-like track at Epsom causes the Henderson horse to knock such corners off his time, and when he wanted to toe the mark it was rrom well behind. Billy suffered the Penalty of his crime in trotting steadily and quickly for a few pounds, and was asked to concede older and more experienced trotters many yards. His performance brought him back to within a second of Roez, who on the opening cay took out a first prize. Billy did jot accept, but at the same time the jandicapper cannot be L imed. Like T® Southern adjuster in Jean McElJP’ ns case, he followed the established Precedent. And so will every handiPPer until some concrete rule is laid own that will afford the official and joe placed maiden some measure of Protection. knder existing conditions among non ces th© owner who “takes on” the ually hot maiden, found in most of ese classes, severely prejudices his w nce °* a sta k© later. The green ar © allowed to run along and hor« k e hind the plaoe-getters. The tim SeS in tlie m °ney are penalised next ou t. and the green ’uns, who are th*». ed the run and he tact . that turn are on enc *. will generally n Jj U P trumps before the unfortunate Pitkince^* 10 Ut Up time for a mere lawk tennis 1928 ALL-BRITISH SPALDING TENNIS BALL Has been officially adopted by the AUCKLAND LAWN TENNIS ASSOCIATION.