TROTTING IN ITALY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 342, 1 May 1928, Page 10

TROTTING IN ITALY

AMERICAN TRAINER’S VIEWS IMPROVEMENTS AND PROGRESS George Bodimer. the American trainer, who has made Vienna. Austria, his home for many years, recently shipped his string of horses to Milan. Italy, to take part in the winter meeting there, his stable including the Austrian four-year-old champion Elsoe. 2.10 L In a letter giving observations on the splendid racing track in the Italian city, he wrote: “I was here 17 years ago, but then raced over another track, which has been cut up into city lots. Up-to-date Grounds “The new track was built three years ago. and it is one of the finest I have seen. It is 1,000 metres—about fiveeighths of a mile —in circumference, and it is about as perfect as a track could be built. The grandstand is a beautiful piece of work, being built entirely of concrete, while there is a large

steam-heated restaurant under it. There are 14 bookmakers besides the parimutuel, and the betting is done under the stand. The ground between the stand and the track is surfaced with concrete, so one never gets into dirt of any kind. "There is a fine jogging track inside the main track, enclosed by a hedge. The stables are fine, and are arranged in nice shape and well drained. There is a small track around one of the stables, where all the horses have to jog before they are called out to race. Good Starting System “The moment the bell rings all the horses have to be ready to go out on the main track. The starting is the best I have ever seen since I came to Europe. There is a rubber cord across the track every 20 metres, so every horse has to keep in his place. The horses turn around slowly, and when they are all headed toward the cords the starter says, “Go,” and the men. who are placed every 20 metres, press an electric button and the cords fly across the track so quickly that thev do not interfere with the horses in the least. I have seven horses here, and I think they will be useful. I have started three of them, one of them finishing second and the other two in third place. My three-year-old filly Mady trotted a grand race against aged horses. There are about -° horses here, so the races are well filled, from ten to 20 in each event.