ON TIMING

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 363, 25 May 1928, Page 6

ON TIMING

NEW IDEA IS GOOD HOW IT IS DONE IN W.A. ✓ For the purpose of records in West Australia all performances are reduced to a basis of rate to the mile, and in that way the quality or otherwise of a horse’s efforts at different distances can be more easily compared Light harness racing has attained a degree of popularity in the West, unrivalled by any other Australian State. For that reason, any methods which have been found popular there are well worthy of consideration by clubs this side of the continent. The timekeeper in West Australia is a most important official. By means of a patent ink-dotting watch lie secures the time of every horse in the race, while an assistant takes the order of the horses at the finish. Gros? times are then allocated against each horse, a time allowance equivalent to the handicap deducted, and the net mile-time worked out to scale. Aid to Form Mile rates of the first four horses in each race are published in connection with the results of the meeting, and are an excellent aid to the public in ascertaining th© form of the different horses. None of the confusion resulting from gross times of different distance races exists. In addition, says the West Australian correspondent of th© “Sydney Referee,” the public are not called upon to worry about whether a horse started from scratch or 60yds behind in a particular event. The mile time gives them information on a definite basis which, under the method adopted here, requires rather a difficult mental calculation. Guide to Handicappera Not only is the mile rate information of great value to the public, bu: it provides a record for haudicappers and stewards, which is of considerable ! assistance to them in carrying out ; their official duties. As in galloping, time itself is not an infallible guide to a horse’s capabilities or the consistency or otherwise of performances, but it goes a long way, particular!} with the public, whose information is gleaned mainly from newspaper reports. , By carrying th© mile time metnoa further, an even greater benefit might be done trotting patrons —publication lof a mile time basis against ever} i yards handicap in the official programme. This would show that particular horse was on a 2.20 or 2.1mark as the case might be. Most experienced trotting men refer to a bandicap in terms of time rather than yards. «CtO*OIOiCK; Y'Y i 1^