TROTTING PROBLEM

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 544, 22 December 1928, Page 11

TROTTING PROBLEM

QUESTION OF HANDICAPS ANOTHER SYSTEM ADVOCATED PENALTIES BASED ON EARNINGS WITH the outcry for a uniform system of handicapping being loudly raised throughout the Dominion, the appended article by Mr. A. E. Adams the well-known and successful trainer, who claims to have solved the problem by a simple method, will be of interest to followers of the sport.

TN placing his views on'the handicapping question at the Owners’, Trainers’, and Breeders’ Association’s reorganisation meeting on Wednesday night, the author of the “penalty according to earnings” system stated he had given many years’ study to the position, and, after attempting a solution of the knotty problem from various viewpoints; came to the conclusion that if a workable system could be evolved it would simplify the whole business. Is the system of handicapping trotting horses in vogue in New Zealand at the present time giving general satisfaction? Ask this question of any individual who is even remotely connected with the sport, and by way of answer you will receive an emphatic “No.” Ask if the system is giving any satisfaction, and the same answer will be given just as definitely. In this article I will endeavour to show why the present method of handicapping does not find favour with owners, trainers, or the public, and as destructive criticism of this subject is universal among the trotting fraternity, I will also endeavour to a remedy. I hope that, at the least, my suggestion will lead, to some further controversy, from which an idea may be brought to light which will give something better than we have at present. Sound in Theory At the last meeting of the Trotting Conference, it was very pleasing to owners to see the Wellington Trotting Club bring forward a remit proposing certain alterations to the present system of handicapping, which was published in The Sun. Their proposal appeared to be very sound in theory,, but likely to prove slightly unwieldy in operation; but surely it was worth due consideration and a reasonable amount of discussion before being shelved. This only goes to show that if the trotting fraternity as a body desire any change in the existing conditions, they must “sing the same tune, ai\d all sing it at the one time.” There are quite a number of enthusiasts who have theories more or' less sound in regard to handicapping, and surely some one of them can devise a system that will be an improvement on the present lack of system. I suggest that all those who have any reasonable suggestion on the subject should produce it, and between all the ideas that may come to light there should be one which, in the opinion of the majority, will be a big improvement on the present metlfcod. After the various theories have been produced, there is no reason why it should not be arranged for any or all trotting horse-owners, trainers, and enthusiasts to send their opinion of any proposed system, as compared to the present system, to one central point, so as to find out definitely if the trotting world wants a change of handicapping methods, and what change they would like. If a big majority of those interested wanted any change, then machinery could be set up by which the desired change could be brought about. Time for Reform The sport of trotting has now reached such a standard that, unless some more satisfactory method of handicapping is introduced, we will find that we have reached a dead end, and that further XDrogress is impossible. There is no room for argument that the present system is obsolete, and while our horses, tracks, appointments, control of meetings, and administration, have advanced beyond belief of recent years, we are still condemned to the same old lack of system in framing handicaps. The expenses are so great, and there Is so much money tied up in the sport, that it is obviously unfair that the handicap should be at the mercy of one man, who, though trying to do his best, may be unconsciously biassed, may make an error, may have misleading information regarding the running of a race or the state of a track, who may be influenced by information received, or by watching a horse’s track work. Even though the handicapper or a committee of handicappers may commit none of these errors, still his adjustments will not give satisfaction, because the method by which lie frames his handicap will not permit him to give satisfaction. It is of no use trying to cure the existing grievance by putting patches on the method in vogue at present, as it is not the method of administration which is wrong, but the system itself is unfair to owners, horses, and the public. What is needed is a method of handicapping that will be fair to all. that will be simple to administer, and will be suitable for our present and fuflire requirements, either for metropolitan or country clubs. Time Not the Factor A method whereby the penalty for winning or being placed will not depend on whether an owner was lucky enough to win or be placed in slow time, or unlucky enough to have put up last time, and one which will be an inducement to owners or drivers to try to win or get placed every time tliev start, thus giving the public what they would like to see—namely, good keen contests. A method which will ensure breeders a market value MATAMATA RACES NEW YEAR FIXTURE The following acceptances have been received for the non-totalisator meeting, to be held on Tuesday, January MAIDEN HANDICAP. Tanetoa, Rangi Town. Pretty Boy, Cloudbank. Stencilhill, Aberbrothick mare, Rusty, Kiri, Flapperette, Joy Day, Master Latour. King Lassau gelding, Townsman. SHORTS HANDICAP.—Highrose, Regent, Oscar, Unoeo, Rangi Town, Cloudbank.

OKOROIRJE HANDlCAP.—Waitekobe, King Fame, Furrie, Prince Val, Flying Archie, Stencilhill, Aberbrothick mare. TIRAU HANDICAP.—Star of the East, Gold Rain, Regent, Rarangi, Infante, Sports King. Red Mar. PATETERE STAKES. —Tanetoa, St. Hellers, Cloudbank, Stencilhill, Rusty, Aberbrothick mare. Lady Wallace, Painty Arch, Townsman, Master Latour, King Lassau gelding. Valwin. COUNTY HANDICAP.— Highrose. Rarangi, Oscar, Waitekohe, Atapai, Flying Archie, Rangi Town, Cloudbank, Kiri. FAREWELL HANDICAP. Rarangi, Infante, Red Day, King- Fame, St. Heliers. Red Mar, Joy Day.

for their young stock, according to what promise they show, and which will increase the value of a horse which has been in it race by putting up a fast performance, shown himself to be a genuine and speedy racehorse. At the present time there is always the possibility that a horse worth, say, £ 1,000 before a race, may by winning or being placed in one race in fast time, deteriorate in value. The proposal is to handicap each horse according to his cash winnings in respective classes, irrespective of the time he might register oyer any distance. Haying classified the various competitors according to their total winnings, it would then be a simple operation to place them on their correct marks. Each liorse would start his racing career off the limit of class A, and no matter how fast he had to go to run first, second, or third, his penalty would only be in accordance with the amount of liis winnings; and each time he went back one distance in the handicap, he would be allowed to win a larger sum than on the previous mark, before incurring another penalty. The following chart will show the amounts to be won which will necessitate a horse being promoted from class to class;— Class A t-s*: ;**•: r*« £250 Class B .. r.. £650 Class C .< .. .. [m. —; .. £1,050 Class D . . .. tm.m: i-< . £1,450 Class E .. .. r» ■: ». £1,850 Class F .. *, w . : .. £2,250 Class G .. '. r* *- .. .. £2.750 The best horses would no doubt in time work their way through the highest class, but clubs could get over this difficulty by arranging tighter contests for the highest grade performers, which could be still handicapped on the proposed plan. The Big Difficulty One of the present difficulties? our handicappers have to face is the handicapping of a horse over two miles on a one-mile performance, and. vice versa, but this could be automatically done away with in the following manner; The term “distance” as used means the distance which a horse

would be penalised for winning a given sum of money, and that distance would vary according to whether a horse was competing in a one-mile, mile and aquarter, mile and a-half, or race. On each trotting course the starting marks would, at the one-mile post, be 10 yards apart; at the mile and aquarter, 12J yards; at the mile and ahalf, 15 yards; and at the two miles, 20 yards, so that it would be Immaterial over which journey a horse earned his penalty. In his future starts he would automatically be penalised according to the journey over which he was to compete. Under the existing handicapping medium, a horse competing in the lower classes may be unfortunate enough to win on a lightning track, and improve his handicap 10 or 12 seconds for the small stake, while one in the higher grade, on a holding track, could win a £I,OOO stake in time slower than his handicap. If these two meet in a heat, they may by virtue of their times be on the same mark. This shows how obviously unfair is the system, compared with the result of allotting the marks according to the total earned. Deserves to Succeed If a horse were handicapped according to his winnings, he would sooner or later win what money his speed and stamina entitled him to win, provided he remained sound, and was a genuine racehorse. All true sports will admit that the man who has the good judgment, or the good luck, either to buy or to breed the best trotting horse, is entitled to win the most money, and when that is realised by those in authority, and they make their handicaps accordingly, then there will come a boom in trotting in New Zealand such as at present has been only dreamed o£Our present system of handicapping is a continual endeavour to make it possible for horses of no class to win a race, and this can only be made possible by placing the high-class horse where he cannot win. The result is that a great number of useless horses are encouraged to stay in the game that would be much better employed at some other occupation. Our present system of framing handicaps is all against the breeder of high-class trotters. A good colt has no market value. An enthusiast may be found to pay a big price for a very promising juvenile, yet, if at the races the colt, should prove himself high class, and win a sterling race in fast time, he will return to the birdcage worth only a fraction of what his owner paid for him. The result under the proposed system would bo entirely different. The summed t, after competing, and demonstrating his ability to go fast and stay, would be worth more money than he

This has killed the time-suppression evil off so completely that it may be said to no longer exist in any form. “The brakes are off,” and off both the horses and the watches. As a matter of strict fact, the horses to-day are not going so many seconds faster than they were half a dozen years ago, as the returns on their face would seem to indicate, because the returns of that period were in many cases deceptive, giving no true idea of the. actual speed of the contestants. “Hence we have the great gain not only of correct and much faster time, but of races much more truly contested, hotly fought, and properly driven, which is adding greatly to the public appreciation of the sport. “There remains only one more step to be taken to completely clarify the situation. That is to simplify the rules governing eligibility, and eliminate the mass of useless and .confusing technicalities and provisos with which they are now encumbered. All thereafter will be clear sailing, or should be.” Mr. Adams is preparing a table to show the actual penalties that will accrue under the scheme, with a view to placing it before the authorities when a meeting is called for the purpose of

waa before the race. So the breeder would have more inducement to try and breed a high-class colt. The buyer would have more inducement to buy, as he would know that he would in all probability be able to win races, in accordance with the calibre of the colt, the public would have more inducement to attend the meetings and invest their money, as they would be assured of good keen contests wherein every penny of prize money would be strongly contested. Backing It Up The following excerpt, culled from “The American Horse Review” of August 22 makes a striking argument in support of '•Mr. Adams’s contention that the correct way to handicap light harness horses is on their winnings: “Our horses are going faster and faster because as the generations of selective breeding produce their due results the capacity of the breed steadily increases, horse for horse. But there is another very mentionable factor in producing the condition that obtains. This is the new rules of racing, whereby almost all horses are classified according to money-winnings, and not records made in winning races.

fully considering the question of systematic adjustments. The agitation for a “change over” has caught on with trotting enthusiasts throughout the Dominion, and it is evident the day is not far distant when some reform will be enacted, and a schedule of penalties fixed, for the adjuster’s guidance.

TROTTING FIXTURES December 26—Gore T.C. Annual. December 26—Ashburton T.C- Summer. December 26, 27—South Wairarapa T.C. Annual. December 26, 27—Westport T.C. Annual. December 27—Cattle Flat Hack (two trotting events). December 27, 29, 31—Auckland T.C. Summer. December 29—Winton T.C. Annual. December 29, January 1, 2—Greymouth J.C. Midsummer (two events each day). December 31—Inangahua T.C. Annual. January I—Waiau R.C. Annual (3 event?) January I—Wyndham R.C. Annual (two events). January 1, 2—Canterbury Park T.C. Summer. January 4, s —Grey mouth T.C. Summer. January 7, B—Reefton J.C. Midsummer (two events each day). January 12—Timaru T.C. Summer. February 1, 2—Nelson T.C. Annual. February 23-27—Otaliuhu T.C. Summer.