THAMES HANDICAPS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 611, 13 March 1929, Page 13

THAMES HANDICAPS

A FEW IRREGULARITIES CONSISTENT PERFORMERS SUFFER While it may be on account of not having witnessed the racing at the Otahuhu and Hamilton fixtures that the Thames handicapper has apparently gone astray in remains that in a few cases at some of his adjustments, the fact least errors are quite marked. After a lot of battling, during which honesty and consistency were paramount features of his performances, Van Rich succeeded in winning a twomile heat at the recent Otahuhu fixture. The little chap struck a soft patch, and off a 4.39 mark failed to run even his handicap time, although the track was in good order. But Garth Robertson’s pacer has paid the full penalty of his victory by being placed on 4.37 in the Thames i Cup. Had all the entrants been treated in similar fashion, the connections of Van Rich would have hud no cause for complaint, but there are some noticed in the list which have been let up a few seconds on their recent best times. Trustworthy Gets It Another that appears to have paid an extreme penalty is Trustworthy, who, after racing frequently during the season without success, managed to capture a stake at Hamilton the other day in a race that was “made to order” from the pace point of view. Off 4.49 T. Brady’s filly won, but did not go her handicap, yet at Thames she is brought back to a 4.45 peg. Trustworthy is one of the always-doing-its-best type, and it certainly looks as if competitors of this calibre are to be severely penalised when they eventually land a prize. What Price Lpchade? Locliude, whose best showing this year was a third at* Claudelands recently, has got it fairly and squarely in the neck, when a comparison is made with Te Ngutu. The latter put it all over Lochade at an even break, when the pair finished second and third respectively behind Tamahine. Yet at Thames Lochade is asked to concede her victor 36 yards. Just what chance the Flat Bushtrained trotter has of doing this can be conjectured. Without going further into the question of “irregularities” in the Thames handicaps, it would appear as if Van Rich, Trustworthy and Lochade are being told plainly to remain at home.