Handicapping Issue Still Big Problem

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1025, 16 July 1930, Page 14

Handicapping Issue Still Big Problem

STRAIGHT TALK MR. ROM E COMMENDED While visiting the Otahuhu tre, ting track yesterday. "Abayd!.found owners and tra.ner* discussing the oft-alluded-to „ u £ tion of Handicapping. Like their Epsom corfreres. the Ou iiuhu and Mangere light i arnL thusiasts consider this Is the problem affecting the sport ,7** present time. Those intervi. v.cd at the suba.-*,. track were loud in their commendatk. of the stand taken at the con£ ere .

J meeting in Wellington last week br j the president of the Auckland Cluh. , Mr. John Rowe. There was a cocI* sensus of opinion that he put forward sound argument when alluding to the favouritism shown by some kandicapIpers to the *‘big” owner, to the detriment of the •small” man, gereralb known in trotting parlance as battler.” Mr. Rowe s remarks jj reply to Mr. Nicoll’s cabled opinion wat also appreciated by the Otihoha trainers. The majority contendel tha: while the system was preferable tc the unsatisfactory state of affairs prevailing in some quarters prior to ib application, there could have been improvement made. Relative Value The chief arguments of trainers and owners generally is in favour of relative values, covering the various distances. to do away with the discretionary power of adjusters in this direction. The system, it is claimed, apart from the flaw' mentioned, is sound enough in principle, but its fault lies in the misinterpretation of the penalties by some handicappers. The writer found that the suburban followers «f the pastime, like those interviewed az Epsom, were quite in accord with the sentiments expressed in a recent article in The Sun dealing with the handicapping problem generally. There is a consensus of opinion in both trotting centres that one handicapper operating in the North Island gave a fair and satisfactory interpretation of the limitation of penalties” scheme. Good Should Result’ It must be indeed gratifying to ti» Auckland Club’s president, who for 2a years has assisted materially in shaping the destiny of the popular end progressive light harness organis&boß. to find that his erforus to remedy £jjt handicapping defects are so widely appreciated by those in whose interests he had made such strong advocacy. There is no doubt that ilr. Rowe’s straightforward comment os such an important subject will bsir good fruit, and act as a deterrent ii the new* season on those adjusters vfco have failed to grasp the serious®e* of the situation. NON-OWNERS OPINION BASIS OF ADJUSTMENTS There is in Auckland a iigfrt harness enthusiast, Mr. Wynn Sheath, who takes more than (MSI* ing interest in the sport generally. During the week-end “Abaydei" had the privilege of looking ovif tha records kept by this spoctimar., and they were a revelatioa in the art of keeping -everyth**# at one’s fingertips.” Apart from his methodical | of compiling records of every competitor which has started in the Dominion. the local enthusiast has so®* excellent ideas of what can be accomplished in the way of providing better sport, improving the standard ® | pacers and trotters, and placing bt»dicapping on a sound and more ssti*" factory footing. Looking through tb* Auckland sporisman’s diary, the writer was* struck wi h some comments on this subject before the "system was initiated, and the manner i® which his predictions have come Commenting on the s3*stem a t* months after its application, Sheatii remarked: “I note that and trainers generally are in the fixed penalty. From their po® of view it eeeins all right, but w the public's point of view, and totaJM** tor turnovers” Without S oo4 * with the winners well concealed. automatically good totalisator rsrenue. owners and trainers must stakes to be reduced, and then ts shoe will pinch.” Uniformity Urged And in a large measure that exactly what happened, he says, several cases during the season »*** were lowered, and **tote” <3e s re *lwr have been registered. Discussing tn i situation further, the Aucklander w pressed the c pinion that the reraea. ; lies in a “uniform system of handicap ping, treating similar performance* with similar penalties.” This that horses vjuld be adjusted on tjvbest performances, and not on UL times. The performance of a. re*"** that defeats a good field, slow time because the track i* ’ should be treated as equal to c® which defeats a similar field. up good time because the track and should b? the basis of handic*P' ping, while allowances could be more or less, according to the in * nßr of the actual performance. More Juvenile Racing Talking of more racing i two and three-year-old* in the >kC>r \ ri > Island, the enthusiast said he , g accord with the opinions of regarding parades tor juveniles, ** ! there was a dearth of racing in department. He contended that mo encouragement and protection bo given to breeders and ° wner ]L c -• | young stock, advocating a race for youngsters at every fixture in the Dominion. He also * the biggest races made more “classy” with limits, to give the champions a Mr. Sheath t xpressed the that stipeniiarv st: wards could _ clubs on such important Their Consistent attendance at places them in an excellent sec what is required to improve «*, sport and its standard, and fbeif vice, he said, would no doubt reee* favourable considcratiexu