HANDICAPPING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3279, 10 August 1889, Page 2

HANDICAPPING.

Mr J, 0. Evett, the handicapper, seeuis (sayg the Referee), for some reason at present unknown to us to havo fallen into bad odour with somo of the olubs in the North Wand. At. the annual meeting of the Wanganui Jockey Glub a few days ' back, a motion to re-appoint him - handicapper was rejected in favor of a motion that Mr A, -Higgio be olccted, and now our Bulls correspondent informs us that the Eangitike Racing Club, at their annual meeting last week, chose Mr J. Henry, of Fielding, as their handicapper for tho coining season. Mr Henry has already shown his. ability in the direction of weight adjusting in connection with one or two of tho" ; minor clubs m the Wellington and Manawatu districts, and, as ho will probably have a far better knowledge of the local horses than Mr Evett, the Eangitikei Racing Club will,'' in all probability, find no cause to regret having appointed him. But with the Wanganui Jockey Club and Mr Evett the case is differen Against Mr Higgie personally w have nothing to say, but th Wangauui Jockey Club's meeting always attract a good class "of horsss outside lecal ones - some real craoke

havo nt times iiguved on tho Wanganui raoecoursa, and Mr Evett, who, by the nature of his avocfttion, is compelled to travel all round the colony to the various race.uieetings, is in n bettor position to judge the form and merits of snoh animals than ft purely local nman can bo. Mr Evett is by no means immaculate—no handicapper ever was or ovor will be-and we are freo to admit that he made terrible bungle of the handicaps on tho second day of the Wanganui Jockey Club's last Autumn Meeting, when Dudu made such an example of her opponents in the Wanganui Stakes. He certainly has at times in the execution of bis duties fallen into very gross errors, but no handicap ever yet was perfection, and somo of Ojge clubs who have employed Mr Evett and now give him the cold shoulder may find that thoy have got" out of tho ftyingpan into the firo "—to use an old oolloquialism, A " prontico hand" at handicapping is a dangerous thing , for a club of auy prestige to avail i themselves of, Tho Wanganui Jockey Club are prosperous enough to pay a good handicapper a liberal salary, and it cannot be the £ s d side of the question that prompted them to discard Mr Evett in favor of Mr Higgie. While sympathising with Mr Evett, we must wish Mr Higgie all success in tlio difficult task before liim, aud express tho hope that his handicaps will always produce a good average of acceptors and result in close finishes.