view raw text
THE VALUE OF POST POSITIONS. The value of post positions at the start of sprint races is every day In rousing more generally reeog nised. and likewise the necessity of horses being compelled to start from the positions thev draw. Prominent horsemen have no more right to change their post positions at will than the veriest novice riding, and A. Oliver, one of New Zealands crack jockeys, was censured for an offense of this ,h--cription at the recent Napier Park Racing Club Meeting. The |Mist position quest ion evidently came up for di-cussion at a recent meeting of the ■ -oi Ittee of tlie Wellington Jockey Club at which it was decided to lav out entirely new courses lor sh„rt distance events and the work is to be taken in hand straight away. It is. however, impossible 1,, yet a straight run of more than half a mile, so both five ami six fur long races will have to be run on a track with one turn, though from the start at the six furlongs a Straight run of two and one half furlongs will be available. Referring to this matter a New Zealand writer says: -In order that even tlie slight elhon in the course shall give no advantage to the horse in No. 1 position, the barrier will be placed at such an angle that his opponent drawn on the extreme nitside will, provided he never leaves the outside rail, have precisely the same distance to traverse." Pram a BMthematleal pohM of view this stay work out all right on paper, hut the [anpraeticabilttj of such a suggestion Immediately presents Itself in the risks lil.el.v to he thus incurred. There is no rule of racing whirl provides tiial a horse lias to negotiate the coarse over which a race is run at any particular line of rirruanference: whilst, en the other hand, provision is made that one horse is entitled to take up the running of another so long as he is his own length and one other length clear of the horse Of hor-es to be crossed. And this is exactly uliat would cause trouble were the Wellington suggestion to be adopted. Under such conditions, with a slanting barrier in their favor, gooil beginners at the oxtereino outside would soon be sufficiently far in front to iustilv their making for the rails, the result of which can lie left to the Imagination. A similar theory In connection with the eqnmlisatloa of post positions lias iM-en expounded here on several occasions, but fortunately no racial! club has ever been tempted to give a practical demonstration or its alleged enVacr. Sydney Referee.
