BLAST FROM THE PAST
Colin McDonald
 COLIN MCDONALD
Colin McDonald, who died last month after a long illness, campaigned horses with great success in Australia. His widow Joyce recalls that at one stage he was away from his Canterbury base for seven months. "He went there dozens of times, to Sydney and Melbourne, and he won a lot of races," she said.
The son of a saddler, McDonald started his career in that domain, but soon had horses of his own, and one of them was Scottish Light. Trained for him by Colin Berkett, Scottish Light ran in the NZ Cup the year it was wet when Lordship won.
In 1964, he won the Rowe Cup with Dreaming from the stablemates Our Luck and Our Eileen, while Receptive was another good trotter he had about this time. Three years later, in 1967, he won the Great Northern Derby with Cardinal Garrison, who was driven by Bob Young.
He had considerable success with the stock of Garrison Hanover, and one of them Hakim won 10 races, including the 1970 Methven Cup when he was driven by Doody Townley. In the same race McDonald drove Van Rover, a good horse who ran fourth.
Other good horses he raced were Mackworth - his first winner - Sockeye, the trotter Southern Knight, Hazy Days, Ripolet, Belmont Lad, Royal Belmont, Southern Melody, Kotare Hunter, Kotare Sterling, Gregory Jones (1969 NSW Sires' Stakes) and Regal Belmont(NSW Australian 4yo Championship Final, NSW Viscount Australian Pacing Championship heat).
He was renowned for turning his horses out in magnificent order.
Aged 74 at the time of his death, he is survived by his wife Joyce, and sons Garry and Robert.
Credit: HRWeekly 6Feb2002
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