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1947 DOMINION HANDICAP

Full Result

First: D Stormont & M Stewart's HIDDEN NOTE. Trained by part-owner M Stewart and driven by D C Watts, started off scratch.

Second: R Young's SURE LADY. Driven by the owner, started off scratch.

Third: A Holmes's FIRE WATER. Driven by the owner, started off scratch.

Fourth: F E Graham's REREWAKA. Driven by W J Doyle, started off 12yds.

The winner won by three lengths, with a neck to third.

Also started: Betty Maxigin, Toushay, Medical Student, Mae Wynne, Aerial Scott, Bomber, Pardon Me, Mistydale, Range Finder, Forewarned and Will Cary




Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 19Nov47

1947 NZ SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP (NZ FREE-FOR-ALL)

The highlight of Show Day was Sir Michael's all-the-way win in the New Zealand Premier Sprint Championship. His return to the winning list, despite some poor form earlier this season, did not come as a complete surprise, because he was reported to have worked a brilliant mile and a quarter a few days before this latest success. Sir Michael, a handsome five-year-old brown horse by Lusty Volo from Lady Bridget, has now won 12 races and £7985 in stakes.

Full Result

First: C Tasker's SIR MICHAEL. Trained by the owner and driven by R Young.

Second: A V Prendeville & J X Ferguson's TURCO. Driven by G S Smith.

Third: N H Norton's GREAT BELWIN. Driven by F J Smith.

Fourth: O E Hooper's KNAVE OF DIAMONDS. Driven by the owner.

The winner won by half a length, with a further half a length back to third.

Also started: Battle Colours, Dundee Sandy, Emulous, Highland Fling, Nyallo Scott, Integrity, In The Mood, Loyal Nurse & Trusty Scott.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calandar 19Nov47

Driver Doug Watts and Owner/Trainer Vic Leeming

1946 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

The contest for the NZ Trotting Cup, 1946, resembled a funeral march in B flat. It should have been a marathon. It wasn't. The bun rush that developed over the last half-mile, and the memorable photo-finish between Integrity and Josedale Grattan, came as poor compensation on top of the sit-down strike that was imminent for the first mile and a half. It just wasn't good enough for a stake of £7500. The basic constituent of harness racing is speed and stamina, but you will look in vain for either of these commodities in the sectional times for Saturday's race.

Without a doubt it was the worst stayers' Cup for years, because the void that occurred between Vesuvius
and Gold Bar yawns again. The king is indisposed - long live Gold Bar or his prototype. The Metropolitan Club was deserving of a better deal from the principal actors in what should be the Dominion's leading light-harness drama.

Integrity's victory was a gratuity for services rendered in past Trotting Cups - he was runner-up in 1944 and 1945. Possibly he would still of won no matter how the race had been run, but does a horse who has performed like a moderate between one Cup meeting and another really earn a cheque for £5000 at the conclusion of a dirge like Saturday's race turned out to be?

The power went off as soon as Double Peter took charge. The Gold Bar kilowatts were imprisoned in there generator up at Yaldhurst. So lethargic did Double Peter become with a mile covered that he nearly deposited himself in the lap of his trainer, R Young. Turtles would have looked like cheetahs alongside him. In Indian file, two abreast, they sauntered the third half-mile in 66secs after taking 2:14 for the first mile, speed that would not embarass any Timaru Nursery Stakes candidate worthy of consideration.

It is beyond comprehension why trainers prepare their horses to stay two miles in 4:16 or better and are then content to allow one horse to dictate the conditions of a race worth a fortune by looking on while a veteran slows up the field to an amble and reduces three-quarters of the race to a speed that a country cup winner could do in a hearse nowdays. The truth of the 1946 NZ Trotting Cup is that everything played right into the hands of a master craftsman in D C Watts. If he had had the race made to order he could not have wished for anything better. No one wanted to make the pace and no one did - ever.

The past of any NZ Trotting Cup winner should be great. A glance at the Index to Performers reveals that Integrity was unplaced in all of his eight starts prior to his Cup success, and it is difficult to reconcile his abject failure in the Hannon Memorial Handicap at Oamaru five days beforehand with his lightning half-mile thrust to wrest Cup honours from Josedale Grattan. But it must have been a case of strength through weakness because he was a raging favourite from the moment the machine opened. And once he left the mark Integrity had the dawdling two-miler type at his mercy. He is virtually a two-minute horse, though it is only about once a year he produces it.

Josedale Grattan, 300 times a father, and returning to racing afer 15 month's absence, put the younger generation of the field to complete shame. The pity of it was that he went to the post without the winding-up race that might have clinched victory for him. F J Smith's judgement in putting the 11-year-old stallion back into work because he summed up the Trotting Cup possibilities - with the sole exception of Emulous - as by no means of champion calibre, or past their best, was bourne out by the performances of the majority of Saturday's field. When Emulous went sore and did not have the opportunity of qualifying, Smith made no secret of the fact that he expected Josedale Grattan to win. How close he went to doing so, after faltering slightly about 100 yards from the finish, emphasises one of two things - either that Josedale Grattan is a super horse, or that our other Cup horses are mostly has beens. Lets grow old together!

The newest horses in the Cup field, Volo Senwod and Knave of Diamonds, were eliminated in the run home. Knave of Diamonds was literally climbing over everything with less than a quarter to go and eventually succeeded in doing so; he lost his driver near the furlong post. Even old Burt Scott, with many facets to angular shadow, was full of running with nowhere to go in the final furlong, and Countless also appeared to be looking in vain for an opening in the concluding stages.

Integrity is a breeding freak. He is a beautiful chestnut of porcelain quality and refinement, yet his pedigree is the most lowly of any Cup horses racing today. His sire, Trevor de Oro, was a ponified pacer of moderate performances, and his dam, Cheetah, was an unraced mare by Grattan Loyal, a line that, apart from Integrity, has produced nothing in the nature of a champion.

Now eight, Integrity was bred by A and R Gardiner, of Lower Hutt, and was purchased by his owner-trainer, V Leeming, as a yearling. Integrity has won £14,507 in stakes and trophies to date, and becomes the biggest light-harness stake-winner in New Zealand and Australia. The previous record stood to the credit of Great Bingen, who won £14,120, of which £13,320 was earned in the Dominion and the remainder in Perth.


Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 6Nov46

1946 NZ PREMIER SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP

Full Result

1st=: B Grice's HAUGHTY. Trained by the owner at Tinwald and driven by G McKendry.

1st=: A V Prendeville & J X Ferguson's TURCO. Trained by G S Smith at Addington and driven by the trainer.

3rd: F J Smith's JOSEDALE GRATTAN. Driven by the owner.

4th: P A Watson's COUNTLESS. Driven by A G Collison.

There was a dead-heat for first, with a neck back to the third horse.

Also started: Battle Colours, Bronze Eagle, Bulldozer, Clockwork, Double Peter, Gold Bar, Happy Man, Indian Clipper, Volo Senwod & Trusty Scott.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 13Nov46

1946 DOMINION HANDICAP

Back in 1930 Tod Lonzia, a two-year-old, trotted a mile against time in 2:22 2-5. Sixteen years later the pacemaker in the Dominion Handicap, a £2000 race holding pride of place in the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's Show Day programme, took round about the same time to trot the first mile of this two-mile contest.

A great deal hung upon this race - the general welfare of the trotter, his status on future Metropolitan programmes, his eventual right to equal opportunities with the pacer. It must be confessed that as a spectacle the Dominion Handicap was a complete let-down for those ardent supporters of the trotter who have been pleading his case.

The fact that the principal two-mile events for pacers were run in much the same way is no excuse - this was the trotter's opportunity to step into the breach and put on a real show. But everyone was content to allow Steel King to slow the field to a jog for more than a mile. Many of the field broke because they were only scratching along.

Casabianca had the run of the race and would probably have won in any circumstances, but that does not exonerate any member of the field from a charge of tedious loitering. They will have to do much better than that.

Full Result:

1st: S T Webster's CASABIANCA. Trained by the owner and driven by J B Pringle, started from scratch.

2nd: W H Roche's MAE WYNNE. Driven by W R Butt, started from scratch.

3rd: V A Barker's MEDICAL STUDENT. Driven by A Holmes, started off 12yds.

4th: J R McKenzie's FANTOM. Driven by G B Noble, started off 24yds.

The winner won by four lengths, with five lengths to the third horse.

Also started: Hidden Note, Ordnance, Steel King, Sure Lady, Forewarned, Will Cary, Sea Max, Douglas McElwyn & Royal Worthy.

Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 13Nov46

1946 NEW ZEALAND DERBY STAKES

M Holmes, Mr D McFarlane and Rustic Maid all had previous successful associations with the New Zealand Derby, the latest contest for which was won in the manner of a champion by Free Fight at Addington on Friday. This marked M Holmes's seventh winning drive in the race, his fourth success as a trainer; it was Mr McFarlane's third success as an owner, and Rustic Maid, dam of Free Fight, also produced the 1942 Derby winner, Scottish Lady.

Holmes's winning drives in the Derby have been behind Wrackler(1928), Arethusa(1930), Ciro(1931), Aldershot (1938), Imperial Jade(1939), Scottish Lady(1942) and Free Fight this year and he has trained Aldershot, Imperial Jade, Scottish Lady and Free Fight. Mr McFarlane raced Imperial Jade in partnership with Mr W Scott, and he holds both Scottish Lady and Free Fight on lease from Mr G Youngson, of Gore.

Mr Youngson secured two bargains as things are turning out when he bought Scottish Lady for 400gns and Rustic Maid, carrying Free Fight, for 200gns, about four years ago. Rustic Maid is the dam of Highland Scott, Gallant Maid, Scottish Lady, Scottish Lord, Slavonic and Free Fight, and another of her progeny, a two-year-old colt by Dillon Hall, has also been leased by Mr McFarlane and is being prepared by M Holmes for classic races.

This famous family of horses was established by a mare named Bonnie Belle, owned by the late W J Morland, some 40 to 50 years ago. Bonnie Belle was by Lincoln Yet from an Arab mare, and this Arab mare was by a pure-bred Arab stallion imported to the Dominion by the late Sir Cracroft Wilson more than 80 years ago. The Arab characteristics are still strongly ingrained in the descendants of Bonnie Belle, most of them being flecked with white hairs through their coats. Do they derive a measure of their gameness from this source as well? The late Mr Morland was sure of it, and as he bred such champions as Country Belle, Escapade and Gold Country from this line, and jealously preserved the breed over half a century, his high opinion of the family has never been in dispute. The female side of the tribe has been one of the most conspicuous in the Stud Book over a long period, but Free Fight is the only colt of the line left intact for many years. He is no doubt intended for a stud career in Southland when his racing days are over.

Free Fight is the first winner to the credit of a grand imported pacer in Light Brigade, and it is a splendid advertisement for Mr McKenzie's stallion that he should sire a Derby winner among his first crop. It is doubtful if there is a better bred horse in the Dominion today than Light Brigade, who is by Volomite, 2:03¼, today the leading sire of the United States with 13 two-minute performers, and the first stallion to be credited with 100 or more 2:10 trotters and 100 or more 2:10 pacers. Another great distinction came to Volomite recently when Poplar Bird, a two-year-old, took a record of 2:04¾ and became Volomite's 100th representative to enter the 2:05 list. Volomite thus becomes the first sire to attain this honour.

Besides being by the world's outstanding sire of modern times, Light Brigade is flawlessly bred on the dam's side. He is out of Spinster, who took a record of 2:03, and is by Spencer, 1:59¾, a champion in his day and also leading sire for one season a few years ago. Spinster is out of Minnetonka, 2:12¼, by Belwin, 2:06¾ from The Miss Stokes, 2:08¾, by Peter The Great-Tillie Thompson, by Guy Wilkes, etc. Minnetonka, second dam of Light Brigade, also produced Emily Stokes, 2:01½, Tilly Tonka 2:02¾, Kedgewick 2:03¼, and Balbo, 2:04½. The Miss Stokes, third dam of Light Brigade, was a Futurity winner and produced a famous race mare in Tilly Brooke, 1:59.

Although the mile and a half start again proved unsatisfactory, the race over the last mile developed into one of the finest in the history of the blue riband event. County Antrim, as in the Riccarton Stakes, took up the role of pacemaker, and Free Fight, drawn on the second row, made the best beginning of his career to be in fifth place going round the first bend. With half the journey covered, County Antrim led Sahara Queen, Snowflake, Free Fight, Culture, Fillmore, Darkie Grattan, Lady Diane, Pirouette, Gay Piper and Palette. It was not until three furlongs from home that Free Fight made a definite move, and he had raced up to County Antrim at the distance. He finished in the gamest possible style and won all out by a length from Snowflake, who finished too well for County Antrim after getting out of a pocket late. Culture went a surprisingly good race for a close fourth, Gay Piper was fifth, then Lady Diane, with the rest well back.

The time, 3:17 4-5, was the second fastest for the race, the record being held by War Buoy, who registered 3:16 1-5 when he outclassed a good field in 1933. The sectional times on Friday tell their own story of a sound pace for youngsters: Half-mile 1:08 4-5, six furlongs 1:41 4-5, mile 2:14 4-5, mile and a quarter 2:46 2-5 and the full journey 3:17 4-5.

Sahara Queen failed to stay, but On Approval, who would probably have been hard to beat, was among several eliminated as a result of a mix up caused through Darkie Grattan tangling going into the back the first time. Darkie Grattan was lame on returning to the birdcage. Coral Princess, who was strongly fancied by her connections, failed to begin correctly, and, with Henry of Navarre and His Excellency, was in an impossible position at the end of a furlong.

The big field completely ruined the chances of many, but it is some consolation to reflect that probably the best horse won.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in the NZ Trotting Calendar 20Nov46

1945 DOMINION TROTTING HANDICAP

For a trotter of his age - he is only six - Fantom has performed marvellously well. It is doubtful if in the history of trotting in the Dominion any horse of the same age has been a dual Rowe Cup winner, a Dominion Handicap winner, and a Free-For-All winner in record time.

As a lover of the true-gaited horse, Mr J R McKenzie has probably derived more satisfaction from the performances of Fantom than from the track deeds of any of his pacers. Fantom was fashioned in classic mould from the time he was switched over from the pacing to the trotting gait as an early three-year-old.

His imposing list of successes after he beat a field of trotters of all ages as a three-year-old at Wellington includes the NZ Trotting Stakes, the National Four-year-old Trotting Stakes, the Rowe Memorial Handicap at Auckland two years running, as a four-year-old and a five-year-old, and now his outstanding exploits at Addington this month.

He was trained for his first two successes by R B Berry. On the death of his owner-breeder, the late S W Kelly, he was bought at auction by Mr J R McKenzie for £750 and, trained by G B Noble, he has won £3710 in stakes. His grand total in just over three years is £4225.

Full Result

1st: J R McKenzie's FANTOM. Trained & Driven by G B Noble of Yaldhurst, started off 36yds.

2nd: F A Bridgen's FOREWARNED. Driven by F J Smith, started off 48yds.

3rd: J Wilson's ORDNANCE. Driven by the owner, started off 60yds.

4th: J Shelly's WILLIE WINKIE. Driven by R Stevens, started off scratch.

The winner won by four lengths, with four lengths back to third.

Also started: Castigate scr, Fire Water scr, Mae Wynne scr, Punctual scr, Sea Gem scr, Teddy Greg scr, Echoist 12, Modest Maid 12, Gentleman Joe 12, Steel King 48 and Range Finder 108 bracketed, Sure Lady 60, Will Cary 108, Sea Max 120,

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 7Nov45

1945 NEW ZEALAND DERBY STAKES

An explanation of Sir Michael's complete reversal of form was sought by the stewards after his polished Derby success. He had faded out badly in the Metropolitan Challenge Stakes the week before. The explanation of the owner-trainer, C Tasker and driver, R Young, was accepted.

Sir Michael was rid of his most dangerous opponent when Globe Direct broke and lost ground early. Globe Direct was in constant difficulties afterwards. For all that, Sir Michael is a high-class colt, probably as fine a specimen of the standard breed as any to take the blue riband event. He gave a flawless performance, beginning well and holding a leading position throughout. He gathered in Sprayman at the distance and was holding on resolutely with half a length to spare over Sprayman at the finish.

Full Result

1st: C Tasker's SIR MICHAEL. Trained by the owner-breeder at Spreydon and driven by R Young.

2nd: N C Price's SPRAYMAN. Driven by C King.

3rd: R B Berry's FIRST GLOBE. Driven by D C Watts.

4th: T B Smalley's CAPTAIN GAILLARD. Driven by G T Mitchell.

The winner won by half a length with a neck back to third.

Also started: Dandy Grattan, Globe Direct bracketed with First Globe, Good Review, Hazard Queen, Highland Fling, Local Gold, Loyal Guest, Right Royal, Rose Volo, Special Merit, Town Talk & True Comrade.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood'writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 14Nov45

1945 NEW ZEALAND PREMIER SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP

Gold Bar made another of his gallant attempts to slip the field in the NZ Premier Sprint Championship on Saturday, but to the surprise of the majority Happy Man caught him in the straight and beat him narrowly. It was the fastest-run race of the three days. Gold Bar ran the first mile in 2:03 3-5, but he took 33secs for the final quarter.

Full Result

1st: J C South's HAPPY MAN. Trained by C H Watson, Hornby and driven by C King.

2nd: A Holmes's GOLD BAR. Driven by the owner.

3rd: B Grice's HAUGHTY. Driven by O E Hooper.

4th: G Chesmar's SHADOW MAID. Driven by C C Devine.

The winner won by half a length with six lengths to third.

Also started: Burt Scott, Clockwork, Countless, Double Peter, Indian Clipper, Loyal Friend & Ronald Logan.



Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 14Nov45

1945 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

Nothing looks quite so pathetic as to-day's Form at a Glance the night following the races: unless it is last week's Cup story. As a rule, caution and sporting writers are first cousins. A sort of animal cunning comes to the aid of most people who follow horses with a pair of binoculars and a pencil, but for once in a while it deserted the press gallery at Addington on Saturday.

Free Holmes, sage of the light-harness world, once delivered a homily from a sulky seat to the effect that "it is time enough to count any horse out of any race when it is dead." Free was dead right. Just how many times he has been right since he became trotting's philosopher No.1 we have lost count of. How the old general must have chuckled to himself when Gold Bar's Cup victory on Saturday came home as a crushing rebuke to all scribes and form experts(?) who rushed into print with such high-sounding phrases as "his stamina must be on the wane," "he is not likely at this late stage of his career to finish any closer than fourth," "his function is not to win Cups but to carry the field along at break neck speed"; and so on.

Free, by the way, is "next of kin," to the owner, the trainer, the driver and the winner of this year's Cup. He is, as everyone knows, Allan Holmes's father; and Gold Bar's sire, grandsire and great-grandsire were all imported from America by Free. Gold Bar is by Grattan Loyal, who came from Ontario, Canada, in 1930. Gold Bar's dam Imperial Gold, is by Rey de Oro, who left Los Angeles, USA, for this country in 1922; and Imperial Gold's dam was Imperial Pointer, who came from California to the Dominion in 1915.

What a trotting saga! Nat Gould would have revelled in it. But Nat Gould is dead, so you will just have to put up with the vapourings of the scribe who told you in all seriousness last week that Gold Bar had about as much chance of winning the Cup as Hirohito has of becoming President of the United States. The influence of Free Holmes's importations on the Cup field did not end with Gold Bar, because Integrity, the second horse, is by Trevor de Oro (by Rey de Oro-Logan Maid, by Logan Pointer) and Integrity's dam, Cheetah, is by Grattan Loyal. Furthermore, the fourth horse, Countless, is out of Purple Patch, by Rey de Oro.

The unrestrained enthusiasm that greeted Gold Bar and Allan Holmes when they returned to the birdcage was a richly earned tribute to a horse and a driver who have been leading actors in the principal events of the Dominion for five years or more. Most people will agree that Gold Bar has 'made' the Cup race ever since he joined the select circle. It would be difficult to name his parallel in light-harness history. Vesuvius is the nearest approach to him most can remember; horses that stand out as individualists, pacemakers whose acceleration to top speed from barrier rise led to the survival of only the fittest in each and every race they made, or disorganised, whichever you will.

It was in an atmosphere charged with enthusiasm, and pervaded with a glamour Addington has never known before, that the official party, led by the president, Mr C S Thomas, foregathered in the birdcage after the race for the presentation to A Holmes of the Gold Cup. Thousands of wildly-excited people literally broke all barriers and crowded round the enclosure. Mr Thomas paid a richly earned tribute to Holmes and Gold Bar for the part they played in the Cup race for the last five years. He referred to Saturday's race as "probably the greatest light-harness contest ever staged in the Dominion" and to Gold Bar and Holmes as a champion combination that had consistently provided thrills for the trotting public. Mrs Thomas decorated Gold Bar with a garland of flowers and deafening cheers attended the ceremony.

Gold Bar, who is nine years old, has now won 21 races and £12,078/10/- in stakes and trophies, which places him second to Great Bingen as a money-winner. Of Great Bingen's total of £14,120, £13,320 was earned in the Dominion, and £800 in Australia. If Gold Bar should win Friday's Free-For-All he will have topped Great Bingen's Dominion total, and he now looks likely to become the biggest light-harness stake-winner of the Dominion and Australia. A bloodstock agent made an offer of £5000 for Gold Bar towards the close of last season. The offer came ostensibly with a view to Gold Bar's stud value, but, as Holmes remarked at the time, Gold Bar, apart altogether from his racing career, was worth "a thousand a year at the stud." The thousand a year is now safe as long as Gold Bar lives, and since the offer was made he has earned an additional £5525 in stakes. So it would have been a bad sale, after all.

Gold Bar, after fighting off his only serious challenger, Integrity, won the 1945 NZ Cup by three lengths from Integrity, with Shadow Maid ten lengths away third and Countless a poor fourth. At the start Integrity broke and lost about 30yds, and Indian Clipper would not settle down, being soon out of the contest. Gold Bar went to the front practically from barrier rise and at the end of half a mile had opened up a break of ten lengths on Double Peter, who was followed by Dusky Sound, Shadow Maid and War Guard. Gold Bar increased his lead to 15 lengths with six furlongs covered, and reached the mile in 2:07 and the mile and a half in 3:10. There was still no sign of his weakening. Integrity went after Gold Bar with three furlongs to go, and he reduced the gap to five lengths by the time the home turn was reached, but from that stage Gold Bar fought on too well, and Integrity was not gaining on him at the finish. Happy Man, who led the attack on Gold Bar in the middle stages, tired and came back on Haughty three and a half furlongs from home. Haughty made several futile attempts to get through on the inside of Happy Man, but he eventually came over on her and she put a foot through his sulky wheel. This eliminated both horses just before they reached the quarter post. The mishap probably robbed the race of a good deal of interest, as Haughty appeared to be full of running at the time. Bronze Eagle and all the others had every chance. Bronze Eagle reached third place just after entering upon the final quarter, but he broke in the straight. The fifth horse was Dusky Sound, followed by War Guard, Loyal Friend, Double Peter and Bronze Eagle. The last mile occupied 2:09 1-5, and the last half-mile 1:06 1-5, indicating that Gold Bar's speed again became progressively slower.

Investments on the race were £34,955 and on the day £182,086/10/-

Full Result

1st: A Holmes's GOLD BAR. Trained and driven by the owner at Riccarton, started off scratch.

2nd: V Leeming's INTEGRITY. Driven by M Holmes, started off scratch.

3rd: G Chemar's SHADOW MAID. Driven by C C Devine, started off scratch.

4th: P A Watson's COUNTLESS. Driven by J McLennan Tnr, started off 24yds.

The winner won by three lengths, with 10 lengths to third and 10 lengths to fourth.

Times: 4:16 1-5, 4:16 3-5, 4:19 1-5, 4:19 3-5.

Also started: Double Peter scr, Dusky Sound scr, Happy Man scr, Indian Clipper scr, War Guard scr, Loyal Friend 12, Bronze Eagle 36, Haughty 48.



Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 7Nov45