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1945 THE GREATEST CUP OF ALL

The mastery of Cardigan Bay? The stoutness of False Step? The brilliance of Johnny Globe? The personality of Robalan? Was one of these Cups hailed as the finest ever run: or was it perhaps the third win of Indianapolis, the second by Haughty or even the great run by old Monte Carloin 1904?

Well strangely enough those who have seen a lot of Cups always come back to one sooner or later which gave them a special thrill. And that Cup was Gold Bar's winning run in 1945 when the Grattan Loyal bay finally lasted the distance and defeated a high-class field.

The middle and late forties were the peak of trotting's popularity and the 1945 NZ Cup was the richest horse race ever run in this country and it was also billed as the richest trotting handicap in the world which, when you think about it, doesn't mean much. But during the war years huge crowds always attended the Cup and ever since 1941 when Gold Bar first started in the event they had watched him burn off his rivals in the middle stages only to get run down near the end. In 1945 they finally saw what they had waited years to see - the brillant bay getting too far in front for the others to catch him.

Gold Bar had unique appeal for his racing style has never been seen before or since in big races in this country. There was none of this business of tucking in on the rails in the big staying races and waiting for the last run. Gold Bar went flat stick from the start no matter how far the race and it was up to the others to catch him. In 1945 for example he went his first quarter in 31.4, first half in 62.8 and the first mile in 2:06.8 by which time he was firteen lengths clear of the field.

Thirty-two thousand spectators watched in amazement as the flying stallion and owner-trainer Alan Holmes made an almost lonely sight nearly half a furlong clear of the Cup field. "Of course he'll stop," they were saying. "He always does." But deep down they were hoping that today it just might be different. And it was. Going past the old five furlong pole (1000m) Gold Bar still had a big lead and back in the field the other drivers were putting off the decision which would cost them the race. No mug field either. Included in it were Integrity who would win the following year, Haughty already the winner of two Cups and the first two-minute mare in the Southern Hemisphere, Bronze Eagle who had won the previous year, Countless, Shadow Maid and Indian Clipper a free-for-all winner.

The drivers back in the field were remembering one important thing. Almost inevitably in previous years the horse which had first bridged the gap to Gold Bar when he set up his long leads found that the effort exhausted him and he was no longer a challenger. The previous year none less than Springfield Globe had spent his resources trying to catch Gold Bar. This memory made the drivers hesitate and the hesitation gave Gold Bar the race. Finally Maurice Holmes driving the little chestnut Integrity decided to lead the chase. The gap between the tiring Gold Bar and the challenging Integity narrowed and it seemed once more that Gold Bar would falter.

Approaching the home turn Integrity had drawn up to the leader and it looked a formality for him to pass. History repeated itself however and the effort of the chase had tired Integrity. Gold Bar managed to hold on in surely the slowest quarter in recent Cup history as the two exhausted pacers struggled to the finish. Much further back was Shadow Maid in the hands of a youthful Cecil Devine who would later write his own Cup history and Countless driven by Jack McLennan. Gold Bar who had paced his opening 1¼ miles in 2:39 and the 1½ in 3:10.4 came his last half in 65.6, the last quarter taking about 34 seconds.

Integrity may have been a shade unlucky as he had been slow away but it was definitely Gold Bar's day. His reception was fantastic. Before he could return to the birdcage hundreds of well-wishers had jumped the rails and surrounded Alan Holmes and his champion heaping congratulations on them. It wasn't as if they had all backed him either because he was fifth win favourite, Integrity and Bronze Eagle sharing the favouritism. People who had probably not even seen much of the race because of the crush cheered him to the echo on his return to scale.

The impossible, it seemed, had happened. One reporter began his story the next day 'Never in the history of trotting...' and the excitment took several hours to die down. There were critics. Some said that Gold Bar's tactics were ruining the NZ Cups as true tests of staying ability. Others said that had Haughty not been checked at the turn she would have won her third Cup. There are always critics. They were golden days in trotting about that time. Totalisator records the day Gold Bar won the Cup were smashed and the day's turnover was only $10,000 less than the turnover for the entire meeting five years previously. A quarter of an hour before the Cup the queues at the tote were over 60m long and many people had to miss races in order to bet on the Cup. More money was invested on the big race itself than had been spent on all eight races a decade before.

Gold Bar was a personality horse of the first water and many will tell you he was the most brilliant horse they have seen. He was the first NZ-bred to break two-minutes and he scored a number of spectacular victories one in the Ashburton Cup being even more thrilling than his NZ Cup win. He started in two further Cups adopting the same tactics but didn't win another one before being retired to stud in 1947. He was quite successful siring over 80 winners, the brilliant Brahman probably being the best and a number of his daughters bred on well.

He was owned throughout his career by Alan Holmes who purchased his dam from her breeder Mr J Cooper of Cheviot. In all Gold Bar won 22 races over nine seasons earning nearly $26,000. There have been no Gold Bar's since his time. Big races since then have been won by more orthodox means. Perhaps one day another will come along so that a younger generation can see the excitement that such a run can engender. I don't know about staying techniques but Gold Bar's 1945 Cup run must have been a wonderful spectacle. No wonder some say it was the greatest Cup of all.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in NZ Troguide 4Nov76

1944 DOMINION TROTTING HANDICAP

Full Result

1st=: Miss J & A F C Rushton's LADY SCOTT. Trained by A F C Rushton, Addington and driven by A Butterfield, started off scratch.

1st=: H M Allan's WILL CARY. Trained by S Easton, Oamaru and driven by G McKendry, started off scratch.

3rd: Est late E G Bridgen's RANGE FINDER. Driven by C S Donald, started off 24yds.

4th: J Wilson's ORDNANCE. Driven by the owner, started off scratch.

There was a dead-heat for first, with two lengths back to third.

Times: 4:36 4-5, 4:36 4-5, 4:35 3-5, 4:38.

Also started: Mohican scr; Douglas McElwyn 60yds; Margin 72yds; Royal Worthy 72yds.

Credit: New Zealand Trotting Calendar 8Nov44

1944 NEW ZEALAND PREMIER SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP

Pacing Power's grand finishing run to wear down Loyal Friend near the finish and win the NZ Premier Sprint Championship at Addington on Saturday, brought the crowd to it's feet.

Pacing Power had been an unlucky horse for well over a season, and this victory was well-deserved compensation for some bad luck that attended his efforts in big contests. In the 1943 Cup he was the victim of serious interference, and in this year's Cup he had to race on a track that scarcely suited him as well as the fast, dry track he was successful on in the Sprint Championship.

Pacing Power is all horse. Previously his leading role had been that of a stayer, but on Saturday he outstripped the best sprinters in commission, and no matter whether some of the chanpions stood on the mark or not, a championship is a championship calling for good manners and solidity in a horse, as well as speed and stamina. Pacing Power has all these attributes in liberal measure, and, only now six-years-old, he may yet inscribe his name on the roll of NZ Cup winners, because he has not been over-raced and may be just reaching his prime.

He certainly has the right back-ground because he is a descendant of famous Thelma, whose blood will be found in the pedigrees of previous Cup winners in Wildwood Junior(1909 & 1910), Author Dillon(1918), Lucky Jack(1937 & 1939) and Marlene(1940).

Full Result

1st: G Lancaster's PACING POWER. Trained & driven by R B Berry, Yalhurst.

2nd: A J Wilson's LOYAL FRIEND. Driven by F G Holmes.

3rd: B J Wilks's DUSKY SOUND. Driven by L A Maidens.

4th: H W Drewery's JOAN CONQUEST. Driven by J B Pringle.

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

Times: 2:38 2-5, 2:38 3-5, 2:39 1-5.

Also started: Bronze Eagle bracketed with the winner; Fine Art bracketed with the third horse; Gold Bar; Happy Man; Haughty; Integrity; Indian Clipper; Ronald Logan bracketed with the fourth horse; Parshall.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 15Nov44

Trainer Roy Berry, Owner W J Suttie and Driver George Noble

1944 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

"Black Sheep" of the last trotting Cup field, and looked upon until he joined R B Berry's stable as a pacer who had missed his mission in life, Bronze Eagle showed his real worth on Saturday by as game a performance as any ever put up by a Cup winner. Trained to the minute by R B Berry, and driven with consumate judgement by G B Noble, Bronze Eagle proved that years and years of near misses and frustrated endeavour had not left him with any inferiority complex.

It takes the great to make history; it takes a horse like Bronze Eagle to bury a mediocre past, toss precedents to the wind, and shine forth as one of the greatest stayers of his time. Here was the horse that went dangerously close to being eliminated from the last Cup. This was the 'ghouri' that broke in that race, caused interference, and led the committee to sigh and express a heartfelt wish that they had included Bronze Eagle among those eliminated. And here also is the horse that has sent one of the writer's long-cherished precedents for a six right out of the paddock! We have been telling you for years that horses that fail signally in the Cup do not win in later attempts. Well, Bronze Eagle has put 'paid' to that pet theory with a vengeance; we promise you it will not rear its ugly head again.

We can only admire Bronze Eagle's delayed-action triumph. His redemption, which began when he won the principal event at a Patriotic Meeting in July, came late, but now that it has come, we are glad to concede this handsome chestnut stallion his rightful place among the champions of his decade; to acknowledge that, after all, he was no Sunday horse when he worked well enough in training years ago to win any race in the land. He was merely hiding his light under a bushel, and waiting for the day when a combination par excellence, such as the Bronze Eagle-Berry-Noble trinity, should eventually come to pass.

Bronze Eagle's share of the Cup stake is £3250, and in addition, his owner, Mr W J Suttie, receives the handsome gold cup valued at £100. Bronze Eagle's total winnings now exceed £8000. He was bred by Mrs M A Tasker, Christchurch, and is an eight-year-old chestnut stallion by Wrack 2:02¾, from Lady Bridget, by Guy Parrish (imp) from Bridget Galindo, a full sister to Michael Galindo, one of the best trotters of his day and winner of the Dominion Handicap. Bridget Galindo was by Galindo (imp) from Mavoureen, by Prince Imperial from Moino, by General Tracey. This is a stout pedigree, and should give Bronze Eagle a stud value later on. Wrack was the leading sire of the Dominion for three seasons and is still prominent on the list. Wrack has now sired the winners of five NZ Cups, namely Wrackler (1930), Indianapolis(1934-35-36) and Bronze Eagle. Guy Parrish sired some good winners and trotters, notably Wild Guy (National Cup), Great Parrish (Auckland Cup) and Biddy Parrish, 2:08 trotter. He was a full-brother to Arion Guy, 1:59¾, sire of the dam of Certissimus. Galindo sired some good horses of both gaits. Prince Imperial was one of the most potent breeding forces of his time, and his blood is prominent in the pedigrees of Haughty, Gold Bar and other great ones. General Tracey, by Berlin (imp) from Jeanie Tracey (imp) was one of the best-bred horses of the early days.

Phenomenal is the only way to describe Integrity's effort to run second after losing, at a conservative estimate, 84 yards at the start. He did not settle down until Haughty, the backmarker, was well clear of him, and he could actually be counted out with half a mile covered. He certainly made up most of his lost ground by the time the last quarter was entered upon, but with Haughty now in the lead, and Pacing Power, Bronze Eagle and Countless among the others also in front of him, few were prepared for his spectacular dash down the outside of the track which took him momentarily to the front. He had disposed of Haughty, Pacing Power and Countless, and for a split second he looked like the winner, but then Bronze Eagle flashed through on the inside, where the going was not so good, and he outstayed Integrity by a length and a half.

Bronze Eagle has found a warm spot in the hearts of horselovers who know all about his struggle to reach the top, and enthusiasm knew no bounds when the horses were returned to the birdcage. Thousands literally broke the barriers and crowded onto the track to give Bronze Eagle and George Noble a memorable reception. Again, when Mr A L Matson, president of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, and Mr Forde, Deputy-Prime Minister of Australia, spoke to the presentation of the Cup, the crowd showed approval in whole-hearted fashion.

It was a magnificent race, a popular victory, and the largest crowd ever to attend Addington watched it with bated breath. The totalisator investments on the race, £31,758, are a record, and the £154,064/10/- put through the totalisator for the day is a record for the South Island.

It was another red-letter day in a chain of red-letter days that bedeck the history of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club.

Full Result

1st: W J Suttie's BRONZE EAGLE. Trained by R B Berry, Yaldhurst and driven by G B Noble, started off 24yds.

2nd: V Leeming's INTEGRITY. Driven by D C Watts, started off scratch.

3rd: G Lancaster's PACING POWER. Driven by R B Berry, started off 36yds. Bracketed with the winner.

4th: F McKendry's COUNTLESS. Driven by G McKendry, started off 24yds.

The winner won by a length and a half, with three lengths to third and a further four lengths to fourth.

Times: 4:24 4-5, 4:30 1-5, 4:28 2-5, 4:30 2-5.

Also started: Clockwork scr, Hardy Oak 12 and Haughty 60 bracketed; Parshall scr; Shadow Maid scr; Burt Scott 12; Gold Bar 12; Horsepower 12; Indian Clipper 12; Loyal Friend 12.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

1944 NEW ZEALAND DERBY STAKES

"It was my lucky day, the day I bought Roulpard," said Mr A W Moore, owner and breeder of Air Marshall.

"After several tries, I finally made a deal with her owner-breeder, Mr A Rice, of Clarkville, one Sunday early in December 1938, for the modest sum of £10, with a contingency of £10 if she should breed a foal. She was mated with Jack Potts, and produced a filly foal. The next season she missed to the same sire, but produced a colt foal in the third season. The next was a miss to Springfield Globe, but she foaled a filly to that sire the following season. She was then mated with Light Brigade, and now has a beautiful colt foal at foot to that sire, and has been mated again with Jack Potts. I said I was lucky because Mr Rice had tried to breed from the mare with several horses."

"The first foal Roulpard bred for me, a filly, was registered as Mona's Isle, and was running along nicely when she met with an accident. She was then mated with Springfield Globe, and now she has a filly foal at foot. The second foal, a colt, was the 1944 Derby winner Air Marshall. The third is a yearling filly, and the fourth a colt foal at foot."

"Air Marshall was always a kind, docile colt, a bit playful, but never did anything mean. He was always a lazy track worker, and the driver had to show him a waddy now and again or he would walk, and not too fast either. He always ran an honest race, both at trials and races proper, but I could see he needed a more experienced man than I to finish his preparation for a hard-to-win race like the Derby, and C S Donald was my choice of the man for the job. I took him to the Belfast stable on Friday, October 13 (Black Friday), just four weeks before the Derby, and while Air Marshall was in Donald's care he occupied the same 'suite' as the 'old mare,' the Auckland and New Zealand Cup winner, Marlene."

"Air Marshall is by Jack Potts-Roulpard, by Logan Pointer-Rose Dillon, by Harold Dillon-Roseshield, by Rothschild-Wilwood mare. Air Marshall has blood in his veins of a straight row of four leading sires, and is bred to go fast as well as stay. Owing to Air Marshall being a late foal (Boxing Day) he was not entered for any of the two-year-old classics," concluded Mr Moore.

Full Result

1st: A W Moore's AIR MARSHALL. Trained by C S Donald, Belfast and driven by R Donald.

2nd: F Fine's WORTHY GOLD. Driven by A Holmes.

3rd: F A Bridgen's JOSIE DELL. Driven by M Stewart.

4th: BEXLEY'S PRIDE (bracketed with the third horse).

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

Times: 3:21 4-5, 3:22, 3:22 3-5.

Also started: Admiration; Bohemian & Little Warmie bracketed; Impartial; Jackie Guy & Prince Dale bracketed; Renown's Pride bracketed with the second horse; Slavonic.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 22Nov44

1943 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

With the Second World War in full swing, the 1942 Cup Meeting was restricted to two Saturdays, but a record crowd turned out to see Haughty prevail, again in record time thanks entirely to Gold Bar.

Haughty was owned and trained by her breeder Ben Grice of Tinwald and was by his Auckland Cup winner Nelson Derby, a son of Norice, and for reinsman Ossie Hooper it was a case of 13th time lucky, having recorded only one previous placing.

Haughty was just as convincing in 1943 and remains the only pacing mare to be a dual winner, while she also had the distinction of being the first mare outside America to enter the 2:00 list when following Lawn Derby and Gold Bar in 1944.

Credit: NZ HRWeekly 8Oct03

Haughty & Ossie Hooper

1942 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

This is the story of the four pillars of Haughty - four mares whose names are cornerstones of trotting history - Princess, Norice, Regal Voyage and Haughty herself. This is the combination of champion mares whose united efforts have culminated in a new World's Champion pacing mare, Haughty, 4:13 4-5.

The first link in this chain of champions was forged long before the NZ Trotting Cup was established. It all started away back in the 80's, because a young jockey found increasing weight forcing him out of the saddle. That young jockey was D J Price, who then turned his attention to trotting. Price related how he noticed a pacing mare showing a turn of speed on the side of a road, how he bought her for £20 and a £20 contingency, and how he called her Princess. She was said to be by Dexter, but there was some doubt about her breeding. However, she developed into an out-and-out champion, by far the greatest pacer seen in New Zealand up to her time, and she was much too good for the Exhibition Cup field at Dunedin.

Later Princess went to Australia, where she produced to Hambletonian Bell Boy that good horse Prince Imperial, who became the sire of a mare that never raced, but which produced, among other winners, Thixendale, Lady Willings, Lough Neagh, Denver City, Glimpse and Logan Princess who, to Happy Voyage, produced Regal Voyage. Here is the second champion mare in the pedigree. Regal Voyage was a fine stayer, quite one of the best mares of her day, and in the Mid-summer Handicap at Addington in 1931 she beat a great field and registered 4:19 4-5 for the two miles, then a world's pacing record for a mare; in third place was Harold Logan, who was forced to do 4:13 2-5. Regal Voyage was bred by Mr B Grice, but she did most of her racing for the late R Wanden, of Blenheim, and was trained by D Withers. At the conclusion of her racing career, Regal Voyage was bought back by Mr Grice, and her first foal, to Nelson Derby, was Haughty.

The remaining link in this chain of celebrated mares is imported Norice, and it is a matter of real interest that the first New Zealand Trotting Cup in 1904, and the latest contest, should be so closely connected. Norice finished second in the first Cup to Monte Carlo, and now her grand-daughter, Haughty, is enthroned as the 1942 winner and the champion two-mile pacing mare of all time. Norice produced a great line of horses, including Nelson Derby, Native King and Nelson Fame. The great store that Mr Grice places upon the potency of Norice is reflected in the number of her descendants he is using at his stud. He decided to breed from Nelson Derby when this fine racehorse was practically in the discard as a sire. That must have required a certain amount of courage, but it turned out to be nice judgement, for he has had several good winners by Nelson Derby, notably Haughty, Hardy Oak and Single Star.

Mr Grice's interesting experiment in putting mares descended from Norice on the dam's side back to a son of Norice has met with happy results in the production of such good pacers as Hardy Oak and Single Star. Call it inbreeding, linebreeding, or what you will, it was done deliberately by a breeder whose great success over a long period places him in the forefront of breeders-owners-trainers. He has made a study of the Nelson Derby breed, refusing to over-race them at a tender age, and that is one of the main reasons, probably, why Haughty is the champion staying mare of today; she was not taken to the races until she was four, and then she was started only twice, when nearly a five-year-old. That was in the 1939-40 season , so she is now only seven. The latest champion is just a plain, ordinary mare; she can make no pretence at look or style, but she can wag her head at the beauties and reflect that handsome is still as handsome does.

There is a limit to speed; the torrid pace set by Gold Bar found out the backmarker, Josedale Grattan, but last year's winner was not disgraced. He was asked to register 4:10 3-5 to win, and it is doubtful if there is a horse in the world today, including Billy Direct and Greyhound, who could do such time on a six-fulong track. Greyhounds 4:06 against time was done from a flying start on a mile track, while Josedale Grattan, in addition to having more turns to contend with on a track two-furlongs shorter, had an additional 36yds to cover from a standing start. All these facts should be given full consideration, because there must eventually be a limit to the speed a horse can carry over any distance in harness.

Time was when certain schools of harness racing thought that the day might arrive when a pacer or trotter would attain the speed of a galloper. That is ridiculous; but it proves this much: the limit of pacing and trotting speed must nearly have been reached. It proves that the trotter and pacer is possibly rapidly attaining its highest peak of perfection. And pacers in this country, racing under entirely different and more difficult conditions than trials against time in the States, have got remarkably close to the best times over the longer distances made in the home of the trotter and pacer. So much for the fact that there may be a limit to pacing speed.

If anyone had suggested that a horse would go 4:14 3-5 off the limit of the Cup and get beaten, he would have received a very poor hearing. Yet it happened to Gold Bar. The official sectional times made Gold Bar go to the first half-mile in 62secs; the mile in 2:04 3-5; the mile and a quarter in 2:35 2-5; the mile and a half in 3:08 2-5. He took 65 1-5secs for the last half-mile, and had to lower his colours to three horses in the run home. It was a sensational performance, drawing unstinted praise from Mr A L Matson (president of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club) at the Cup presentation. He expressed great admiration for Gold Bar's wonderful achievement, and sympathised with the owner in having to accept fourth place after his horse's being almost totally responsible for the establishment of a new two-mile winning record.

Another record was established which is liable to be overlooked. This is Bayard's time of 4:13 2-5 for third, representing a world's pacing record for a stallion. The ponified pacer was beaten for second only in the last couple of strides by Loyal Rey, whose 4:13 1-5 places him next to Harold Logan on the roster of fastest two-mile pacing performers.

The unlucky horse in the Cup was again Peter Smith who had the job of overhauling Gold Bar, and actually gave Haughty the run of the race. Haughty was tucked in behind Peter Smith all the way to the straight, and by that time Peter Smith's desperate chase of Gold Bar naturally found him out. Loyal Rey drifted early, and his run over the last half mile was of a very high standard indeed.

The world's harness record for two miles is held by the trotter Greyhound, who went 4:06 in 1939. The first mile took 2:03 and the second the same. The best pacing time for two miles in America stands to the credit of Dan Patch 4:17, who took his record away back in 1903. It is obvious that Billy Direct, 1:55, would greatly reduce this record, but, until a great American pacer does tackle Dan Patch's record of 39 years' standing, the world's pacing records for two miles stand to the credit of Harold Logan, 4:12 2-5 (for third), and Haughty, 4:13 4-5 (winning).

Investments on the race totalled £18,350/10/- and for the day £99,419/10/-

Full Result

1st: B Grice's HAUGHTY. Trained by the owner, Tinwald and driven by O E Hooper, started off scratch.

2nd: P A Watson's LOYAL REY. Driven by M C McTigue, started off 12yds.

3rd: H E Salter's BAYARD. Driven by C King, started off 12yds.

4th: A Holmes's GOLD BAR. Driven by D C Watts, started off scratch.

The winner won by two lengths, with a neck to third and a length to fourth.

Times: 4:13 4-5, 4:13 1-5, 4:13 2-5, 4:14 3-5.

Also Started: Bronze Eagle scr; Clockwork scr & Ferry Post 12 bracketed with the third horse; Peter Smith scr; Colonal Grattan 12; Fine Art 12 bracketed with the second horse; Great Jewel 12; Josedale Grattan 36


Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

1942 NZ PACING SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP

Gold Bar is the new record-holder at a mile and a quarter. His 2:35 to win the NZ Pacing Sprint Championship by three lengths from Haughty is a world's race record, and as far as New Zealand-bred horses are concerned, Gold Bar now holds the mile harness record 1:59 3-5, the mile saddle record 2:03 3-5, the mile and a quarter record 2:35, the mile and three furlongs record 2:56, and the mile and five furlongs winning record 3:27.

It is a bunch of records never before held by the one horse in the Dominion, and as a speed king Gold Bar has certainly earned a high place in light harness history.

He now goes to the stud at a fee well within the reach of all breeders.

Full Result

1st: A Holmes's GOLD BAR. Trained and driven by D C Watts, Yaldhurst.

2nd: B Grice's HAUGHTY. Driven by O E Hooper.

3rd: Messrs Pezaro & Bridgen's JOSEDALE GRATTAN. Driven by F J Smith.

4th: E R Smith's PETER SMITH. Driven by L A Maidens.

The winner won by three lengths, with two lengths back to the third horse.

Times: 2:35, 2:35 2-5, 2:35 4-5, 2:36.

Also started: Bayard; Burt Scott; Dusky Sound; Fine Art; Mankind.



Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 18Nov42

1942 DOMINION HANDICAP

Margin won the Dominion Handicap by sheer stamina. Not a showy trotter, Margin's action is deceptive; it requires a minimum of effort. In other words, there is no waste action about the Maxegin mare, whose consistency is indicated by her record of five wins, two seconds, three thirds and a fourth in her last 17 starts. She is a particularly honest mare, and remarkably solid. A great deal of credit must go to her trainer-driver, G Cameron, who has taken her from the improvers' class to the best company in just over a year.

Readers may remember a paragraph which appeared in the Calendar in relation to the breeding of this mare. She is registered as by Maxegin from a Wildwood mare, and it was pointed out in the paragraph that if Margin was out of a Wildwood mare, this mare could not have been less than 28 years of age when it foaled Margin. This statement aroused the interest of a breeder who knew something of Margin's bloodlines, and it is now thought that the dam of Margin is by Peter Moko and not Wildwood as stated in the original registration. This, however, has not been definitely established, and, unfortunately, probably never will be now. It is all the more regrettable because of Margin's potential value as a brood mare.

Full Result

1st: W Fairbairn's MARGIN. Trained & driven by G Cameron, New Brighton. Started off 72yds.

2nd: S Cording's TE KAHU. Driven by D Bennett. Started off scratch.

3rd: D Pattullo's TIM WORTHY. Driven by R Messervey. Started off scratch.

4th: W J Doyle's WITHIN. Driven by the owner. Started off 60yds.

The winner won by three quarters of a length, with a neck to third.

Times: 4:26 4-5, 4:33, 4:33 1-5, 4:28 2-5.

Also started: Allie Audubon scr; Great Mountain scr; Sister Mary scr; Monican 12; Reception 12; Royal Romance 36; Mah Jong 48; Biworthy 60; Gracie Fields 72; Royal Worthy 72; Gerfalcon 84; Bush Laddie 96; Dark Hazard 96.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 18Nov42

1942 NEW ZEALAND DERBY STAKES

M Holmes drove his sixth NZ Derby winner when he brought Scottish Lady home ahead of Captain Morant and Radical. A most improved filly since she was unplaced in the Sapling Stakes, Scottish Lady had won the Riccarton stakes on the first day, but that performance was hardly up to the best effort of Captain Morant, who was made a strong favourite for the Derby, with Scottish Lady only fourth selection to win. But there was no doubt about her superiority on Saturday. She was always going a bit better than Captain Morant and beat him by a length.

Scottish Lady is by U Scott from Rustic Maid, an unraced sister to Gold Country, by Rey de Oro from Country Belle. She was bred by Mr W J Morland, and sold as a two-year-old to Mr G Youngson, of Wendon, Southland, for 350gns. Mr Youngson leased her to Mr D Macfarlane, of Christchurch. Rustic Maid produced previous winners in Highland Scott and Gallant Maid, and she has younger progeny by U Scott, Lusty Volo, and Gold Bar.

Karnak was on her toes at the start and she reared up at barrier rise and lost fully 36 yards. She was then sent round the field to take the lead at the end of half a mile, but she was in difficulties when Lucky Gem challenged her going into the back the last time, and was beaten before the home turn. Radical showed considerable improvement on his Riccarton Stakes run and looks sure to win races, Lucky Gem, Tam o'Shanter and Pocket Book were the best of the others.

Full Result

1st: D Macfarlane's SCOTTISH LADY. Trained & driven by M Holmes, Russley.

2nd: H E Cook's CAPTAIN MORANT. Driven by F G Holmes.

3rd: O E Hooper's RADICAL. Driven by the owner.

4th: LUCKY GEM.

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

Times: 3:25, 3:25 1-5, 3:25 2-5.

Also started: Bonny Volo & Tam O'Shanter bracketed; Delusion; Gold Sheik; Karnak; Pocket Book; Sergent Bob, Terry O'Shea & Trusty Scott bracketed; Tungsten Steel; Volusta; Wee Logan.






Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 18Nov42