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RACING HISTORY

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

1966 NZ FREE-FOR-ALL

Waitaki Hanover gained an all-the-way win in the NZ Free-For-All and beat Lordship pointlessly when it came to the run to the judge. It was a very easy drive for D J Townley, who considered he was most unlucky in the NZ Cup. Waitaki Hanover paced the last mile in 61.8, the final half in 59 secs, and the last quarter in 29.8.

He covered the mile and a quarter in 2:35 and ran to the post two and a half lengths clear of Lordship. Lordship did not quite show the dash which earned him NZ Cup honours, in the NZ Free-For-All. He trailed Waitaki Hanover from the start but could make no impression in the run home.

Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

1966 NZ DERBY STAKES

Holy Hal overcame a slow beginning to win the NZ Derby Stakes at Addington Raceway and his performance entitles him to be classed with the greatest of his age.

Holy Hal was having his first start at a totalisator meeting since June when he won the NZ Sapling Stakes and he did not have to do his best to beat Killadar and Cardinal King. He has now won six successive races and has earned £4385 for his owners, Messrs D Keenan of Wyndham and J R Rodgers of Christchurch.

Holy Hal was driven by K Balloch who drove Tactile to win in 1962 when that pacer established the race record of 3:10.4. Holy Hal's time on Saturday was only one fifth of a second slower. The race was run at a solid pace, the last half mile taking 61 and the last quarter 29.4 secs.

When he tangled at the start, Holy Hal lost several lengths and had only Wyambie and James behind him when he settled down. Killadar went fast over the first two furlongs and Holy Hal was left out wide. However, Holy Hal went to the front with seven furlongs to go and in the race to the post he never really looked in any serious danger of defeat.

Killadar raced right up to his winning run earlier in finishing second. He came home strongly along the rails and there is no doubt he is a pacer well above average. Cardinal King was half a head behind Killadar and then came Fort Nelson who was responsible for a fine showing. He was stopped almost dead when checked at the three furlongs. Miles Gentry weakened to fifth and then came Stewart Hanover and Dark Sun who were well beaten.

Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Doris Nyhan receives the Cup from Charles Thomas

1966 NZ TROTTING CUP

Lordship loitered with the NZ Cup field in a convivial sort of way for the best part of the last three furlongs. The manner in which he eventually won merely confirmed that he is a world class champion fit to rank with the Cardigan Bay-Bret Hanover-Adios Butler circle. He actually passed the post in little above second gear, certainly with a lot up his sleeve.

"I had to go to the front sooner than I meant to," said D (for Denis) Nyhan after driving Lordship to his second NZ Cup victory. "Lordship began to pull up of his own accord when well clear," continued Nyhan; and this compensated for a middling run in the early stages for the champion.

My own impression of the Cup race, run on a 'sticky wicket' was that Lordship was in a class of his own. He was not required to get into top gear until Tobias loomed up as a momentary danger at the straight entrance and, finally, Robin Dundee got to within two lengths of him only because he was actually easing down in the last 50 metres or so.

Oakhampton, Cuddle Doon and Doctor Barry broke at the start and Tobias was slow to muster speed. This left Full Sovereign to lead out from Waitaki Hanover, Disband, Lochgair, Master Alan and Robin Dundee. Lordship had made a splendid beginning and was already close up. Lochgair was the leader with half a mile covered and he was still there with a round to go, where Cuddle Doon (the pacemaker in the middle stages) had given way, and Oakhampton was lying third. It was at this stage that there was some jostling for positions, and the worst sufferers in the chain reactions that followed were Robin Dundee and Tobias, who finished up in the rear leaving the front straight for the last time. With half a mile to go Disband was half a length in front of the swift-moving Lordship, who went effortlessly to the front in another half-furlong and stayed there. The only time he looked in any sort of danger for the remainder of the race was when Tobias swept round the outer from the three furlongs and almost got on terms with Lordship at the furlong post. However, Tobias blew out almost as soon as he caught Lordship, who obviously won with plenty in reserve by two lengths from Robin Dundee.

Another valiant defeat was the lot of Robin Dundee. She was standing up Lordship fully half a dozen lengths with half a mile to go and battled on very gamely to beat Waitaki Hanover as decisively as she was beaten. Tobias was a creditable fourth, a bare head away, with three lengths to the fifth horse, Disband. Cuddle Doon was two lengths behind Disband, with a gap of four lengths to Master Alan, six lengths to Oakhampton, and then came Full Sovereign, Lochgair and Doctor Barry - last.

The first quarter was run in 35 secs., half-mile 67.8, six furlongs 1:41.8, mile 2:15.2, mile and a quarter 2:49.2, mile and a half3:20, mile and three quarters 3:52, and the full journey (gross) in 4:22.6. Lordship's net time was 4:19, an excellent return under the conditions. Lordship, whose racing career to date has been confined to New Zealand, has now won £48,170 in stakes and trophies. His first NZ Cup, in 1962, was also run on a wet track. Like many an out-and-out champion before him, he can handle all sorts of tracks, dirt or grass, wet or dry, with equal confidence.

Lordship is by Johnny Globe, the 1954 Cup winner. Lordship's dam, Ladyship, a U Scott mare, traces back to the Australian mare Lightnin' who reached good company on NZ tracks and was also ancestress of Emulous, a champion pacer of the 1940's who won the Inter-Dominion Championship at Auckland in 1948. Lordship was bred by his owner, Mrs D G Nyhan, wife of the trainer, D G (for Don) Nyhan, who has now trained three NZ Cup winners - Johnny Globe and Lordship (twice). D D Nyhan has driven Lordship in both his Cup wins.

The presentation of the Gold Cup on Tuesday was made to Mrs Nyhan by Mr C S Thomas, a past-president of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club and the NZ Trotting Conference, and at present treasurer of the Metropolitan. In his introduction to the Cup presentation, Mr Saunders paid a tribute to Mr Thomas's outstanding work as one of the principal architects of the Totalisator Agency Board.

Robin Dundee ran her third second in the race: she was runner-up to Cardigan Bay in 1963 and to Garry Dillon last year. Her stake-winnings in New Zealand have reached £37,340 and she has also won £10,000 in Australia. Lack of experience and racing in seasoned company could have told against Tobias, who is obviously a talented young pacer and a potential champion. He should show to advantage on dry tracks later at the carnival.

The on-course betting on the Cup, £26,395, was slightly down on last year's figures of £27,358; but the off-course total of £37,958 10s was commensurately up on last year's turnover of £36,842. After showery weather for some days beforehand, and up till a late hour on Cup day, the attandance of 18,250 was well up on expectations. Last year's attendance was 17,483.

The on-course totalisator receipts, £248,932, were a new record for a trotting meeting, and also a South Island record for trotting and racing. Last year's Cup-day total, £230,015, was the previous record. Tuesday's off-course total was £238,706, also a new record for a trotting meeting. The previous record was last year's total of £211,674 15s.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

1965 saw the death of the inspirational British Prime Minister and Wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill. The space race between the USSR and the USA was in full swing, the Springboks narrowly beat the All Blacks at Lancaster Park, Fieldmaster won the NZ Cup at Riccarton and the North Islander Garry Dillon, driven by Peter Wolfenden, easily won the Trotting Cup.

Garry Dillon was also an outsider being 12/10 in the 16 horse field and paid £28/7/- ($56.70) for the win. Among the more favoured runners were Robin Dundee, Jacobite, Orbiter, Lordship & Tactile. Robin Dundee driven by Maurice Holmes improved on her second place in the Cup to win the Free-For-All, while Orbiter won the Allan Matson Stakes Stakes and the Ollivier Handicap respectively on the final two nights

Garry Dillon was raced on lease by E B S Grey and J H Shaw from his Southland breeder Mrs E M Kirk. In a post race interview his trainer, J P Baker of Morrinsville, related how the flight that Garry Dillon was booked to come down on was cancelled and the horse had to endure a trying 600 mile (960k) float trip which saw him arrive the Friday before the Cup.


Credit: Colin Steele

JUDGES

F A JARRETT

Mr F A Jarrett, who died in Christchurch recently, was a well known racing and trotting official. Before World War II he was a radio commentator for racing and trotting, and one of his earliest broadcasts was Harold Logan's first NZ Cup in 1931. He later took up judging.

On his return from the war, in which he rose to the rank of Major and was awarded the MBE, Mr Jarrett resumed as a judge to a number of racing and trotting clubs, and later became a racing handicapper.

Mr Jarrett played senior cricket for West Christchurch. Until a short time ago he was a keen golfer and a member of the Christchurch Golf Club.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 13Oct65

STARTERS & STARTING

MOBILE START CONTROVERSY

It will be heartening news to advocates of the mobile barrier that the NZ Metropolitan TC has included two such events on it's Easter programme - and top class features to boot.

The primary objective of practical supporters of the mobile barrier in maintaining their enthusiasm for the moving start is a fear that the standing start (ie the standing start alone), is bogging down our progress and seperating us permanently from world speed standards. And they will certainly take heart from the Metropolitan's return to the mobile barrier, especially since our leading club has done so in the face of relentless and, at times, virulent criticism from some quarters.

The Metropolitan's two mobile races will be the Flying Mile on the first day - Saturday, April 3, and the Rothschild Stakes on the second day - Saturday, April 10. The Flying Mile, worth £1500, is for horses assessed at 2.11 or faster (free-for-all conditions), and an additional stake will be paid to the winning horse at the rate of £100 for every one-fifth of a second it records under 1.59, with a maximum of £500. The Rothschild Stakes, also a £1500 race, to be run over one mile and a quarter, is for 2.11 and faster horses under free-for-all conditions; and here an additional stake of £500 will be paid to the winning horse if it breaks the world record of 2.29 3-5 for the mile and a quarter at present held by the American pacer Irvin Paul.

No one expects that all races should be started from the mobile barrier - in the meantime, anyway! But let the critics be fair enough to concede that programmes will be none the poorer for a little variety; that there is no real evidence to support much of the criticism levelled at the Canterbury Park starting gate from time to time. Canterbury Park has persevered with the gate and has no intention of curtailing its use - neither it should have after the perfect start to its 2-year-old race last week. Never in this writer's experience has there been a better despatch to a juvenile race in this country than that effected by the mobile barrier in the January Stakes. It was a smooth bussinesslike start, and not one of the youngsters looked the slightest bit perturbed or looked like doing anything wrong.

Danger lurks in any kind of race, but the proposition that the mobile barrier is dangerous, with the underlying implication that the standing start is not so dangerous, is untenable, in fact preposterous. In passing, it is recalled that C C Devine, on his return from America, said he saw hundreds of races from the mobile barrier there, and not one accident. There has been no accident behind it here, either.

And what is the yardstick of public interest? If it is investments on the totalisator, the mobile barrier is more than holding it's own. For years the best betting races at Canterbury Park meetings have been mobile barrier events, and the Metropolitan Trotting Club had a similar experience when it last used the gate in 1962. The biggest on-course betting at the Metropolitan National Meeting, 1962 (both days), was on races from the mobile barrier. On the first day the £11,982 invested on the Lightning Free-for-all, and the £9815 on the Templeton Stakes, were the largest betting pools; and on the second day the £11,639 wagered on the Farewell Stakes was by far the biggest total. A reminder - all were mobile races.

The 1962 NZ Cup Meeting, with only the odd race or two from the starting gate: one of these, the NZ Free-For-All, drew the largest on and off-course betting on the second day. The investments on the NZ Trotting Free-For-All, on the third day, were not the highest, but they were relatively good; and in the only mobile race on the fourth day, the Smithson Free-for-all, a surprisingly good total was invested on a small field with an odds-on favourite in it - Cardigan Bay (Lordship was scratched).

The Metropolitan Trotting Club's return to the gate has at least arrested the imminent danger that the mobile barrier would founder on the opinions of much the same brand of grizzlers who could find nothing favourable to say about Addington's new hub rail; the mobile barrier has run the gauntlet of similar prejudice and half-baked "facts" - all overdue for a thorough examination.

Mr Keith Davidson, president of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club, went on record in 1962 as saying: "The Canterbury Park starting gate, built under the direction of the president of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club (Mr L S Smart) was an unqualified success when first used in May. There has been criticism of the gate, but surely from the point of view of the confidence of the betting public, that all starters have an equal opportunity of getting away, it cannot but help trotting in general." It is suspected that Mr Davidson had a battle on his hands persuading the programme committee to give the gate another trial. Some of us now feel confident our leading club is again headed in the right direction.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 3Feb65

PEOPLE

B J McKENNA

Mr Bernard John McKenna, JP, a well-known St John Ambulance administrator and a trotting club enthusiast, died last week. He was 86.

Mr McKenna was a member of the New Brighton Trotting Club for more than 50 years. He served two terms as it's president and was elected a life member a few years ago.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 7Apr65

PEOPLE

MR B A JARDEN

Mr Benjamin Alexander Jarden a former outstanding trotting driver and rider, and the father of the former All Black, R A Jarden, has died at Lower Hutt. He was 71.

He trained and drove the 1918 NZ Cup winner, Author Dillon, whose earlier successes included the NZ Derby, and who won the Metropolitan Free-For-All three years in succession, 1918, 1919 & 1920. Author Dillon was the glamour horse of his era, a lion-hearted performer and record-breaker.

Marie Tempest, Haunui and Waitaki Girl were among capable performers he drove to success in the twenties.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 27Oct65

PEOPLE

J McLENNAN

Mr John McLennan, one of trotting's best known and most successful riders and drivers earlier this century, died last week. He was aged 82.

At the time of his retirement about 30 years ago, Mr McLennan held the record of having ridden the winners of 70 saddle races over one mile, and five of these were straight-out trotters. One of his most successful meetings was the 1920 NZ Cup meeting at Addington. On that occasion he and F (Free) Holmes, now in his nineties, each handled six winners, just half the programme between them.

McLennan was 16 when he trained and rode his first winner, at a Geraldine meeting. There were many good horses he drove and rode in this time but one of the best was Cello Sydney Wilkes. At the 1919 NZ Cup meeting he won four races with this Balclutha-owned stallion.

For many years Mr McLennan resided in Oamaru. While there he did all the riding and driving for the stables of J Henderson and R Logan, two highly successful trainers of that time.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 22Sep65

PEOPLE

C KING

The death occurred last week of Mr C King, one of the Dominion's leading reinsmen several years ago.

King was attached to C S Donald's establishment, first at Addington and later at Belfast. King was with Donald for a good number of years and rode and drove many winners from the stable. He won the Ashburton Cup and Easter Handicap with Lindbergh, and also won the Ashburton Cup in 1945 with Happy Man, a horse he was also successful with in the NZ Free-For-All. King also drove Sprayman to win the NZ Sapling Stakes, and Twenty Grand to win the Westport Cup.

After several years with Donald, King transferred to Santa Rosa Farm at Halswell, where he was also successful as a reinsman.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 26May65