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RACING HISTORY

HORSES

Arania Time Trialling in 1:57 at the Red Mile, Lexington

ARANIA

"My one regret is that, in my opinion, she went to America too soon, before she really had an opportunity to show her real worth in this country," said G B Noble, when speaking of Arania, who wrote such a glorious chapter in Dominion light-harness history by taking a mile record of 1.57 against time in America - the third fastest of all time for a mare, and only a bare fraction outside the joint world mare's record held by Rosalind(T) and Her Ladyship(P), 1.56 3/4.

Arania goes to the Roydon Lodge matron's paddock - she is to be mated with Thurber Frost - with the additional distinction that she has the fastest mile record of any horse bred outside America, and is also the fastest record horse ever to be imported to this country. The loss of her first foal (by Direct Rhythm, 1.56 1/5) cannot be reduced to terms of £ s d.

Not overlarge, but built on fleet lines, perfectly gaited, and thoroughly dependable to the very breaking point of her outstanding ability, Arania will perhaps be remembered most in her own country for her close and gallant third (as a 4-year-old) in the Grand Final of the Inter-Dominion Championship at Addington in 1961 - won by Massacre from False Step.

In a comparatively short race career in the United States (two seasons) Arania more than held her own against some of that countries best pacers. In 1961, Arania won four races, was second twice, third three times and fourth once for $28,000. The next year her record was two wins, two seconds, one third and two fourths, which netted her $17,400 in stakes. In her winning essays, Arania beat such pacers as Doc Hobbs, recording 2.00 2/5, Merrie Gesture, her time being 2.00 2/5, Milford Hanover, when she paced 2.02 1/5, and Sweet Singer, when she clocked the excellent time of 2.33 for one mile and a quarter. Arania was also second to such speedsters as Countess Adios, Betting Time and Vicki's Jet. The last named she forced to go 1.59 4/5 to beat her narrowly. Trainer-driver W Haughton, who handled Arania in several of he races, said that she was one of the nicest mares he had ever had anything to do with.

As a 2-year-old in the 1958/59 season, Arania raced consistently for one win and six placings in 10 starts. There is little doubt that if Sun Chief had not appeared on the 2-year-old scene, Arania would have been tops in this age group that term. At her first start Arania ran Sun Chief to a head in the NZ Golden Slipper Stakes at Waimate. She again had to be content with second place behind Sun Chief when they met in the Canterbury Park Juvenile Stakes. After finishing fourth in the Invitation Stakes at Geraldine, Arania followed Sun Chief and Blue Prince home in the Timaru Nursery Stakes. Her next placing that season - third - was to Hautapu and Prince Tangier in the Robert Mortlock Memorial Juvenile Stakes at Hawera. Taken to Hutt Park, Arania held off Velvet Drive by a neck in the Wellington Juvenile Stakes, a classic race for 2-year-old fillies. In the Oamaru Juvenile Stakes Sun Chief once again proved Arania's master, beating her by three-quarters of a length. Arania's stake earnings as a 2-year-old amounted to £905.

She opened her 3-year-old career on a promising note when she beat all but Sally Boy in the Canterbury Challenge Stakes at Addington. Sally Boy created a fresh race record when he paced the mile and a quarter in 2.38 4/5. Arania returned 2.39 2/5. At the Auckland Trotting Club's meeting in September that season, Arania downed a field of three and four-year-old pacers in the Grey Lynn Handicap and followed up that effort by finishing third in the Orakei Handicap on the second day. Arania's next appearance was in the Farewell Handicap at Oamaru on Labour Day. She drew the second line, but after a brilliant beginning was soon up in second place. In the run home she was never in serious danger of defeat, and won unextended by a length.

In the NZ Derby Stakes - run in then record time - Arania finished a close third to Stormont and Sun Chief, returning 3.12 1/5 for the mile and a half journey, which stood as a record for a filly for several years. Arania proved at her next start that she was head and shoulders above the rest of the fillies of her age when she outclassed the opposition in the NZ Oaks. In that event she started from the second line, but that did not stop her from winning with something in reserve by two lenghts.

On top of that success Arania downed a field of capable three and four-year-olds in the North Island Challenge Stakes at Epsom. A second to Sun Chief in the Great Northern Derby followed and then came a second to Lady Shona in the Festival Handicap at Forbury Park in January. At the same meeting Arania added the Royal Handicap to her imposing record. Three starts later Arania won the Eastbourne Handicap at Wellington. He next four starts for the season resulted in two third placings - in the Farewell Handicap at Wellington, and in the Queens Birthday Stakes at Ashburton.

As a two and three-year-old, Arania was unlucky in that she seldom drew a good barrier position. However, at three years she started 19 times for six wins and eight placings. She won £3650 that season and was the leading stake winner among the 3-year-olds, finishing fifth on the list of stakes winners for the whole of the Dominion.

Leading up to the Inter-Dominion Championship, as a 4-year-old, Arania had two successes and several placings to her credit. She won the Hornby Handicap at Addington earlier in the season and then carried off the Dunedin Cup in January. On the opening day of the Championship series, Arania failed dismally in her qualifying heat. After being one of the early leaders and then being 'left out in the open' she stopped badly and finished tenth. Her comfortable success in her heat on the second day was the signal for a rowdy demonstration. She followed up that win by succeeding in a two-mile heat on the third day, her winning margin being a length and a half.

Trainer-driver of False Step, C C Devine, made no secret of the fact that he considered Arania the big danger in the Grand Final. Arania paced a magnificent race in the Grand Final, and when she shot through an opening on the rails and hit the lead less than a furlong out, she was being hailed the winner until first False Step and then Massacre came on the scene.

Arania, a bay mare by U Scott from Local Gold, has been trained throughout her NZ career by G B Noble at Yaldhurst for Mr R A McKenzie. She gained nine wins and 21 minor placings for £8960 in stakes here, and her American winnings were $45,400.

Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Clendar 18Sep63

HORSES

HAUGHTY

Haughty, who still ranks as the only mare to have broken two minutes in the Southern Hemisphere, and the first mare bred in this part of the world to enter this select circle, has died at the age of 27 years.

Haughty won two NZ Cups, was a free-for-all winner and held a number of records. She was an out-and-out champion, and among her notable deeds was the defeat of Gold Bar in a special match race over a mile at Addington in 2.00 2/5. That was in 1943. Haughty's 4.13 3/5 for two miles was a world pacing record for a mare when she retired in 1946, and she was also the biggest stake winning mare up to that time with £13,105 10s.

Haughty's second NZ Cup victory in 1943 was a magnificent feat of stamina. From the time Gold Bar hit the front the record crowd was at a high pitch of excitment, and when Haughty, almost exhausted, passed the post a winner, the crowd on the inside flocked onto the track to surround the mare and her driver and gave them a memorable ovation. But let us go back a mile and more and attempt to regain something of the atmosphere of that light-harness drama of November 6. Will they catch him? That was the question on the lips of thousands as Gold Bar held a commanding lead going into the back stretch the last time. When Springfield Globe wilted in his attempt to bridge the gap with three and a half furlongs to go, it momentarily looked as though Gold Bar's big moment had arrived. Then, from 'out of the blue' streaked Haughty and her skilled driver, O E Hooper. A terrific roar swept through the crowd as Haughty gradually drew up to the now exhausted pacemaker and came on to win by two lengths from Countless, with Pacing Power third and Gold Bar fourth.

It must have been one of the slowest last quarters ever recorded on a fast track at Addington - 36 sec - yet it was a magnificent climax and a glowing testament to the grit and determination of victor and vanquished alike. Gold Bar had run the first mile, from a standing start, in 2.03 4/5, and reached the mile and a quarter in 2.36 2/5.

Haughty's other important successes included the NZ Sprint Championship; her mile against time of 1.59 3/5, and a mile and a quarter placed record of 2.35 2/5, which was still a world race record for a mare when she retired.

In the pedigree of Haughty are tabulated the names of three mares who will always remain cornerstones of trotting history. Her sire, Nelson Derby, was by Nelson Bingen out of Norice, an American-bred mare who finished second to Monte Carlo in the first NZ Trotting Cup. On the dam's side of Haughty's pedigree is a close-up strain of Princess, easily the greatest pacing mare of just on 80 years ago. Princess started on her dazzling career back in the early 80s. One fine afternoon that astute horseman, the late Dave Price, noticed a pacing mare showing a turn of speed on the side of a road. He bought her then and there for £20 and a £20 contingency. 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 NZ 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 which never raced, but which produced, among other winners, Thixendale, Lady Willings, Lough Neagh, Denver City, Glimpse and Logan Princess. To Happy Voyage, 2.04 1/5, Logan Princess produced Regal Voyage. Princess was probably just as great a pacer of her time as Haughty was 60 years later.

The third great mare in the pedigree is Haughty's dam, Regal Voyage, who reached Cup class. The day she won the Mid-Summer Handicap at Addington in 1931 her time, 4.19 4/5, set a new two-mile record for a mare. In third place that day was the mighty Harold Logan who, from his long mark of 84 yards, was forced to go 4.13 2/5, then a world pacing record.

Haughty was mated with Gold Bar when first retired to the stud and produced Whiz, a brilliant pacer who went blind after winning a few races; then came Jaunty, by Josedale Grattan; then Brahman (by Gold Bar), who created the NZ and Australian 2-year-old record of 2.02 1/5 against time at Addington and won his way to NZ Cup class; followed by Tolerant (by Morano), Insolent (by U Scott) and others.

Haughty was bred, owned and trained by Mr B Grice, who has now been prominently associated with trotting for nearly half a century.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 10Apr63

HORSES

Falsehood & Ces Donald

FALSEHOOD

Falsehood began racing in the 1858-59 season as a 4-year-old, and had a fairly busy season. He started in 21 races for three wins and seven placings. For his first success, which was gained in the February Handicap on the first day of the summer meeting of the Westland Racing Club on Saturday, February 11, Falsehood was trained and driven by his owner, Mr J Steel. Falsehood won by five lengths that day, and repeated on the second day from 24 yards, again in the hands of his owner-trainer. On the first day Falsehood had also finished a creditable third from 48 yards at his second start.

Following his win on the second day of the Westland meeting, Falsehood gained only one fourth placing in four starts and he was then transferred to the Belfast stable of C S Donald, for whom he won the Ferry Handicap at the autumn meeting of the Wellington Trotting Club when making his first appearance for that trainer. Falsehood did not win again that term, but he gained five placings in his subsequent 10 starts. Recurring unsoundness was beginning to trouble him, and he made only three appearances as a 5-year-old for one second placing.

Falsehood made an auspicious start to his 6-year-old season when he won the Geraldine Cup by three lengths. A third and a fourth in his next three starts was the best he could manage before returning to the winning list in the Farewell Handicap on the third day of the Easter meeting at Hawera. Four more starts that season brought no result. At seven years Falsehood started 29 times for four wins and nine placings. His most important successes were in the Ashburton Cup, the Selwyn Handicap on the second day of the New Year meeting of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club and the Southland Handicap at Forbury Park in May.

The present season has seen Falsehood gain the highest marks for consistency. He has won eight races and been placed 10 times in a total of 21 starts. Falsehood was beaten into third place in the Louisson Handicap at the National meeting by Scottish Light and Lordship, at his first start for the season, and on the second day filled a similar position behind Lordship and Scottish Light in the National Handicap. Falsehood made his next appearance in the Johns Handicap at New Brighton, and once again success eluded him. He was narrowly beaten by Grouse.

Taken to Hutt Park, Falsehood was rewarded for consistency when he won the President's Handicap there, beating Smokeaway and Samantha. Two more minor placings followed, then Falsehood added the Metropolitan Handicap at Forbury Park to his record, beating Master Alan and King Hal. He next won the City Free-for-all at Forbury Park, King Hal and Lordship being in the minor placings. This success was followed by a win in the Hannon Memorial at Oamaru, which brought him right into calculations for the NZ Cup.

However, success in the big event was not for Falsehood. He was slow away that day, and although right in the picture after turning for home, he had no answer for the finishing run of Lordship, who beat Falsehood by three lengths. On the later days of the meeting, Falsehood found champion Cardigan Bay just too good for him in both the Alan Matson Handicap and the Smithson Free-for-all. Another second placing - the third on end - was Falsehood's lot in the Lightning Mile at the New Year meeting of the Canterbury Park Trooing Club. In that event Falsehood was beaten by Lordship, who paced the mile in 2.01 1/5, Falsehood recording 2.01 2/5.

Falsehood then struck a winning patch, and added the H H Wauchop Handicap at Canterbury Park, and the second and third qualifing races of the Dunedin Festival Cup to his record. From 24 yards in the final of the Dunedin Festival Cup, Falsehood was beaten into third place by Smokeaway and Master Alan. He made amends a little later at the Royal meeting at Hutt Park when he led over the last mile of the Queen Elizabeth Handicap to beat his rivals comfortably by two lengths. The manner in which Falsehood has held his form throughout a busy season is a credit to his trainer C S Donald, and full credit must also go to D C Watts, who has handled Falsehood in all his races this season.

Bred by his owner, Mr D Steel, of Greymouth, Falsehood is an 8-year-old brown gelding by Fallacy (who also sired False Step), from the Grattan Loyal mare Aloysius. In all in NZ, Falsehood has won £16,165 in stakes, the result of 18 wins and 29 placings in a total of 83 starts.

Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 20Mar63

HORSES

Vedette winner of the 1951 Inter-Dominion Grand Final

VEDETTE

Vedette winner of the Grand Final of the pacing section of the Inter-Dominion Championships at Addington in 1951, broke a leg recently at Tauherenikau and had to be destroyed. The former champion was enjoying a life of leisure since his retirement from racing in the 1958-59 season.

Vedette began racing as a 3-year-old in the 1948-49 season when he ran unplaced at his only start. He raced for nine seasons. Vedette received his early education and did his early racing in the hands of West Melton trainer, J D Litten. At his first start as a 4-year-old, Vedette beat all but Kublai Khan in the Winchester Handicap at the South Canterbury Jockey Club's meeting on October 8, 1949. This effort was follwed by another second, this time to Kelvin Lass in the second division of the Geraldine Handicap a week later.

He made amends for these defeats when taken to Oamaru shortly afterwards by beating Te Maru by three lengths in the Weston Handicap. After two more minor placings Vedette won the Dominion Challenge Stakes at Wellington from Springbok, a horse he beat on more than one occasion in the early part of his career. The North Island Challenge Stakes at Auckland was next added to Vedette's list and on this occasion he was driven by M Holmes but was still trained for this success by J D Litten. He also won the Epsom Stakes on the second day of the same meeting and from 24 yards behind he recorded 3.10 3/5 for the mile and a half journey. M Holmes was again his pilot.

Shortly after the Auckland meeting Vedette was transferred to M Holmes's team, and at his first start for his new trainer he won the Timaru Cup from Springbok by five lengths on a heavy track. The Autumn Stakes and the Plains Handicap, both at Addington, next fell easy prey to Vedette. During his 4-year-old season, Vedette started 18 times for seven wins and nine placings, his efforts netting £4915 in stakes. His first five starts as a 5-year-old resulted in five consecutive wins. They were gained in the Wilwood Handicap at Addington, the Johns Handicap at New Brighton (a race in which he defeated his stablemate Chamfer, who later won the NZ Cup), the Flying Handicap at Forbury Park, the Canterbury Centennial Handicap at Addington and the Mason Handicap also at Addington.

These brilliant successes brought Vedette right into calculations for Inter-Dominion Championship honours. Although beaten into second place by Commander Scott in the second qualifying heat on the first day and by Soangetaha on the second day, his admirers did not lose faith in this great pacer. He redeemed himself on the third day when he won his heat pointlessly, beating Maori Home by three lengths and pacing the two mile journey in 4.14 4/5.

Next came that never to be forgotten race, the Grand Final. The race went down in history as one of the greatest of all time. As late as two furlongs from the winning post Vedette appeared to have no earthly chance of finding an opening, although he was close enough to the leader, Zulu, lying about seventh. With less than a furlong to go and Soangetaha doing it nicely in front, Vedette got clear, but he had to move like greased lightning to bridge the gap and seal victory 80 yards short of the post.

Vedette raced for five more seasons following that success and he numbered amongst his wins the NZ Pacing Championship at Addington, the NZ Free-For-All at Addington, and the Electric Free-for-all ay Auckland. For the last named success he was trained by his part-owner, Mr C Johnston at Cambridge, and was driven by J Bryce Jnr.

Vedette was bred in Christchurch by Mr C Johnston, who raced him in partnership with Mr M Jenkins, and he was by Light Brigade from Queen Wrack. In all, Vedette won 19 races for £27,710 and was at the head of the winning horses' list in the 1950-51 season with the fine total of £14,260

Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 13Feb63

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Cardigan Bay winning the 1963 Cup from 54yds

GREAT RACES: CARDY - ONE IN A MILLION

Picking the highlight of Cardigan Bay's career is like trying to pick the greatest cricket catch of all time - if there were 10 people on a judging panel one would no doubt get 10 different opinions.

But 1963 was the year of Cardigan Bay like no other before or after and the Auckland Cup was his crowning glory. Among other things he had won the Inter-Dominion in Wayville and the NZ Cup from 54 yards, when the entire field outside of Oreti (12yds), started from the front. To become the first horse to win an Inter-Dominion, New Zealand and Auckland Cup in the one calendar year,'Cardy'would be faced with a 78-yard handicap.

A few of the locals were let into the race off the front along with Jar Ar, but Cardigan Bay's presence had compressed most of the rest into the 12-yard handicap and they included a "young champion" in 4-year-old Tactile along with King Hal, Sun Chief, Urrall, Vandeford and the bonny, gallant wee mare Robin Dundee, who chased him home at Addington. Behind them were Robin Dundee's fine older half-brother Dundee on 18 yards and Gentry, still going strong as a 10-year-old, off 36 yards. The enormity of the task seemed over-whelming even for Cardigan Bay, and over 26,000 people packed Alexandra Park to cheer him on.

The 'Trotting Calendar' in previewing the event said..."Cardigan Bay's task of giving starts ranging up to 78 yards in this year's Auckland Cup would be a Herculean one by any yardstick of the past, but this pre-eminent pacer has so completely demolished all previous concepts of what the limit to pacing speed and stamina might be that he is assured of favouritism at Epsom on December 27. His superlative performances to win the New Zealand Cup from 54 yards; his world record of 3:18 1/5 for 13 furlongs in the Allan Matson Handicap; and his torrent of speed to outclass the free-for-all field have placed him on a public pedestal usually reserved for Olympic stars."

To set the scene further, Cardigan Bay had joined Peter Wolfenden as a late 4-year-old, having won three straight races and five in total for Mataura trainer Dave Todd and his brother Sandy. He had won twice at three, but failed to pay a dividend on five occasions - a good sale would have to wait until Todd and his driver Ken Balloch had knocked the edges off. This was achieved in the next season when Cardigan Bay was racing with a hefty price tag of £2500.

Prominent administrator Arthur Nicoll would have bought him but for an investment in Australia collapsing at the time, and Gentry's owner/trainer Bob Barry was more than interested but considered him too dear, and waited until he was beaten in the hope he could get him cheaper. However, Cardigan Bay so impressed in taking out the Renown Handicap at Forbury Park in April, 1961, that Auckland snooker hall proprietor and well established 'bookie' Merv Deans successfully bid £2000 with two £250 contingencies. Dean had been flush with success after purchasing from the Todds a Hal Tryax gelding named Motif, who had won for him at Claudelands at 40-to-one, and then when placed with a young horseman in Wolfenden, had won again at Stratford on April 15.

Placed in the name of Dean's wife Audrey, Cardigan Bay came into Wolfenden's life when he was 26 and at a time when the track was being remodelled. When the track became available again in the new season, Cardigan Bay "breezed" a half in 59 in work and led Wolfenden to declare "driving something else and then him is like stepping from a Morris Minor into a Jaguar."

A big and powerfully-built but ultimately plain bay, Cardigan Bay romped unbeaten through Auckland meetings in September and October and arrived at the 1961 NZ Cup Meeting unbeaten in seven races, easily accounting for the Final Handicap on Cup Day and Scottish Command and Smokeaway in the NZ Free-For-All, the day the granstand burned to the ground in the background. When he bolted away with the Auckland Cup by five lengths soon after, it was his 10th straight win, equalling a record established by War Buoy 40 years earlier.

Cardigan Bay had not actually travelled well to Addington and Wolfenden was then against taking him all the way to Perth for the Inter-Dominions, but Dean had other ideas and placed him under the guidance of NSW horseman Bill Wilkins. Handicapped on 12 yards with only the brilliant NSW horse James Scott behind him in the Championship, Cardigan Bay easily won on the first two nights as did James Scott, and a clash in the two-mile third round heat and the Final were eagerly anticipated. It was not to be though, as in a training mishap, Cardigan Bay crashed to the ground back at the stables and landed on a concrete curb, completely displacing his near-hind hip. About the same time, Audrey Dean went into hospital for an operation and received news of the death of a relative, and Wolfenden was kicked in the face by a horse, requiring surgery that put him on the sidelines for several months.

Negotiations had already been taking place to have Cardigan Bay competing in that year's Yonkers International Series, but it seemed his career could be over. Placed in a sling and lovingly cared for by Perth trainer Ted Greig, a month later Cardigan Bay was walking without pain, although with a noticable limp. Four months after the disaster he was shipped home, and in September at Alexandra Park he successfully resumed from 36 yards over 13 furlongs.

Unplaced when favourite from 24 yards in Lordship's 1962 NZ Cup, when the slushy conditions hindered his by now less-than-perfect pacing action, Cardigan Bay also had to take a backseat to the brilliant 4-year-old in the NZ Free-For-All, but won the Matson and Smithson FFAs. He then came up two lengths short of Ces Donald's speedy but erratic Dandy Briar in the Auckland Cup after giving him a 48-yard start, but added the Champion Handicap and another race in Auckland before heading to Adelaide and the Inter-Dominions.

The saucer-like two and a half furlong Wayville circuit did not suit Cardigan Bay's ambling action and there were incidents aplenty during the rounds of heats, one of which put Wolfenden on the deck during the third night. But ironically in the Final, Cardigan Bay had moved around the field from 24 yards and had a clear track starting the last lap when Idle Raider faltered and wiped out most of the field, and he went on to down Dusty Miller and Waitaki Hanover handsomely.

Marty Tananbaum was again on-hand to witness this, but could not persuade any of his fellow Americans to fork out the equivalent of $70,000 for a "7-year-old gelging with a suspect hip." Continuing his Australian campaign under Wilkins, Cardigan Bay won a race in Melbourne and four more a Harold Park, where he was also second from 48 yards to Waitaki Hanover in the Lord Mayor's Cup, before returning home to rest up for his 1963 NZ Cup Meeting assault and demolition.

First Cardigan Bay would be at Addington in August for the National Meeting, downing Samantha (12yds) and Lordship (18yds) in the mile and a quarter Lightning Handicap from 30 yards, and dead-heating for first with Junior Royal (Fr) in the National Handicap after starting from 42 yards. A week later at Hutt Park on the way home, Cardigan Bay easily won the Roydon Lodge FFA over Samantha and Junior Royal, and the Prsident's Handicap from 36 yards over Master Alan more easily by five lengths, and for good measure he time-trialled at Cambridge's new five-furlong track and equalled Caduceus' Australasian mile record of 1:57 3/5.

From 54 yards in the Cup, Cardigan Bay conceded favouritism to the Alf Bourne-trained and Maurice Holmes-driven 4-year-old Vanderford, a son of Great Evander, who had won seven of eight races that spring including the Ashburton Flying Stakes and Hannon. Holmes had Vanderford bowling along in front most of the way, but when Cardigan Bay received a good cart into the race by Oreti over he last lap, he pounced and won easily by a couple of lengths over Robin Dundee and Master Alan.

Another FFA proved a mere formality, and then to ceebrate the introduction of night racing at Addington a £500 bonus was offered if False Step's NZ record of 3:21 could be broken in the Allan Matson, which was worth half that of the Cup at £3500. In other words, £500 was serious money some 40 years ago. Fron 54 yards and with four others on 12 yards in the 15 horse field, Cardigan Bay romped home by almost four lengths in 3:18 1/5 - he was three-wide for practically the entire race and timed over the last two laps (mile and a half) in under three minutes - and added the Ollivier from 60 yards in 3:20 3/5 on the final night for good measure.

Realising what a drawcard Cardigan Bay would be, the Wellington TC offered £600 to break the mile record, and on a cold and blustery night Cardy scorched round the four and a half furlong track in 1:56 1/5. Wolfenden claimed that but for the windy conditions, Cardigan Bay would had threatened Adios Butler's world record of 1:54 3/5 set at The Red Mile on 1960.

On to the big night in Auckland, and time when the Handicapper has all but brought Cardigan Bay's Down Under career to a close - all but. While there may have been cause for optimism given his form, 78 yards was a monumental task when the best horses in the country are at least 66 yards ahead of you.

Cardigan Bay made his usual swift beginning though and bided his time at the tail of the big field until he commenced his run around the field from the 1200m - or about the point when the crescendo began. He forged to the lead in the backstraight, but he was being stalked by Tactile, handy all the way and now tracking Cardigan Bay into line. Tactile drew up, but Cardy would not be denied and went on to win by half a length like the champion he was.

It was heart-stoppingly spectacular stuff and C E Craig, writing for the 'Calendar' on the night, said "the thunderous ovation received has never been equalled at Epsom or probably on any other trotting course. All eyes were on him from start to finish, and when they accelerated at the three furlongs, racing around the field to be first in line for the judge it was just an uproar, and continued until they returned to the enclosure. "As President Mr Bridgens said in his Cup presentation: 'What can I say? You people have already said it for me'." The scenes would be repeated to some extent on the nights of the 1974 and 2005 Inter-Dominions in Auckland - just add about 50 metres to what was asked of Young Quinn and Elsu and double the crowd.

A few weeks later Cardigan Bay won his last New Zealand start, taking out the two-mile Pezaro Memorial from 60 yards by a length over frontmarker Jay Ar. On to the Inter-Dominions around the three-furlong Melbourne Showgrounds, and on-hand to see Cardigan Bay thread his way through 11 rivals from 36 yards to win on the first night was Tananbaum again, but this time with a special guest - Stanley Dancer. Needing no more prodding, Dancer offered US$100,000 (about £36,000) and agreed to return Cardigan Bay home at his own expense, while Tananbaum threw in a $30,000 specially chartered flight to New York.

Out of luck in the Inter-Dom Final won by Minuteman in all-the-way fashion, Cardigan Bay departed these shores having won 43 races with nine seconds from 67 starts - £36,477 in New Zealand and £24,940 in Australia.

Taking delivery of Cardigan Bay when he landed in New York in March, 1964, Dancer told reporters: "I got him cheap - $900,000 cheap. This one's worth a million." Just how prophetic was that comment?


Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 21Jun06

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

CARDIGAN BAY AT THE 1963 CUP CARNIVAL

Hind-sight, if you like but, in retrospect, it is doubtful if Cardigan Bay, even in his defeat of Bret Hanover, 1:58 3/5, in the Pace of the Century at Yonkers Raceway in 1966, was any better than he was at the NZ Cup Carnival in 1963. Over the four days he made a four-in-a-row clean sweep of the NZ Cup, the NZ Free-For-All, the Ollivier Handicap and the Alan Matson Handicap.

Here is what appeared in the Calendar dated November 27, 1963: CARDY COULD BREAK EVERY RECORD IN THE BOOK.

Cardigan Bay's fantastic time of 2:59 4/5 for the last mile and a half in the Allan Matson Handicap at the Addington Raceway on Wednesday night, November 20, is not only 3 3/5 seconds inside the world record (unofficial of course) for the distance jointly held by the American pacers Stephan Smith(1961) and Royal Rick(1962) - it is also the first time in world harness history that two-minute speed has been sustained by any horse beyond a mile and a quarter - and Cardigan Bay also ran his last mile in 2:00 flat. The mile and a quarter record is held by Irvin Paul, who bettered two-minute speed when he registered 2:29 3/5 in a race at Westbury, New York, last year.

Just what 'Cardy'(as the Auckland public have nicknamed him) would be capable of under trial conditions from a flying start with a galloping pacemaker defies the imagination - no matter what the distance. Nothing he met at Addington could give him any hint of competition - particularly when he paced his dazzling 3:18 1/5 for a mile and five furlongs and lowered False Step's world record by nearly 3 seconds. His nett time (4½ seconds deducted for his handicap of 54 yards) in a mile rating of 2:02 from a standing start (the world mile record from a standing start in Johnny Globe's 2:01 1/5).

The world record for a mile and a half still stands to the credit of Greyhound, the 'grey ghost' of tremendous stride who trotted 3:02½ as a 5-year-old at Indianapolis away back in 1937. No pacer of world class, to the writer's knowledge, has ever been sent against time for the distance, and there are also very few mile and a half races in the USA in any season except when 'international' events are staged. Other world records for main distances not alredy referred to in this article are Adios Bulter's mile in 1:54 3/5 (since lowered to 1:53 3/5 by Bret Hanover) and Greyhound's two miles in 4:06, both made against time.

Long since, the trotting scribes ran out of superlatives to fit Cardigan Bay's feats. Suffice it to say he is the greatest horse the Calendar writers have ever seen, that his Allan Matson Handicap performance was unbelievable when the time was first announced, ie, the most outstanding performance it has ever been our good fortune to see: that Cardigan Bay is the 'most' - that nothing in the world today, in our view, could match his incredible, searing brilliance and utterly dependable racing qualities. It is not altogether his record time and the unbelief that attended his post-to-post mile and a half figures that rocked us: it was the bewildering ease with which he shook off anything that resembled a challenge once he had zoomed past his fields as though they were tied to the hub-rail.

A tribute too, for Peter Wolfenden, Cardigan Bay's 28-year-old trainer-driver who is just as imperturbable and consistent and reliable as the prodigious steed he handles with such consummate skill and mastery. Here, then, is another affinity between man and beast that may well rank with the immortal horse lore of truth and legend of the past, the uncanny mutual understanding that has produced the incomparable combination that alone made the NZ Cup Carnival and Addington Raceway's inaugural night an unqualified sporting success. There were other good performances over the meeting, especially among the trotters, but all were mere ripples compared with the four-in-a-row clean sweep of the Pacing Powerhouse from Pakuranga and Peter the Phantom of the same address.


Credit: 'Ribbomwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 25Sep68

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

1963 NZ TROTTING CUP

"He will have to achieve the impossible to give Vanderford 54 yards start today," declared a seasoned racegoer after examining the track, the favourite, and the backmarker during the New Zealand Cup preliminary at Addington on Tuesday. And the totalisator investments affirmed that our seasoned racegoer was not alone in his dictum. But nothing tickles the palate of the dedicated racegoer - any brand or vintage of racegoer - more than the achievement of the 'impossible' and the warm ovation for Cardigan Bay had already broken out when he took command with two furlongs to go.

Cardigan Bay performed the 'impossible' in irreproachable style - he even exceeded all the highest estimates of his ability and duribility in the fourth fastest Cup in history - Johnny Globe 4:07.6, False Step 4:09, Highland Fling 4:10.6, Cardigan Bay 4:11.2. He reduced all his opponents of any consequence to a struggling, straggling band with surprising rapidity, even for him. This phase of his and Peter Wolfenden's strategy occurred suddenly and unexpectedly - with three furlongs to go. One moment Vanderford was still striding confidently out in front; the next was a complete metamorphosis, with Cardigan Bay taking every advantage of a trail behind the streaking Oreti on the outer, and Vanderford rapidly losing his grip of the situation down on the hub rail. The race was as good as won from that stage. Cardigan Bay, doing it the hard way, nearly three wide, got his head in front at the two furlongs, and his only effective challenger, Robin Dundee, came no closer than two lengths and a half to him in the race from the home turn.

Vanderford's first mile in 2:11.2 was not sensational, due to his slowing down the pace from a 2:07 clip to a 2:15 clip in the second half-mile. Neither was the time for the first mile and a half, 3:17, out of the way for horses of Cup class, and this no doubt was a life-saver for Cardigan Bay, already at least 24 yards closer to the leaders than at the outset. Cardigan Bay was privately timed from post to post in 4:09.6, his first half in 61, mile in 2:06.2, mile and a quarter in 2:38.8, and mile and a half in 3:10.6. So it will be readily gleaned that he tramped his last half mile in 59.6 secs and the last mile in 2.03.4.

A rather surprising third favourite, Sun Chief beat only two horses home - his youthful spring excellence has given way to autumn mediocrity. He is only a shadow of the horse who finished second in the NZ Cup of 1960. Robin Dundee was produced in rare fettle by veteran trainer J Walsh - nothing looked better - and she came home much more resolutely than any of the minor place-fillers. It was a brave showing on the part of this pocket-edition pacer.

Doctor Dan, Grouse, Oreti and King Hal were all a little slow away, and Dandy Briar broke. Vanderford tangled for a few strides but lost very little ground. Blue Prince was first to show out from Sun Chief, Urrall, Master Alan, Vanderford and Robin Dundee, with two lengths to King Hal, Doctor Dan, Oreti and Cardigan Bay last. At the end of two furlongs Vanderford had taken over, and he was followed past the stands by Blue Prince, Sun Chief, Urrall, Robin Dundee, Master Alan, King Hal, Doctor Dan, Oreti, Dandy Briar and Cardigan Bay, still at the rear. Most of the field were racing in pairs by now. There was little change till approached the three furlongs, where Oreti moved up to Vanderford, and Cardigan Bay was beginning to improve from the back in the direct path of Oreti.

Soon after, Vanderford gave way to Oreti, and Cardigan Bay, continuing his run, was in front at the two furlongs. He led into the straight and, shaken up, held his advantage to beat Robin Dundee by two lengths and a half. Robin Dundee finished strongly to beat Master Alan by a head. Two lengths back came Oreti, followed by Doctor Dan, the weakening Vanderford, King Hal, Urrall, Dandy Briar, Sun Chief, Blue Prince and Grouse last.

Cardigan Bay has now won 35 races and £48,447 in stakes and trophies. He shares with War Buoy the best winning sequence for a harness horse in the Dominion - 10. He is the first horse ever to win a New Zealand Cup and an Inter-Dominion Championship, a 'double' that eluded such greats as Highland Fling, Caduceus, Johnny Globe and False Step - one way or the other. He holds the New Zealand and Australian mile record, 1:57.6, jointly with Caduceus. He is one of the most perfect pacing 'machines' ever seen in this country - reliable, brilliant, and a renowned stayer or unflinching courage. Only two horses have won the Cup from longer marks than Cardigan Bay's 54 yards: Harold Logan and Highland Fling both won from 60 yards.

An odds-on favourite, Vanderford carried £3697 for a win on-course and £8976 off-course; for a place he carried £3580 10s on-course and £4003 off-course. Cardigan Bay, second favourite, earned £1488 10s for a win on-course and £3197 off-course; his place totals were £1666 10s on-course and £3681 off-course. The betting totals on the Cup were slightly down on last year: on-course total was £24,147 10s, compared with £24,828 10s last year; and the off-course figure was £35,930, against £36,176 last year. The on-course total for the day was £192,254, a substantial increase on the £183,633 10s handled last year; but the off-course figures showed a corresponding decrease - this year's total was £180,714 15s, against £188,535 last year. The attendance this year, 18,500, was almost the same as last year.

The result was a triumph for the Southland sire Hal Tryax (imp), who sired the first and second horses, Cardigan Bay and Robin Dundee. Colwyn Bay, the dam of Cardigan Bay, recently produced a filly foal, a full sister to the Cup winner, and there is also an older filly of the same breeding. Colwyn Bay was a brilliant pacer herself, but unsoundness cut short her racing career. She is by Josedale Dictator (imp) from Pleasure Bay, by Quite Sure (imp) from Helen's Bay, by Guy Parrish (imp) from Gold Patch, by Geo M Patchen.

Cardigan Bay was bred was developed by the Mataura trainer, D Todd. He was raced by D Todd's brother, Mr A Todd, of Mataura, who sold him to Mrs Deans. Mrs Deans related how she had decided to buy a pacer and that she and her husband had followed closely the newspaper comments made on the form and performances of Cardigan Bay. "We were quite certain that Cardigan Bay would be the horse we would buy - we had never seen him - and when we read there were some northern inquiries for him, we decided there and then to buy him before anyone else did," she said. The champion cost Mrs Dean £2500 after contingencies had been met.

Cardigan Bay's mixed fortune at the 1962 Inter-Dominion Championship in Perth is too widely known to require repetition here. His recovery will always rank as a miracle of racing. He made no mistakes about the 1963 series - his form was 'bang on' and he outclassed the opposition he met in Suoth Australia.

Describing the race as "one of the great Cups, and one of the best fields for many years" the president of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club, Mr J K Davidson, congratulated the owner and trainer-driver on a "magnificent performance in which the result was under control some distance from home." After Mrs Davidson decorated Cardigan Bay with a garland of flowers, Mrs Dean replied. She paid a warm tribute to P T Wolfenden for his "careful training and skilful driving" and also thanked "Noel Bennett, who has so capably looked after the horse.




Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

1963 ALLAN MATSON HANDICAP

Cardigan Bay's fantastic time of 2:59.8 for the last mile and a half of the Allan Matson Handicap at the Addington Raceway on Wednesday night, November 20, is not only 3.6sec inside the world race record (unofficial of course) for the distance held jointly by the American pacers Stephan Smith (1961) and Royal Rick (1962) - it is also the first time in world harness history that two-minute speed has been sustained by any horse beyond a mile and a quarter - and Cardigan Bay also ran his last mile in 2:00 flat.

The mile and a quarter record is held by Irvin Paul, who bettered two-minute speed when he registered 2:29.6 in a race at Westbury, New York, last year. Just what 'Cardy' (as the Auckland public have nicknamed him) would be capable of under trial conditions from a flying start with a galloping pacemaker defies the imagination - no matter what the distance. Nothing he met at Addington could give him any hint of competition - particularly when he paced his dazzling 3:18.2 for a mile and five furlongs and lowered False Step's world record by nearly 3secs. His nett time (4.5secs deducted for his handicap of 54 yards) is a mile rating of 2:02 from a standing start (the world mile record from a standing start is Johnny Globe's 2:01.2).

The world record for a mile and a half still stands to the credit of Greyhound, the 'grey ghost' of tremendous stride who trotted 3:02.5 as a five-year-old at Indianapolis away back in 1937. No pacer of world class, to the writers knowledge, has ever been set against time for the distance, and there is also very few mile and a half races in the USA in any season except when 'international' events are staged. Other world records for main distances not already referred to in this article are Adios Butler's mile in 1:54.6 and Greyhound's two miles in 4:06, both made against time.

Long since the trotting scribes ran out of superlatives to fit Cardigan Bay's outstanding feats. Suffice it to say he is the greatest horse the Calendar writers have ever seen, that his Allan Matson Handicap performance was unbelievable when the time was first announced, i.e., THE most outstanding performance it has ever been our good fortune to see: that Cardigan Bay is the 'MOST' - that nothing in the world today, in our view, could match his incredible, searing brilliance and utterly dependable racing qualities. It was not altogether his record time and the unbeliefthat attended his post-to-post mile and a half time which rocked us: it was the bewildering ease with which he shook of anything that resembled a challenge once he had zoomed past his fields as though they were tied to the hub-rail.

A tribute, too, for Peter Wolfenden, Cardigan Bay's 28-year-old trainer-driver who is just as imperturbable and consistent and reliable as the prodigious steed he handles with such consumate skill and mastery. Here, then, is another affinity between man and beast that may well rank with the immortal horse lore of truth and legend of the past, the uncanny mutual understanding that had produced the incomparable combination that alone made the New Zealand Cup Carnival and Addington Raceway's Inaugural Night an unqualified sporting success. There were other good performances over the meeting, especially among the trotters, but all were mere ripples compared with the fout-in-a-row clean sweep of the Pacing Powerhouse from Pakuranga and Peter the Phantom of the same address.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 27Nov63

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

1963 NZ OAKS

Balcairn was responsible for a major upset in the NZ Oaks when she comfortably held off the short priced favourite, Bellajily.

Balcairn made most of the pace (not a particularly fast one), and shot clear turning for home and soon established a winning break. Bellajily became awkwardly placed on the rails, and the result was in safe keeping by the time she worked clear. Lin Dor raced up to her earlier form in running third, and the same could be said of Lady Luronne, fourth.

Bellajily was one of the quickest to begin and was taken to the front soon after the start. With nine furlongs and a half to go, Bellajily surrendered the lead to Balcairn, who made all her own rules from that stage. With a mile to run the order was Balcairn, Bellajily, Lady Luronne, Lin Dor, Bossa Nova, Surely Not, Boutique, Disband, Flying Step, Ulove, False Tax and Scottish Advance, most of the field racing in pairs.

Balcairn was still doing her work well at the straight entrance where Surely Not, Bossa Nova, Lady Luronne, Disband and Lin Dor were all showing up, and Bellajily was still securely pocketed down on the rails. In the run home, Balcairn did not look like being beaten, and Bellajily finished fast once in the clear. After Lady Luronne came Disband, Flying Step, Scottish Advance, False Tax, Surely Not and Orient Belle.

Balcairn is a fine type of filly by Light Brigade from the U Scott mare, Gold Cloud, whose dam was Gold Peg, a smart performer, especially in heavy going. Gold Peg had the distinction of beating Highland Fling twice on heavy tracks. Balcairn was bred by G S and H McL Benny, who race the filly in partnership. Balcairn is trained by G S Benny, and was driven on Saturday by N S Benny.

Balcairn paced the full journey in 3:19. The last half mile was run in 63.4 and the last quarter in 30.6secs.


Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 11Dec63

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

1963 NZ FREE-FOR-ALL

Club officials would have every reason to be jubilant when Cardigan Bay's name appeared among the acceptors for the Allan Matson Handicap, principal event on the inaugural night of night trotting at Addington Raceway. His task from 54 yards over a mile and five furlongs should not be beyond him: the main question exercising the minds of trotting enthusiasts is whether anything in front of Cardigan Bay is capable of making him go fast enough to lower the world record for a mile and five furlongs.

The stake of the race is £3500, but it will be possible for Cardigan Bay to win an additional £500. This amount will be paid to the horse finishing in the first four and breaking False Step's world record of 3:21 for a mile and five furlongs.

Cardigan Bay's time, 2:34.6, for a mile and a quarter in the NZ Free-For-All was little more than an 'exercise gallop' for the 'Pacing Powerhouse from Pukuranga'. It is many a day since a free-for-all field was reduced to such minus qualities as were Sun Chief, Vanderford and Co. from the word go last week. The further they went the more assured was Cardigan Bay's victory. Without any intention of detracting one iota from the champion's facile victory, the mountains of effort on the part of the rest of the field yielded only a mouse of competition. The alarming frailties of our free-for-all class - with one horse standing out from the remainder like Mount Everest among the Port Hills - is drawn in bold relief by the times of the minor place-getters: Sun Chief 2:35.2; Vanderford 2:35.8; King Hal 2:36.2. These are fast but not phenomenal times. Why, free-for-all horses were capable of better than that more than 29 years ago!

How poverty stricken is our top class going to be when Cardigan Bay returns north, thence back to Australia...Lordship can't return to the fray quick enough. The remainder of our top horses are very much at sixes and sevens, some of them on the down grade, some of them jaded, and only one or two with their futures in front of them. The top draw will assuredly fill up again, but it will take time. And there are so few left to hold the Cup fort...One consulation is that smart improving pacers such as Flying Blue, Admit, Kingsdowm Patch, Junior Royal, Rustic Lad, Jay Ar and Cairnbrae are among those on the brink of Cup company ...a gloomy picture could brighten overnight.

In the meantime, the Metropolitan Club may be fortunate in retaining Cardigan Bay - for its second night as well - as trotting's greatest drawcard. Not infrequently, some club officials become apprehensive about an 'invincible' champion cramping the betting. This complaint proved to have no substance in fact as far as the NZ Free-For-All last Friday was concerned - it was the largest betting pool of the day, with a combined on and off-course total of £35,231. That is big betting by any standards, and its own answer to the recurring fears of club officials that a 'certainty'in a free-for-all decimates the public's wagering. It has also to be kept constantly in mind that the champions are the horses which make the turnstiles click. 'Monopoly phobia' has invariably proved groundless.

A dominating favourite in the Free-For-All, Cardigan Bay just played with the opposition to gain the easiest of wins by three lengths. From number eight at the barrier he was in front before going 75 yards, and no other runner was prepared to challenge him for the role of pacemaker. At the three furlongs, trainer/driver P T Wolfenden asked his charge for a little more acceleration and he steaked away on his own, nothing else being capable of getting near him.

Cardigan Bay ran the mile and a quarter in 2:34.6, a 2:03.2 mile rate. He took 32.8sec for his first quarter, reached the first half mile in 63.2, clocked 1:35.8 for the first six furlongs and paced his first mile in 2:06.8. Cardigan Bay returned 58.4 for his final half mile, his last quarter being run in a sizzling 27.4sec. He received a rousing reception on his return to the birdcage. Cardigan Bay's success was his second in the race and he was second to Lordship 12 months ago.

As a result of Friday's win the Auckland pacer's stake winnings reached £49,747 15s, and he has won 36 races and been placed several times.

Sun Chief raced in third place most of the way and although no match for Cardigan Bay, he beat the others comfortably. It was his best performance for some time. Vanderford received a good run throughout, in a trailing position, one out, but could make no impression in the run to the post. He has done his share of racing for a four-year-old. King Hal did not get the best of runs and his fourth placing was a useful effort in the circumstances.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 20Nov63