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RACING HISTORY

PEOPLE

SAM WOODS

Sam Woods, who bred and raced the good winners Pointer Hanover, About Time and Glentohi, died recently at his Gleniti (near Timaru) farm at the age of 82.

Woods bred the trotters Pointer Hanover and About Time and pacer Glentohi from Worthy Scott, who left 11 individual winners from 16 foals. Woods inherited Worthy Scott from his late father Andy in 1963 after she had left two foals. The unraced daughter of Worthy Monarch and Daisy Scott was carrying a foal by Johnny Globe. The foal was named Conclusion, who gave Woods his first win at the Kurow meeting in 1968. Glentohi and his half-brother Glenwood were both sold to the United States and carried on to good form. Other winners out of Worthy Scott included Worthy Gentry, Fallax, Obstinate and Inverter. Her last winner was Gleniti, who she foaled in 1978 at the age of 22.

Woods raced the progeny of Worthy Scott with George Shand, the Washdyke horseman. Shand said the partnership had over 100 wins. Pointer Hanover won the 1979 Canterbury Park Trotting Cup. The partners achieved an unusual double on the first day of the Westport Jockey Club meeting in October, 1964. They won with the galloper Waitohi and pacer Bar None on the same programme. Shand trained both horses and drove Bar None. Waitohi won twice on the second day of the meeting. Eddie Low rode her each time.

Woods is survived by his wife Margaret, and sons John and Andrew.

Credit: HRWeekly 13Feb2002

PEOPLE

COLIN MCDONALD

Colin McDonald, who died last month after a long illness, campaigned horses with great success in Australia. His widow Joyce recalls that at one stage he was away from his Canterbury base for seven months. "He went there dozens of times, to Sydney and Melbourne, and he won a lot of races," she said.

The son of a saddler, McDonald started his career in that domain, but soon had horses of his own, and one of them was Scottish Light. Trained for him by Colin Berkett, Scottish Light ran in the NZ Cup the year it was wet when Lordship won.

In 1964, he won the Rowe Cup with Dreaming from the stablemates Our Luck and Our Eileen, while Receptive was another good trotter he had about this time. Three years later, in 1967, he won the Great Northern Derby with Cardinal Garrison, who was driven by Bob Young.

He had considerable success with the stock of Garrison Hanover, and one of them Hakim won 10 races, including the 1970 Methven Cup when he was driven by Doody Townley. In the same race McDonald drove Van Rover, a good horse who ran fourth.

Other good horses he raced were Mackworth - his first winner - Sockeye, the trotter Southern Knight, Hazy Days, Ripolet, Belmont Lad, Royal Belmont, Southern Melody, Kotare Hunter, Kotare Sterling, Gregory Jones (1969 NSW Sires' Stakes) and Regal Belmont(NSW Australian 4yo Championship Final, NSW Viscount Australian Pacing Championship heat).

He was renowned for turning his horses out in magnificent order.

Aged 74 at the time of his death, he is survived by his wife Joyce, and sons Garry and Robert.



Credit: HRWeekly 6Feb2002

PEOPLE

CHARLIE ELLIOTT

Charlie Elliott, a prominent breeder/owner, administrator and benefactor in harness racing over a long period, died late last week after a long illness. He was 74.

A farmer at Morrinsville before moving last year to Hamilton, Elloitt was President of the Morrinsville T C for eight years and spent the best part of 20 years on the Executive of Harness Racing NZ, including a period as the North-Island Vice-President. He also had stints on the then Racing Authority and TAB board.

Elliott sponsored the Futurity Final for 3 and 4 year olds, which will be staged at Cambridge this Friday night for a $40,000 stake, and was instrumental in establishing the Elliott Room at Alexandra Park.

Elliott had considerable success as an owner in breeding from the Garrison Hanover mare Vice Reign, who was named the 1985 Broodmare of the Year when her son Alba's Reign won the NZ Juvenile Championship and was voted that season's 2yo Pacer of the Year. As a 3yo, Alba's Reign won the NZ Derby and was runner-up in the Great Northern Derby and NZ Sires' Stakes Final. In all, Alba's Reign won 19 races and $315,124, while other top pacers raced by Elliott were grandsons of Vice Reign in Supreme Ruler and Skipper's Reign.

Elliott is survived by wife Dawn, sons Graeme, David and Bryce and five grandchildren - Paul, Jaimie,Sheree, Shane and Vance.



Credit: HRWeekly 9Jan2002

PEOPLE

TED GRAHAM

For as long as Arthur Pash can recall, Ted Graham was a regular with himself, Alan McKinnel and Pat Cross at the same table on racenight at Addington. There was little doubt that Ted was the oldest on track, because he was 87 when they checked in to meet as usual the Friday before last. The night came and went, with three at the table instead of four, and the next day they learnt of his death.

Graham's first horse was Coronet Lass, a mare by Van Logan who had won races previously from the stables of Hughie Donaldson and Hec Henderson. She was first trained for him by Lance Heron, and Dave McGregor drove her to win a race at Addington, but she was with Jack Carmichael when she finished third to Au Fait and Dianthus Girl in the Dominion Handicap. Carmichael recalls that Graham was his first owner when he started out as a public trainer. At the time he was in two minds whether to go training, and says he told Graham to "wait a few days" while he thought about it.

By far his best horse was Micron, a son of Lordship he raced in partnership with Doug Goslin, who reached open class and ran unplaced in the NZ Cup the year Lunar Chance won. Micron also won a heat of the Inter-Dominions in 1975. He won four races at four, four at five, and three at six, one being the Kaikoura Cup after he lost 60 metres at the start. He later stood at stud. Others Graham raced were Cardigan Lass, Hindu Star, Coronet Peak and Monopat.

Graham was a prominent Canterbury administrator. He served on the committee of the Canterbury Owners' Association for many years, was president for more than a decade, and later became patron.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 15May02

PEOPLE

JACK HARTLEY

Jack Hartley rarely missed a meeting at Addington Raceway. Neither did his wife Nola, and invariably they would arrive well in time for the first race, and sit in the same area, directly opposite the winning post.

Jack's last appointment at the track was on Tuesday, where he was farewelled by a large crowd after his sudden death last week.

Few would have served the administration for as long. He became a steward of the New Brighton Harness Racing Club in 1956, served on the committee between 1964 and 1998, was President from 1970-73, Treasurer from 1976 to 1998, and was a Life Member of the Club. For many years, he was a director of Addington Raceway.

Nola recalled that he took her to Addington long before they were married. For 16 years, Jack was involved in Yonkers Breeding, and was manager of the syndicate that raced the grand pacer, Defoe. At the time of his death, he was breeding from the broodmare Stage Talent, and he had an Armbro Operative yearling colt named Why Dream It.

Remembered as a straight-talker with firm opinions, Jack was 76.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 2Oct02

PEOPLE

FREEMAN HOLMES

Closure on another chapter in the colourful history of the Holmes family came last week with the passing of Freeman. He was a grandson of 'the Grand Old Man of Trotting' Free Holmes and a son of 'F.G', who won the 1953 NZ Cup with Adorian to emulate the feat of his father.

Old Free's many unique distinctions included riding Manton to win the 1888 NZ Cup at Riccarton and training and driving Trix Pointer to win the 1919 NZ Cup at Addington. A filly he imported a few years earlier after his first trip to America along with Logan Pointer and Bonilene, Trix Pointer is the only Cup winner to become the dam of a Cup winner - her first foal Wrackler.

Freeman did not manage to win the Cup himself, but could so easily have done so had the sensational Noodlum not gone amiss on the eve of the 1975 edition. Troubled by strained ligaments in a leg from midway through his 3-year-old campaign, Noodlum had as a 4-year-old chased eventual Cup winner Lunar Chance home in the Louisson and National Handicaps before brilliantly winning the Laing at Addington after being well back and eight wide turning in. The Ashburton Flying Stakes and Canterbury Park 4yo Flying Mile, from Trevino, In Or Out and Cyclone Lad, followed but a week out from the big event Noodlum broke down at the trials. Blistered and patched up on a limited preparation, Noodlum reappeared five weeks later to win the National Flying Pace over what was the Auckland Cup field. However, thirds in the Auckland and Wellington Cups were not the real Noodlum and with his value at stud assured, he was retired to Holmes' The Manor at Ellersmere to begin another highly successful aspect of his career.

Noodlum, a rich, dark liver chestnut by Bachelor Hanover from the top racemare Deft, had earlier been the focus of much attention from the general public when he went on a tour as a 2-year-old and it became common knowledge that he was named after Rob Muldoon in reverse. He was bred and raced by Mrs Ann Wilson, an ardent admirer of Muldoon who considered the Prime Minister the "most deft person I know."

Noodlum was so precocious that Holmes took him north to win the first juvenile race of the season, the Morrinsville Stakes in September, and by the end of the term he had won a record 12 races fron 15 starts. Along the way he swept the Welcome and Sapling Stakes and NZ Juvenile Championship by eight lengths in record time. There was also the infamous crash when well clear nearing the finish at Forbury Park, where he attempted to jump a head number and lost a few teeth. From that point however, Noodlum strung together a record 15 consecutive wins - his last seven at two and first eight at three - bettering the previous record of 10 held by Cardigan Bay, War Buoy and Young Quinn.

Freeman was also his regular pilot at three following the compulsory retirement of his uncle Maurice that year and Noodlum had qualified for the NZ Cup in August when no other 3-year-old had achieved that feat before the race was run. Tumbling records and wide winning margins were the highlight of that spring and his dominating performance in the NZ Derby from Commissioner on the final night of the Cup Meeting was his eighth win for the season. It as his 23rd career win fron 26 starts.

Then the unthinkable happened when he was out of the money in the North Canterbury Stakes after a shocking passage and beaten by Commissioner in the Champion Stakes at Ashburton and Parlez Vous in the Mercer Mile at Addington. This was the point where his leg condition worsened, but on limited training Holmes had him back later in the season to win the Russley Stakes by seven lengths and a heat and the final of the Queensland Derby, on the latter occasion stunning the locals after conceding a 50m start.

Noodlum went to stud after 28 months of racing in which he raced 42 times for 28 wins, six seconds, two thirds and a fourth. He was well received right from the start when stood for the 'horsemens' fee of $500 and in a 14 year career at stud averaged covering 147 mares a season. In all he produced 1286 live foals for 385 winners (30%), among them two time Horse of the Year Master Mood, Race Ruler, Laser Lad, Miss Clevedon, Speedy Cheval, Young Eden and trotters Tyrone Scottie, Lenin and Cracker. His broodmares have to date produced over 430 winners, notably Lyell Creek, Il Vicolo, Homin Hosed, Mark Hanover, Mark Roy, Fraggle Rock and Sundowner Bay.

Considering his pedigree, it was perhaps surprising that Holmes was not to the fore much earlier than the 1970s. However, he was for many years first and foremost a farmer at Oxford, and had got the commentating bug after being selected as an 11-year-old from many applicants to read a daily junior news bulletin on Christchurch's 3ZB radio station. This led to 25 years of professional race calling at meetings from Oamaru to Wellington, and as a paid official of clubs he was unable to race a horse or hold a licence to train one. However, during this time he bred horses and those that raced were in the name of his wife Peggy and trained by his father after Holmes gave them their early education. Among them were good sorts in Commonwealth, Forward Star, Adulate and Bedazzle.

The transition to horses full time came in 1969 when he bought a property at Ellersmere and set it up as a stud. Named The Manor after a good galloper he raced from John Parsons' stable, Holmes stood the likes of Play Bill, Mark Lobell and Jersey Hanover and ultimately Noodlum. He was also training and driving a small team and not long to appear on the scene was the fine pacer Armbro Free, followed by good trotters in Edis Nova, Wadestown and Picotee, the grandam of Sundowner Bay. The last winner of note he trained was Gavotte, a daughter of Noodlum.

Derek Jones, who delivered the eulogy at the funeral, described Holmes as simply "a great all round horseman and a real good bloke. He did everything well, but everyone who knew him will remember him for his generosity," said Jones. He was a top studmaster, but what really impressed me was his knowledge of breeding in both standardbreds and thoroughbreds. He had an exceptional memory for families and detail." he said.

Those thoughts were reiterated by another longtime friend in Jim Dalgety, who raced a good filly from Noodlum's family in Fancy Wishes. "It was amazing when he was race calling, both trotters and gallopers, how as soon as there was a winner he could tell you all about the family for three or four generations," said Dalgety. "He had a photographic memory for all things actually. He just loved stock in general and took great joy in showing off his black angus cattle. And he got a Diploma in Wool Classing and was into that side of things, as well as growing crops like chaff, oats and barley," he added.

Dalgety also recalled with fondness the day Holmes, who "loved to entertain," pulled out a video which had every Melbourne Cup since 1926. "This went on for hours, but boy did we see some good horses. Freeman didn't have much quality of life in his later years, but no one ever heard him complain."

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 09Oct02

PEOPLE

PETER MACKENZIE

Peter Mackenzie, a former Chief Stipendiary Steward for Harness Racing New Zealand, died on Friday after falling into the Lindis River in Central Otago. He was swept down-stream after police said he appeared to lose his balance and tumble five metres into the swollen river. Aged 66, Mackenzie was on his way from Clyde to Christchurch with a friend when he requested a comfort stop. His body was found three hours later, snagged on a submerged tree. A coroner's inquest will be held into his death.

Mackenzie joined Harness Racing New Zealand as a trainee stipendiary steward and handicapper in 1962. He moved from Gore when he became Chief Stipendiary in 1985, on the retirement of Len Butterfield, and retired in 1995. His position was taken by Michael Carrig, who died suddenly four years ago.

Mackenzie was a champion squash player, winning the national junior title three times. The squash courts in Gore are named the Mackenzie Courts in his honour. He was Chairman of the Mataura Licensing Trust for four years, from 1980, having been elected to the Board in 1977.

Neil Escott, the present Chief Stipendary Steward, said he was "forthright and competitive" whether it was to do with sport or racing. "He never liked to finish second," he said.

Escott said Mackenzie was held in high regard by the majority of licenceholders. "Some on the fringe may have had cause to feel his never-back-down attitude, but he never held a grudge. I remember one case he dealt with up north, and he told this person to change some gear because the horse would not be allowed on the track if he did not. 'Who the hell are you?' was the response. 'Everyone knows me,' said Mackenzie,'I am the Chief Stipe.''I don't' said the trainer. Well he got a penalty for misconduct, but later that night they had a cup of tea together, and did so whenever they met after that," Escott said.

In recent years, Mackenzie did not keep good health, but he was a keen member of the local bowling club and was treasurer for a syndicate racing a galloper out of Kerry Verner's stable. One of those in the syndicate is former galloping trainer, Ray Pankhurst, a part-owner of Cup Class pacer, Panky's Pacer. "I saw him just before he left," said Pankhurst, "and the last thing he said to me was Panky's Pacer would win the Hannon Memorial." (Which it did!)

Mackenzie was a stickler for correctness and protocol. Anyone using a capital K in Mackenzie soon learnt the error of their ways, and never made the mistake again.


Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 25Sep02

PEOPLE

BILL FARRELL

Bill Farrell, the South Canterbury farmer who bred the brilliant pacer Happy Sunrise, died last week aged 82.

He was a versatile and knowledgeable horseman who trained, drove and bred standardbreds for more than 20 years, many in partnership with Graham Trist.

It was Trist who got him started, and together they bred the winners Winning Choice, Meesha(2.06), top youngster Winning Glimpse(2.03), Haughty Choice and Hunter Hanover(2.06) from the Bachelor Hanover mare Bachelor's Choice, and two winners from the Johnny Globe mare, Apollo Globe. All told they bred 14 horses, and nine of them were winners.

Later, he stood Steven Stock at the stud, and among the mares he had assembled for the horse to serve was Happy Gift, by Johnny Kawa.

In due course, he found himself with too many horses, and he told Trist on Sunday afternoon that he was sending some to a dispersal sale at Ashburton. Trist told him he wouldn't get much for them, and he was right - the Steven Stock-Happy Gift 2-year-old was sold to Brian Saunders for $350. Happy Sunrise went on to win more than $100,000 and take a mork of 1:57.8.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 6Jun02

INTERDOMINIONS

SYDNEY- SMOOTH SATIN
Kiwis stayed away in their droves from the Sydney Inter-Doms but it didn’t stop the top horses putting on a regal show. The cream quickly rose to the top during the heats with Shakamaker, Courage Under Fire, Stars And Stripes and Smooth Satin winning all 10 heats between them. The final was billed as a Courage Under Fire-Shakamaker match race but as is so often the case, these don’t eventuate. Smooth Satin stole the show and the ‘Bathurst Bullet’ won for his trainer/driver Steve Turnbull. The win rekindled memories of another Bathurst great Hondo Grattan who won back-to-back Inter-Doms for Turnbull’s father Tony in the early 70s.

HORSES

BIONIC STAR

"She was as game as any horse I ever sat behind." Those were the sentiments of Bob Cameron last week upon learning that grand race and broodmare Bionic Star had died aged 26. Cameron was the regular reinsman of Bionic Star, who recorded eight wins and seven seconds from just 23 starts in a career restricted by unsoundness. "She had the ups and downs due to tendon problems, but she certainly had plenty of ability on the rest." A race that remains vivid for Cameron was the Waikouaiti Cup, a fourth consecutive win in the Spring of 1979.

Bionic Star was bred to be royalty, being by Bachelor Hanover from Broodmare of the Year, Adio Star, dam of 10 winners including the Derby winners Bachelor Star, Main Adios, Main Star and Game Adios. She didn't disappoint at stud either, her second foal being the quite outstanding racemare Bionic Chance, who proved more than a match for the colts on many occasions. Bionic Chance is the only filly to have won the NZ Sires' Stakes 2YO Final and almost undid Race Ruler's Triple Crown aspirations in the NZ Derby. The following season she showed an astonishing display of speed to win the NZ Standardbred Breeders Stakes over Gina Rosa, Frangelico, Michele Bromac and Victoria Star. Also among Bionic Star's first three foals were Bionic Raider(6 wins) and Pacelbel(4 wins), while her remaining seven foals all qualified, with six to race and three winning.

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 20Mar02