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RACING HISTORY

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

David Moss & Maurice McKendry easily

1993 FIRESTONE FIREHAWK NZ TROTTING CHAMPIONSHIP

Southland owned trotters finished 1,2,3 in the $25,000 Firestone Firehawk NZ Trotting Championship. Victory went to David Moss, which had finished second in the Inter-Dominion Grand Final at his previous start, from the Purdon-trained stablemates, Diamond Field and Night Allowance.

Though trained at Winton by part-owner John Cox, David Moss has been under the care of Clive Herbert, who brought the big horse south. Cox will race him at Forbury Park this week, and then send him back to Herbert, who will prepare him for the Rowe Cup and then keep him in the stable.

Once Maurice McKendry had David Moss purring along in front, and after Night Allowance had made a costly mistake back in the field near the 1900 metres, the race soon took shape. McKendry gave David Moss more rein at the 800 metres and immediately felt good about it. "When Night Allowance came up at the 700, I saw Barry had pulled the plugs. I thought then he must have done a bit," he said. In the end, the main opposition came from the ultra-consistent Diamond Field, which came fast but not in time to make an issue of the finish.

After a stylish start to his career, David Moss went through a bad patch a year or so ago, but regular saliva tests have made the difference to his health and his form. "He seems to be getting better all the time," said McKendry. Said Cox: "The testing showed that he was a little crook in the kidneys and liver. I think he may have been affected by some sprays. They have been a great help."

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 15Apr93

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Pacific Flight & Barry Purdon relax

1993 NEVELE R STUD NZ OAKS

Mark Purdon, well established now as one of New Zealand's most accomplished drivers, won the Group 1 Nevele R Stud New Zealand Oaks with the Purdon stable's second string.

The popular choice was the Roy and Barry Purdon-trained c7 pacer This Time Franco, but even under the steerage of Tony Herlihy her performance was not quite good enough to hold out her c4 stablemate, Pacific Flight. Herlihy, in fact, knew the game was up before the last turn. He had made his move with This Time Franco, a grand staying filly, with a lap to run, and was up second, on good terms with himself, getting past the 600 metres. "When I got to the 500 metres, I thought there is only one horse which could beat me from here," Herlihy said, referring to Pacific Flight. "I looked round, and saw Mark there, just waiting."

Pacific Flight settled at the back, and was last at the 2000 metres, though she was clearly impatient and anxious to get handier. This came later, when This Time Franco improved, and Vee Mee gave Pacific Flight a sweet ride forward. Purdon attacked before the corner and, given licence to show her tremendous sprinting ability, Pacific Flight quickly drew up to This Time Franco. But the favourite didn't go down without a fight, and when it looked as though Pacific Flight would go on to win by half a length, or even more, This Time Franco buckled down and kept the pressure on though Purdon didn't own up to any doubts himself. "I always felt I had Tony covered," he said.

This was Purdon's second win in the Oaks, his first being in 1988 with Julie Vance, a black Vance Hanover filly. He said Pacific Flight had always been "a natural. A a 2-year-old, when she won four races, she was always first out of the gate. She has got so much high speed, more than Julie Vance had. She is just keen and green," he said.

Pacific Flight is from Significant, an unraced daughter of Out To Win and the grand racemare Black Watch. Owned by Roy Purdon and Gordon Robertson, Significant did not race because of soreness as a 3-year-old, but she impressed Roy. "She was a lovely free-legged pacer," he recalled. As a broodmare, Significant has been a gem, leaving a top class pacer in The Unicorn and National Image; her youngest is a yearling sister to Pacific Flight.

Lento was a gallant third, making a sharp run forward passing the 1600 metres to get handy, and cover, and making solid headway again at the end. "She went to the line real good, but if anything we got out just a bit late," said driver Robert Cameron. Last turning in, the lightly-raced Belle Amie passed 11 from there to finish fourth, ahead of Arma Class, Vee Mee and Lauder Madam.

This was Mark's second major success at Addington this year. He won the John Brandon New Zealand Derby, also Group 1, with Mark Roy last month.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 12May93

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

The Cup presentation to the connections of Chokin

1993 DB DRAUGHT NZ TROTTING CUP

The real hero of the 1993 DB Draught NZ Cup finished at the back of the pack, driving one of the beaten runners. While Chokin dished up a serving of his best form to win the great race, Barry Purdon was a little too far back to observe the end of it. He came in 10th with Christopher Vance, who paid the price for a super fast beginning which left him parked in a race which really developed into a dash home from the 800 metres.
But it was Purdon who has been the key player in a fascinating tale of a brilliant 2-year-old who was put through the gauntlet at three, recovered from serious injury at four, and made the comeback complete at five by winning the Cup.

Well, almost complete, because he is almost certainly going to Sydney for the Miracle Mile later in the month, and if any race owes him something it is the Mile. In that race two years ago, as somthing of a new boy at the game, Chokin had a crack at Australasia's best and took an awful tumble when pressured hard during the race. There was much speculation beforehand, and more afterwards as the young star fell from grace. He had been trained by Roy and Barry Purdon for a glorious 3-year-old career, and on the night of the Mile moved to Bob Knight's stable. The Pacers Australia Syndicate was keen to run him in the race. So was Knight who by this stage had a share in him. Purdon was not.

After the Miracle, Chokin eventually returned to racing, winning the South Australian Derby and a heat of the Victorian one. But then he suffered a tendon injury to his near foreleg that put him out of the Victoria Derby. Chokin went out for a long spell after the operation, and the syndicate took time out to consider its next move.

In September, to the syndicate's credit, they sent the horse back to Roy and Barry Purdon. "When we took the horse away, Roy and Barry willingly let the horse go to another trainer," said syndicate manager Terry Henderson. "And then, when he recovered, they were only too happy to take him back," he said. "You can put it down to Barry's skills. He got to know the horse. He can be a bit piggie. Bob was very keen on starting in the Miracle Mile, and so were most of the syndicate. That was the worst day in my life in harness racing, but today, winning the Cup, is the pinnacle. It is a great sense of enjoyment, and this win is dedicated to Barry," he said.

Partners with the syndicate in Chokin are two Melbourne men, and Aucklander Bert de Boer. Like Henderson, Barry agrees that Chokin is "a bit of a one-man band horse. You have to pamper him, but he doesn't like a lot of fuss. In some ways, he has to be treated a bit like a stallion," he said.

Chokin was trained for a start by Brian Hughes, and after winning for of his five starts as a 2-year-old for Pam Hughes and Sue Meadows was sold and went to the Purdons where he remained unbeaten in eight starts before going to Sydney. "That was a bad experience in Sydney, for us and the horse," recalled Barry. "It was sad to see it, and Christopher Vance won the race. I guess he's old enough to handle it now," he commented.

With a formline this season of 1740, it was hard to know whether Chokin was on a winning course for the Cup, although there was little doubt in the mind of the public who backed him strongly. "He was a wee bit disappointing at Kaikoura; there's no point in saying otherwise. I thought he'd done the work, but perhaps the turns and the pole made him a bit unsettled. I backed off him a bit after that, and then he did work terrific on the Sunday before. It was as good a work as anything I've done with him," he said.

Chokin gave Tony Herlihy his third win in the race, following that of Luxury Liner in 1988 and Christopher Vance two years ago in 1991.

Chokin has now raced 34 times for 22 wins and five minor placings for stakes of around $730,000. He is racing testimony to the skills of great trainers, a great driver and what has been a great comeback to the top level.

Master Musician was a game second, being unofficially timed to run his last 800 metres in 54.6. Giovanetto and Blossom Lady came next.



Credit: Mike Grainger writing in the HR Weekly

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

David Moss convincingly wins the 1993 Dominion

1993 DB DRAUGHT DOMINION TROTTING HANDICAP

For Captain Odvaar Andersen, a trip around the world to watch his horse race for 12 seconds past four minutes at Addington was worth it. Especially when the horse was the $100,000 DB Draught Dominion Handicap, especially as he had never seen the horse win a race before, and moreso because he bred the horse from a stallion he imported from France 11 years ago. All this made the win by David Moss a poignant moment. The joy was shared by part-owners, the family of the late Harry Cox, whose son John has trained the horse for much of his illustrious career, though the training this season has been handled astutely by Robert Cameron.

David Moss was a warm favourite for the race, mainly on the strength of his second on Show Day behind Diamond Field. This looked the perfect tightener. He had, before that, won on the track, and his trial work had been all quality. From 10 metres behind, Cameron said he had not expected to be in front, where he was and stayed from the 2100 metres. "But I thought once I was getting round that I would use his ability. I wasn't too sure when Tony Herlihy came at me with Diamond Field after turning in just how much he had left, but he kicked again at the furlong and got there well," he said. David Moss has a record to match his impressive size. His win in the Dominion was his 19th from 57 starts, and took his earnings past $250,000.

Captain Andersen, aged 68, is now living in retirement in Oslo. He settled in New Zealand in 1966 after his appointment as consulate-general for Norway. He met the Cox family through an introduction from Peter Mills, then with the old stock firm of National Mortgage, during a visit to meet some shipping agents in Invercargill. His first acquisition was a pacing filly that neither he nor John Cox recall. But he later decided there were benefits for the New Zealand breeding industry to use the European trotters he so admired.

In the late 70's and early 80's he brought out four French stallions - Beau Nonantias (2:04.7), Gekoj (2:02.5), Iguassou (2:09.5) and Jet d'Emeraude (1:59.2) and the Norwegian horse Inter Du Pas (2:07.3). Gekoj was probably by far the best of them as a sire. He stood four seasons in Mid-Canterbury and left 83 live foals - 17 of them winners - before his death at the age of 19. In his first season at the stud he served Proud Countess, a mare by Hickory Pride that Captain Andersen had bought off Sir Roy McKenzie. Proud Countess was born in 1970, had her first foal in 1972 - to Pompano Flash in America - and was imported to New Zealand in 1974. Gekoj also sired Drott Moss, who tried twice to win the Dominion for Captain Andersen. The seafarer still has close relations to David Moss and Drott Moss in New Zealand. He is breeding from a sister to David Moss who has been served this season by Armbro Invasion. He is standing at stud in Southland Dahl Moss, a 9-year-old son of Gekoj and the Light Brigade mare, Jeepers Creepers. And he has Erling Moss, a 4-year-old three-quarter brother by Dahl Moss to Drott Moss he intends to race in Europe "if he is good enough."

The enthusiasm Captain Andersen retains for New Zealand, and its breeding industry, is mirrored in his plan now underway to stand the Super Bowl stallion Taylored Way with Cox next season. The winner of $250,000, Taylored Way is out of a Speedy Scot mare and took a 1:59 mark. He is 11 and served 30 mares this past stud season in America. "I think he is an ideal type to cross with some of the mares with French blood in New Zealand, and the three I have by Gekoj," he said. To illustrate his truly international interests, Captain Andersen in 1980 bought Robyn Tudor, a Tudor Hanover half-sister to Diamond Field from Grant Sim, and sent her to Norway where she is now breeding.

Game Paul made his contribution to give the result an overseas flavour by running third for his Australian owners, ahead of Idle Scott and Falstaff, the latter running the race of his life by finishing fifth after beginning the last 1000 metres with 10 in front of him. He tracked Diamond Field on his burst forward near the 800 metres, but found a torrid last half - which took David Moss 58.7 - just a little too hot to handle.


Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HR Weekly

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Chokin outlasts Master Musician in the Free-For-All.

1993 AIR NEW ZEALAND NZ FREE-FOR-ALL

The scratching of stablemate Two Under on the morning of the race was a significant factor in Chokin joining a long line of NZ Cup/Free-For-All double winners. Two Under's late withdrawal with a stone bruise meant Chokin was the only second line starter, allowing Tony Herlihy the choice of which horse to follow from the mobile.

Herlihy was well aware that Tigerish, from barrier three, had plenty of gate speed and a brief chat prior to the race with James Stormont confirmed their intentions. Pre-race predictions that Chokin would follow out Giovanetto from the pole and wind up at best three back on the fence in the early part proved totally unfounded as Chokin scored up behind Tigerish and received a charmed run through to the one-one behind his biggest threat Master Musician. From that point the result was never in doubt, although Master Musician fought tenaciously to the line to lose by a long neck. "That's the way it goes. They are both great horses and if the runs had been reversed on both days, so would the results," reflected Robert Dunn afterwards. "Maybe we'll have better luck in the Miracle Mile," he added.

Like the NZ Cup, the Air New Zealand sponsored Free-For-All was a relatively tame affair. Both Herlihy and Dunn were surprised they had run the journey in 2:25.9, with the final half in 56.2 and quarter in 26.8. "It didn't really feel that quick and I didn't push things much because I felt our only chance of beating Chokin was to outsprint him from the furlong," said Dunn. However those plans went awry when he was left alone in front at the 450m by the galloping Tigerish, who upset the chances of Giovanetto and Sogo. The latter was a surprise early favourite for the race due to an All-Up bet. "I saw her prick her ears at something on the track and then she tried to jump it," said Stormont. The Stipendiary Stewards later comfirmed it was a lost whip.

Master Musician and Chokin then engaged in a classic stretch duel, with the latter always holding a norrow advantage - Herlihy quiet and confident in the silky. They were out by three lengths at the finish fron Christopher Vance, who had tracked Chokin, with half a head to Giovanetto. Blossom Lady was next in, valiantly trying to make ground three wide from the 800m after settling towards the rear. Two unlucky races during the week netted her connections $17,000.

Chokin's double was worth $230,000 and took his earnings close to $800,000, the result of 23 wins in 35 starts. The 5-year-old Vance Hanover gelding remains unbeaten in nine starts at Addington.

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HR Weekly

The four Roy & Barry Purdon trained horses finished 3rd (Christopher Vance), 5th (Insutcha), 6th (Two Under) and 10th (Sogo) behind the Addington idol, Blossom Lady.

The official count of the Cup-day crowd at Addington was 18,822, compared with 18,477 the previous year.

On-Course betting of $2,058,117 was up $64,539. Off-Course betting of $2,532,955 was down $254,441.

A good humoured crowd enjoyed a wide range of entertainment during the long intervals between races. After an early-risers' champagne breakfast set the scene on a day favoured by warm, dry weather, popular attractions included a lucky ticket competition, police-dog and police-horse displays, the opening heat of the Trans-Tasman Axemen's Challenge and a variety of performances by the Face People Theatre Company and other musical artists.

Credit: NZ Harness Racing Weekly 12Nov92

BUILDINGS & FACILITIES

HOSPITALITY SUITES UNDERWAY

Work started this week on the construction of seven corporate hospitality suites at Addington Raceway. The completion date of the suites, on level three of the Twiggers Stand, is in late October. It will coincide with the refurbishing of the Gallery, which is the betting and bar area on the top floor of the stand.

According to Mr Mike Godber, Chief Executive Officer, the idea of corporate suites or private boxes at Addington, has been under consideration for quite a while. The total development of the area, says Mr Godber, will cost about $500,000.

The hire cost of a suite will vary, depending on the time of the year or the popularity of a particular race meeting. Six of them will accommodate 20 people and the other will hold 40. Already, two suites have been sold for the entire 1992-93 season. The suites will be built incorporating the best features from those in use at Lancaster Park and Riccarton. "There is a untapped market in this area," Mr Godber said.

Seven rows of seating from the top of the Twiggers Stand have been removed to provide space for the new extension.


Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 10Jun92

PEOPLE

Driving Farlena to win the 1951 Cheviot Cup

ALBERT FAIRBAIRN

The death occurred recently of Albert Fairbairn, a prominent Canterbury trainer in the 40s and 50s. He was 80. Albert was employed by two trainers, Dick Humphreys and Roy Berry, before setting up his own stable at Hornby.

His most notable win was in the 1949 NZ Sapling Stakes with Farlena, a King Cobra-Quite Evident filly raced by his brother Ossie, and later to win the Cheviot Cup.

Mont dÓr was one of his first winners, winning three in the 1937-38 season, and he trained and drove Scapa Flow to win the Nelson Trotting Cup. He drove Margin - later to win the Dominion Handicap for George Cameron - in his early wins, Quite Evident to win four in one season, and he bred, owned and trained Jackie Guy, by Jack Potts, to win nine races.

His last winner was Arneb, a son of Stormyway trained by Ossie, which paid £67/10/- winning at Motukarara in 1965. Ossie said: "Arneb, Margin, Mont dÓr, Punctual and Appreciate all paid big divvys when they won. That was our wages. It was the only way we could get any money then."

Albert was the uncle of Doyleston trainer Kevin Fairbairn.

Credit: NZ HRWeekly 29Jul92

PEOPLE

GORDON McHERRON

Gordon McHerron, a prominent and popular harness racing administrator, died suddenly in Christchurch last Sunday.

Aged 78, Mr McHerron was active in the New Brighton Harness Racing Club. He became a steward in 1965, joined the committee in 1971, was elected vice-president in 1979, and served as president from 1981 to 1984. He was elected a life member and honorary steward after that.

He was part-owner of the pacer Destrier, which won two races last season, but fared better in the early 60s with the pacers Bazax and Royal Brittania. He raced then both with Stan Andrews. Royal Brittania won three races while trained for them by Peter Wolfenden, having done well in Canterbury before going north, and Bazax, after winning from Bill Denton's stable, won three more from Wolfenden's stable.

Credit: NZ HRWeekly 4Mar92

PEOPLE

Stewart Sutherland and Hickory Stick

STEWART SUTHERLAND

North Otago trainer and popular identity Stewart Sutherland died on Monday after a short illness. Aged 64, Sutherland passed away almost a year after winning the feature trot at the Forbury Park Trotting Club's meeting with Hickory Stick.

Sutherland was a good man with a trotter, his best win being the Canterbury Park Trotting Cup with Waipounamu, a son of Aksarben. He fared well with Aksarben stock because Screws Loose was an open class daughter of the sire, and finishing second in the Rowe Cup. Screws Loose won eight races, her major one being the Greymouth Trotting Stakes in 1975, but she won at least two at Addington and in one of them defeated Castleton's Pride.

A big man, Sutherland started off as a musterer and later became the private trainer for Bill McCone, a past president of the Oamaru Harness Racing Club. Sutherland was a steward of the club. Young Atlas and Hazel Grattan were notable winners from the stable, but his best performer was probably Frown, a son of Dillon Hall. Racing in the late 50s Frown won 11 races, four of them at Forbury Park, where he won the Flying Handicap from Arania, Sun Chief and Thunder. His only win at Addington was as an 8-year-old when he took the New Year Handicap, but he was still going at 10, and finished fourth in the Lightning Handicap to Cardigan Bay, Samantha and Lordship.

Only A Rose (6 wins), Tintern Pride (3) and Black Moss (3) were some of the more recent winners, and Dodge City was handled by his daughter Karen to win the night Hickory Stick won the Forbury Park feature. All told, Sutherland trained 262 winners, his best totals were 19 in 1975/6 and 17 in 1959/60. He drove 190 winners.

He is survived by his wife Colleen, son Roger and daughters Karen and Jan Meikle.

Credit: NZ HRWeekly 29Apr92