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FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Laud holds out Supreme Power & Mark Roy

1992 ANZ BANK SIRES' STAKES FINAL

Laud and Supreme Power easily turned back the challenge of seven North Islanders and one New Zealand bred Australian to quinella the $175,000 ANZ Bank Sires' Stakes Final. The race did not produce the excitement or close competition one might have expected from top of the range students.

Once Laud was able to creep over the first panel in 30.8, the others put the shutters up and allowed the favourite to control every step from there. Except for a brief surge near the 1300m when Swift Edition ran forward to sit in the breeze, Laud had it all his own way.

Trainer Cran Dalgety and driver Peter Jones thought there would be more interest in the lead out of the gate, and they were surprised when there wasn't. "I did not anticipate being in front, but it gave me a bit of confidence when we got there. I thought I would take advantage of it," said Jones. Both Dalgety and Jones thought they would be beaten for that by Supreme Power, which still began well and received a sweet trip in the trail.

A son of Andrel and the winning Mark Lobell mare Karara Lass, Laud has raced only five times and won four of them. He is raced by Allan Helleur, of North Harbour, and his brother Larry, of Christchurch. They bought Karara Lass as a yearling from Motukarara breeder Mike Fenton, although they made the initial contact to buy a colt of the same age.

Allan raced General Armbro with success some years ago, and Larry honed his interest in harness racing working for Alec Purdon in 1954, the year Alec won the Easter Cup with Onward and during the time he trained Poranui.

Neither are greatly keen on campaigning the horse in Australia. Both say the "welfare of the horse comes first."

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 12Nov92

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Post-race celebration

1992 DB DRAUGHT DOMINION TROTTING HANDICAP

There was nothing in Directorship's 'CV' to predict he could topple the leading candidates from their seats in the DB Draught Dominion Handicap. The veteran of 106 starts had galloped on Cup Day after being upset by the tape, and performed streets below what he can do when 12th of 14 on Show Day.

Off 10m behind, and in such bleak form, there was little to indicate that trainer Gary Smith would engineer a sudden change to make him so competitive eight days later. For one thing, Smith was back home at Pukekohe. And even driver Tony Herlihy wasn't fussed about returning south. He had left the colours in Christchurch, not expecting to use them again at the meeting.

As he normally does, Smith left the horse in the care of Brian Kerr at West Melton. Both top men, Smith knew his horse. "Brian, who really did a great job with him, thought he was a bit short. I thought he had done a bit much," said Smith. So they decided to give him an easy week - a blow out on Thursday and a look at the scenery around the quiet country roads near the Kerr stable on the other days.

While Smith admitted that he didn't expect Directorship to win the Dominion, he was not surprised the stable favourite made a better fist of it than he did on the earlier days. "The tape hit the fence on the first day, so he might have had an excuse then, but on Friday he just had one of those days. He can have them. He was fit enough. It might sound funny, but on those hot, stinking days, like it was at Addington, he is not so good. He had two days off after that, and I thought he would go better racing on a cooler night," he said.

Having only his second drive in the Dominion - his other was Empire Lobell - Herlihy went to bat, and picked his way through the field until latching onto Ceddie's back, which was off to attack near the 1200 metres. When Ceddie got over near the 900 metres, Directorship was pounding on further out, and Herlihy, like his transport, started to enjoy the cool night air. "He sort of hesitated early, but started to feel good once he got outside them. Over the last mile he certainly felt better," he said.

In as close a finish as you could get, Directorship and tough little Taranaki mare Rosie O'Grady slugged it out over the last 100 metres, with Staka Pride making the most of a sweet run three deep behind Happy Tom and William Dee to finish a game third. First to congratulate the ace was Maurice McKendry, who was told in the kindest way by Herlihy that McKendry had "got off the quinella." McKendry drove Rosie O'Grady to win on Cup Day, and after winning the Rowe Cup last season with Directorship turned down the drive this season to stay with Aspiring Lass.

A 9-year-old son of Lordship, Directorship has been one of the great campaigners, starting off winning five races for Ian Cameron and three with Charlie Hunter before Smith took him over. "I took him over as a 4-year-old. He has had some problems with his joints, but he is no problem to train. He doesn't need that hard drilling work any more," said Smith. Now the winner of $438,198 from 30 wins and 27 placings, Directorship will be given a few days off before getting ready for the Auckland meeting.


Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 25Nov92

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Derek Jones, the Polly Synd & Blossom Lady

1992 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

Cheered to the echo by loyal Canterbury fans, Blossom Lady made it a case of "third time lucky" as she stormed to victory over Southland's Giavanetto and the hapless Auckland favourite Christopher Vance in Tuesday's $300,000 DB Draught New Zealand Cup.

Trained by popular Templeton horseman Derek Jones, who in 1980 produced winner Hands Down (driven by son Peter) and driven a treat by Jones' grandson Anthony Butt, Blossom Lady, though owned in the Central Districts, has long been the darling of the Addington fans.

"I am shaking so much. I feel as if I'm going to faint." It was one of those days, temperatures into the 20's, thousands of people in their best costumes, and husband out on the track in those famous maroon and grey stripes. But it was just seconds after the Cup, and Karen Butt had more reason than anyone to feel it was much more than another Cup Day. As members of the Polly Syndicate brushed aside tears of joy waiting for Blossom Lady to return to a huge home crowd reception, Karen said: "I was wondering if it was going to be one of those races for Anthony. I know he is only young, but he has had six or seven goes in it...and she just deserved one of these big ones."

Anthony handled the race and the questions with the professional approach one has come to expect from him. Even his wife had to wait for her celebratory kiss until he had satisfied the media with his commentary on the event. For the first time in the past three years, Anthony did not have the pressure he had been under in previous years when Blossom Lady was one of the favourites. He noticed the change, he said. Two years ago, he has sat back on an easy pace and rattled home late for fifth, and last year when third favourite, she broke at the start and beat only one.

This time, Blossom Lady had been campaigned with what seemed a slightly unorthodox campaign by Templeton trainer Derek Jones, who raced her in Auckland in late winter and then gave her three starts in Queensland. She picked up a virus and returned home. In her four starts since resuming, Blossom Lady has raced well without winning, though Anthony was never despondent. "She has certainly lost some of her quick speed, but I felt she has been getting better and better. I gave her an outside chance beforehand," he said.

Although Anthony termed it a "funny sort of race," it unfolded into his lap. He settled the stable favourite into the midfield on the inner, and angled her off the fence when Its Motor Power herbed to the front passing the 1900m. He was left in clear air briefly until Master Musician gave him cover, and started to fancy his chances when he got cover again, near the 1200m.

"Everything went to plan. I was lucky when Master Musician came round to give me cover, and she came away in the end. It feels terrific...nothing better...a lifetime dream. She is a big favourite with the crowd." And she is a big favourite with Anthony. Before the Cup, Premiership and Blossom Lady had both won him 14 races. 'The Bloss' chose her moment well to edge ahead.

Christopher Vance cantered off from the 15m back mark, and, to the dismay of the multitude who had installed him a $2.50 shot, galloped and added at least another 30m to his handicap. Victorian visitor It's Motor Power was another off stride in the early rush, and he wound up out the back, just ahead of Christopher Vance - but not for very long.

Giovanetto made the early play for Jack Smolenski, who was happy to take a trail when Jim O'Sullivan swept up and around and into the lead with It's Motor Power 1800m from home. Immediately, Barry Purdon sooled Sogo from just off the pace into the lead. Anthony Butt moved Blossom Lady, who had been handy on the inner, out and around, and after being briefly parked she got a perfect 1-1 sit as Master Musician improved to sit parked on Sogo's wheel. Smolenski had now angled Giovanetto out to track Blossom Lady. It's Motor Power held the trail, followed on the rail by Millie's Brother and The Bru Czar, with the last four two Under, Insutcha, Lawn Boy and Christopher Vance.

The first mile had required 2:04.6, and as the speed went on down the back, positions stayed virtually the same. Smolenski was first to make his move - something he said afterward he perhaps should not have done. Blossom Lady went with Giovanetto and the pair sorted themselves out, with the 8-year-old mare, showing the experience of many tough battles, edging ahead of her 4-year-old challenger and beat him to the wire by a length and a quarter.

Christopher Vance, reserved by Tony Herlihy for one run at them from 500m out, powering down the outer for third, a length away. The Bru Czar headed the others, battling on after clearing traffic, followed in by Insutcha, Two Under, Millie's Brother, Master Musician, Lawn Boy, Sogo and It's Motor Power.

With Blossom Lady clocking 4:05 and the leaders covering their final 800m in 58.4, Christopher Vance was timed his last mile in 1:58, 800m in 56.7 and 400 in 27.1.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 12Nov92

The Clevedon based training partnership of Roy and Barry Purdon created Cup history by having four starters in the Cup. They repeated this feat the in the following two years. In 1991 the four horses were the winner Christopher Vance (Driven by Tony (AG) Herlihy), Insutcha (James (JP) Stormont) which finished 4th, Mark Hanover (Mark Purdon)5th and Two Under (Barry Purdon) 8th.

PEOPLE

E A CLARK

The death occurred in Christchurch last week of Euan Albert ("Tom") Clark, who farmed and trained at Greenpark for many years. Aged 70, Tom died after a short illness.

His first good horse was Logan Count, a son of Court Martial, who won the Dominion Handicap at Addington in the hands of his brother Leicester, just three years after taking out a licence.

Except for Call Me Sir and Firm Offer, one of the top trotters of her day, the Clark horses all carried "Logan" as a prefix or suffix. The best of them were Logan Lea, the winner of nine races who took a record of 1:59.8 in North America, and Logan Dryham, whose six wins included the Mercer Mile and the Lion Brown 3-Year-Old Final At Addington. Along with Logan's Byrd, US1:58.6, they were from Logan Cheval, a Court Martial-Beverley's Song mare bred by Tom in 1968.

Firm Offer, a Honkin Andy mare, was 4-Year-Old Trotter of the Year, and ran third in the 1986 Rowe Cup to Mairo Sultan and Landora's Pride. His last winner was Dryham Logan, who won a maiden graduation final at Addington last July in the hands of his son and training partner, Barry.

Tom is also survived by his wife Linda and daughter Dianne, who shared his interest in harness racing.

Credit: HRWeekly 10Apr91

PEOPLE

Bevan & Keith Grice with Coo Doo

BEVAN & KEITH GRICE

Advancing years have cut down the wine, women and song for Bevan and Keith Grice but they are still very much involved with the breeding of top racehorses.

"It used to be wine, women, song and races - now it's only races," joked Bevan, who at 60 is four years younger than Keith. They were prominent at the recent Methven autumn meeting when two Grice bred horses, Alice In Wonderland and Escoffier, took the TAB double with highly impressive victories.

The brothers have 2000 acres for sheep, crops, deer and horses between them at Seafield, 20km northeast of Ashburton, a property steeped in harness racing tradition. The family influence goes back to the early settlers of the late 1800's. Their grandfather George Grice began the family involvement, making a name for himself as a saddle trot rider, once winning five races from eight at a Timaru meeting. The three sons of George to keep the name going were Jack, Ben and Robert - father of Bevan and Keith.

Robert earned a degree of fame in the local paper at the age of 12 when he was tagged "the gamest punter ever" after selling his pigeons and putting all the money on a horse which paid 12 sovereigns. He started breeding standardbreds as a sideline to sheep and among his mares was the third dam of dual NZ Cup winner Haughty. He then sold his horses to Ben and Jack during the depression but encouraged his sons to get started in horses when they left school. They learned a lot fron Uncle Jack, a renowned trainer, often visiting him on a Friday afternoon with some cold beers and chatting to him for hours on end about horses.

Their first mare came from cousin Len Grice - a 15-year-old former race winner called Agent, a daughter of Great Northern Derby and 1925 Auckland Cup winner Nelson Derby (by Nelson Bingen). Agent was from the now famous foundation mare Mavis Wood (2:17.2, 2 wins). By Rodgewood, she was the dam of eight winners. From Agent the Grices bred their first winner in Sayonara who won her only race by saying goodbye to the field at Rangiora when driven by Doody Townley. Agent's only other foal was the capable Desmond's Pride mare Shiann, who won five when leased to Stan Kirby of Southland. Shiann established a small but successful winning branch to Mavis Wood's extensive family of over 72 winner-producing mares by featuring among others as the grandam of the 1971 Canterbury Park Trotting Cup winner Dingle Bay (8 wins).

After initial success the winners dropped off and the brothers culled their horses. Nine were sent on their way with Shiann remaining. She proved a shy breeder, producing only three foals, so they secured another of Mavis Wood's descendants in the unraced Marquisite (by Marco Polo). Success was immediate and she left four winners, the best being Garrison Hanover pacer Khandallah (6 wins).

They then obtained Lady Dimp from Jack Reid. She was a full sister to both Agent and Laurene Wood, thus becoming the third line to Mavis Wood's family that they bred from. It proved an inspired choice. She left Bronze Falcon (4 wins) and the outstanding broodmares Coo Doo and Arrest. Both were injured as youngsters and never raced with Coo Doo walking sideways for two months, advice being to put her down. Luckily the brothers didn't take that advice for the black mare had a career which really put them on the map.

From 1967 Coo Doo (by Morano), left 18 consecutive foals, believed to be a world record. They stopped breeding from her in 1986 and the rising 31 year-old is still enjoying her well earned retirement. "She'll probably outlive us both," said Keith. "We went out to put a winter cover on her the other day and couldn't get near her." He said her offspring and those tracing to her had won 170 races.

From those initial 18 foals came a number of leading racehorses and top producing daughters including Barbara Del (9 wins), the dam of Ruthless (9 wins), MacDoon (3 wins), Lady Rana (3 wins), and Rarest (1 win to date). Coo Doo also left the tough and durable Palestine (18 wins), Stereo Light (6 wins), Doctor Finlay (2 wins), Pamelene (2 wins), Columnist (7 wins), Neptune (3 wins), Kiss And Coo (4 wins),and Finest Hour (5 wins, 1:55US). Her unraced Armbro Del daughter Anna Pavlova is the dam of Derby (11 wins), Bahrein (5 wins, 1:53.3US) and Cuddle Me Doo (5 wins).

Arrest (Court Martial-Lady Dimp) had also made a notable impact. Armbro Hurricane pacer Cyclone Lad (9 wins) has been their best winner and was rated by his breeders as being up with the fastest they have bred. Her daughter Star Del (by Armbro Del) has made headlines in recent weeks. He first foal to the races was brilliant Mark Lobell filly Karena, who won seven. She is the dam of Alice In Wonderland (6 wins), Peeping Tom (3 wins) and Wandering Eyes (3 wins). Star Del also left open class trotter Cracker (10 wins) and Jenny Benny (5 wins).

The partnership has an ever expanding number of well bred mares being carefully nurtured in readiness for foaling and mating. Twenty mares are on the property this season, 12 being in foal to Soky's Atom including Star Del while Anna Pavlova has a filly foal by Soky's Atom but missed to Butler B G. They have high hopes for a number of their younger mares, notably Zola, a half sister to Escoffier, Cuddle Me Doo, Kiss And Coo, Jenny Benny (named after the wife of studmaster Neville Benny) and Folie Bergere.

The brothers have nothing but praise for all the Canterbury studs they have dealt with over the last 45 years. Both Bevan and Keith are very particular about maintaining good horse-clean paddocks and carefully avoid overstocking. "Good natural feed is essential for broodmares and foals. We usually run only two or three mares to 25 acres, feeding out good lucerne hay in winter along with regular drenching," said Bevan. All paddocks for the horses are linked with wide access lanes and excellent shelter belts help provide top conditions. Weaning of foals is carried out in May when they are taught to lead and tie up while later in the year Prebbleton horseman Dean Taylor in entrusted with their breaking in and gaiting before leasing out to selected owners and trainers.

Both are impressed with the standard of stallions on offer in this country. "National Bloodstock and Dave Philips in particular, deserve a pat on the back for importing stallions like Apollo's Way, New York Motoring, F Troop, Rashad, Butler B G and Soky's Atom - who we think has more going for him than any other stallion imported to NZ," said Bevan. "His emphasis when selecting sires on their soundness, conformation, speed and breeding is very important to us. To prove the point we bought shares in F Troop and Soky's Atom. I can see NZ eventually matching the Americans in time."

The brothers would love to breed the winner of such events as the DB Fillies Final (they have won two heats with Cuddle Me Doo and Karena) and an Inter-Dominion Final. They also dabble in thoroughbred breeding including the Dunedin Gold Cup runner-up last week Free Of Error and Village Guy (5 wins).

But it is the breeding and racing of standardbreds that keeps them bubbling. Their day at Methven summed up their dedication to harness racing, with Escoffier and Alice In Wonderland adding further proof that they have made an enormous impact on breeding in this country.

Given the time they have put in over the past 45 years, few would begrudge that success.

Credit: Gary Birkett writing in HRWeekly 1May91

PEOPLE

LEN BUTTERFIELD

You can still find Len Butterfield at the races. Not in splendid isolation as he used to be, because 12 years have gone by since he retired from the solitary job as chief stipendiary steward with the Harness Racing Conference.

As much as anything else in his twilight years, he enjoys getting on the track and meeting the people who love their horses. He arrives with the same tall and regal bearing, and a hat always a hat, which used to be compulsory gear for Conference stewards.

At 77, racing is just one of his retirement interests. He plays his golf at the upmarket Russley club, where he says his handicap is "very competitive," he has his bowls and he likes to get into the garden.

No different to most industry people, he likes hearing the latest story on what's going on; for instance..."this bicarbonate business, interesting to see how that goes...In my mind if anyone returns a positive, and this is what this is, then out they go." Since his retirement at the age of 65, Butterfield often reflects on the changes in the conditions and demands of a stipes job. "It's luxury compared with what it was like when I started, with Fred Beer."

Butterfield was 32 when he took the position as a stipendiary steward. He knew all about horses. He rode work at Addington, where his father, Arthur, was a prominent trainer, winning big races with such good horses as Acron, Agathos, Glenelg and Lady Scott; Agathos won the NZ Cup in 1924.

He was a natural sportsman, shining especially at cricket, representing New Zealand, though he has been a success at anything he has taken up. He was first employed in the plumbing trade, which he didn't like, and then joined the New Zealand Trotting Association as a deputy stipendiary steward, joining Beer and Jack Shaw. In those days, there was a lot of travel, in trains and buses, and the odd plane ride. We would go down to Oamaru on the day before the races, and catch the express on the way back, getting into the station about 8pm.

"And when we went to the Coast to do the trots on a galloping day, I would catch the 2:20am railcar on Saturday morning, which got us in about 7am that morning. Then I would be on the 6pm railcar back, which got in at about 11pm. When we went to Westport, we'd get off at Stillwater, have breakfast at the railway station, and wait for an hour and a half for the railcar up from Ross." The Coast trips were a test of stamina. On one trip, by car on the gravel road, the fog was so thick over the Pass that Conference handicapper Arthur Neilson was sent forward on foot with a torch to see where they were going.

Another 'luxury' he didn't have for many years was a race film. "In my day there was no camera, so I had to become an expert in race reading. You had to depend on evidence, and you had to know if anyone was telling lies. The drivers often tried to look after one another. I'd get to know their colours. I'd have my book, pencil and glasses and I wouldn't take my eyes off the race while I was writing something down. These days, if they miss anything during the race they can soon check up by watching the film."

The NZ Cup won and lost by Stella Frost was a case when there was no official film, though there was an unofficial one he was able to make use of. "'Doody' Townley had eased off the fence, and some of the horses behind had been squeezed up. If there was a fall someone had caused it. It was a serious matter, and eventually the horse was put out. At the inquiry it was like getting blood out of a stone. Much later, when I spoke to the Balclutha OTB, I stayed with Len Tilson, he owned Stella Frost; it was nice of him to ask me to stay with him."

A stipendiary steward can be a lonely job, though Butterfield said the responsibility never worried him. "The Devine-Litten whipping case in 1957 was the biggest I had, and I was the only one to see it start. The funny thing was the patrol steward didn't see it. I said to him 'that is bloody lovely, you should not be out there if you can't see.' I never really found out who moved first; I suspect what happened but you could never prove it. George Noble, who was right behind them, was swinging both ways so I had no evidence. The difficulty was that I had to do it on my own. It went on to late in the night, and the phone at home never stopped ringing."

Butterfield said he found most trainers and drivers took their penalties well. "Ted Lowe got two years on a positive, shook hands later and said 'you've got a job to do.' Cecil Donald was the same. I disqualified a horse of his from the Timaru Cup - I think it was Chief Command - and he appealed. He told the late Peter Mahon that he had to win the case because I was taking thousands of dollars off him and I had to be straightened out. I always admired old Donald. He would have 20 to 30 horses in work, three stallions, cattle and a dairy farm, and he'd be up and on the phone at 5am getting business done."

Butterfield has a deep admiration for some of the top horses that raced when he was younger, particularly Highland Fling. "I've seen nothing faster. He'd go from last to first in a furlong and a half." He had great respect for the likes of Young Charles, Johnny Globe, Chamfer, Soangetaha and Vedette who all raced in the same era. "You had to admire those horses when you look back. Take Acron. He ran a mile at Addington in 1924 in 2:03.6, he never pulled a wide sulky, went on the clay and was never near the fence. Tracks these days can make horses better than they are. As far as grass tracks went, New Brighton was the best in New Zealand; it was like a lawn."

Butterfield sat on many swabbing cases, and made a study of drugs and how they affect horses. "We don't want people in the game if they're corrupt. I remember having a case once where a horse has returned a positive to caffeine, and the trainer said the horse had drunk a lot of tea. So I went round there one morning and he offered me a cup of tea. I said I wouldn't have one but we'll make one for the horse. Well, he wasn't too keen about that, but we filled up a bucket and took it out to him. He just snorted and wouldn't touch it. The chap got two years."

Like everyone else with the welfare of the industry at heart, he sees the decline in attendances as a worry, and like everyone else, knows the lack of good handicappers is caused by huge stakes now available for two and three-year-olds. "It is common to try those young horses out to see if they can win that money and there are so many more trials for these horse. It's easy to burn them out." He has no answer to why crowds aren't as big as they used to be. "There were top horses at the Easter meeting at Addington, but there wasn't a big crowd. Why is it?"

Still with his good health, Len Butterfield will continue to show a fatherly interest in the family sport.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 8May91

PEOPLE

ERIC RYAN

Eric Ryan thought he would be driving next season. He told Jeff Rohloff on his last trip to Hutt Park that he had another year to go and he'd be back with a team of horses.

The way Eric knew it, he had been born in 1927, and didn't retire until the end of thw 1991-92 season. When the official word through that Eric was in fact a year older than he thought - that he was 65, not 64 - he bought a birth certificate to see just how old he was. "It flattened me when it hit me," he said in his raspy way. He was dead keen to do a few more laps on the track at Hutt Park, for one last trip down memory lane, because it was the scene of his first driving success. Francis John was between the shafts for his first win on November 5, 1969, his birthday, and he followed that up three races later winning with John Peel.

Eric could talk for hours on the grim and entertaining incidents that have made him such a huge personality in harness racing. The stories he tells are as big as himself, and note that Eric is 18 stone and 6'4". Like his size, the stories are tall, but real. He has been in the wars with officialdom, notably the long, costly and bitter battle with the Harness Racing Conference on a corrupt practice charge following the selection of a maiden field at an Akaroa meeting, and once he made banner headlines in a sports paper when he was buying up cheap horse and selling them for pet meat. He said at the time: "I reckon I'm doing the industry a good turn. There are so many horses around that can't get starts."

Nothing annoys him more in harness racing than inconsistent penalties from the stipendiary stewards, and he doesn't mind saying so: Eric has always been a straight talker. One episode he puts ahead of the rest was at Greymouth where he was racing Big Idea, not an easy horse to handle, off the unruly mark and 10 behind. "He flew off the mark and I got him into the one-one. It was the best run I have ever had in a race. The thing I'm following was hanging something bad, so I gave it plenty of room when I come out and we run a beautiful second. "And we lost it...got put out...because they reckoned the horse in the open galloped and I'd interfered with it. Through that, I lost the horse; he won his next start and was sold to America. That really hurt me."

He was also disappointed in the months of hard work he put into the c2 pacer Pelorus Jack, and failed to get a start. Ellen, Eric's wife, then played a tape, showing the son of Byebye Bill in handsome form beating Charming George in a trial at Addington three years ago. "He won five trials," recalled Eric, "but didn't get a start for seven months, the whole time I had him." He was sold, and went to Australia. The next tape Ellen played showed Pelorus Jack in Sydney, where he took a record of "1:58.7. "I don't know what else I had to do with him here," he said.

Eric has always been a 'battler's' man. He has bred, trained and won with horses with no good commercial connections. He started as a shearer and later bought the butcher shop at Little River, where he was born. When the shop closed for the day, he would start working the horses, usually about 6pm. They would gallop four miles up the hill at the back of the shop and walk home. "We had no young ones. They were old horses and cast-offs."

Eric soon had a remarkable reputation of buying horses for the price of a ride in the float, and for standing at stud horses who otherwise would have been lucky to find a home. Few of his horses ever had much in the way of social standing. "I bought Eone Navarre at the 'Swamp' (hotel) one night for a shilling, and he won two for us at Greymouth."

Eric has a library of tales about horses he bought cheaply, horses he bred from obscure or unfashionable pedigrees to win races, and horses with little bent manners he straightened out. One of the first he bred and gaited, and perhaps his best horse, was Atlee. Driven mainly by Steve Edge, Atlee won seven races in seven months, including two in one day at Nelson and the Cheviot Cup when Jack Smolenski handled him. Eric said he was a great front runner. He was bred by Spring Jinks, who Eric stood at stud, from Synthetic, by Protector he bought from Bob Negus for £5. Spring Jinks sired only three foals - Atlee, Two Bob and Polly Jinks - and they all won. Synthetic served Eric well, leaving six winners. While Atlee was the best he raced, Eric always maintained he had a better one that didn't race. This was Yonder Chief, which he owned with Jim Dalgety and sold the day he qualified. He went to the US and took a record of 1:52.

He rarely brought a favourite home. Polly Creed once paid $111.80 and Limbala - "she loved to sit in the death" - returned $55.60 when second in a division race at Motukarara.

His best season was in 1980-81 when he drove 13 winners and trained 18. Expeditions away from home were part of the Ryan campaigns. "We'd go away for weeks at a time. On one trip up north we were away eight weeks and won 11 races," he said. "I really appreciated going to Auckland for the first time, and winning two races on the opening night with Avon Spark and Viva Remero. They won 11 races between them and Viva Remero beat Jenner in the Rosso Antico." Among his other winners have been Advanced Fibre, Always Smile, the tough mares Waitara and Sidi Rezegh, Haughty Choice, Big Idea (Taranaki Cup), Royal Delivery (Marlborough Cup), Commanche, Ungava, Leanne's Pride, Wish Me Luck, Up To You, and the most recent, Jerlin's Choice in the last Reefton Cup.

"I love driving, I train them, I know them. I took me 10 years to get a licence. I had a gutsful by the time I got it, but it came eventually, and I have had some good horses. A man of my size is not so good to a horse if a track is wet, but it's all right if a track is reasonable. I know Jerlin's Choice pulls me no trouble at all and he is only a little horse."

Off the track, Eric did what he could for harness racing. He was a foundation member of the Motukarara Trotting Association, served on the committee of the Standardbred Breeders Association, the NZ Owners, Trainers and Breeders Association, the Akaroa Trotting Club, and the Banks Peninsula Trotting Club. He has a paddock full of young horses, by rather unpopular sires such as Kiwi Kid, Worthy Del and Byebye Bill, to be tried, but it is a job he is just not up to at present. An operation last April to replace a hip joint has left him on a crutch and Ellen is doing most of the stable work. For Eric the driving days are over, even if he would like to think it's a year too soon.


Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 17Jul91

PEOPLE

BILL BECK

When it comes to the care of his teeth Bill Beck prefers to let MacLeans freshmint and the toothbrush do the job - he is not a big fan of the dentists chair and hasn't faced the drill for many years. But when it comes to the horse dentistry business which he took over four years ago when his son Peter departed for Austalia it is another story.

The 50-year-old works seven days a week most of the year around the harness and galloping stables of the South Island and his unusual trade also takes him to the Feilding stables of Maurice Campbell every three months. "People give me some bloody strange looks when
I tell them I'm a horses dentist. A lot say they have never heard of the job."

Bill packs a bag of tools into his Pontiac Le Mans which include a wide range of rasps, tweezers and teeth pulling devices. When visiting a stable he checks the teeth of each horse and generally pulls out caps from those aged between 2 and a half and 4 and a half and files down sharp teeth. Horses have no nerves in their teeth apart fron their wolf teeth and rarely need tranquilising. Generally it takes between 10 and 20 minutes to do each horse depending on the state of it's teeth and the facilities available.

Most racing stables get their teams checked every six months and Bill is on the road a great deal. It is well known that horses with bad teeth don't race kindly. He recalled a recent case when a young trotter had been going along well but suddenly started hanging and breaking for no apparent reason. Bill was called in and ended up pulling eight teeth with the horse recovering quickly and qualifing two weeks later.

Still working a team of six thoroughbreds at Riccarton, Bill's schedule last week was pretty typical. On Monday he was attending to ponies and hacks at Rangiora, Tuesday at Riccarton, Wednesday at the Mid-Canterbury stables of Jim Ferguson and Mike Heenan, Thursday at Tim Butt's West Melton stable, Friday back to Ashburton to galloping stables, Saturday out to Oxford for more ponies and hacks and the same at Leeston on Sunday.

"You don't get much time off. When Peter (who is working as a horse dentist based in Newcastle) went to Australia I was just filling in until he got back and I never expected to get so busy. I learned the trade from him and Jimmy Tomkinson but like anything the more you do the more you know."



Credit: Gary Birkett writing in HRWeekly 17Jul91

PEOPLE

'TOM' ANNETT

Often the first person you encounter at Addington when you arrive for the races will be wearing a white coat.

Chances are regular racegoers at Addington over the years will have run into Gerald 'Tom' Annett, a veteran of the officials with over 45 years continuous service from 1945 when he started at New Brighton. In that time he has missed only "two or three" meetings. The next longest serving are Albie Keen and David Lyttle who have been working 34 years. Tom has progressed from being a carpark attendant to an inspector of the "men in white".

He is usually the first to arrive at Addington, motoring sedately around on his red motorcycle to open up all the gates for the influx of floats and private cars. Over the years Tom, now in his early 70s, has worked at most of the country tracks around Canterbury and has also served at Riccarton for 35 years, including attending the royal box when Queen Elizabeth was in residence. When he started out a couple of pounds were his reward, now he takes home nearly $70, extra money the likeable pensioner finds invaluable.

His interest in horses came from his father Tom, a leading saddle trot trainer and rider in the early 1900s. Annett Snr, who trained for Bill Lowe at Ashburton, was a highly respected horseman. Among his more notable achievments were taking out the Westport Cup three times in succession from 1904-6 with Federation, Juanita and Maid Of Perth. He was once described by master trainer Jack McLennan as the finest horseman he had seen, his best performers including Bush Ranger and Submarine.

At Kumara he trained and rode Pilot to win after conceding 105 seconds start and later developed the outstanding trotter Trampfast (by Logan Pointer) who was blind in his left eye. Lowe bought him from Annett and he went on to win 14 races, including three against the pacers for Roy Berry. His crowning achievement was in the 1934 Dominion Handicap when aged 14 years.

Unlike his father, Tom Jnr, one of 14 children (eight boys and six girls) has never owned or trained a harness horse. His sport was cycling and seven Annett brothers once took part in the Annett Handicap at English Park. They were regular competitors in the Waimate to Christchurch race and Tom still cycles regularly.

The spirit amongst his workmates at Addington has always been high. "There have been some real characters and I have made a lot of jolly good mates who are still friends today." He has never had any trouble with the men under his control thanks to what he describes as having "the right attitude" and describes the four Addington Raceway secretaries he has worked under as "very fine bosses." The days of parking over 2000 cars in regimented lines at the course are over but raceday is still busy.

"Some of the public have gotten a bit stroppy at times but you have got to humour them. You get nowhere by jumping on them." Being a vigilant chap while checking tickets in the Member's Stand he has noticed some people taking tickets out to friends and spiriting them in. "They usually back down when you have them on about it though and I've had no real trouble. The young people these days are very good towards us."

He has noticed that thefts from cars are on the increase and any trouble is referred to the police or higher ranking officials. He recalled a Mr Pocock, an old boss, driving a horse and cart in from Kirwee. "He carried a stick and sometmes used to thump a car with it to direct them. You would leave a bit of a dent if you did it these days." A year ago at Motukarara he was jokingly asked to remove a stubborn oppossum from the observation tower at the course. The lung bursting climb to the platform was declined and the intruder was eventually ousted from his perch, shimmying down the long ladder at a great rate of knots.

But it is the people he has met who stick in his mind. "The owners and trainers are some of the nicest jokers you'd ever want to meet. They are a lovely mob and I've never met a dud one yet. Ask them to do anything and they will do it."

And the great champions of the past bring a spark to his eyes. "Johnny Globe's NZ Cup (1954) was the best I've seen but I remember Gold Bar winning in 1945 when there were 32,000 people on course. The big fire in 1961 also sticks in my mind. We were told to get out of the stand quick but there was a guy who worked for the fire brigade who tried to fight it. The flames were getting around behind him and it took a policeman to carry him out."

Tom retired from the Post Office 10 years ago after 18 years service. Before that he worked in a flour mill for 20 years and is now happily settled in his Riccarton flat with wife Joan, a farmer's daughter from Dunsandel who he met through cycling. An avid armchair sports fan he is confident the All Blacks will retain the World Cup and follows the sporting careers of his four grandchildren closely.

His work at Addington and Riccarton will continue while he is fit. After 45 years he still enjoys the mteship and meeting new people. Next time you meet a man in white remember Tom Annett. Their contribution is rarely acknowledged but without him and hundreds like him the smooth running of racedays would be impossible.

Credit: Gary Birkett writing in HRWeekly 28Aug91