YEAR: 1989 PEOPLE YEAR: 1989 PEOPLE YEAR: 1989 PEOPLE The much-respected and distinguished Chertsey horseman Jack Behrns died recently. Aged 84, Behrns had spent the last five years living at Rolleston with his son, Tom. He had an interest in harness racing until he died, racing the trotter Evander Morn. "I told him, while he was in hospital that I would take Evander Morn to Blenheim, and I took him a wee radio so he could listen in. He died before then, but I carried on and raced the mare just as we had planned," Tom said. Jack Behrns was in the elite of horsemen. He trained some of the great horses of the century, notably Indianapolis, Wrackler and Cardinal King, and some very good ones, such as Peggotty, Why Bill, Doctor Kyle, Space Cadet, Byebye Bill and Waitaki Elect. Behrns was born in Rakaia, starting his working life in the Post Office before coming under the wing of 'Scotty' Bryce. From there he went to Durbar Lodge, and on the death of Don Warren became private trainer for H F Nicoll. He trained Indianapolis - later to win three successive New Zealand Cups - for his first win, and converted the 1930 NZ Cup winner Wrackler to win the 1932 Dominion Handicap from Huon Voyage and Olive Nelson. In April 1931, he won the NZ Derby with Ciro, and then on Nicoll's death, he started training for Reg Butterick, one horse being Peggotty, by Wrack from a Nelson Bingen mare Butterick had bought for just four guineas. Behrns trained her for seven successive races, and at 9 she won the 1941 Dominion Handicap. He was private trainer for Percy Watson after that; Alladin and Inglewood were two good horses he trained in the 1950s, and Cardinal King was the stable star in the 60s. The trotter Doctor Kyle won 12, Space Cadet included the New Brighton Cup among his 9 wins; Why Bill won 12; Waitaki Elect won seven as a 3-year-old, including the two mile Hororata Cup from Dutch Courage, and Bye Bye Bill won five after standing at stud in Australia and joining Behrns when he was eight. Jack is survived by two daughters and three sons, all trainers, Tom, Irvin and Robbie. Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 14Feb89 YEAR: 1989 PEOPLE Allan Holmes, son of the legendary Free Holmes and brother of 'the Maestro' Maurice, died last Wednesday. He was 78. Allan became the equal-youngest reinsman to drive a NZ Cup winner when at age 21 he partnered Harold Logan, then trained by Dick Humphreys, to win the Cup from 60 yards. He joined James Bryce jnr, who was the same age when he drove the 1923 NZ Cup winner Great Hope. Mr Holmes, won his second NZ Cup with Gold Bar, who he bred and trained. Gold Bar, who became the first NZ-bred pacer to break 2:00 for a mile with a 1:59.6 time-tial at Addington in 1942, won the Cup at his fifth attempt. The Grattan Loyal entire netted 22 victories in all, and later became a successful sire. Mr Holmes was joint leading reinsman in the 1945/46 season, during which he drove Great Northern Derby winner, Local Gold. He at one stage employed notable Templeton trainer Derek Jones. Mr Holmes part-owned and trained NZ Derby winners Congo Song and Blue. Congo Song later won an Inter-Dominion heat; Blue was renowned for setting a world mile record for a yearling of 2:09.2, and ran fourth as a 3-year-old in an Auckland Cup. He also had shares in 1952 Dominion Handicap winner Precaution, and 1987 NZ Trotting Stakes victor, Kami. The last good horse he trained was Brase, who won eight including the Forbury 4-year-old Championship. Credit: NZ HRWeekly 14Mar98 YEAR: 1989 INTERDOMINIONS YEAR: 1989 HORSES
After 26 years at stud in New Zealand, the vastly-successful imported stallion Lumber Dream has been withdrawn from service. Although still in good health at 31, Lumber Dream is no longer fertile and will spend the rest of his days at North Canterbury's Stonegate Stud. Lumber Dream, a son of Knight Dream, sired 39 who rated 2:00 or better. His star performer was the free-legged pacer Robalan (1:57.6) who won the NZ Cup; another was Preux Chevalier (1:54.3, Aust), now at stud. Other big winners sired by Lumber Dream were Westburn Vue, the good trotter Maudey, Dream Lustre, Guard Of Honour, Lucy Lumber, Tokorangi, Rocky Tryax, Dreamy Guy, Dreaming Neebray, Gentle Lumber (1:55.4,US), La Sharee (1:56.5,Aust), Brookfield (1:56.6,US), Josias and Best Dream. Lumber Dream became leading broodmare sire in the 1984-85 season, with 34 winners of 79 races. This was the 4-year-old season of Roydon Glen, who supplied $235,865 of the $487,335 won by horses from Lumber Dream-sired mares. Others that season were Rollicking Dean, Maureen's Dream, Skipper Dale, Empire Lobell, Hondo's Dream, Free's Best and Fredrick. Westburn Grant, Defoe, Cardinal Star, Lord Lenny, Yankee Loch, Khmer Jitsu, Lookahead, Tuapeka Knight, Paleface Bubble, Quite Famous, Steady Lady, Betty Adios, Cyllarus, Newt, Dictatorship, Sapling, Bronze Trail, Classic Fella and Scottish Loch are other top- liners from mares by Lumber Dream. Credit: NZ HRWeekly 15Nov89 YEAR: 1989 HORSES
Grand trotter Jenner, hero of 33 wins from 185 starts over 10 seasons for $281,005, has been retired. The 11-year-old Game Pride gelding will make his final track appearance leading out the field for the $125,000 FAI/Metlife Rowe Cup in Auckland on May 20. He will be kept in light work, training with the Kenwood Stud yearling band at Cambridge under the supervision of his breeder and master, Charlie Hunter. Jenner has been a special favourite of Hunter's from the day he was foaled. This is not surprising, as his third dam, Royal Charge, raced and trained by his father, the late Jack Hunter of Lower Hutt, on lease from Christchurch breeder the late Clarry Rhodes, gave Charlie his initial winning drive. Permitted to breed a foal from Royal Charge, Jack Hunter put her to U Scott to produce Min Scott. Raced by Charlie's mother, Min Scott was guided by Charlie to win the 1963 Dominion Handicap at Addington, giving him his first important big-race victory. His accomplishment of being a winner in 10 consecutive seasons is a record for a standardbred in NZ - approached only by pacers Lordship and Tactician (nine consequtive seasons), while among the trotters Fantom and Johnny Gee are next best with consecutive wins in eight seasons apiece. Raced by Hunter's wife Annette and Jeanne Meale, wife of Kenwood co-director Brian Meale, Jenner was as honest as they come. Until jarring up on hard tracks late in his career, he had no hang-ups apart from a hind fetlock injury that kept him out of the 1985 Rowe Cup. He won 20 races at Alexandra Park, six at Cambridge, four at Addington and three at Claudelands. He trotted a mile in 2:01.5 winning the Thames Rhodes Memorial as an 8-year-old, and was placed in 4:11.8 for 3200. Hunter drove him to 19 wins, John Langdon to six, Grant Payne to three, Gary Smith to two and Barry Anderson, Kerry O'Reilly and Jack Smolenski to one each. Apart from Hunter, Jack Carmichael, Gary Smith and Peter Wolfenden trained him at different times. While Carmichael didn't drive him to a win, he trained him for victories in the Trotting Championship and Ordeal Cup. Credit: Ron Bisman writing in HRWeekly 3May89 YEAR: 1989 HORSES YEAR: 1989 FEATURE RACE COMMENT
Not since Dictation took nearly 10 seconds off the record for winning the Dominion Handicap has there been such a pronounced improvement in time as the one Tobago posted. In warm, near perfect weather conditions, and on a track tailored to meet such accomplishments, Tobago came through 3200m in 4:08.4. To do this, he was not alone at the end of the $150,000 TV3 Network Dominion Handicap. Those who pressed him without mercy were Directorship, who was just a nose from taking $97,500 and old Troppo, the veteran of 117 starts, who looked in for the kill 50 metres from the finish. Tobago and Directorship had the best trips of all. Both were in midfield on the outer, and neither were used to the extent of Drott Moss and Idle Scott, who were baked before the turn after spending a great deal of energy making their runs in the middle stages. While the two northerners battled so hard to gain a toehold in the race, Troppo remained back and was still almost last at the 500 metres. By then the cracks had started to appear and first Tobago, then Directorship moved to open them up. Once the pair drew clear, the table seemed set, until Troppo began to thread his way after them, going at what seemed a winning rate. But he set his compass on the rail and the angle of this passage over the last 50 metres might have cost him a closer placing. As it was, he probably came up short just a few strides from the finish, but added to the chorus of an exciting end to a record race. The favourite Tyron Scottie ran 7th after leading at the 2000m and trailing at the 1400m. "He felt uncomfortable after a furlong," said driver Patrick O'Reilly jun. When Dictation won the Dominion in 1950, he recorded 4:16.6. The previous best then was the 4:26.2 set by Wrackler in 1932. Before Tobago's 4:08.4, the record was Scotch Tar's 1978 4:11.6, which, when record changes are usually measured nowdays in 10ths, is quite a remarkable reduction. Of course, Tobago always had a time like this in him. Earlier this season, he became the first trotter in New Zealand to run a mile in less than 2:00, which he did at Ashburton in 1:59.3. Tobago is a seven-year-old son of Game Pride and Ann's Globe, a mare by Johnny Globe. He is small but compact; a bay of good colour. His mother was raced by Harold and Joan Jenkins, the parents of Tobago's present owners, Ray Jenkins and his sister Diane Kean. The senior Jenkins raced Our Jimmy from Bob Young's stable when he finished fourth in the Dominion Handicap won by Min Scott in 1963. Ann's Globe was tried as a pacer by Les Norman, but it wasn't until she entered the stable of Arthur and Maurice Skinner and switched to trotting that she revealed ability. "I think they had only had her about six weeks when she won at Roxburgh for Henry Skinner," said Ray. Ann's Globe went on to win six races, including two in Canterbury when trained by Jack Carmichael. On retiring, the Jenkins gave the mare to Ray and Diane for breeding. "It's a real family thing with us. They are getting on, and they probably thought we are a bit more up with the breeding now," he said. "The thing with Tobago is that he just didn't stop...he could just keep on going. I put that down to the Johnny Globe blood coming through...they've got the guts. With Tobago now, we'll go for it. He'll race at Auckland next and there's the $100,000 bonus if he wins either two of the Inter-Dominion Grand Final, the National Trot or the Rowe Cup this season," he said. Ann's Globe is not in foal, and it is very unlikely the two partners will use her this season. "We are considering lending her out, but we can't say to just who at the moment," said Ray. Among the mares being sent to stud by the family this season are Montego (Sir Dalrae-Ann's Globe), Globe Pride, Blue Nun (dam of French Wine) and Beat The Freeze, the latter three all booked to Chiola Hanover. Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HR Weekly YEAR: 1989 FEATURE RACE COMMENT
Vic Frost said it all..."this horse is outstanding. It's unfair to compare your three-year-olds with him." Someone had asked Vic if he had been disappointed the New Zealand three-year-olds had not given Westburn Grant more of a run for it in the John Brandon 30 New Zealand Derby. Captain Lee had just run his last 800 metres a little outside 56 to finish second. It was a gallant run from a c3 horse, yet he was nearly nine lengths from the winner at the end. Hammer clung to the rail and just lasted for third, Bardolino had it hard in the open, but he was there at the gong and Inky Lord, far back at the 500m and not the horse he was, got past tiring runners in the straight. Vic made no disparaging remarks about the quality of the country's best three-year-olds. All he would say about the opposition Westburn Grant treated so arrogantly was: "I thought they might have stuck with me for a while." Westburn Grant left the barrier in a blur. Vic managed to ease him near the 2000m. The others caught their breath and waited for Vic's second attack. About to let loose near the 800m, Vic decided to hold back. He had Hammer, an unknown quantity, on his back. A bit further on, he put his foot to the floor. Within a few seconds, there was a lone horse and a bunch of nine. The lone horse was widening a gap and the others couldn't find the legs to draw him in. The fact that Westburn Grant won by such a margin was no surprise; anything less would have been an anti-climax. Those who have maintained Westburn Grant is up to the best in Australia and New Zealand now have a following, but Vic will see he is looked after. Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HR Weekly
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