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ROY PURDON

No trainer in the history of horse training in NZ can match Roy Purdon's 14 premierships, and only Gore galloping trainer Rex Cochrane (1265) wins can boast a better tally than Purdon's 1146 wins to date.

Only one other standardbred trainer (the late Cecil Donald) has topped the 1000 mark. In a career spanning 51 years, Donald topped the national trainer's list nine times, hit the 1000 mark in 1972 and geared up a total of 1025 NZ winners, plus a good few in Australia. Cochrane became the first galloping trainer to reach four figures - in 1980. The late Bill Sanders of Te Awamutu, the late Eric Temperton of Awapuni and Matamata's Dave O'Sullivan were the only other galloping trainers to have topped the thousand mark. Gore's Eric Winsloe is another galloping trainer knocking on the door of the "1000 club".

Roy Purdon, now 60, began training in 1953, and between 1959 and 1963 gave it away while developing a farm property. To have done what he has in the space of 34 years with a four season lay-off is remarkable, even comsidering the fact that there are many more races to be won now than in the old days. No other trainer harness racing or galloping has tallied 100 wins in a season, whereas Roy and Barry notched 102 victories in the season just ended. What is more remarkable is Roy's streak of 13 premiership wins in the last 13 years. He first topped the list in 1970-71, then four seasons later shared the title with Charlie Hunter, each with a record 67 wins. Since then, Roy has been unchallenged at the top, the last 10 years in partnership with his son Barry.

Roy's 1000th winner came on September 21, 1985, in the form of the Max Harvey-owned filly Kiwi River. It has been claimed that he reached the milestone 10 wins earlier, but that was in the misunderstanding that he had trained 10 winners in 1960/61, when in fact that was his winning-drive tally for that term. Roy would have been the last one to worry about breaking records or to have any bad feelings about not winning the Racing Writers' 1986/87 Personality of the Year award, which went to Matamata thoroughbred trainer, Jim Gibbs.

The irony of it is that he is one person who so richly deserves this honour, but it has eluded him in the past, and now again this year. And this despite capping his accomplishments with a national record 102 winners - 27 more than the previous record of 75, held by himself and Barry since 1982/83. For Roy is indeed a personality; and nobody could be more co-operative with the media - or anyone else for that matter. "One of nature's gentlemen" is a description bandied around somewhat, but, in the case of Roy Purdon, it couldn't be more accurate.

In the long years I have known him I have never caught him not wearing that friendly smile of his, and have never heard a mean word pass his lips. He is popular with everyone who has anything to do with him and, despite his long and continuing success, he is completely down to earth; just one of the boys, be it race-night, a black-tie dinner, or round his busy stables.

One of a famous NZ trotting family, Roy started out in the game as a 17-year-old just after World War II, when his father, the late Hugh Purdon, was given a few horses to train by the famous horseman of his day, the late F J ("Wizard") Smith. Hugh Purdon leased a property at New Lynn, and, with Roy as his right-hand man, their venture into the harness racing sport began. It was a hard struggle. As well as aiding his dad, Roy had a night-shift job, so was kept constantly busy. Father and son battled along, and gradually their team of horses increased, leading them to lease boxes at Mt Roskill from trotting enthusiast Alf Taylor.

With the Purdon team on the increase, a bigger set up was necessary, so Hugh then rented the Mangere property of Brian and Ash Ogilvie. Purdon-trained winners were by this time becoming more frequent, and, after two more years, the Purdons purchased a property at Pukekohe. Roy stayed with his father about four and a half more years before branching out on his own.

His first break came when Doug McAlpine offered Roy a property at Te Awamutu with a five-furlong track. Roy accepted and with a team of six horses began making his imprint upon the list of NZ's trotting trainers. Success came within three months, and he was on his way. Roy rates Te Koi and Ruth Again as his best early winners. Te Koi, a big gelding by Ubakim from the good mare Te Huarau, won six races for the young trainer before it joined the Templeton team of Wes Butt, for whom he went on to gain Cup-class status. Ruth Again, by Dillon Hall from Girl Black, was another who kept the Purdon flag flying high; and she became a good broodmare.

When he had been training a year, Roy married Margaret Hughes, sister of Pukekohe horseman Jack Hughes, and a nationally prominent golfer. With Margaret at his side, Roy continued to go from strength to strength in the profession that has been the livelihood of so many Purdon family members throughout NZ - including his brothers Sandy and Les, who have both enjoyed their share of success as northern professional trainers.

The inception of night trotting in Auckland (on New Year's Eve 1958) prompted Roy to move closer to the hub of the sport, and in 1959 he purchased 10 acres alongside the Pukekohe training track. With Arnie Gadsby as his foreman, Roy soon had a team of between 20 and 25 in work at Pukekohe, with the first star of his stable Governor Frost, winner of 14 races for Waiuku owner Charlie Hadley. "The Governor's" wins included a heat of the 1968 Inter-Dominion Championship series in Auckland, in the Grand Final of which, he finished fifth after pulling a flat tyre for the last mile and a quarter.

Roy first won the Great Northern Derby in 1958 with Charlie Blackwell's Call Boy, the won it again with Governor Frost in 1966 - driven by Peter Wolfenden, who became first driver for Roy's stable. The Purdon/Wolfenden combination dominated northern harness racing through the 1970s, but in more recent years, Roy's sons Barry, Owen and Mark and son-in-law Tony Herlihy have done the bulk of the Purdon stable driving, with Brent Mangos chipping in with some fine reinsmanship behind Luxury Liner among others. Wolfenden, his own sons Glen and Ross maturing into the game, has set up as a trainer in his own right and in recent years has been faring very well on a scale a bit smaller than that of Roy's.

Roy recalls his first winning drive was behind a horse called Whistler, trained by his father, and with whom he scored at Awapuni in April, 1949. His last driving win at a tote meeting was with Jack Sprat at Alexandra Park on November 14, 1970. A hip injury shortly after this forced an early retirement from race driving; but he soon became to recognise this as a bonus. It was allowing him to pay more attention to the training side and the detail of harnessing-up and other vital perparation on race-nights. Lonesome Valley, Charlie's Task, Swartze Pete and the good mare Scottish Charm were just some of the topliners trained by Roy at Pukekohe.

In 1972, he purchased his present-day establishment at Clevedon, with it's 900-metre track originally laid by Monty and Sonny Baker. Ably assisted by sons Owen (who started work with his dad when the family moved to Clevedon) and Barry (who joined the stable in 1973 after two years with Charlie Hunter at Cambridge), Roy continued in the limelight. Purdon stars in the 1970s - generally with Wolfenden at the helm - included 1977 NZ Cup and 1978 Auckland Cup winner Sole Command, and 1977 Rowe Cup winner Framalda. Melton Monarch won the 1981 Great Northern Derby and the NZ Messenger the following season with Barry the driver, while Wolfenden quided the Max Harvey-owned Billbob to his $100,000 2-year-old Sires' Stakes Final win in 1984, Tony Herlihy piloted the Harvey-owned Comedy Lad to his 1986 Auckland Cup win, and Brent Mangos did the honours at top level last season with Luxury Liner.

With Owen now branched out on his own (occupying the Pukekohe property that Roy trained from in the 1960s), the current set-up at Clevedon includes Roy, Barry and Mark Purdon and Tony Herlihy, with six other assistants. At the moment, 38 horses are being worked and major improvements and upgrading are being carried out on the 20-hectare property. Roy, who was assisted by Mark in training for a few years at Ruby Lodge, Ardmore, intends making the Clevedon property a similarly impressive showplace.

Having done most everything there is to do in the sport, Roy's main ambition is to train an Inter-Dominion Grand Champion. Sole Command, whom he part-owned, represented him in two Grand Finals, but had bad luck both times. Roy came closest to an Inter-Dominion title in 1975 in Auckland when he produced Hi Foyle and Irish Kiwi, second and fourth respectively behind Young Quinn.


Credit: Ron Bisman writing in HRWeekly 9Sep87

PEOPLE

ALEC PURDON

The retirement of former leading trainer Alec Purdon passed just the way he wanted it...quietly.

An unassuming gentleman, Alec had slipped from the limelight in recent years after losing the services of brilliant pacer, Master Dean.

Never one to hog the headlines anyway, Alec went about the task of getting smart trotter Game Way back in racing trim. The stallion had been put aside with leg problems soon after dead-heating for third with No Response in the Dominion Handicap in November.

Leading trainer in the 1953-54 season with 29 wins, Alec trained a succession of smart pacers and trotters, beginning in the early 1950s with Imperial Trust, Onward, Poranui and Prince Charming. Later he handled good sorts Zany(1957 NZ Oaks), Annual Report(1959 Dominion Handicap), Gay Robin, Smokey Express, Our Tim(1959 New Brighton Cup), Cloudage(1964 Rangiora Cup), Superfortress, Cherry Queen(1955 Reefton Cup) and True Friend(1955 Marlborough Cup).

Around the same time he produced Master Dean to win 17 races including the 1976 NZ Free-For-All and Pan Am Mile he also had speedy types Master Leon and Arden Bay. Master Dean, who won in 1:57.3, is one of the fastest pacers this country has produced.

Born in Glasgow in 1915, Alec came to NZ when only four and after trying his luck as an apprentice jockey, turned to trotting, working for Gladdy McKendry, Vic Alborn and Colin Berkett before going it alone. Alec has the distinction of winning his last drive - Bonaparte in a maiden trot at Addington in July, 1980.

Dave Cannan: DB Trotting Annual 1981

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One of Canterbury's more proficient horsemen, seen at his peak in the 1950s, Alexander (Alec) Purdon died in Christchurch recently following a short illness. He was 70.

After experience with noted conditioners Bill Tomkinson, Gladdy McKendry and Vic Alborn, Purdon enjoyed a successful association with the late Colin Berkett, which in no small way contributed to Berkett heading the national list of winning trainers in 1947/48 and 1948/49.

Purdon set up as a professional trainer in the early 1950s on a property purchased by long-time Trotting Conference executive member, the late Bill Desmond. He eventually took the property over himself, and in 1953/54 he topped the trainer's list. Alec's important training and/or driving wins included the 1957 NZ Oaks and Ashburton Cup with Zany, the 1959 Dominion Handicap with Annual Report, New Brighton Cup with Our Tim and NZ Free-For-All and Pan Am Miracle Mile with Mister Dean. Other good winners Purdon trained included Smokey Express, Superfortress, Thurber Command, Cloudage, Onward, Double Cross, Grand Charge, Poranui and Game Way.

Alec is suvived by two daughters, Elaine and Janice.


Credit: HRWeekly 19Mar87

PEOPLE

BRUCE WOODS

A gap will be created at the top NZ harness racing administrative level that will be extremely hard to fill when Bruce Woods of Prebbleton follows his plans to move with his wife Colleen to live in Queensland. Due to depart in April, Bruce is relinquishing his posts as Treasurer of the NZ Trotting Conference, director of Addington Raceway and committeeman of the New Brighton Club, not to mention various positions on harness racing-affiliated organisations. He first joined the Conference executive six-years-ago; he is a past-chairman of Addington Raceway; he is a past-president of New Brighton and has been chairman of its programme committee for some 15 years.

"I haven't got a horse left, I have sold the lot," said Bruce. "I've had this move in mind for years. There's not a lot more I can do here - I've been involved with the sport every which way, and I want now to try a change of pace. I don't intend to drop my trotting interests, and, possibly, I'll become embroiled in it all over there - not that I'm going out of my way to do this. But I've a feeling that is what could well happen."

On the practical side, Woods was licensed as a stablehand in 1943 before getting his amateur trainer's licence, while he has contributed greatly to the installation and improvement of various harness racing tracks.

Born next to the Addington course, Woods grew up with the sport. He remembers crawling through a hole in the fence as a 9-year-old to see Pot Luck and Maurice Holmes win the first Inter-Dominion Final at Addington in 1938. Soon after, Bruce lived at Templeton with Dick Humphreys - "a great horseman" - who let him take his first horse into the birdcage. That was Cantata, who finished second to Lucky Jack in the 1939 NZ Cup. Cantata's stablemate Blair Athol finished third.

Woods learned the rudiments of educating, training and driving not only from Humphreys but also a string of fine horsemen associated with Humphreys, including Jack Pringle, Howie Smith, Wes Butt, Doug Watts, Alan Fields, Jack McLennan, Gordon Collinson and Snow Upton. In 1943, Bruce began working full time for Methvem breeder-trainer Andy Wilson. "My first job there was taking Loyal Friend, who was owned and trained by Andy, up for the 1943 Auckland Cup. He won, with Bill Doyle at the helm. Andy had a top trotter in Royal Worthy. He used to be driven by Free Holmes or 'F G' Holmes, who seemed to get on with him best. A lot of times he never went away. He had 30-odd starts and won 15. He remains one of the best trotters I've seen and I'm sure he would measure up to today's best. Realm Again, a Jack Potts horse, was another fine performer of Andy's."

After four years at Methven, Woods returned to Halswell, just down the road from Addington, to work for Howie Smith, who was to the fore at the time with good pacer Navigate among others. On marrying, Bruce embarked on a more dependable vocation, general contracting in the earth-moving line, gleaning considerable expertise that would serve him in assisting with developing racetracks later on. "But I retained an interest in the horses. Over all the years until the present, I have been very closely associated with Felix Newfield. We went to school and worked a milkround together. He has trained and driven horses over many years for me.The best of these would be the trotter Power Cut, which I trained and either Felix or Fraser Kirk drove. The best horse I actually ever had was Lunar Chance, who I trained on lease from Keith Lawlor after he had won the 1975 NZ Cup. For me he was second in the New Brighton Cup (clocking 4:06.6) before going to the States."

Bruce in his youth at one point worked a stint with Jack Fraser, who often drove champion Indianapolis for Bill Tomkinson and subsequently trained gallopers. He was associated briefly with the top flat performers Bruce and Finalist, and the very good jumper The Vulture.

Another part of the Woods story is the chapter over the past eight or nine years in which he has built horse floats. He boasts that he has been responsible for something like 190 of these that are on the roads. In hotels for a few years (Avonhead Tavern, Esplanade, Black Horse, Blenheim Road Motor Inn), Bruce has led a more settled existence over the last 15 years at Prebbleton, where he has "bred and raced the odd horse or two". The best horse Bruce has seen? "Highland Fling"

For some 15 years, Woods has contributed his knowledge significantly to the development and improvement of tracks around NZ. He served as consultant to the Racing Authority in the establishment of the Ruakaka, Greymouth, Rangiora and Timaru tracks, and has also assisted in several other areas where advice was required, more notably at Manawatu.

In association with Addington course superintendent Charlie Anderson, he mastermined the reconstruction of the Addington racing strip around 1970. "We felt sure our work would make it a top track," said Bruce. "This has been proved. Vin Knight (Bag Limit, Alpine Fella), who is tops in his own right in Australia, told me Addington is two seconds faster than Moonee Valley - and that is saying something because Moonee Valley is pretty quick."

Credit: Ron Bisman writing in HRWeekly 26Mar87

PEOPLE

FG Holmes pictured with the 1935 Wellington & Auckland Cups won by Graham Direct and Adorian's 53 NZ Cup

FREEMAN (FG) HOLMES

Freeman (FG) Holmes, who died in Christchurch last week aged 88, apart from being one of NZ's most accomplished and successful horsemen, was an enigma. Many of the old school have insisted he was every bit as gifted a reinsman as his famous brother Maurice. His record leaves no doubt that he was not only a top driver but also an outstanding trainer.

'FG' was a loner; an introvert who shunned publicity and well wishers, and was very selective about who he even spoke to. He was harder to get on with when he'd just won a race than when he had been tipped out from a favourite. Yet catch him in the right moment and he would chat the breeze for as long as you would care to listen - and listening to him could at times be very enlightening and rewarding. Besides breeding, racing, training and driving, he had other pet pursuits, high among them hunting and shooting. He was also, in his early days, a fine athlete.

The writer well recalls as a junior in the racing department of "The Press", Christchurch, in November, 1953, calling on 'FG' at home at West Eyreton a few hours after his NZ Cup win with Adorian, in the hope of getting a feature story to phone through in time to make the next morning's paper. People were phoning to congratulate the family. Freeman refused to be called to the phone. "Don't ask them here," he insisted. "We're not having a party." Trying to get the background to Adorian from him was nigh on impossible. He insisted, with that curious humour of his, that I sang a song before he would tell me anything. When I obliged, instead of telling me about Adorian, he played for me, over and over, a record of an Australian race in which, in a skirmish with top Sydney driver Jack Watts, 'FG' had been tipped out over the rail and quite seriously injured. "He's a bloody good driver, that Jack Watts," said Freeman each time we listened to the incident. I finally got some sort of story from him - which took some working out as he spoke of horses, mares, colts and fillies without bothering about their registered racing names.

'FG' was the first son of the famous Free Holmes to come to prominence. Insofar as NZ horse racing is concerned, the Holmes saga began with Freeman Senior. Born on a farm near Ashburton in 1871, he was, as a rising 12-year-old five-stone stripling, pressed into service, because of a shortage of jockeys, to ride, laden with "ballast," in an Ashburton galloping event - which he duly won. "Old Free" as he ultimately became reverently known to the racing and trotting fraternities in NZ, successfully rode gallopers on the flat, and over jumps, and then became a prominent trainer and owner of thoroughbreds.

Turning his hand to the sister sport of trotting, Free became a leading saddle exponent, driver, trainer, importer and breeder. Race driving until he was 73, Free continued to train, and when well into his 80s was training - and riding to and from Riccarton racecourse from his property nearby - the thoroughbred Tarantella, owned by his then teenage grandson Graham (son of FG), and a winner for them.

Of Free's four sons, first Freeman, then Maurice, then Allan became actively involved as drivers and branched out to become trainers in their own right. Walter stayed at home, assisting with the stud side of Free's activities. 'FG' was a proficient jockey. He was 13 when he won the Apprentice's Plate at Wingatui in February, 1913, and subsequently won several hurdles and flat events. He first drew attention to himself riding saddle winner Law Chimes at the 1916 NZ Cup carnival. Two years later he finished third with Sungod in Author Dillon's NZ Cup.

Freeman's first classic win came in the fourth edition of the Auckland Trotting Club's Great Northern Derby in 1919, driving Lady Swithin for successful Ashburton owner and administrator H F Nicoll, later to become long-time president of the NZ Trotting Conference. In 1921, then aged 22, Freeman drove Sherwood to win the NZ Cup for owner S G Lemon. After a protest alleging interference by Holmes to the previous year's winner, straight-out trotter Reta Peter (whom he beat by two lengths), Sherwood was relegated to second and Holmes was fined £25. The incident was hotly debated for years by many who saw the race. And, when, 32 years later, 'FG' trained and drove his own good horse Adorian to win the 1953 NZ Cup, he seized the opportunity at the presentation to insist again that he should not have been disqualified with Sherwood. "It was unjust," he said.

'FG' drove NZ Sapling Stakes winners Richore (1926), Sonoma Child (1928), Captain Morant (1942)and Forward (1951). He won the NZ-GN Derbies double in 1927 with J Washington's Daphne de Oro, drove J Duffy's Native Chief to win the NZ Free-For-All that year and was the nation's leading reinsman of 1927/28 with 33 wins. He trained Graham Direct to win the 1935 Auckland Trotting Cup for J Westerman (driven by his father, Free) and drove him himself to win the 1938 NZ Trotting Gold Cup at Wellington. He won two further NZ Derbies with Bonny Bridge (1943) and Blue (1958).

Much of the credit for tough NZ-bred gelding Captain Sandy becoming the first two-time Inter-Dominion Grand Champion must go to 'FG'. At the 1950 series in Melbourne, with regular pilot James Bryce junior suspended, FG Holmes filled the breach and from the awkward 24yd mark got him into the final by gaining a fourth and a third in the heats. But Holmes himself was suspended on the third night for alleged interference to swift Melbourne Claude Derby. Jack Watts replaced 'FG' and Captain Sandy won the Grand Final by a head from Globe Direct, trained and driven by Freeman's brother, Maurice. At the same carnival, brother Allan won a Consolation with Congo Song.

At the 1953 Inter-Dominions in Perth, Freeman again did most to get Captain Sandy in the Grand Final, finishing fourth with him the first night and second in fastest time the second night. Committed to drive good NZ mare Blue Mist (with whom he won on the first two nights) in the Grand Final, Freeman had a rocky run with her on the way to finishing fifth. His replacement behind Captain Sandy, West Australian Bob Pollock junior, emerged triumphant.

'FG's 1953 NZ Cup winner Adorian was one of four good winners he and Miss P Norton bred from a very good mare for them, Coquette. Miss Norton and 'Old Free' bred Coquette by Free's importation Grattan Loyal from Bonny Logan, daughter of Free's importations Logan Pointer and Bonilene. Racing from three to ten years, Bonny Logan won 14 races for Free and his principal stable patron W H Norton, then produced nine live foals, eight of them winners. 'FG' raced and trained Coquette for eight wins including the 1942 National Cup. Apart from Adorian, Coquette's only other three foals were top winners for 'FG' in the shape of Vigilant, Morano and Forward.

In a memorable contest for the 1951 Canterbury Park Juvenile Stakes at Addington, 'FG' was skittled and tipped from Forward's sulky at the start, ran with the colt holding on to his reins for some fifty yards, climbed back into the cart, wheeled the field in the last half-mile and won. In 1953, 'FG' drove Brahman, son of the first two NZ-bred 2:00 pacers Gold Bar and Haughty, to an Australasian record 2:02.2 time trial as a two-year-old. In 1957 he drove Blue, trained and part-owned by his brother Allan, to a world yearling record of 2:09.2. Both marks lasted for more than 20 years.

In the 1960's, 'FG' became associated with champion trotter Ordeal. Seven before she won a race, she was handed to him after five wins for Reefton trainer Charlis Murcott. She won two more as a seven-year-old under Holmes. After having a season off to have a mystery foal that was destroyed because the sire was unknown, she returned to racing as a nine-year-old. Her next victories under Freeman were the Worthy Queen-Dominion Handicap double at Addington. She went on to win the 1961 Rowe Cup (driven by Maurice Holmes from 78yds in a national record 4:14), and wound up winning in America.

In later years, Holmes dabbled as an amateur trainer of gallopers, winning with good chaser Hogan. His last racing win came with Delargey at Wingatui in October,1980.

'FGs' sons Freeman ('FL') and the late Graham Holmes followed in the footstep of their father, uncles and grandfather as prominent horsemen, and 'FL' has been associated as part-owner, trainer, driver and now studmaster of a modern-day champion, Noodlum.

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'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 30May51

If you read about it in a Nat Could or Edgar Wallace racing thriller you wouldn't believe it, which only goes to prove that fiction, after all, is not such a complete stranger to the truth!

It happened at Addington on Saturday (May 26): the race, the Juvenile Handicap, the horse, Forward, and the hero of the piece F G Holmes, trainer-driver of Forward.

When the barriers were released, Centennial Hall swung across and tipped up Forward's sulky on its side, throwing Holmes on to the ground. With the field well on the way, Forward instinctively went after them. Holmes, holding firmly on the reins, was smartly on his feet, and he secured a tenuous hold on Forward's sulky with one hand while holding the reins in the other.

For upwards of 50yds, Holmes was forced to put in some giant strides to keep up with Forward, and he eventually managed to get one foot in the sulky, followed immediately by the other; by the time he was seated safely again the leaders must have been 60yds in front of him; it was a wonder he retrieved the situation with no greater loss of ground.

The majority of the public had not been unaware of the incident, and Holmes was warmly applauded on passing the stands the first time round. Excitement mounted as Forward improved his position and hotly challenged the leaders with two furlongs to go. Wide out, he strode to the front at the distance and won full of running.

It was an astonishing recovery, to say the least. Most of the people who made him hot favourite must have been persuaded that all chance had vanished when Holmes was deposited on the ground at the outset. Presence of mind, a full measure of grit and determination, and an ounce of luck were the main ingredients in perhaps the most dramatic spill and its sequel ever seen at Addington; it at least ranks equal to Indianapolis's win in the Christchurch Handicap at Addington in 1934 with a broken hopple.


Credit: Ron Bisman writing in HRWeekly 4Jun87

PEOPLE

"SNOW" WHITFORD

After bravely fighting cancer for several years, "Snow" Whitford, one of Canterbury's more colourful harness racing identities, died in Christchurch last week, two days short of his 77th birthday.

"Snow" will best be remembered as the trainer of the smart pacer Sam Tryax, whom he raced with his wife Laurel. But his connection with horse racing in NZ went much deeper than that, and began when as a 12-year-old he commenced working near Yaldhurst in the stable of a famous horseman, the late James ("Scotty") Bryce. With that experience as a foundation, "Snow" Whitford became a successful jockey and then a successful thoroughbred trainer, one of his best galloping recruits being Accountant. Apart from Sam Tryax, other winners including Star Globe and Charles Twinkle gave the Whitford colours prominence in the trotting sport.

Sam Tryax, by the Hal Tryax horse Lucky Tryax from Scotland's Pride mare Preferable, was arguably the best juvenile of his time. He won an unprecedented eight of his nine two-year-old starts in the 1968/9 season, then three of his eight starts at three before going amiss. He came back at four, and while only able to win once made it a significant victory, taking out the NZ Messenger Handicap at Auckland. His final race win was as a 5-year-old in the 1971 National Handicap at Addington. Doug Watts, Derek Jones, Peter Wolfenden and Barry Anderson were among the drivers of Whitford winners.

Mrs Whitford, also claimed by cancer, died about two years ago, and "Snow" has bequeathed his handsome home on the Cashmere Hills to be utilised as a hospice for cancer sufferers. Last year, knowing of his illness, "Snow" purchased a showcase for the NZ Trotting Hall of Fame and despatched to the society various cups, trophies, photographs, ribbons and other material relating to his winning moments in the sport, to be displayed in his memory.

Credit: HRWeekly 16Jul87

INTERDOMINIONS

INTER-DOMINION

Never before in the history of Inter-Dominion conflict has the cream of NZ pacing and trotting talent been so comprehensively beaten on its own soil as last Saturday night at Addington.

It was all "Waltzing Matilda" as Victorian 4-year-old Lightning Blue, Paleface Bubble fron New South Wales and Queensland's Sunset Candios outgunned the Kiwis (headed by Skipper Dale, Luxury Liner and Master Mood) in the $350,000 1987 Lion Brown Inter-Dominion Pacing Championship Grand Final. It was "Irish Eyes Are Smiling" for Lightning Blue's likeable Melton trainer/driver Jim O'Sullivan who produced a 100% result also carrying off the First Consolation with the Grand Champion's stablemate Quite Famous.

And it was "Victorious Victoria" as Game Ebony, trained and driven by Dick Lee, triumphed gallantly in the $35,000 Curtins Farm Trotting Free-For-All, thereby halting the outstanding winning streak of champion NZ mare Tussle. The only crumb from "the Met's" lavishly-laid Inter-Dominion table salvaged on the night for NZ was Saucy Star's win for the Ian Cameron stable in the Second Consolation. And, on reflection, the Kiwis were probably saved from a complete whitewash by the fact that Lightning Blue had the wonderful fortune to graduate from Saucy Star's race into the Grand Final with the scratching from the big event of Lightning Blue's arch rival, the brilliant fellow Victorian Bag Limit.

"Thank goodness they didn't bring any 3-year-olds over here," said Tai Tapu trainer Bill Denton at the end of the night. He was inferring, no doubt, that Emcee, his stable's winner of the $25,000 National Bloodstock 3-Year-Old Championship, as impressive as he was, was probably lucky he had to face no opposition from across the Tasman.

Not counting Junior's Image (who won and was disqualified on dope charges in 1971), this was Australia's first Pacing Grand Final win in six series at Addington. But they have had better luck at Auckland, scoring with First Lee in 1968 and Gammalite in 1983, and Australian stables have produced the winners of the eight Pacing Grand Finals at other venues since Rondel scored for NZ at the previous Addington Inter-Dominions eight years back.

Admittedly, the three latest Grand Champions - Preux Chevalier, Village Kid and now Lightning Blue - were all bred in NZ; and this is going to have an excellent spin-off from the point of view of Australian demand for our stock. But what must be a source of consternation to the NZ harness racing fraternity in general is the supremacy of the Australians over us now showing on the results board. The honours list reveals that the Inter-Dominions have been run 46 times; NZ has produced 13 outright Grand Champions as well as the 1965 Dunedin deadheaters; Australia's tally now advances to 32 - New South Wales and Victoria eight apiece, South Australia and West Australia six each, Tasmania four. NZ produced six of the first 10 Pacing Grand Final winners, and from 1960 to 1965 it had three outright winners and two deadheaters. This was the purple patch for us.

What do we have to do to reassume such dominance? It could well be that, with such a busier roster of feature racing from State to State for the top horses, and with competition for these so fierce, the Australian horses have to train and race harder a lot more often than is the case here. Vinny Knight, at one stage of the Addington carnival, when speaking admiringly of his outstanding representative Bag Limit (who must have been the one to beat had he not been forced by injury to stand down from the Final) referred to "Aussie guts". At the time it sounded like a bit of skite. After Saturday night it seems a very accurate way of describing something the Australian horses were able to produce at the end of this testing four-night series that the Kiwis appeared not to be able to find.

Credit: Ron Bisman writing in HRWeekly 19Mar87

INTERDOMINIONS

Jim O'Sulivan & Dick Lee savour the triumph

CHRISTCHURCH - LIGHTNING BLUE

"It's the biggest thrill ever; he's the best horse I've had, and I've had some good ones," said Jim O'Sullivan, returning with his 1987 Lion Brown Inter-Dominion Grand Champion.

In his regular acquisition of NZ horses, O'Sullivan almost invariably uses the services of former Australian John Devlin, professionally known as the South Auckland Standardbred Agency. Devlin, who in the last 10 years has secured something close to 80 horses for O'Sullivan's clients singled out Lightning Blue for him. "He was trained by Mike Berger at Morrinsville," recalled Devlin after the Final. "I watched him at the trials, saw him win at an on-course-only meeting at Cambridge and then run an unlucky second at Alexandra Park before recommending that Jim come and trial him.

Of the three owners only Mr Conidi was at Addington for the Grand Final. "Alan will be very upset about not being here," he said. "He saw all the bad luck in the heats, got called back home on urgent business and was unable to get back here for tonight." Although his horses have won many hundreds of races, Alan Hunter's biggest victory prior to Saturday night was in the $43,000 Cranbourne Cup last December with Saturday night's First Consolation winner Quite Famous, whom he owns outright.

Apart from securing Lightning Blue (who races in Australia as My Lightning Blue) from the O'Sullivan stable, Delvin is a quarter-share owner of the 4-year-old's sire, the Meadow Skipper horse Lonero. Lightning Blue's dam Lightning is by the good Hal Tryax horse Holy Hal (second to First Lee in the 1968 Inter-Dominion Final in Auckland and winner of two heats at the 1971 Addington Inter-Dominions). Lightning's dam Lightning Lass was by Lighterman Tom, remarkably still alive in South Canterbury, aged 40. By Light Brigade, Lighterman Tom is a half-brother to Cherry Blossom whose daughter Robin Dundee shared the Inter-Dominion title in Dunedin in 1965 with Jar Ar and was fifth in Melbourne in 1964, second to Chamfer's Star in Sydney in 1966 and fourth to Binshaw in Perth in 1967.

Lightning was the first venture into harness racing of Peter and Mrs Doris Miller, semi-retired farmers of Mystery Creek, near Hamilton airport. The bought Lightning on the advice of Ngaruawahia trainer Joe Goodyer after she had won a 2-year-old parade from the Mataura stable of Dave Todd, of Cardigan Bay fame.

Goodyer won two races with Lightning for the Millers, but her race career was cut short by injury incurred in a training spill. Before putting Lighting down in 1983, the Millers bred five foals from her, the three to have raced being Lightning Blue, Rainbow Light (winer of three before injured) and Millertime (sold at two and the winner of two races so far). The Millers are breeding from Rainbow Light (by Adover Rainbow) and are looking forward to racing with Mike Berger's wife Brenda and his father Geoff her first offspring, a yearling Tudor Hanover filly they have named Lightning Belle.


Credit: Ron Bisman writing in HRWeekly 19Mar87

HORSES

OUR MANA

'Old Tom' Our Mana was retired in May, the winner of $331,900, the result of 96 starts for 20 wins and 20 placings for his Loburn owner, Mrs Jenny Barron.

"It will be sad not to see him racing again but he's lost a little bit of his kick," said trainer-driver Colin De Filippi of Our Mana, whom he transformed from being a regect to a top-line pacer. Our Mana made astonishing progress for De Filippi after being virtually given to Mrs Barron for a token $200 after he had been tried and found wanting in several stables.

The impressive bay burst on the scene in the 1982-83 term winning eight of his 12 starts and being awarded 4-Year Old of the Year honours over NZ Messenger winner Hilarious Guest. He won the inaugural $10,000 West Coast bonus for winning his first three races on the Christmas curcuit and ended the season by taking a 1:57.3 mile record at Addington.

The Schell Hanover-Taimoni gelding attained open class ranking in just his 15th start and went close to winning one of the major cups on three occasions. Unfortunately the history books will show Our Mana was the runner-up in the 1984 NZ Cup behind Camelot, the 1984 Auckland Cup chasing home Enterprise, and the 1985 NZ Cup when he ran second to the boilover winner Borana.

Our Mana's big win came in the 1985 Lion Brown Easter Cup at Addington, while other major wins for him came in the Lion Red Mile at Cambridge(twice), the Castlemaine XXXX Handicap(now the Henkell Trocken) at the Auckland Christmas meeting over 3200m.

The horse that put De Filippi on the map as a trainer, the successful Pukekohe-based horseman also rated Our Mana "as good as any he has driven. 'Old Tom' proved a grand money-spinner for Mrs Barron, earning a cheque in 69 of his 96 starts.



Credit: NZ Trotting Annual 1986

HORSES

Hands Down winning the 1980 Cup from Delightful Lady

HANDS DOWN

Addington favourite Hands Down was humanely destroyed last Friday after breaking his shoulder in a paddock accident on the North Otago farm of his owners, Bill and Fay McAughtrie. The 1980 NZ Cup winner who scored 22 other wins at Addington during his brilliant career, has been buried on the McAughtrie's Omarama farm, where he retired to 13 months ago.

Trained by master Canterbury horseman Derek Jones, Hands Down - affectionately known as "Old Bill" - will be remembered as a super-tough and versatile pacer who could drain the breath from his rivals with merciless front-running performances, or scorch home from the tail to find the winning post first.

"It was quite strange, though," Derek's son Peter Jones, Hands Down's regular driver, said in a radio interview at the weekend, "I kept all the press clippings and he was never named a champion by the media. Maybe it was because of his robustness, even ugliness." He may not have bee as handsome as some, but the chunky son of Armbro Del and Snow Chick could have done nothing more to earn the accolade of "champion."

Hands Down raced once as a 3-year-old (he was unplaced) but made a huge impact at four years, winning nine races and capping his season with a typically brave win over Philippa Frost and Bonnie's Chance in the Canterbury Park Winter Cup. His stylish 4:09.3 for the 3200m stand that night reflected his staying powers, and, although not yet open class, the 1980 NZ Cup became his major 5-year-old aim.

And what a stirring performance he gave, just 11 months after clearing maidens, to deny the classy Delightful Lady by a neck in race record time of 4:07.2 after forging to the front down the back the last time. Later in the Metropolitan Cup meeting, Hands Down added the NZ Free-For-All (2000m) and Allan Matson Free-For-All (2600) - a rare and prestigious treble. Seldom at his best too far away from home, Hands Down's rollcall of successes includes the Kaikoura Cup, Waikato Cup, an Inter-Dominion Consolation and three Easter Cups.

But give "Old Bill" a 2600m stand at Addington in August and he was happy. His tremendous heart and some skillful early season conditioning by Derek Jones saw Hands Down string together four successive Louisson Handicaps in the early '80s. And it was so nearly five, with Norton and Our Mana stretched to stave off the 9-year-old (who began 25 metres behind) by a nose and half-head in 1984.

Father Time was rapidly catching up with Hands Down, but he had one surprise left for his Addington fans. It came on the final night of the 1984 NZ Cup meeting, just three months after he narrowly failed to bag his fifth Louisson. With regular partner Peter Jones sidelined with torn ligaments in an ankle, the reins were passed his then 18-year-old nephew Anthony Butt and the combination of young and old scored an emotional win in the $20,000 Christchurch Airport Travelodge Free-For-All. He rated a sensational 2:01.6 for the flying 2600m, and left struggling behind him such accomplished pacers as Camelot, Borana, Hilarious Guest, Enterprise, Our Mana and Gammalite. The race marked Hands Down's 23rd Addington victory, and also his last, surpassing the previous best of 21 held by dual NZ Cup winner Lordship.

The strapping gelding had a cluster of outings as a 10-year-old, but had long since passed his peak and was retired after failing in the Ashburton Cup on Boxing Day, 1985. Derek Jones, who named his Templeton training establishment "Soangetaha Lodge" after his dual Auckland Cup winner but leaned towards Hands Down as the best he has trained, regularly visited his mate at Omarama. "He was like an All Black; every time he went out he tried his best. He is the best horse I've ever had and probably one of the best NZ has ever seen."

Peter Jones: "I'm sure he used to sense the atmosphere. After a win at Addington he'd pause, even if for only 10 or 12 seconds and look at the crowd as if to say, "gotcha again!"

Credit: Matt Conway writing in HRWeekly 12Feb87

HORSES

Robalan & Denis Nyhan

ROBALAN

"The dirty, low, mongrel. He's always been a cow of a thing." That ain't no way to treat a lady and Denis Nyhan certainly isn't sincere as he talks about his old favourite Robalan. He's just annoyed because 'Robby' gets a kick out of playing hard to get. "He never lets me catch him and I reckon he enjoys it. Denise is the only one whose got a chance"

Robalan is rising 21 and looks it, but remains in fine heart, enjoying his retirement with his old mate 'Annie', or former smart trotter Relinquish. It's hard to imagine this ageing gelding was once the free-legged pacing phenomenon whose mere presence on the track was enough to fill the stands. Robalan had character and charisma, special qualities that elevate horses from merely outstanding to champion status. People loved him and that's the most important ingredient. He was big and powerful and possessed astonishing speed. And he was different...he was free-legged.

Most of Robalan's achievements on the track have now been passed with time, and to the younger generation he is just another name in the record books, but to those fortunate enough to witness this freak of the equine world, his was a most colourful chapter.

He came from total obscurity. Born in 1966, Robalan and his dam, the lightly raced U Scott mare Elsinore, were consigned to the 1967 National Yearling Sale and purchased by E Broad of Invercargill for 475gns. Gil Shirley, who weaned and initially handled Robalan, recalled some years later that he was "as mad as a snake." As a late yearling he was leased by locals Rob Pollock and Alan Devery, from whom he derived his name. When Broad passed away soon after, Pollock and Devery exercised their right of purchase of $1500.

Robalan showed an inclination for free-legged pacing at this early stage but Devery was finding him more than a handful. He could jump anything in sight and had a pet hate for workcarts, on which he often inflicted severe damage. After showing enough promise as a 2-year-old to take to the trials, Devery handed him over to Wyndham horseman Alex Townley. At this point Devery did not have a professional licence to train. Robalan's future was soon in doubt, however. In just his second trial for Townley he finished swinging a leg, which turned out to be the aftermath of a shoulder injury sustained as a yearling. After a second veterinary examination discovered the problem and Robalan was successfully operated on, he was sent back to Townley, who produced him to run placings in the NZ Kindergarten Stakes and Welcome Stakes.

Recommissioned as a 3-year-old, Robalan was soon troubled by a wind affliction and his career was again in doubt. At this point Denis Nyhan enquired after him, saying he and a Blenheim friend, Peter Hope, were interested in buying him. Business was quickly done, Pollock selling his share and buying a taxi business. This was to be the turning point in Robalan's fortunes. Nyhan's no non-sense attitude, a willingness to try the unorthodox, and the constant care of wife Denise, was to send Robalan along the path to stardom.

His rise was not spectacularly fast - he took two years to reach open class - but as time passed it became increasingly evident that Robalan was something "out of the box." Nyhan had finally thrown the hopples away for good after Robalan failed hopelessly in the 1971 Inter-Dominions at Addington. There were still chinks in the armour, but as a five and six-year-old, his emergence became very real.

Robalan won five races as a 5-year-old and six at six, looking particularly good in winning the Ashburton Flying Stakes, NZ Free-For-All, Wellington Cup, a heat of the Easter Cup and a heat of the 1974 Inter-Dominions in Sydney. This was a golden era in Australasian harness racing. Robalan, along with Royal Ascot, Arapaho, Manaroa and Globe Bay, travelled to Sydney to do battle with the likes of Hondo Grattan, Just Too Good, Jason King, Glamour Chief, Bold Biami, Reichman, Welcome Advice and Adios Victor. And to the day he dies, Nyhan will vow and declare that Inter-Dom should have been his. In the Final, Robalan was waiting to pounce as the field rounded the home turn, but a skirmish saw them knocked sideways and lose all chance. "I really felt that Robby was travelling better than Royal Ascot, and as Royal Ascot was only beaten a head (by Hondo Grattan), he must have been very unlucky," Nyhan said.

The following season Robalan was to emerge as a truly great pacer. Arapaho hogged the prized plums, the NZ and Auckland Cups, but Robalan was voted Harness Horse of the Year over the sensational juvenile Noodlum. Robalan won a record 12 races during the season and all things being equal was invincible. An impressive double at Forbury Park in October saw him installed second favourite for the NZ Cup, but after being slow away and forced wide to make his run from the half, he was unable to make any impression on Arapaho and Globe Bay and a brand new rival, Young Quinn.

Back to sprinting in the NZ Free-For-All, Robalan waltzed home for the second year in succession, beating Arapaho by five and a half lengths. Then came a thrilling win over Young Quinn in the Miracle Mile, sprinting twice during the running before holding on to win in 1:58. Now on the top of his form, Robalan toyed with Young Quinn and Arapaho in the National Flying Pace, a lead-up to the Auckland Cup. The big event was to elude Robalan - he was squeezed up early and broke, eventually being pulled up. As if furious at that defeat, Robalan scored six consecutive wins, including his second Wellington Cup (by three lengths over Young Quinn), the Commonwealth Games Free-For-All over Arapaho, and the Canterbury Park Free-For-All effortlessly in 1:57.6, a lifetime best.

About this time there was considerable speculation as to what Robalan was really capable of over the magic mile. Never one to mince words, Nyhan said his champ would go 1:52 in America, or at least better than the then world record of 1:53. This drew its share of criticism, but, given events since, Nyhan's prediction was obviously pretty close to the mark.

Young Quinn was all the rage for the early part of the 1974/75 season, sweeping all before him with eight consecutve wins in the north leading up to the NZ Cup. Robalan looked back to his best for his fourth attempt until struck down by a blood disorder less than a fortnight before the coveted event. A start looked very doubtful, but largely through the dedication of Denise, Robalan bounced back at the pre-cup trials to signal his intentions.

It is now history that Robalan cruised home amidst wild applause, in what Nyhan later described as "little more than a workout," and he set the seal on his greatness a few days later with a world record in the NZ Free-For-All. Recording his third straight runaway win in the event, Robalan stunned the race-going public, putting the mobile 2000m behind him in 2:26.6, a mile rate of 1:58. This bettered the record credited to top American pacer Irvin Paul by three seconds. It wasn't so much the time, but the ease with which he accomplished it.

Young Quinn, a battling third in the NZ Cup, was to gain his revenge over the next few months. He took the Miracle Mile in a NZ record 1:57 after Robalan had sensationally broken when vying for the lead at the top of the straight, and bolted away with the Auckland Cup, Robalan finding the 20 metre handicap too much. Forced to miss Young Quinn's Inter-Dominion in Auckland through an ailment, Robalan reappeared at Easter to again thrill the crowds on his favourite stomping ground. A hot favourite from his 35 metre handicap, Robalan looked hopelessly out of it when he galloped, cantered and trotted away from the mark, more than doubling his initial deficit. But Nyhan seized the opportunity to follow Lunar Chance around the field with a lap to travel and Robalan went on to win easily in a track record 4:07.4. Bill Doyle, Nyhan's father-in-law, had timed Robalan post to post in 4:02. This was his crowning glory.

Robalan returned as 9-year-old and, while he again struck winning form, he was obviously past his best an finding long handicaps to the younger brigade too much to overcome. His career finished on a sad note when he broke down in the Claredon Free-For-All at Addington on January 2, 1976.

Robalan had originally been bought strictly as a business proposition...he was bought to be sold. There were plenty of offers along the way as well, but either they weren't enough or the right money didn't front up. As time passed it became obvious that Robalan was simply priceless, gelding or not. How could you sell a chance at winning the NZ Cup? And he certainly vindicated Nyhan's faith. "Put it down to sentiment," was Nyhan's reaction to several tempting offers during his whirlwind 7-year-old season.

Robalan was at the height of his career as a seven and eight-year-old and really struck a purple patch in the summer of 74, with six consecutive wins. Nyhan doesn't have an explanation for this, except that every great horse has his time. "When Robbie had his first season or two in open class, there were several other top horses around at the time. It was just a case of who got the run on the day. As time passed these horses fell away. Arapaho, Royal Ascot and Manaroa had had their time at the top. As Robby's career was drawing to a close, Young Quinn was coming to it," Nyhan reflected.

Nyhan can see parallels between his times in the limelight with Lordship and Robalan and today's stars. "Master Mood is obviously NZ's top pacer at the moment, but throw Roydon Glen and one or two others in the same race and it would just be the luck on the day. Seldom does a horse remain undisputably tops for a long period of time," he said.

Prior to Robalan, Nyhan had been associated with two other great pacers. As a boy he closely followed the fortunes of his father's wonderful pacer Johnny Globe, and then in the 1960's he was the regular driver of his mother's 'pocket battleship' Lordship. How does Robalan compare to these and other champion horses of their time? "Not many horses reach the absolute top bracket and I can't see any point in comparing those that do. They are the sort of horses you dream about...they keep you going. Robby was special to us because we had so much to do with him. I just wish I had another one that could run like him."

-o0o-

The free-legged pacer Robalan will not have to suffer the demands of another winter. With arthritis setting in, Denis Nyhan made the decision at the weekend to put him down and spare him any further discomfort.

He was buried on Nyhan's Templeton property, where he spent most of his 29 years.

Mike Grainger: HRWeekly: 6May96


Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 9Apr87