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PEOPLE

Max & June Thompson with Wee Win

MAX THOMPSON

Popular trainer Max Thompson died in Christchurch last week. The holder of an amateur trainer's licence for the last 21 years, he was probably best known for his association with the tough open-class performer Wee Win, now at stud. Wee Win won nineteen races and was placed 26 times for stakes of over $110,000 for Thompson. Included in his wins were an Easter Cup and three heats of the 1979 Inter-Dominions at Addington.

Thompson a bushman and then a self-employed contractor in his early years as a licence holder, bred the horses he raced himself. Most of them stem from the fine trotting mare Foam from whom Thompson bred such winners as Foaming Lass, Pacific Star, Coral View, Gourmet's Pride and Foaming Waters. He bred from Foaming Lass with a lot of success. As well as Wee Win, she left speedy mare Winning Lass, and Winning Queen and Jaymax, both $25,000 yearlings bought at the national sale by Sydney owner Jack Honan. This season Thompson raced the successful Wee Junior (by Wee Win) who was trained by his son Gavin.

Max Thompson, who had been in poor health for some time, was 62 when he died. He is survived by his wife June, sons Gavin, Dennis and Mark and daughter Merilyn.



Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 22Jun82

PEOPLE

LES WHEELER

A £25 investment thirteen years ago is still paying dividends for Springston dairy farmer Les Wheeler.

Back in 1968 he and a friend went halves in a £50 broodmare, Wavering Downs, deciding to take alternative foals from her. Les Wheeler's first foal was a filly, Edis Nova. She developed into a top trotter. Then, ten days ago, Novander, Edis Nova's first foal, made it two starts for two wins when she took out the 4-year-old trot at Addington. She had, earlier last month, won her debut at Oamaru after several impressive trial runs.

Wheeler, an amateur licenceholder, trains the mare and races her in partnership with his son Jeff, himself licenced to drive at matinees and trials. There is nothing much of Novander but she showed she has got a big heart when she slugged it out with Bloxett all the way down the Addington straight after getting a long way back early in the race, then improving to sit in the open. The race didn't take too much out of her. And out at Springston last week the owners suggested she could have gone another round after winning at Oamaru.

Peter Jones has driven her both times. "She can be a bit tricky at the start, you have got to watch her over that first bit," Jeff, who does a lot of the work with the horse, said last week. "Peter knows her though. We have taken her over the Derek's place a couple of times so he could get to know her. The other night they got back because Peter didn't want to hurry her early, but once on the way she's as good as gold." Novander has many of the traits displayed by her mother. She is a lazy worker and generally has to be pushed along. Edis Nova, too, was a great doer, "just like this wee thing here," said Jeff, patting the latest stable star on the flank. The Wheelers, already pleased with the way she's gone so far, will be ecstatic if Novander turns out half as good as her mother.

Edis Nova won about a dozen races and racked up more than thirty placings in her career. Les Wheeler bred her himself, his first venture into the harness game. A fellow member of the Metropolitan Milk Board, Lester Moore, had bought Wavering Downs for £50 and offered Les a half-share. He took it. "Lester wanted to toss a coin to see who would have the first foal; But I reckoned that seeing it was his mare to start with, he should have the first," Les recalled last week. She produced a colt, Arthur's Pass by Password. The next season, Wheeler sent Wavering Downs to Tuft. "I didn't know much, but I thought I would like to breed a trotter. Dudley Moore had Tuft near my run-off property down the road, so I decided on him. "He was one of the first really trotting-bred horses here, wasn't he? Even that's no guarantee you will get a trotter."

The mating couldn't have worked out much better. Little Edis Nova was a good horse almost from the day she arrived. As a 2-year-old, she won three non-tote trots at Addington in a row, the first of then by an official fifty lengths. The filly was raced in partnership by Wheeler and Freeman Holmes who trained her until Les was granted a licence himself in 1975. All told, she won close to $31,000 before being sent to stud. She was placed in both the Rowe Cup and the Dominion Handicap.

"When I was contracting I'd had a bit to do with Leo Berkett and Dave Bennett and a few other trotting people...but I had never owned a racehorse before Edis Nova, probably because I couldn't afford it. There was no way I expected my first one to turn out like that." Edis Nova was retired because she was starting to make hard work of her races. She was meeting the likes of Easton Light and company. "She probably had another win or two in her, but she had been so good to us, we didn't want to break the old girl's heart," Wheeler said.

Over the following years, Lester Moore bred Pacific Wave, Star Wave (both by Pacific Hanover), The Power Game and promising maiden trotter Proud To Be (both by Game Pride) from Wavering Downs, a half sister to 1964 Rowe Cup winner Dreaming. Proud To Be showed her ability when she bolted in in the trotter's sweepstake event at the latest Canterbury OTB trials at Addington.

Meanwhile the Wheelers, since Edis Nova, have bred their share of winners from Wavering Downs. Lord Nova was their second foal. By Lordship, he won two races for them before being sold. He was a disappointment then, until he was sent to America, where he went 1:59.8 and won more than $100,000. "We were disappointed with the way he went here. We were sure he would win a lot more," Les Wheeler said. The next foal was Nicki Nova (by Tuft). She won one race pacing before leaving the speedy young pacer Nova Light (by Winterlight). So far, then, there hadn't been many to fulfill Wheeler's hopes of breeding trotters. But Wavering Downs' ninth foal, to Gerry Mir, was the fine young trotter Gerry Nova. Trained by Les' older son Ross, then a professional trainer, Gerry Nova ran third to Thriller Dee in the NZ Trotting Stakes at his first start. Two starts later he was second again to Thriller Dee in the Rosso Antico Stakes at Auckland before winning a maiden trot at Timaru in 3:31.7, a time seldom, if ever, bettered by a novice trotter on the track. He was then sold to America for good money while, soon after, Ross moved to the Waikato where he's been share-milking for the past three years. Wavering Downs has since left Star Nova, a Crockett 4-year-old who is close to qualifying. Unfortunately, she died the day after foaling Bad News, now a 3-year-old, by Evening News, for Lester Moore.

Her racing days over, Edis Nova was left in the north where, after missing to Crockett, she produced three foals to Great Evander. Novander is the first of them. She was floated back to the South Island as a weanling and was taken along very quietly. She showed hardly any inclination to trot at all in the beginning. "As a 2 and 3-year-old she appeared a natural pacer. We worked her quietly free-legged but then, gradually, the trotting side of her came through. "She almost got to the stage where she might have qualified pacing," Jeff, who's 19, said last week. "But now she trots cleanly with no weights and only very light shoes."

Jeff drove Novander when she qualified...twice. "She went 3:38.2 when winning at Addington but she couldn't qualify because she hadn't been inspected. We went back the next time and, even though we didn't go quite as quickly, she qualified again," Jeff said. Jeff gained most of his experience through helping Ross when he trained at Springston. These days when he's not helping with the cows on the family's three blocks, he spends all his time with the horses. They have already put some time into Edis Nova's other two foals by Great Evander, the 3-year-old Nancy Nova and Ricky Nova. Nancy Nova has been turned out for a good spell while her younger brother is also out for a while. "He's pacing at the moment but I think given time, he will probably trot," Jeff said. The only other in the stable right now is a 2-year-old filly by Lumber Dream out of Nicki Nova. She's trotting. "I think she'll be okay, too," Les said. "She's not being rushed."

With all the Wheeler family riding ponies and show jumping with some success when younger, the racehorses often get a saddle put across them. The latest in the team are no exception. "They should be handled a lot when young...and riding them provides a bit of variation and gives them a bit of strength in the back," Jeff contends. "Most of all, it takes time and patience." That, it seems, is sure to pay off with Novander.

In the meantime, Edis Nova is in foal to Scottish Hanover, a champion sire who's left very few trotters. "We decided on him when we saw her other foals paced a bit," Les said. "We thought, if she wants a pacer, we'll give her a chance." But, even then, it's not certain her next foal will pace. And that's what the Wheelers find fascinating about breeding their own horese...the uncertainty of it all.

Credit: Graham Ingram writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 9Jun82

INTERDOMINIONS

PERTH - RHETT'S LAW
Unable to win an Inter Dominion Grand Final with his champion Pure Steel and such fine performers as James Eden and Local Product, Western Australian bookie and the State's best known trotting owner, Russell Roberts, struck the jackpot in the 1982 series in Perth with the little known Rhett's Law. Rhett's Law took out the biggest purse to date of $160,000 in just 3.22.7 for the 2625 metre standing start event.

HORSES

Court Martial and owner Joe Hampton

COURT MARTIAL

Edna Hampton lost another of her 'family' the other day. Jerry died on August 2, the day after his 35th birthday. "It broke my heart," Mrs Hampton said a few days ago. "I'm still getting over it. I look out the window to his paddock and keep thinking he might reappear..." But Jerry won't. He was put down just as all the effort of trying to keep going a little bit longer was starting to become a bit painful for him.

Jerry was just his pet name. He was officially Court Martial. He had been part of the Hampton household since the day he was born. Mrs Hampton, at 76 now no longer as agile as she was, remembers that day. The Hampton's mare Suda Bay, served by that old gentleman Light Brigade, was due to foal. The night before she had been a bit unhappy and Joe Hampton "knew she'd foal in the morning. He went across the road at four in the morning to check on her but he was back in a few minutes. The foal was there but he was a whopper. Joe said it was the biggest foal he'd ever seen. He couldn't get up to stand to suckle. But that, really, was only a momentary problem. We wrapped him up, put him on a barrow and wheeled him under the old mare to suckle. He was a lot stronger after that first meal. Right there and then, Joe reckoned he'd keep the horse as a stallion. He was so impressed with him." And, after winning three or four races and then breaking down when involved in a skirmish at Wellington, Court Martial was indeed sent to stud.

No-one has to be told how successful he was. He's still making his mark. His mares can't help leaving winners. All told, Court Martial left close to 480 foals...for 149 winners, a grand performance. There were some champions among them, too. And Jerry has also left 128 winner-producing mares, another top effort. He hadn't served any mares over the last few years, Joe Hampton took him out of public service abour six years ago when he considered they both weren't as fit as they had been. Mr Hampton himself died almost two years ago.

From the time he was retired, Court Martial had his own little paddock with a road frontage in one of the outer suburbs of Christchurch. He'd walk backwards and forwards, just checking, and then, when children on bikes or ponies rode past, he'd be away to investigate. "His ears would prick up and he would whinny away to them. He was a real darling," Mrs Hampton said. "Everyone round here knew him and would talk to him." And at meal-times. "You had to be right on the dot otherwise he'd come up and lean over the fence and look at you as if to say, "I'm here, where's my tea? If he didn't get his food then, he'd stalk off in a huff." It was when Mrs Hampton went out to feed her old pet the other morning that she realised somthing was wrong. Jerry used to sleep in the hay barn..."there was plenty of straw there for him to lie down on." But this morning, instead of the usual whinny of greeting from the barn, there was only silence. "I thought it was a bit strange. He always used to call out when he saw me going to the feed shed. I went into the barn and he was still lying down. I told him to get up and he gave a couple of kicks but he couldn't or wouldn't get up. There was still food left from the meal before so I thought he wasn't hungry (he was always well fed). Then when he tried again, I thought perhaps his cover might be hindering him. I'm not strong enough to try to unfasten a cover with a horse on the ground, so I rang Gavin (her son who trains at Weedons) to come over and see what was wrong."

Gavin thought "the poor old chap had had it and called the vet. The kindest thing to do, the vet said, would be to put the old horse down. He could have got him up, but he would be in pain. It was hard, but it was the best thing." Court Martial was given an injection that afternoon. He's now buried in a plot alongside his brother, another fine trotter in Signal Light, and Bonny, Mrs Hampton's Queenland Blue Heeler who was run over. "I'm not keen on going into that paddock. It's as though all my family's there in the one plot. While Court Martial was known affectionately by all and sundry as Jerry, Signal Light, who won the Trotting Stakes at his first start, was known as Barney. "People used to reckon we had a couple of Irishmen on the place," Mrs Hampton said.

The Hamptons bought their dam, Suda Bay, when she was two for 60 guineas as part of an estate sale. She and her daughters bred on well for Joe and Edna Hampton. Court Martial's half-sister by U Scott, Heather Dew, left several good winners including the Cup horse Rhyl. And another half-sister, Landgirl, left Pipitre, the dam of champion trotter Nigel Graig.

The list of the open class trotters sired by Court Martial goes on and on... Reprimand, world record holder Moon Boy, Aquit, Seven Nights, Logan Count, Marshella, Rannach Lad, Jason McCord, Aronmot, Fair Play, Merrin, Sure Mart, Macamba (who provided Maurice Holmes with win number 1000), Slane and latest Australasian Championship winner Courting Appeal. Among his pacers have been the likes of Hoover, a huge winner in America, and Martial Salute (US1:59.8). He also sired the dams of horses like Trafalgar, Royal Armour, Dingle Bay, Ambleside, Wee Win, Classic Touch, Stevie Prestige, Logan Lea, Dryden Lobell, Tough Girl, Local Product, Cyclone Lad, Mister Square, etc, etc, etc.

Around the place, Court Martial was always a pet. "He was a real Light Brigade. He didn't have a single vice. Even in his younger days when he was serving mares, he was the gentlest horse you would ever meet. A kid could lead him along on a loose rope; or they could sit up on his back without any fear. He was just one of those lovable old horses. I still miss him. I think I always will..."





Credit: Graham Ingram writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 24Aug82

HORSES

ROBIN DUNDEE

'Stopwatch' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 4Feb70.

NZ's greatest race mare Robin Dundee, winner of $250,000 in stakes, has been retired from racing. Word has been received that she has returned a positive test to former champion Adios Butler (1:54 3/5). Now a twelve-year-old, Robin Dundee has been in America for the last two years, being sold by her owner, Mr J W Hewitt for $100,000. Mr Hewitt, however, retained a breeding interest in the Hal Tryax mare. Robin Dundee is at American trainer E Cobb's Fair Chance stud where Adios Butler stands.

Robin Dundee travelled a long way since she won at her first start - the Southern Stakes for 3-year-olds at Invercargill on October 29,1961. She outdistanced her 14 rivals on that occasion winning pulling up by 16 lengths, and at her next start went on to win the NZ Oaks.

Robin Dundee was a pacing midget if ever there was one. She was little more than a pony pacer, 14.2½ hands, but developed into a dour stayer and determined sprinter. She travelled far and wide; had several trips to Australia where she raced against the strongest opposition in both countries. She won the Miracle Mile at Harold Park (Sydney) in 1:59, the fastest mile ever recorded by a mare in either Australia of NZ under race conditions.

She contested four Inter-Dominion championship series. At he first attempt at Melbourne in 1965, she broke a pedal bone which put her out of action for several months. The next year she dead-heated for first in the $20,800 grand final when the championships were held at Forbury Park; a year later she finished second to Chamfer's Star in the $30,000 grand final in Sydney and fourth in the 1967 grand final at Perth. She went to America shortly after.

In NZ Robin Dundee took a mile record of 1:59 2/5 and on three occasions finished second in the NZ Cup - to Cardigan Bay, Garry Dillon and Lordship. She won 25 races and was 50 times placed for $80,540 in stakes in NZ and in Australia won 10 races and was 10 times placed for almost $30,000 in stakes, giving her a NZ and Australian total of $110,540. Among her NZ successes was the 1965 Auckland Cup.

Robin Dundee did not regain her top form in America and was sidelined for some months because of unsoundness. The extensive travelling she did and increasing years were no doubt against her. But as an 11-year-old she won five races and $58,275 in the States, bringing her lifetime score to just on the $250,000 mark.

By Hal Tryax, she was out of the Dillon Hall mare Cherry Blossom, dam also of Dundee and Donald Dundee, both of whom also went to America. Robin Dundee, who had two mile figures of 4:12 2/5 to her credit was also a great public idol - her duminutive stature, sheer courage and consistent record all going to make her a raceday favourite.

She was trained throughout her NZ career by Gore trainer J Walsh, who also campaigned her in Australia and in America for a short time.

-o0o-

Twenty-six years ago when he was given the opportunity of breeding a foal from a Dillon Hall mare in return for providing her with a good home, little did then Mataura Island farmer Mr Jack Hewitt think a notable chapter was unfolding in the story which later produced one of NZ's greatest racemares who was also to become the dam of the world's fastest aged pacer.

Now semi-retired with his wife Joan on a 14 acre Myross Bush farmlet on the outskirts of Invercargill, Jack Hewitt last week recalled the chain of events leading up to the arrival in the world of Robin Dundee and the breeding in America of her son Genghis Khan (1:52.8).

In the spring of 1956, Mrs Hewitt's uncle, the late Bob Ritchie, a brother to the late Hugh Ritchie, a well known Invercargill identity, sold his farm at Willowbank in Northern Southland, an area steeped in light harness history, to his son Keith. Not particularly interested in horses, Keith got his father to try and find a good home for Cherry Blossom, a daughter of Dillon Hall, who was owned by his parents and was nine at the time. Jack Hewitt was approached by Bob Ritchie, then the Gore-based manager of Southland Farmers Co-op, who was particularly fond of the mare and was anxious to see her well cared for.

Jack was given the chance to breed a foal from her after he agreed to look after her on his Mataura Island farm. Taking the advice of Mr Ritchie, he mated her with Hal Tryax, the first 2:00 3-year-old pacer imported to NZ and standing at the late Hugh Gamble's Edendale property at the time. Cherry Blossom was technically owned by Mr Ritchie's wife Myra, now living in Gore. The Ritchies decided to dispose of their other horses, but Cherry Blossom was one that they treasured and did not want to fully part with.

The resulting foal from the mating to Hal Tryax was born at Derek Dynes' Wyndham property, not far from the Wyndham Showgrounds, where she was visiting the court of the Light Brigade horse Fallacy. A small chestnut who grew to only 14.2 hands at maturity, she was named Robin Dundee and was to carry on to woo light harness fans the world over. Mr Hewitt was breeding foal about from Cherry Blossom with Mrs Ritchie. To Fallacy she produced Adamae (dam of Ian). She then missed to Hal Tryax in 1959, but produced a filly, Blossom Song, by Flying Song, for Mrs Ritchie. To the same sire she produced the good winner Donald Dundee a year later. Cherry Blossom then developed shy breeding tendencies, missing to Hal O'Matic and Van Hanover among others. She ended her days with Mr C J Coll of Cave, Canterbury, producing Lord Dundee after running with First Lord in 1968.

Under the late Jack Walsh's guidance at Gore, Robin Dundee developed into NZ's champion racemare of her time for Mr Hewitt who, at the end of her NZ racing career, declined tempting American overtures and offers from the late Martin Tananbaum and decided to lease her for racing purposes to noted New York trainer-driver Eddie Cobb, William Schlesinger and Leon Machiz. For the partners, Robin Dundee won $62,000 on American racetracks before a breeding arrangement was entered into whereby Mr Hewitt was to get three foals and his partners one each. That contract has now expired and Messrs Hewitt and Machiz breed foal about from Robin Dundee, now hale and hearty at the grand old age of 24.

Robin Dundee's chapter of setbacks as a matron has been something of a heartbreak. In fact, until Genghis Khan arrived she appeared doomed to leave horses later solely destined to become injured, break-down or die. Her first foal, Dundee Adios, an Adios Butler colt, broke a bone in his leg which was later pinned in an involved operation at Pennsylvania University. Mr Hewitt bred Dundee Adios and brought him back to NZ to stand at Des Baynes' newly-established Highway Farm, Edendale. Dundee Adios, like his dam a small horse, now stands at Mr Roddy McFarlane's Winton Stud and has compiled a respectable record as a sire. Mr Hewitt suffered more bad luck with Robin Dundee's third foal, Dundee Butler (by Adios Butler) who was badly injured and now stands at stud in Victoria.

Before producing Dundee Butler, Robin Dundee foaled Miss Robin Dundee for Mr Schlesinger. A daughter of Tar Heel, she produced two fillies and a colt by Most Happy Fella at stud. She was found dead in her paddock with a ruptured stomach at Hanover Shoe Farms in September, 1979, when in foal to Albatross. Miss Robin Dundee was not insured and her owner had declined a $100,000 offer for her. Earlier in her career, Miss Robin Dundee took a mile record of 2:00.4 in a light racing career.

Robin Dundee's fourth foal, a 1975 Meadow Skipper colt, had a malformed foot and had to be destroyed as a yearling. Ghenghis Khan, her fifth foal, was not over precocious at two and three, but has emerged as one of North America's stars this season, taking a 1:52.8 mile record to make him the fastest aged pacer in the world with earnings of $750,000 for Eddie Cobb, the Nevacal Stable, New Jersey and the Jet Star Farms, Clarksbury, New Jersey. Robin Dundee's sixth foal, a filly by the Tar Heel horse Nansemond, who downed Albatross in the Little Brown Jug, was brought home to NZ by Mr Hewitt and is a member of his prized broodmare band at Myross Bush. Mr Hewitt maintains she was spoilt during her six month trip home and showed little interest in training after being broken in by his son Robert. Rather, she preferred to take more interest in human company. Standing only 14 hands, she has produced a Pass With Care filly, now a weanling, and is in foal again to the same sire, a son of Meadow Skipper, the sire of Ghenghis Khan.

Robin Dundee's seventh foal, Oily Bird, an Oil Burner colt, was sold by Mr Hewitt to Mr Machiz, but was injured and has developed slight arthritis in a leg. In 1980, Robin Dundee foaled a filly to Mr Machiz's crack racehorse Say Hello, a Bye Bye Byrd horse who clocked 1:55.4 as a 2-year-old.

Jack Hewitt has not seen Robin Dundee since she went to America 16 years ago and he has ruled out much possiblity of ever doing so again. The memories he cherishes of her, however, have been rekindled by the sensational deeds of her son Genghis Khan, and he derives great pleasure from successes by the progeny of her other son, Dundee Adios, in Southland.


Credit: Don Wright writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 20Jul82

HORSES

Hal Tryax & Bob Buchanan

HAL TRYAX

Article by 'Stopwatch' in NZ Trotting Calendar 23Sep70

From the lush 'blue grass' pastures of Tennessee, in the United States, to the remote bush-surrounded clearings of Chaslands, South Otago, represents as big a change as any horse could experience. But 23-year-old Hal Tryax, who wrote a notable niche into standardbred breeding records in this country, seems to have taken the transition in his stride.

While his most illustrious son, Cardigan Bay, has recently made a triumphant tour of this country after becoming the world's first million dollar winner, his sire is inconspicuously living out his days in happiness on the Chasland's property of Mr Bob Buchanan. "He's spending his days with me as nature intended - nobody to worry him, plenty of grass and no forced fodder," Mr Buchanan said as he looked up a steep slope, recently cleared of bush, on which the celebrated progenitor was grazing, oblivious of any visitors approaching.

His final home is a far call from the Spring Hill Farm in Tennessee, where Mr Allen Campbell bred him. Long left behind are the days when he fashioned a notable racing record on the major American raceways. Still fresh in the minds of many trotting men is his stud career at Mr George Youngson's Gore Stud, and later at the late Mr Hugh Gamble's Edendale Stud. After sweeping all before him as a sire in NZ, the Tryax horse was struck down by infertility and withdrawn from public service in 1964, when at the pinnacle of his career. Standardbred breeding suffered one of it's stiffest blows in NZ as a result of this tragedy.

This career of extremes was very much in the minds of an Invercargill party to Mr Buchanan's Chaslands property as the visitors tramped the steep slopes and waded creeks in miserable coastal weather to view the 'forgotten horse.' What would he look like? Would his appearance capture and aggravate the tragic disappointment felt at his premature stud retirement? While crossing a gully to where Hal Tryax was sheltering, one wondered if such a humble final home was befitting such a horse, who had made such a dynamic impact, not only on the race track, but also on NZ breeding.

On closer inspection however, these reflections quickly vanished. The old horse, looking 'as fat as a seal' carried his 23 years remarkably well and pranced sprightly along the fence when aroused by the party. It had been a year since Mr Buchanan had last handled him, and, understandably, Hal Tryax was in no great hurry to be fondled by his veteran owner. It was not long, however, before the old horse 'came round' and man and horse showed the strangers the affection they have developed for each other over the last six years. Nobody need fear that Hal Tryax is being neglected in his twilight. He has the 6-year-old Brahman stallion, Lachlan, and a few head of shorthorn beef cattle for grazing companions and his veteran owner to look him up every day, to see that all is still well. His gross condition, alone, is ample testimony to the kind of treatment he is receiving.

Bob Buchanan has spent a lifetime among horses and dogs. Reluctant to divulge his age any further "than well past 70" he has spent most of his life as a drover, stockman and farmer. Born in Ireland, he came to NZ when a boy. After working as a drover on the Mt Ross station in Central Otago, he later worked in and around Gore, before shifting to Tokanui. He has spent the last 31 years on his present Chaslands property. It was while working on the Mt Ross Station that he met the late Hugh Gamble. He was a close friend of Mr Gamble until his death in 1964 and took on the responsibility to look after Hal Tryax.

Bob clearly remembers the bush picnic race meetings which were held at Pine Bush, Waikawa and Tokanui. "Any fellow who had a hack had a go in the races," he recalls. "We raced for stakes the equivalent of about $10 today and had to obtain a permit, even though it cost us nothing." A trot and a gallop race was held at each of these picnics and the events were invariably the highlight of the gatherings. "Those were the days of the saw-mills, when there were many more people in Chaslands than there are today," he said.

Bob Buchanan has always had the odd horse. One of his most successful racehorses was Lady Voison, a useful mare, who won the Invercargill Trotting Cup. "Tautuku was about the only other winner of much account I have raced," he added. Tautuku was named after the Tautuku beach, one of the country's most picturesque beaches, not far from Bob's farm. Probably the most interesting feature of his career with horses was his association with Stella Frost, NZ's star race mare. "I bought her dam, Stella Grattan for $20 off Mr R D Butterick, of Christchurch, in 1954," he recalls. "I bred an Andy Derby colt from her and loaned her to a cobber, who bred a Whipster colt, but as neither of them were any good at all, I practically gave her away to Les Tilson." Having to more or less discard her was a disappointment for Bob, as he liked the breed very much, but was disheartened by the mediocrity of the Andy Derby and Whipster colts. Stella Grattan is also the dam of the Van Hanover 4-year-old, Willsher Bay, a winner late last term.

Bob Buchanan has become a personality of the Chaslands. The remoteness of his home might suggest he is a lonely man, but this is far from the case. Opossum hunters, forestry workers, neighbouring farmers and numerous other friends look him up frequently. He has become known as a friend to all those developing the remote, bush-clad area in one way or another and takes time off to assist at a near-by youth camp when the occasion arises. His energy is remarkable for a man of his age. He was still shearing most of his sheep up until two years ago and walks around his property with ease. He possesses an encouraging philosophy to life. "You're never finished until you stop, so you just have to keep active at my age," he claims.

Bob has four broodmares on his Chaslands property and recently brought the Brahman 6-year-old Lachlan, to mate with them. Lachlan is out of the Light Brigade mare, Pibroch, a close relative of champion pacers Highland Fling and Caduceus. "If only that old fellow up the hill could serve them, I'd be right wouldn't I?" he remarked with a touch of regret. But Hal Tryax will never leave another mare in foal. He has failed to respond to treatment and after several operations all hope has been lost, and he has been left to live out his days in peace.

While driving back to Invercargill over the picturesque Chaslands road, one's thoughts could not help but linger with an old horse in a bush fringed paddock and an old man with a remarkable zest for life.

-o0o-

Hal Tryax, the sire of Cardigan Bay and the maternal sire of Young Quinn, died recently in the remote Chaslands area at the grand old age of 35. It was an occasion which passed largely unnoticed in the New Zealand trotting world, in which he had such a great influence.

The death of the champion sire was confirmed by Mr Ken McKenzie, who had cared for him for the past few years, and a spokesman for the trustees of the estate of the late Mr Hugh Gamble, his last owner. Hal Tryax died peacefully of old age and had maintained physical condition which belied his advancing years. Mr McKenzie had devoted much care towards him after taking him over from the late Bob Buchanan, who cared for him for several years after the death of Mr Gamble.

The American import's career was one of extremes as a sire in NZ. After sweeping all before him, topping the NZ sires' list in the 1963-64 season, his rapidly-waning fertility had written him off as a progenitor. He was soon after pensioned off to the rugged coastal Chaslands area and some attempts were made to restore his fertility. But it was to no avail and he was left to live out his days in contentment

Breeding in this country, and especially in Southland, where he stood for his entire stud career, suffered an irreparable blow. Hal Tryax took over from Dillon Hall in keeping Southland to the fore as one of the country's premier breeding nurseries. His remarkable affinity with southern mares, many of whom were rich in the blood of Peter The Great, soon saw the unfashionably-bred Axworthy line horse make an immediate impact. And there seemed no stopping him. That was, until his tragic impotence had written him off.

Hal Tryax and his stock continued to break records for a while, but it was inevitable that as his quickly-diminishing band of representatives fell by the wayside, he would assume less significance. His influence has been sustained by the deeds of his few daughters at the stud and three of his star sons, Holy Hal, Jurist and Tactile, furthered his male line at the stud in Southland. Other sons in Dale Axworthy, Congruent, Kudos, Blue Prince and Student Prince have sired winners throughout Australasia. In America, his star daughter Robin Dundee is the dam of the crack Meadow Skipper horse Genghis Khan (1:54 3/5).

Cardigan Bay, of course, was his star son, winning more than $1 million and becomming the first standardbred to achieve that feat. There were also pacers of the calibre of Robin Dundee (1:59 and $228,312), Tactile (1:59.6 and $189,415 and the only standardbred in the world to win five Derby classics), Holy Hal (2:00.8 and undisputed champion colt pacer of his time), New Zealand Derby winners in Student Prince and Bass Strait, Two Great Northern Derby winners in King Tryax and Tutta Tryax, and a host of others including Blue Prince (2:04.8).

Hal Tyax's premature impotence has also been reflected in the limited number of daughters he has at the stud. But they have made a real impact. They have produced horses of the calibre of Young Quinn, Bachelor Blue (eight wins), Fait Accompli (seven wins), Young Cardigan (nine wins), Happy Hal (2:01.2), Tuapeka's Garry (2:03.4 at 2 years in Australia), Courtier (2:05.8 at 2 years), Marcus John and Newport Tryax.

In America stock of Hal Tryax won $1,456,660 in stakes. He first topped the NZ sires' list in the 1963-64 season. Two years later, he again headed the list, at a time when NZ's greatest-ever sires, U Scott and Light Brigade, were formidible rivals. During the 11 seasons his stock raced in NZ, they won nearly 460 races and gained almost 1300 placings for close to $600,000 in stakes. Taking into account the earnings of his American runners, his stock won just in excess of $2 million.

As one leading trotting scribe termed it, his career "was a studmaster's dream that ended in a nightmare." That aptly summed up the career of the Tryax horse who was foaled at Mr Allen Campbell's Spring Hill Farm, Tennessee, 1947, and later took a sub-2:00 mile record for Alabama-based horseman Sanders Russell. Hal Tryax was launched on his siring career in NZ by George Youngson of Gore, who later sold him to the late Mr Gamble.

Credit: Don Wright writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 2Mar82

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Bonnie's Chance holds out Armalight

1982 BENSON & HEDGES NZ FREE-FOR-ALL

Bonnie's Chance became the 20th horse, and the fifth in succession, to take out the NZ Cup - NZ Free-For-All double when she took out the 1982 Free-For-All. The Kerrytown queen's victory came after a hard-fought tussle with two previous double winners - Armalight and Hands Down - and was without question one of the most courageous efforts posted by the mare.

One of the first out, Bonnie's Chance became awkwardly placed as positions changed in the first 1200 metres, at which point trainer-driver Richard Brosnan had to push out three wide and set off after Hands Down, who was on a forward run up towards the pacemaker Zabadak. Hands Down was sitting on Zabadak's wheel from the 900 metres, leaving Bonnie's Chance parked three wide, but she dashed past Hands Down soon after straightening up.

Once clear, Bonnie's Chance had to find more reserves to hold of the rapidly improving Armalight, who had threaded her way forward from a second line draw to be in behind the leaders on the home turn. Armalight tried to overhaul Bonnie's Chance, but was forced wider on the track as the Cup winner drifted out in the run home, and was half a length back at the finish. Hands Down, who was left struggling when Bonnie's Chance dashed to the lead at the top of the straight, rallied again to get within three quarters of a length of Armalight, then there was a big gap to Remote, who lost her position with a round to go and had to battle on gamely from the back. Tarlad did best of the others.

Bonnie's Chance clocked an outstanding 2:28.5 for the mobile 2000 metres, a mile rate of 1:59.6. Considering the runners had to contend with a strong head wind twice down the Addington straight, it was a particularly meritorious performance.

Credit: Tony Williams writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Owners Bonnie McGarry (with cup) and Karen Grice with Richard Brosnan

1982 NZ TROTTING CUP

Bonnie's Chance, who so often had to be content with the runner-up spot in the big ones last season, savoured the sweet taste of victory when she romped away with the NZ Cup at Addington last Tuesday.

While she had proved no match for Armalight last year, this time it was Bonnie's Chance who made it a one horse race to the line. Ironically, in the 1981 contest Bonnie's Chance was favoured but Armalight surprised everyone. Last Tuesday, Armalight was all the rage and a shadow had hung over Bonnie's Chance.

There is little doubt about the class of either mare, but this year the Cup belonged to "Katy". It didn't look that way on paper though. Armalight and Hands Down, the only horses handicapped after previous wins in the event, were disputing favouritism the minute the tote opened. However, it was not their day. Armalight didn't produce the fantastic final 800 metre sprint that thrilled the 1981 crowd and Hands Down was knocked silly by Ben, who broke for no reason with only 1100 metres of the race completed. Peter Jones was noticeably disappointed afterwards.

Armalight made a brilliant beginning at the start and was soon in touch with the leaders, while Hands Down, after bobbling for a few strides, tacked on to the end of the bunch before too long. Bonnie's Chance was the early leader, but down the straight the first time Cyllarus wasn't to be denied and took up the running. As expected, Hilarious Guest was also in search of the lead though and she took over 400 metres later. It was about this stage that Hands Down disappeared out the back, losing any chance. Ben was later disqualified from fourth place for causing the incident, but his driver, Graham Reaks, was found not guilty of any offence as he made every endeavour to avoid the incident.

The running was the same for the remainder of the race. Hilarious Guest from Armalight in the open, Cyllarus and Quiet Win trailing, Glen Moria the rails and Bonnie's Chance the outer, and El Regale and Ben completing the bunch. Champion trotter Scotch Tar got in touch with the field during the middle stages but dropped away again when the pressure went on after missing away at the start.

As the field headed down the back straight, everyone half expected Armalight and Bob Negus to wave goodbye again, but it wasn't to be. In fact, before the home turn, it was obvious Bonnie's Chance was going to have the last say, although the way she asserted her superiority caught many by surprise. Up four wide around Quiet Win on the turn, Bonnie's Chance just careered away. Her winning margin was seven lengths.

"We went a bit sooner than I wanted to go, but it was a case of now or never," Brosnan admitted afterwards. Bonnie's Chance had been flushed out by Ben, but it hardly mattered. Armalight was game in defeat, holding on to beat Quiet Win by a length and a half, while Ben was two lengths away, shading Cyllarus and El Regale.

Bonnie's Chance recorded a respectable 4:09 for thw 3200 metre journey, but the event was never the gruelling two-miler it was expected to be.

Richard Brosnan took over the training of Bonnie's Chance almost exactly two years ago when she was on the verge of cup class. For him, she's lined up 31 times for 15 wins and 11 placings. The $60,000 stake and $1100 cup elevated her earnings to almost $250,000 for owners Bonnie McGarry and Karen Grice.

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in the NZ Trotting Calendar

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

1982 DOMINION TROTTING HANDICAP

The strength of the open class trotters in the north was further demonstrated when Cal Brydon downed Thriller Dee in a memorable Dominion Handicap.

Following on from wins by Jenner and Thriller Dee on the first two days of the meeting, Cal Brydon took the Dominion Handicap back to a northern stable for the second year in a row. Owned by Gordon and Brian Newberry and trained by Gordon at Clevedon, Cal Brydon was clearly the best horse on the night and none of the beaten drivers could offer any excuses.

Cal Brydon lost a good position in midfield over the first round, but was out to track Stormy Morn from the 2000 metre mark and strode to the front, entering the straight with a lap left. "I was a little worried about being in front that early," said Gordon Newberry afterwards but it didn't matter. The six-year-old was trotting a treat and skipped clear turning for home. Sir Castleton and Triller Dee lodged determined challenges but never looked like pegging the winner back.

The event was a race of constantly changing fortunes. Sir Castleton, the south's only real hope of stemming the northern tide, was first out and led Jenner and About Now, while Thriller Dee and Stormy Morn were well back early. Charlie Hunter took Jenner off the rail to lead passing the winning post for the first time then Sir Castleton moved out to get cover as Stevie Prestige moved around to sit in the open. About Now wound up in the trail. As the field travelled down the back with 2000 metres to go, Stormy Morn made his bid four wide around McShane, but was being tracked by Cal Brydon.

With a round to go it was Cal Brydon from Stormy Morn, Jenner and McShane trailing and Brother James three wide, followed by Sir Castleton. Thriller Dee was four back on the outer at this point. Stormy Morn was being niggled at down the back and Sir Castleton was off four wide as they passed the 500 metre peg. As they turned for home, Jenner, Sir Castleton and Thriller Dee lodged their claims but they were all struggling and Cal Brydon went to the line half a length up on the fast closing Thriller Dee and Sir Castleton, who finished within a head of each other.

Thriller Dee, driven by her young part-owner John Dickie, went a fine race, considering she was checked by the breaking Kimrock with a round to go. About Now "fought on in typical style" according to driver Kevin Townley to finish fourth, three and a half lengths away. Jenner wilted to fifth and Commander Crockett, who ran on well from a bad position on the rails, was next. The rest were a tired lot, headed six lengths away by McShane.

Cal Bryon trotted his last 800 metres in little worse than even time on his way to recording a smart 4:14.6 for the 3200 metres, three seconds outside Scotch Tar's race and New Zealand record. Cal Brydon must now be considered the top trotter in the country with a record of 62 starts, 17 wins and 23 placings for $101,225, $26,275 of which was earned from five wins and five placings from 19 starts in Australia.

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

FEATURE RACE COMMENT

Hilarious Guest (inner) fights off Portfolio

1982 NZ DERBY

As far as Peter Jones was concerned, there was only one horse he had to worry about in the $50,000 New Zealand Derby. That was the Noodlum colt Portfolio, trained by his father at Templeton and driven by the older Jones in the big race.

And so it proved at the end of the 2600 metres. Peter and Hilarious Guest got to the line first alright, but they had just a head to spare over Portfolio. They had been one-two all the way. Peter Jones had Maurice Vermeulen's filly away well - she did put in a few skips but, as Jones said later, "that's probably the best beginning she's ever made" - and rushed her straight to the lead. There she stayed, pressing on relentlessly and making it almost impossible for the others to catch her. And she wasn't dawdling at any stage. She went to the line in 3:20.9, a tenth of a second inside Noodlum's eight-year-old 3:21 record for the age group and inside Motu Prince's 3:21.1 race mark.

"When I still had Portfolio on my back turning for home, I didn't think there was any way I could beat him. There is really nothing between them. There are great stayers," Jones said afterwards. She had to be a good stayer. Even with the pace on throughout, she came her last mile in close to even time.

The deeds of Hilarious Guest are well known. She's raced and won over all distances and after winning the New Zealand Juvenile Championship - among her seven wins as a baby - was voted last season's top of her age. The Derby win was the Hilarious Way-New Guest filly's twelfth and it took her stake tally to well over the $80,000 mark.

Portfolio had put up a tremendous performance to take out a 3200 event on the grass at Ashburton a few days before the Derby. He proved then he had everything needed to turn in a top run in the big race, especially after having lost a lot of ground soon after the start, and powering home in the straight. Even in the Derby itself, Derek Jones thought he was on a winner, for a while anyway. "I thought I could get to her at one point but she was too good. We were just outstayed."

Mel's Boy and the favourite Enterprise finished almost two lengths and a neck behind the first two home. Jack Smolenski said later that Mel's Boy's little break at the start had put paid to his chances. Normally a good beginner from the stand, Mel's Boy was unsettled when the tape went and, once under way, had to be content to sit five and later four places back on the fence in a small field. He was running on at the end. "He ran a good race," Smolenski said. "But you can't give away any start when they're going at that pace."

Peter Shand, driver of Enterprise, had no excuses to offer. "The only problem was they went too quick. You can't come from behind and beat them when they keep up that speed. Still, it was a good run. He kept on going, anyway." Fifth home Guest of Honour made up a ton of ground in the straight after being tucked away at the rear all the way and his was an eye-catching run. But for the others there could be no excuses. They were well beaten by that big filly flying in front.

Hilarious Guest was the only filly in the race and there was no way she was going to be outshone by the boys. It had been a long time since the last time a filly had won - 1963 when Bellijily took the honours.


Credit: Graham Ingram writing in NZ Trotting Calendar