BLAST FROM THE PAST
ABERHALL - Race Record
ABERHALL
1944/45 Season (3 Year Old)
Sat Dec 30 Winton – Novice Hcp (Second Division)
3rd behind Turi Queen
1945
Sat Jan 20 Forbury Park – Navy Hcp
Unplaced behind Radiant Scott
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 31 January 1945
“Aberhall is a novice above the average. He failed to show up on the first day at Forbury after being slow away, but the Dillon Hall three-year-old finished a good third at Winton during the holidays. A good opinion is held of him and he may justify it this week.”
Sat Feb 3 Winton JC – Otapiri Trot Hcp (First Division)
2nd by ½ length to Grattan Wave. Trained & driven by L L Abernethy
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 7 February 1945
“Aberhall confirmed the opinion that he is a three-year-old above the average when he fought on very gamely in endeavouring to overhall Grattan Wave at the finish of a division of the Otapiri Trot at Winton. The Dillon Hall gelding was in the firing line all the way, and he should not be long in graduating from the novice ranks.”
Sat Feb 24 Invercargill – Novice Handicap (Saddle)
Won by 5 lengths from Lauder Girl & Haste. Ridden by D M Kerr
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 28 February 1945
“Aberhall was having his fourth start when he won the Novice Handicap on Saturday, having been placed in two of his three previous outings. The Dillon Hall three-year-old is a pacer of promise, as not only did he win in hollow style on Saturday but he is a level-headed customer and a good pacer to boot.
Aberhall is a member of a rather interesting family. His dam, Moradine, did not go far in the handicaps, but she took a mile and a half record of 3.29 1-5. She was got by Adioo Guy from Myola, an OYM mare who left others in Desert Star (2.13 3-5). Myola was out of Fitzella, by Fitzjimmy from Miss Sherwood. OYM the sire of Myola, was a son of Owyhee (grand-sire of Globe Derby). OYM is probably better known as the sire of Our Thorpe, Agathos ( a Trotting Cup winner), Desdemona, First Alarm, OIC, Gipsy King and others.”
Mon Apr 2 Beaumont R C – Freybery Hcp Trot (Saddle)
3rd off 36yds behind Saskatoon & Jolly Biddy (both off Scr)
Ridden by D M Kerr. Margins Neck, 6 lengths
Sat Apr 14 Southland RC – Otatara Harness Trot
Unplaced behind Fashion Clue, Lou Hall & Trevathan
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 18 April 1945
“Aberhall has furnished into a fine type of three-year-old. He was confidently expected to show up at the Southland meeting, but was standing the wrong way round when the field was despatched.”
1945/46 Season
Sat Sept 29 Otago Hunt – Wingatui Trotting Hcp
3rd Trained & Driven by L L Abernethy
Sat Oct 13 Forbury Park – Hurricane Hcp
Won from Plunder Bar & Radiant Scott. Driven by D M Kerr
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 17 October 45
“For some time Aberhall has been regarded as one of the most likely improvers racing in Southland, and his winning performance in the Hurricane Handicap at Forbury Park on Saturday confirmed this contention. The Dillon Hall gelding displayed outstanding form as a three-year-old last season when he was a winner in an open novice race, but unfortunately he was not engaged in the Southland juvenile classics. He has furnished into a grand type of four-year-old, and no success at Forbury was as convincing as that achieved by the Gore pacer.
Being by Dillon Hall from an Adioo Guy mare, he is a representative of a cross which has been bred from rather extensively in Southland in recent seasons, and there is good reason to believe that Adioo Guy mares will breed with some success. Moradine, the dam of Aberhall, raced with moderate success and took a mile and ½ record of 3.29 1-5. She was out of Myola, an OYM mare.”
Sat Oct 27 Invercargill – Thomson Hcp
Won from Understudy & Lou Hall. Driven by D M Kerr
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 31 October 1945
“If there was an occasion to name the likely favourite for this year’s Gore Cup, to be run on Boxing Day, there would be no hesitation in selecting Aberhall. There has been some style about the manner in which he has won at his last two starts, and at Invercargill on Saturday the Dillon Hall gelding accounted for a field of improvers in convincing fashion.
As a three-year-old last season Aberhall was not the most reliable at the start of his races but in his latest appearances he has not made any mistakes, and his winning efforts have been achieved with something in hand.
On Saturday he was one of the leaders immediately the field had settled down, and he was a winner a long way from home. He has furnished into a grand type of four-year-old and there does not appear to be any doubt about his winning over further ground.”
Sat Nov 17 Southland Racing – New River Harness Trot
Unplaced behind Happy King
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 28 November 1945
“Aberhall’s failure over two miles at Invercargill was a nasty pill to swallow. He had won up to a mile and a half in great style, and if ever a horse appears fitted to run out two miles it is the Dillon Hall gelding. There was no room to make excuses for his Invercargill failure; he was simply not good enough on the day.”
Wed Dec26 Gore – Gore Trotting Club Hcp
Unplaced behind Monagh Leagh
same day F Walls Memorial Hcp
Won from Windermere & Scatterbrain. Driven by D M Kerr
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 3 February 1946
“Aberhall won well over a mile and a quarter at Gore after failing to begin correctly over two miles earlier in the day. Aberhall’s effort in one of the best class fields he has yet met indicates that he is not far short of some of the early opinions expressed of the Dillon Hall gelding, although he has yet to prove his staying qualities.”
1946
Wed Jan2 Southland Racing – Oreti Harness Trot
3rd to Lou Hall & Grelba. Driven by D M Kerr
Sat Jan 6 Southland Racing - Rosedale Harness Hcp
Unplaced behind Battle On
Sat Jan 19 Forbury Park – Flying Hcp
3rd behind Dillondale &Elvo’s Pride
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 230January 1946
“Aberhall was far from disgraced in the Flying Handicap, and his third placing was one to enthuse over. At the end of a furlong he was well back in the running, and even with half a mile to go he only had three runners behind him. Aberhall had not made up much ground by the time the home turn was reached, but in the straight he finished very strongly. There is good reason to respect Aberhall’s worth as a sprinter.”
Sat Jan 26 Forbury Park – Au Revoir Hcp
Won from Margaret Hall & Technique
Sat Feb 9 Canterbury Park – Wigram Hcp
4th behind Plunder Bar, Princess Maritza & Red Setter
Sat Feb 16 New Brighton – Eclipse Hcp
2nd behind Dillondale. Driven by J Walsh
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 27 February 1946
“Aberhall was asked the question of a super horse to win the Eclipse Handicap at the New Brighton meeting and he had to be at least above the average to hold off all but Dillondale, who had a much better passage.”
Sat Apr 6 NZ Metropolitan – Craven Hcp
Unplaced behind Scotch Music. (Light Brigade was 4th)
Sat Apr 13 NZ Metro – Wilkin Hcp
Won from Princess Maritza & Radical
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 17 April 1946
“Moradine, dam of Aberhall, was a winner, but she did not go very far. She is one of many Adioo Guy mares producing winners. Her dam was Myola, the dam of Desert Star, was probably the best stayer in Southland in his day. Myola was by OYM, sire of Our Thorpe, a champion stayer in his day, winning the Free-For-All, finishing second in the NZ Cup, and holding the mile record for a number of years.
Aberhall, like others by Dillon Hall, shapes like a stayer. In the Wilkin Handicap on Saturday Aberhall had only two horses behind him with half a mile to go, and even when he improved to fifth position at the home turn he did not appear to be travelling well enough to be a winning possibility. But from that stage he cut down the leaders in great style and won going away from Princess Maritza and Radical.
Aberhall, only a four-year-old, is trained at Gore by his owner, L L Abernethy. He was driven on Saturday by J Walsh. Aberhall has won five races this season. Altogether he has won six times and been in the minor money seven times for £2275 in stakes.”
Sat Apr 20 NZ Metro – Autumn Stks
4th behind Great Belwin, Navigate & County Clare
1946/47 Season
Sat Aug 24 NZ Metro – Speedway Hcp
2nd behind Catalpa (2 lengths). Driven by R Stevens
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 28 August 1946
“Aberhall was staying on better than Dunmore in the Speedway Hcp and is a young stayer of above average ability, no matter what the state of the track. Aberhall’s reputation with Addington patrons goes on improving.”
Sat Aug 31 NZ Metro – Advance Hcp
Won off 12 yards from Pre-Eminence. Driven by R Stevens.
Extract fro NZ Trotting Calendar 4 Sept 1946
“Aberhall decisively outstayed a strong field in the Advance Hcp, after being badly placed in a rear position for a mile and ¾, he was still pocketed, with 8 horses in front of him, as the field rounded the home turn, and his progress under difficulties from that stage stamped him as a very fine young stayer. Only a 5-year-old, his latest assessment is 4:26 for 2 miles.”
Sat Sep 7 New Brighton – Electric Hcp
Unplaced behind Sir Michael (1945 NZ Derby winner)
Sat Nov 2 NZ Metro (Cup Day) – Final Hcp
Won by a neck from Great Belwin & Dillondale. Trained & Driven by G S Smith.
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 13 November 1946
“Aberhall is an interesting experiment in breeding, as he is got by artificial insemination, a form of breeding widely used in America and England, especially in the breeding of cattle and sheep.”
Fri Nov 15 NZ Metro (3rd day Cup Mtgn, Postponed from 9/11) –
William Hayward Hcp – Won by a length from Plunder Bar, Acropolis and War Form.
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 18 December 1946
“Aberhall. a staunch favourite for the Auckland Cup, which this year carries a record stake of £3500, took the highest honours in his class at the New Zealand Cup Meeting by inflicting the only defeats registered against two of the best pacers at the carnival – Plunder Bar, winner of a treble over the four days, and Great Belwin, winner of two races.
Only now five years old, Aberhall is a genuine stayer and also a sprinter of very high calibre. He was successful in his only two appearances at the Metropolitan Cup meeting, and the manner in which he outsprinted Great Belwin and outstayed Plunder Bar after giving them both a start at the top of the straight sent him right to the top in Auckland Cup discussions. He is likely to remain there.
Aberhall, winner of nine races and £4880 in stakes since he made his first appearance in a race less than two years ago, is a fool-proof racehorse; he has a job to do and goes out and does it with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of efficiency. He has arrived at his present high estate in a much shorter period than most horses who eventually reach New Zealand Cup class, and his elevation to that circle appears to be only a matter of time.”
Fri Dec 27 Auckland – Auckland Trotting Cup
3rd behind Loyal Nurse & Great Belwin. Driven by G S Smith.
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 1 Jan 1947
“The firm win fancy Aberhall was never going comfortably and when he failed to jump away cleanly soon got into a difficult position. When he got into the clear along the back he moved forward, but lagged badly crossing the top and into the straight, which gave him no chance of getting near the two ahead of him.
G S Smith expressed the opinion afterwards that the right handed track was not to Aberhall’s liking. The Dillon Hall pacer is not the first Cup favourite by any means to be tricked by the reverse method, when running like champions in the south.”
Sat Dec 28 Auckland – Champion Hcp
Unplaced behind Loyal Nurse & Great Belwin.
Tue Dec 31 Auckland – President’s Hcp
4th behind Great Belwin, Knave Of Diamonds & Acropolis. Driven by G S Smith.
1947
Sat Mar 22 NZ Metro – Speedway Hcp
Unplaced behind Nyallo Scott
Sat Apr 5 NZ Metro – Au Revoir Hcp
4th behind Dundee Sandy, Great Belwin & Navigate. Driven by G S Smith.
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 23 April 1947
“Aberhall, conqueror at the Metropolitan November carnival of Plunder Bar over two miles, and Great Belwin over a mile and a quarter, failed later as a strongly-fancied candidate for the Auckland Cup, but he made a fine showing to finish a close fourth in a sprint race at Easter. That was a performance that should bring him into favour for the Ritchie Memorial.”
Sat Apr 26 Forbury Park – Ritchie Memorial Hcp
Unplaced behind Highland Fling, Gold Peg & Lucky Loyal
Sat May 3 Forbury Park – James Memorial Hcp
Unplaced behind Gold Peg, Jack’s Son & Highland Fling
1947/48 Season
Sat Aug 23 NZ Metro – Winter Hcp
Unplaced off Scr behind Highland Fling
Sat Aug 30 NZ Metro – National Hcp
2nd (2 lengths) behind Plunder Bar. Driven by L Frost
Sat Sep 6 New Brighton – Electric Hcp
3rd (Nose, 11/2 Lengths) behind Bellhall & Plunder Bar. Driven by L Frost.
Sat Oct 11 Forbury Park – Flying Hcp
Unplaced off 12 yards to Loyal Peter
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 15 October 1947
“There was no excuse for Aberhall against the sprinters on Saturday, as he had every chance in the running. The race would probably do him good.”
Sat Oct 18 Forbury Park – Farewell Hcp
Won off 12 yards by 3 lengths from Jack’s Son. Driven by L Frost
Trained by L L Abernethy
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 22 October 1947
“Aberhall, who made a poor showing against the sprinters on a fast track the first day, was a much different proposition when the going was at its worst in the Farewell Hcp on Saturday. Over the last half-mile he had the result in safe keeping, and it was an effort which showed the Dillon Hall gelding in his true colours.”
Sat Oct 24 Oamaru – Hannon Memorial
Dead-heated for 3rd with Battle Colours. Race won by Knave Of Diamonds from Integrity. Aberhall driven by L Frost.
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 29 October 1947
“Aberhall, continues to race consistently. He was responsible for a solid effort in the Hannon Memorial Hcp at Oamaru.”
Sat Nov 1 NZ Metro (Cup Day) – Empire Hcp
Won off 24 yards by a length from War Form. Driven by L Frost
Trained by L L Abernethy
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 5 November 1947
“Aberhall, under this year’s conditions has qualified for the NZ Cup. He reached the 4.22 mark by a convincing win in the Empire Hcp. He has won £7370 in stakes, and is a genuine all-rounder.”
Sat Nov 8 NZ Metro (Cup Meeting) – Ollivier Hcp
2nd by a nose to Navigate finishing ahead of Plunder Bar, Loyal Realm, Turco, Highland Fling, Shadow Maid, Loyal Nurse, Knave Of Diamonds.
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 12 Nov 1947
“Aberhall finished so fast down on the fence in the Ollivier Handicap that in another stride he must have won. He is a model of consistency, having won twice, finished second twice, and third once in his last six starts. His stakes winnings to date are £7870.”
Sat Nov 15 NZ Metro (4th Day Cup Mtgn) – NZ Pacing Free-For-All
Unplaced behind Integrity, In The Mood, Turco & Highland Fling.
1948
Sat Feb 7 Auckland (Inter Dominion Champs) – Qualifying Heat
Unplaced off 12 yards behind Loyal Peter, Globe Direct & Knave Of Diamonds
Sat Feb 14 Auckland (Inter Dominion Champs) – Qualifying Heat
Unplaced off 12 yards behind Knave Of Diamonds, Emulous & Globe Direct
Sat Feb 21 Auckland (Inter Dominion Champs) – Consolation
Unplaced off 12 yards behind Turco, Double Peter & Doctor Ted
Sat Mar 13 NZ Metro – A I Rattray Hcp
4th behind Highland Fling, Plunder Bar & Emulous
Sat Mar 27 NZ Metro – Easter Stakes
Unplaced behind Highland Fling & Emulous
Sat Apr 24 Forbury Park – Dunedin Centennial Cup Hcp
Unplaced behind Acropolis, Highland Fling, Dundee Sandy & Plunder Bar.
1948/49 Season
Sat Oct 9 Forbury Park – Flying Hcp
3rd off 24 yards behind Emulous(60 yds) . Driven by L Frost
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 13 October 1948
“...Aberhall, too, must be rated as a first-class prospect. He finished late from a pocket in the Flying Handicap last week.”
“Aberhall made a promising reappearance when he finished with a late run to get up for third behind Emulous and Henry Of Navarre. The Gore pacer has rarely stripped in better order and the race should tune him for immediate engagements.”
Sat Oct 16 Forbury Park – Farewell Hcp
Unplaced off 24 yards behind Minoru
Sat Oct 25 Oamaru – Hannon Memorial
2nd by ½ Length off Scr to Navigate. Highland Fling & Emulous unplaced
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 27 Oct 1948
“...Aberhall was not disgraced in being beaten into second place after being responsible for the pace. His was the effort of a game racehorse...”
Sat Oct 30 NZ Metro – NZ Cup
12th to Highland Fling. Driven by L C Frost
Sat Nov 6 NZ Metro – Ollivier Hcp
Unplaced of 12 yards to Single Direct
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 10 November 1948
“The unlucky horse in the Ollivier Hcp was Plunder Bar, who was completely eliminated when Aberhall swung across and stopped him at barrier rise. Aberhall also behaved badly in the New Zealand Cup and is fast earning a reputation as a problem at the start of his races.”
1949
Sat Jan 1 Canterbury Park – Canterbury Hcp
Unplaced behind Monagh Leagh, Plunder Bar, Highland Fling & Dundee Sandy.
Mon Jan 3 Canterbury Park – Mason Hcp
3rd (Length & ½ Length) off 24 yards to Plunder Bar(24 yds) and Highland Fling(96 yds). Driven by R Stevens
Sat Jan 22 Forbury Park – Flying Hcp
Unplaced off 24 yards behind Attack
Sat Jan 29 Forbury Park – Au Revoir Hcp
Unplaced off 24 yards behind Captain Sandy
1949/50 Season
Sat Oct 8 Forbury Park – Flying Hcp
Unplaced off 24 yards to Victoy Globe
Extract from NZ Trotting Calendar 19 Oct 1949
“Aberhall, a New Zealand Cup candidate, was the outsider of the sprint field and he was the last to finish.”
Sat Oct 15 Forbury Park – Farewell Hcp
Unplaced off 24 yards to Baby Grand
Tue Dec 31 Canterbury Park – Canterbury Hcp
Unplaced off 12 yards to Attack
1950
Thu Jan 2 Canterbury Park – Mason Hcp
Unplaced off 12 yards to Checkmate
Sat Jan 21 Forbury Park – Dunedin Cup
Unplaced off 24 yards to Gantree
Sat Jan 28 Forbury Park – Champion Free-For-All
Unplaced to Integrity
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