CLICK HERE TO GO BACK

Stewart Sutherland and Hickory Stick

STEWART SUTHERLAND

North Otago trainer and popular identity Stewart Sutherland died on Monday after a short illness. Aged 64, Sutherland passed away almost a year after winning the feature trot at the Forbury Park Trotting Club's meeting with Hickory Stick.

Sutherland was a good man with a trotter, his best win being the Canterbury Park Trotting Cup with Waipounamu, a son of Aksarben. He fared well with Aksarben stock because Screws Loose was an open class daughter of the sire, and finishing second in the Rowe Cup. Screws Loose won eight races, her major one being the Greymouth Trotting Stakes in 1975, but she won at least two at Addington and in one of them defeated Castleton's Pride.

A big man, Sutherland started off as a musterer and later became the private trainer for Bill McCone, a past president of the Oamaru Harness Racing Club. Sutherland was a steward of the club. Young Atlas and Hazel Grattan were notable winners from the stable, but his best performer was probably Frown, a son of Dillon Hall. Racing in the late 50s Frown won 11 races, four of them at Forbury Park, where he won the Flying Handicap from Arania, Sun Chief and Thunder. His only win at Addington was as an 8-year-old when he took the New Year Handicap, but he was still going at 10, and finished fourth in the Lightning Handicap to Cardigan Bay, Samantha and Lordship.

Only A Rose (6 wins), Tintern Pride (3) and Black Moss (3) were some of the more recent winners, and Dodge City was handled by his daughter Karen to win the night Hickory Stick won the Forbury Park feature. All told, Sutherland trained 262 winners, his best totals were 19 in 1975/6 and 17 in 1959/60. He drove 190 winners.

He is survived by his wife Colleen, son Roger and daughters Karen and Jan Meikle.

Credit: NZ HRWeekly 29Apr92

Driving Farlena to win the 1951 Cheviot Cup

ALBERT FAIRBAIRN

The death occurred recently of Albert Fairbairn, a prominent Canterbury trainer in the 40s and 50s. He was 80. Albert was employed by two trainers, Dick Humphreys and Roy Berry, before setting up his own stable at Hornby.

His most notable win was in the 1949 NZ Sapling Stakes with Farlena, a King Cobra-Quite Evident filly raced by his brother Ossie, and later to win the Cheviot Cup.

Mont dÓr was one of his first winners, winning three in the 1937-38 season, and he trained and drove Scapa Flow to win the Nelson Trotting Cup. He drove Margin - later to win the Dominion Handicap for George Cameron - in his early wins, Quite Evident to win four in one season, and he bred, owned and trained Jackie Guy, by Jack Potts, to win nine races.

His last winner was Arneb, a son of Stormyway trained by Ossie, which paid £67/10/- winning at Motukarara in 1965. Ossie said: "Arneb, Margin, Mont dÓr, Punctual and Appreciate all paid big divvys when they won. That was our wages. It was the only way we could get any money then."

Albert was the uncle of Doyleston trainer Kevin Fairbairn.

Credit: NZ HRWeekly 29Jul92

CHARLIE PATEMAN

Charlie Pateman, who died in Blenheim age 93, was an owner of standardbreds and thoroughbreds, widely known throughout NZ and Australia. Highly successful as a hard-working caterer and hotelier, first in Timaru and then for long years in Blenheim, Mr Pateman raced numerous gallopers, pacers and trotters on both sides of the Tasman, some of them in his own direct interests and many more out on lease. His best gallopers were Ray Ribbon (who beat all but Rising Fast in the 1955 Caulfield Cup and won the Williamstown Cup) and Lady Christine (who cost him 400 guineas as a yearling and was the top 2-year-old of 1946-47).

Mr Pateman initially owned Mankind, but let that good pacer slip through his hands to subsequently bring Wes Butt into prominence in the game in the early 1940s. In 1967 Mr Pateman sold the trotter French Pass after his first win to Wellingtonian Roy McKenzie, for whom he won a string of races including the Dominion Handicap of that year and beat all but Stylish Major in the 1968 Inter-Dominion Grand Final in Auckland.

Mr Pateman also bred and raced a smart pacer in the mid-1970s, Grosvenor Lord. One of the shareholders with Noel Simpson in the founding of Prestatyn Raceway in Wales, which opened in 1963, Mr Pateman served as judge among other official capacities and with Simpson worked hard but in vain to get harness racing off the lower rung in the United Kingdom.

Credit: 1993 TAB Harness Racing Annual

JIM DALGETY Snr

Jim Dalgety, who died at Oamaru after a short illness, operated the Belmedia Stud at Kakanui, where he farmed from 1942. His first racing venture was Vanity Scott, a daughter of U Scott and Tara's Hall whom he bought as a 2-year-old for 210 guineas in 1955. She won him nine races and left the winners Kimargo, Master Key, Golden Vanity and Yankee Scott.

Other good winners trained by Mr Dalgety included Spangle's Gold, Jack Ruler, Butler Hanover, Lakeda, Fielder and Lord Paso. His most recent winner was Guiding Boy at Forbury Park in 1990. A vendor at the national yearling sales for many years from the early 1950s, he bred a host of winners, including Chief Command, Indecision, Living Doll, Lord Paso, Star Stranger and Jack Ruler, all from Queen's Coronet. Mr Dalgety stood the stallion Jack Chance in the mid-1970s

His sons Jim (Lantana Lodge, West Melton) and Don (Shardon Stud, Kakanui) both established their own standardbred studs after assisting their father.

Credit: 1993 TAB Harness Racing Annual

MAURICE McTIGUE

Maurice McTigue, who died at Ashburton aged 85, was, in his heyday, NZ trotting's leading owner-trainer, with a remarkable strike-rate for a one-man band.

An electrician early in life, McTigue in the early 1930s bred Waress, a filly by dual Auckland Cup winner Man o' War from Ivy Mac, a little mare whose dam Manuka (a straightout trotter) was a sister to champion pacer of the turn of the century, Ribbonwood. A staying type, Waress won five races, and, with her and other good performers in Fine Art, Morello and the dual-gaited Dark Hazard, McTigue burst into trotting's headlines in the '30s. Morello in 1938 gave McTigue a winning debut in the NZ Cup.

Waress produced a line of winners for McTigue, all by Jack Potts. The best of these, Plunder Bar, won 12 races and was twice second in the NZ Cup. Other good performers from Waress were Indigo and Vimy Ridge. Putting unraced Jack Potts mare Berengaria, the first foal of Waress, to Springfield Globe, McTigue bred Tactician.

Racing until he was 13, Tactician won 20 races, highlighted by his victory over Johnny Globe in the 1955 Inter-Dominion Final in Auckland. In beating False Step and Local Light in the Rattray Stakes at Addington in 1957 in 1:59 4/5, Tactician recorded the first sub-2:00 race mile outside America.

The first president of the Mid-Canterbury OTB Association and a past-president of the Methven Trotting Club, McTigue was survived by five children, including National Government Minister Maurice McTigue.

-1993 TAB Harness Racing Annual-

-o0o-

M C(Maurice)McTigue, a prominent Methven harness racing identity, the first President of the Mid-Canterbury OTB Association, and a past President of the Methven Trotting Club, died last week, aged 85.

Mr McTigue, a former electrician and the father of the present Minister of State-owned Enterprises, gained his biggest triumph in 1955 when he won the Inter-Dominion Grand Final with Tactician. He bred Tactician from Springfield Globe, winner of the 1939 Inter-Dominion Grand Final and Berengaria, the first foal from his good Man O'War mare, Waress (9 wins).

Tactician did not race until he was four, and won his first two, at Hawera. Mr McTigue was against racing horses at two, after he saw Plunder Bar beaten on a heavy track in the Sapling Stakes at Ashburton. Plunder Bar, which he bred from Waress, later became a top horse and won 12 races, but it took him 12 months before he was properly right again.

Long before Tactician came along, Mr McTigue had struck in the big races, winning the 1938 NZ Cup driving Morello. Tactician raced until he was 13, won 20 races, became the first outside the US to better 2:00 for a mile in a race and earned more than £25,000.

Among the other fine horses he raced were Loyal Rey (12wins), Great Divide (11), Precious Metal, Maharaj, Black Surprise, Indigo (8), King's Play, Messala, Kubla Khan (8), Golden Fleece (9), Grand Canal, Genghis Khan, Fine Art (14), Dark Hazard (11), Play On, West Point, Peter Polo, Royal Worthy and Loyal Friend.

Always active around his farm, Mr McTigue enjoyed a game of billiards and a beer at the 'local' until a year ago when he was hurt in a car accident.

Credit: NZ HRWeekly 2Sep92

GAVIN HAMPTON

This month marks the end of driving for Gavin Hampton, now aged 65. Having driven 250 winners since being first licenced in the 1946-47 season, he retires thinking how fortunate he was to train two of them. Near the start of his career, in 1952 and 53, he had Masterpiece and 29 years ago it was the handsome stallion, Radiant Globe.

He wouldn't separate the two on ability, though Masterpiece won him 6 and Radiant Globe 22. "The best was never seen of Masterpiece. I got him when he had won five and he won me six, including four on end. He had great speed. You could bring him into the straight about seventh or eighth and he would produce a brilliant finish; he was a better horse if you held him up."

An unsound son of Light Brigade, Masterpiece started his trot for Hampton by winning at Hutt Park, where he beat Inglewood, and then defeated First Victory at Addington. He went to Ashburton on Boxing Day, winning from Tribal Song and Tiberius, and brought up his fourth successive win in the Au Revoir Handicap at Addington from Vedette, Zulu and Dragoman. His sixth and final win of his career came the same season at Addington, where he won from Lauder Hall, Petite Yvonne and Maida Dillon.

"Radiant Globe was a lovely horse, a great horse to have round the place, and the kids could get on and ride him. You knew he was always going to do his best for you."

Hampton's best driving tally was in the 1970-71 season when he won 21 and Radiant Globe gave him eight of them, including the Greymouth Cup from Barrhill and Jacquinot Bay, and the New Brighton Cup from True Averil and Barrhill. It was also the season of his greatest disappointment. "The 1971 Inter-Dominions were at Addington, and he couldn't start on the first night because he got tied up. On the second night he ran fourth and he won on the third night with a faster rate than any of the other three winners (Stella Frost, Manaroa and Rain Again). He missed out on a start in the Final by one point." To illustrate the good prospect he would have been in the Final, Radiant Globe won the 13 furlong Consolation from Globe Bay by more than six lengths in 3:27, after Stella Frost took 3:38 2/5 in the Grand Final. "I was lucky to get a horse like that," he said.

Hampton's first job was at Takanini at F J Smith's Village Farm. It was a top stable, including at the time Josedale Dictator and Volo Senwood. You had to pick up all you learned, but it was different than what it is these days. He had 11 boys on the staff and they each had two horses to look after and they were strapped for an hour and a quarter every day. "It was three months before I got my first day off, and six months before I was allowed in the cart," he said.

His first winning drive was after he had returned south, to where his father Joe was training at East Eyreton in North Canterbury. "My father wasn't very pleased about it. I drove Rowan McCoy at Greymouth, where it was usual to have two starts in the day. In the first of them, when he was paying £100 to win, I miscounted the number of rounds, and got him going to run fourth. I won with him later in the day, but he was hot favourite then," he said.

He gained a professional licence in 1950 and moved to Belfast, where Masterpiece - later the sire of top pacer Master Alan - and the U Scott trotter Ecosse joined the team. Cara Nelson was another good winner at the time, and in the early 60s he produced Wendy Dawn to win the NZ Oaks and the Nelson Cup, and Belmartial to win the NZ Trotting Stakes. In 1966, he moved to Weedons, where he trained and drove such good winners as Glen Bell, Final Donn, Pineship, Grovenor Globe, and Radiant General who won the 1975 Golden Slipper Stakes.

His driving successes included the Westport Cup behind Slick Chick, the Superstars Final with Lucky Boy, the NZ Free-For-All with Radiant Globe, feature races with Stampede and Zabadak, and the Canterbury Park Cup behind Philemon.

Hampton has noticed great changes in the style of driving in recent years. "It used to be stereotyped, but now it's all hustle and bustle. People are going for the money and they seem to under more pressure. When I first started you would follow someone who would show you how to get the gaps, like Maurice Holmes. I had my first drives for the season at Nelson last month and I couldn't get over it. I would think I'd be going alright, in a good position, then I'd find myself out the back. It's a different ballgame now," he said.

For many years a committeeman on the Trainers and Drivers Association, Hampton considers the Conference could have involved more professional men in some of its decision-making, and worries about the little protection for cadets after they leave the scheme. "It seems too easy to get a licence, and this must have an effect on the future of the young ones."

"The cost and pressure doesn't make harness racing as enjoyable as it used to be," he said. Hampton, whose last driving success was in the 1987-88 season, did not have his first drives this season until the recent Nelson meeting. He leased Parklane for the curcuit, and hopes to end his career driving the same horse at Addington - the scene of his most memorable wins.


Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 3Jul91

VINNY KNIGHT

There seems no sense to make of the tragic death of Vincent John ("Vinny") Knight. Dashing, dark and handsome, Vinny was an Australian harness racing celebrity.

He took off as a young rebel in his teens, but he learned his lessons quickly. At a young age, only 36, there was little he hadn't achieved. Hard work, natural ability, a competitive spirit and a desire to succeed quickly took him beyond the pack.

In the early 1980's, he became well-known through the wonderful efforts of Popular Alm. He would say of 'Poppy'..."He made good horses, real good horses, look like idiots. He had everything. He had freak ability. He was a aristocrat when he walked onto the track. Everybody was proud just to look at the horse - 'there is Poplular Alm, isn't he a great horse'- and he looked a good horse. He had everything. If he had been a human being, everybody would have flocked all over him. He was just a beautiful horse, I have never had one better than him, and never will."

After that his success rate flourished. For the past three seasons Knight has driven horses that have totalled more than $1 million in stakes. He has driven more than 700 winners in Melbourne: no-one's done that before. He has won 18 Inter-Dominion heats; he has been leading Melbourne reinsman five times. The great horses he has driven include Jane Ellen, Sinbad Bay, Smooth Falcon, Our Maestro, Jodie's Babe, Alpine Fella, Panyan, Thor Lobell, Koala Knight, Rockleigh Victory, Allan Grant and Almeta Boy.

Off the track, he was deeply affected by the death of his mother Aileen, and the booing of Bag Limit after his sensational win in the 1988 Winfield Cup upset him. "She was a very proud lady. She just loved to go and watch me drive. After Mum died, it was probably the hardest time of my life," he told Bob Cain in the Trotting Weekly.

Knight was hurt by the crowd demonstration after he had spent hours getting Bag Limit to the post for the Cup. "When you work with horses seven days a week, it upsets you when they start booing after the race. They might have been booing me, but I could see them booing 'Baggie.' He didn't deserve that. he tried his guts out every time he went to Moonee Valley. He didn't deserve any boos. I feel for my horses; I love 'em."

Speculation and rumour will persist on other pressures that surrounded his life in the fast lane, for no doubt he had them. Vinny was extremely popular. Whenever he was in New Zealand, he was often attended by a clutch of stable followers and fans. In some ways, Vinny was to the harness racing industry what film star James Dean was to the American youth in the early 1950's.

Such image-makers are few and far between. Like all larger-than-life personalities taken in their prime, Vinny wasn't here long enough.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 17Apr91

'TOM' ANNETT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Credit: Gary Birkett writing in HRWeekly 28Aug91

E A CLARK

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

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

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

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

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

Credit: HRWeekly 10Apr91

Bevan & Keith Grice with Coo Doo

BEVAN & KEITH GRICE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Credit: Gary Birkett writing in HRWeekly 1May91