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Jack Grant & Diarac parade at Addington

JACK GRANT

Show Day at Addington 1939...Jack Grant recalls it vividly. "I peeped over the fence and saw a wee cream horse. I suppose I took an interest in horses from that day." The horse was Icevus and he'd just won the free-for-all. But for Jack Grant, the side-shows on his side of the fence were more interesting at the time.

However, that 'wee cream horse' must have started something. About a year later, the same lad stuck his head through one of the local horse trainer's fences. Someone passed him a broom and told him to start cleaning. "I got a shilling that day and I've had a broom in my hand since," Grant, now 50, said last week. It was hard for a young man in the racing game in those days, but Grant 'stuck with it'. It wasn't too long before he was working with men like Bob Young and Maurice McTigue and horses like Aerial Scott, Victory Globe, Plunder Bar and Tactician.

In the 50s he started working for Derek Jones and through the sixties they formed one of the best training partnerships in the country. They parted company after 22 years in 1973 after 'never having a real argument' in all that time. Marriage and a nice, small property down the road from Jones was the inducment to leave. Breaking in and gaiting horses have been his living since. It wasn't bad going right from the start. Such was his reputation that a lot of Canterbury trainers were quick to make use of his services. "Jack Smolenski was especially good. He sent a lot of horses to me, horses like Columnist, Gina Marie, Lord Fernando." But just recently Grant returned to the training fray.

Chancalot's win at the recent Rangiora meeting saw him once again figure as a winning trainer. It had been eight years since he last saw his colours first past the post. The 14 odd horses around the Grant stables these days are a far cry from those he's been used to. Through the fifties and sixties he was associated, in one way or another, with just about every top horse in the country. The Grant story is a long one and full of good horses.

Born in Christchurch and raised near Addington, the headquarters of NZ trotting in those early years, it is not surprising that Grant took an interest in horses. So many top horses and horsemen were 'just down the road'. But it was far from easy for a young man just starting out. After all those menial little tasks around the stables, "it was a privilege to do fast work." But those early years gave him a solid grounding and it stood to him.

Grant first worked for Jim Young, learning to ride horses before heading off to school. There were about 18 yards waiting to be cleaned when he got home. "There were so many professionals in those days. It was so hard for a young fellow to get a go on raceday," Grant recalled. After the war Grant found himself in the stable of Bob Young and sitting behind horses like Auckland Cup winner Victory Globe and top class trotters like Aerial Scott and Gay Belwin. He then worked for Maurice McTigue, handling 'a lot of good horses," including Tactician. Maurice was a very astute horseman. I learned a lot off him. We used to do a lot of travelling in those days, quite often taking teams to Auckland," said Grant.

It was in those early years he achieved what he considers his first milestone. Driving Trueco at Forbury Park, Grant was suspended after guiding him to win by the length of the straight. I was the first probationer to be put out, you know. I only pushed a horse out, but they didn't see it quite the same way," he said.

A friendship with a youthful Derek Jones - "we'd both done a bit of boxing" - had begun by then and in the early fifties Grant started work with the Templeton horseman. It was a highly successful association. In 1965 the pair went into partnership. During the sixties Jones and Grant prepared numerous winners and they headed the trainers' premiership in the 1965-66 and 1969-70 seasons. "We took about nine horses through to Cup class," Grant recalled. He reeled them off easily - Trueco, Smokeaway, Doctor Dan, Disband, Lochgair, Snowline, Leading Light, Diarac and Boy Louw. There were also the fine trotters Our Own and Light View. Diarac, who won the last race at the Amberley track before it closed down, was one of Grant's own horses. He also won the first race on Timaru's clay track with Kimbell Duke.

If you ask Jack Grant about the best horse he ever sat behind, he'll probably say Cardigan Bay. "I paraded him at Chertsey one day. Even had his colours on." If you ask him about the best horse he's ever seen, he'll probably say Cardigan Bay again, or perhaps Highland Fling. "They were freaks." But the whole games different now. "Horses lasted longer in the old days. The public got to know them and they idolised them," said Grant who has seen every NZ Cup since 1944. "Every horse has his day and nothing's going to beat them on that day. I haven't seen a horse who could have beaten Lord Module the day he won his Cup."

Grant's seen a lot of good horsemen in his time as well. "There were no better trainer-drivers than men like Jack Pringle and Ces Donald. They were real professionals. Derek's a good horseman for that matter. He has a nice easy way of working horses and gets on with any type." And then he remembered another prominent horseman who had given him some advice he had never forgotten: "Always take time to talk to people around you when you are going up - that way you'll have someone to talk to in those times you're going down again."

The big stables and the travelling are all behind Grant now. Breaking in and gaiting and playing around with his own horses on his 11 acre property in Prebbleton is enough. He is breeding from the Hi Lo's Forbes mare Hi Madam, a half sister to the useful Crow Bar, and has a 2-year-old filly by Armbro Del out of her. A yearling by Honest Master from her is another going through his paces at present. Most of the others in the team are just being broken in. Chancalot is the only one sporting his colours on the track these days. "He has been a bit of a handful and he still has a bit to learn," said Grant of the Armbro Hurricane 5-year-old.

The horse is going to have to be a bit more than just a handful to get the better of him and his experience though. Jack Grant is still one of the most respected men in his business.

-o0o-

Article by Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 10Mar04

Jack Grant, who died last week at the age of 73, formed a successful training partnership at Templeton with Derek Jones. They headed the trainers' premiership twice - in 1965/66 with 37 wins and in 1969/70 with 38 wins.

Grant's best horse was Diarac, a rangy son of Morano and Concerto who won 12 races over four seasons, though he was sparingly raced. Grant drove him often, and won the Ashburton Flying Stakes from Selwyn Hanover and Stella Frost and four other races. Jones drove him to beat Meadow Bank and Holy Hal in the Hannon Memorial, and handled him when he beat Curragh Dan and Seafield Countess when he was on the verge of Cup class. Doug Watts drove him in his one NZ Cup start. Grant also won four races with Kimbell Duke, a nuggety son of Hancove bred by Jack McDonald, and drove Ardleigh to win a 2:14 trot at Alexandra Park.

In recent years, he trained on a small scale at Prebbleton, winning races with Besse Scott, Sheer Distinction - his latest winner - and OK Skippi, and he bred regularly from the Hi Lo's Forbes mare Hi Madam, who was a half-sister to the partnership's big winner, Crow Bar.

Grant's love for horses and racing began when he was at Addington Primary School. It meant an early start for he 7-year-old, cooling out Jim 'Pop' Young's horses before school started, and helping feed-up on the way home. He stayed with Young until they had a row. His great friend Maurice Flaws recalls that Grant was sacked after he broke a yard broom over 'Pop's' head. "What happened," said Maurice, "was that Jack was sitting down doing up a wheel. Kevin Murray, who was also working there, was poking the borax at Jack, and then Kevin threw a punch. Jack lifted a wheel and Kevin put his fist though the spokes, hurt his hand, and then ran off to tell 'Pop'. Somehow Jack hit him on the head. He got sacked over that."

Jim's son Bob, a legendary horseman, was sad to see him go. "Bob always insisted that Jack went away with the horses on the long trips," recalled Maurice. "He cared for horses like Aerial Scott, Victory Globe, Single Task and Gay Belwin, and you knew he would be totally dedicated to them. He was also strapper for Croughton when he won the NZ Derby," he said.

His other passion at this age was boxing, and he was good at it. Jones says he had 80 fights and fought the best of them in the light and welter-weight divisions, and was runner-up in a bout for a NZ title. "He won Canterbury titles," said Maurice. "He was not quite tall enough, but won when he could get in close. Wally Ireland said he could never recall Jack taking a step backwards, and that was Jack in life - he took everthing on the chin."

From Young's, Grant went to work for Maurice McTigue, when the team included Tactician, Ghenghis Khan and Kubla Khan. They had a great association, and in later years Grant trained a horse for McTigue, obviously forgiven when told to leave after throwing one of the McTigue kids into the family swimmimng pool. Grant then joined Derek Jones, and later became a training partner. "He was with me for twenty-two years and was a good servant. He helped make horses like Disband, Powerful Light, Smokeaway and Doctor Dan," he said.

Erin Crawford, a member of the HRNZ Executive, considers Grant gave him a thorough grounding in the industry during his time working for the partners. "He was very dedicated, and he was a traditionalist. He loved talking about history and the old timers. Old 'Donald' did this and old 'so and so' did that. He never took a day off, and he was mad keen on rugby and gangsters and he enjoyed a big fat cigar. The wild west was another favourite, and a Colt 45 hung on a wall in his home."

From the money he got selling Diarac, Grant purchased a property in Prebbleton, and later on trained a small team, and with Andy Tilson did some breaking in and gaiting. His last horse was Sheer Distinction, who won a race on the first day at Waterlea in January, and followed that up by running a shocker on the second. "I know what was wrong with him," he told Maurice..."they expected too much of him."

"That was the knowledge the man had," said Maurice.

Grant was given a private funeral at his home last week.



Credit: Frank Marrion writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 9June81

JIM DALGETY

Among the host of mares cropping the lush grass out at Lantana Lodge there's one Jim Dalgety can hardly wait to see foal. She is Jovial Jeanie, a spectacular mare when going through the grades a few seasons ago, and now a month overdue.

Jim Dalgety, though, shows no concern. "That's not unusual for a maiden mare." She's due to foal to Colonel Kenton, who Dalgety stands at his West Melton stad at a considerably more modest fee than the one he had to pay to get this fine mare. And the expenses didn't stop with the $12,500 fee for champion American stallion Most Happy Fella. Jovial Jeanie is out of Bellajily, a Van Dieman mare who won the NZ Derby before being sent to America to race.

Dalgety noticed her name in a race card while on a trip to the States about ten years ago. Not for her, then, the town hall company of her Derby and Oaks contemporaries. Instead, her American performances impaired by a throat infection, she was restricted to lowly claimers. "I got an American friend to claim her for me; she was mine for $2600," Dalgety explained last week. No more racing for her. Dalgety sent her to Blue Chip Farms to be mated with Gene Abbe. "You had to pay the fee for a live foal. Ours caught a virus and died after three weeks. Ten or twelve thousand down the drain for a start." Bellajily stayed at Blue Chip and produced Jovial Jeanie before coming home. "We had to pay $12 a day for more than two years, plus expenses of $100 a month, to keep her at the farm in those days. Mind you, it's a lot more now with Most Happy Fella's fee around $40,000 I think," Dalgety said.

Now both mother and daughter are among the sparkling band of mares roaming the Dalgety acres. Inquisitive creatures, mistaking the Calendar vehicle for a block of blue salt lick while 'Jeanie' gets her photo taken. Dalgety insists there must be performance as well as breeding on both sides of a family. Without those two ingredients it is unlikely any progeny will have the heart or ambition to win, so essential in these cost-torn days. Jovial Jeanie's mate was unraced, but Colonel Kenton, by Local Light out of Petulus (thus a brother to top filly Golden Oriole), was, according to Dalgety, as fast as any horse he's had. "I worked him for a while and he had a ton of speed. Good gaited, too." He's served a lot of the Dalgety mares and a few well-bred outsiders as well - mares like Robyn, the dam of Game Lad and Game Two, Effie Wave, a half-sister to Sapling winner Glide Time and Laura Blue, a sister to Bachelor Blue.

When Dalgety is looking for a mare, it must come from a strong family of good winners. And over the years the policy has paid off. He and his wife Faye are recognised as one of the more successful breeders in the business. "In this industry, the racing is as important as the breeding ...and the breeding is the most fascinating," Dalgety said. He recalled how he bred and sold Module, the dam of Lord Module, for $100; how he once leased champion broodmare Desilu before sending her back to Dave Anderson ("that Delightful Lady must be one of the best mares in the world - certainly the best we have seen"); Double Agent, Gallant Guy ("they never stop winning") and Milford Mary, the three of them big successes in Australia.

He has had dozens of success stories here: Bolton Byrd (now at stud himself) and current rising star Melton Monarch, both from his Bachelor Hanover mare Nikellora, among them. But he claims a lot less success with the other side of the racing business, the thoroughbreds.

At the moment he's working a 2-year-old filly - one of about a dozen horses he has in work - and "she goes really well." She's by Main Adios from an Out To Win mare out of a Goodland mare, out of a Bachelor Hanover mare out of Karen. Basically, she's a product of stallions Dalgety has stood at Lantana Lodge. He imported Bachelor Hanover ("he really got me started here") and Out To Win, and stood Goodland on lease. Bachelor Hanover died in 1975 and he is buried with a commemorative headstone at the main gate of Dalgety's 450 acre property.

Jim Dalgety, himself, got started in the horse business at 17 when he left his parents' farm south of Oamaru (his father stood Jack Chance) to work for Cecil Devine, moving later to Maurice Holmes. "It was tough going to start with but learning the business was more important than the money. They were both great teachers, really two giants in their field." While working with those two, Dalgety was in close contact with two of the best horses he ever saw. Lookaway winner of the NZ Cup as a 4-year-old was a "brilliant" animal ("I took him to Auckland once"), while "there wouldn't have been another horse anywhere who could do a last quarter with Van Dieman. He was phenomenal." Dalgety also rates Mister Chips, who beat horses like Lordship and Robin Dundee before going to America where he just couldn't adapt to changes in conditions, as one of the best he had anything to do with.

Dalgety, now 48, himself has worked in America. He accompanied a shipment of horses to the States in 1967 and stayed on to work with Stanley Dancer for five months. It was then he first met Vernon Dancer - "one of the nicest men in the business in America" - and his wife Caroline. The Dancers owned Out To Win and his latest stallion purchase, the Race Time horse Farm Timer. "Vernon used to train Scottish Hanover and was sure he would make a good sire. He told me that years ago. He said the same thing about Out To Win and he was also quite sure with this fellow. "I didn't particularly want a Race Time horse but I really liked the look of him; he was a good performer and he comes from a great old family which seems to be getting better all the time." Fan Hanover, top 3-year-old filly in America at the moment, is closely related to Farm Timer. "He should leave them with early speed."

Back in 1967 Dalgety couldn't help but notice how everyone wanted a horse who could go quickly early. "It was high pressure stuff," he said. "No one waits in America. There is no bringing a horse in and turning him out for six months to strengthen. They either make it or they don't. If a horse is not ready, it's too bad. The situation is the same today. With so much money available for youngsters, the pressure is on to get horses racing. In New York alone, there are millions available for horses bred in the state, and other states are not too far behind with their own sires' stakes programmes. Such a scheme "would be a hell of a thing for the business here. But it would have to be backed by the Government," is Dalgety's assessment. "They would get the money back eventually anyway. As well a sires' stakes programme would boost sales, would get new owners in, would boost betting...I'm sure it's the only way trotting in the future is going to bloom - that is for the Government to put some back. The smaller clubs are under a lot of pressure. And it's not their fault they're being screwed down by the tax they have to pay the Government. Businesses and individuals like Max Harvey and Bob Owens can only keep sponsoring races for so long. There must be some move by the Government." At the moment, stakes were not keeping pace with inflation and there were too many horses in the looser classes. "We've reached saturation point with the maidens. And if somethings not done soon, a lot of good owners are going to drop out through being disillusioned by not getting starts."

Another problem contributing to the excess of horses was the breeding of too many horses from second-rate mares from the poorer families. "People are quick to breed from a mare who has failed on the track but it doesn't work. The Ashburton sale proved that. Mares from good families got the money; the others couldn't be given away. Racing must be the only industry in which people insist on breeding failures."

There is no way anyone could say Jim Dalgety himself has been a failure. But, success that he is, he's never forgotten what Cecil Devine said to him when he first started out more than thirty years ago; "You're now in the toughest profession in the world." "And he was right. He also told me you'd never get far up the tree if you didn't have the help of a few solid mates. I have been lucky. Don and Doris Nyhan have never stopped helping me from the time I first started out, and people like Wes Butt and Derek Jones used to help me along by sending me some of their young horses to educate. Maurice Holmes and Clarrie Rhodes, too, have done a lot for me both with horses and in the business sense."

There had never been a time when it was so important for those in the industry to work together. It was under a lot of pressure right now, Dalgety said. "It's a hard life but you can't neglect anything, otherwise you don't get the results on raceday." And you need more than a little luck, too. Dalgety is not usually upset whe one of his horses gets a rough passage like, say, Melton Monarch did in the Methven Cup the other week, meeting check after check and being pushed almost off the course. "You can't get worried about things like that. That's all part of racing. If you don't have luck on your side, you just don't get paid.

Credit: Graham Ingram writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 6Oct81

FRED FLETCHER

If he were a public trainer, Fred Fletcher reckons he would have very few people bringing horses to him. He wouldn't get anyone wanting a quick return anyway. His theory about training - and it is one which seems to have worked to perfection this season - involves taking a lot of time getting a horse to the races. And preferably not racing them as 2-year-olds. These days, with rapidly rising costs everywhere, there are not too many owners willing, or in a position to wait long for a return on their investment.

However, the success Fred Fletcher has had this term - it's only his fourth since getting his licence in July, 1976 - might make some see the wisdom of patience. The Templeton studmaster has only had nine horses to the races this season. Between them they have had 104 starts for 21 wins and 43 placings. Of the nine, only Wejover Star has not won. He had just one start for Fletcher before being sold to America where he has since won his first three starts with a best time of only a fraction of a second outside two minutes.

Stable star over the past two seasons, undoubtedly, has been Roydon Scott. And there is nothing surer he will be racing in America, too, before next season is through. Winner of the Wellington Cup last year, the big Scottish Hanover horse has been plagued by misfortune since missing the Inter-Dominions at Addington and the NZ Cup, through injury both times. But he proved he was right again by running a slashing second to Trevira in the Easter Cup and in the process unofficially breaking Young Quinn's 4:06.7 for the 3200 metres. "He'll probably go to the States about halfway through the season," Fletcher said last week. "He's being handicapped on back marks for invitation races, and apart from them there are only free-for-alls and the big cup for him. Even in the Easter Cup he was off 15 metres...and that was only the second time he's run 3200 metres. He would be good in the States. He's tremendous away from the mobile gate and he'll go some good miles."

Roydon Scott, winner of three races this season, has a best time of 1:58.9 set as a 3-year-old. That's more than a second slower than the other stable star, the game little mare Philippa Frost, who finished third in the Easter Cup and clocked 1:57.7 when running second in the Pan Am Mile Consolation. Fletcher has trained her to win six races this season, a major contributor to his tally of 41 since getting his open driving licence in May, 1977.

Others on his winners' list this term are fine young trotter Game Captian, Who's won four from five starts, Reuben James (also four), Chantilly Belle, Game Mander, Spangled Partner and Star Blazer. The latter, a winner at Rangiora recently, is the first horse Fletcher has raced on his own account. His wife, Fay, races Reuben James herself and has leased Chantily Belle to "the boss", owner of Roydon Lodge, Roy McKenzie. And while the training of racehorses has been a successful sideline for Fletcher, it's the running of Roydon Lodge that is his main occupation. "The racing's only part time. The stud's what we're here for."

Fred Fletcher, now 41, started at Roydon Lodge when the McKenzie establishment was divided into racing stables and the stud 11 years ago. Now it comprises about 300 acres, in two properties. One provided grazing and feed crops for the stud and stables. Fred was there when the present Roydon Lodge property was set up. With a couple of helpers, he "built everything" up from scratch to establish the stud with Scottish Hanover and Armbro Hurricane the stud sires. He went to the stud after seven years working for George Noble at Yaldhurst when Noble was in charge of the McKenzie horses. There he was involved mainly in stud work, a job which didn't seem to appeal to many people. "There is usually too much work involved," Fletcher said. "When people want to get involved with horses, a racing stable is much more attractive. There is more glamour and the chance of a drive is always there." The problem today, even in racing stables, was to find the right person with the right dedication to the job. Stable work was a tough life but a lot of those who applied for jobs seemed to want to drive fast work within a few days. "They all want to be Morrie Holmes," Fletcher said.

He himself had only just started a job in a bakehouse when he had seen the Nobles advertising for an assistant at the stud. He applied. The job was his when a prviously successful applicant had considered the house which went with the job too small for his family. It didn't deter Fred, Fay and their two daughters, Wendy and Fiona. "People said we were mad when we sold our own home in Burwood and moved out to Yaldhurst. But it was a good move." It was a good move if only for the reason that Fred was able, in between stud work, to observe a fine trainer of racehorses in action. "George believed in a long slow build-up. I suppose I got my initial ideas for my own methods from working with the Nobles," Fred said.

Fred had always wanted to work with horses, even when he was a youngster living in Blackball, where his father was a bushman. The only boy in a family of four, Fred had big ideas about being a jockey 'until I grew a bit big'. He got his interest in horses from his father, an avid racegoer. "He loved horses, gallopers and trotters. And even though he wasn't a big bettor, he followed them all over the Coast, around Nelson, across to Canterbury. I used to go with him." It is with a little sadness the Fletchers recall Fred's father's death. "He died just when Fred was getting going," Fay said. "We often think what a thrill it would have been for him to have seen Fred winning." At 13, Fred and his family had moved to Christchurch. Two years later he left Shirley Intermediate to start a job with the logging gang working the Burwood Plantation. "I didn't go to high school. I thought I knew enough at 15," Fred joked. The choice on leaving school was between working in a grocery shop, signing on as an apperentice jockey at Riccarton, or the plantation. The bush won, mainly because it meant Fred was constantly working with horses, a team of five draught horses, nibbing logs from the plantation. And he didn't have to worry about weight. The job lasted nine years. And when Fred left, the tractor had gradually superseded the horse. "The timber was just about finished and there was just one horse. Not really enough to keep me on for." So it was on to the bakehouse, Yaldhurst and then, 11 years ago, to Roydon Lodge.

"For a start we used to break in the young horses here and give thm an early education before sending them on to Mr McKenzie's other trainers. But once the Yaldhurst property was sold, he had no trainer in the South Island. He had the idea that it would be a good thing, seeing the horses were born here and were broken in here, if we could take them further. It was only a matter of more staff, and getting a licence." Fletcher was granted his professional trainer's licence in July, 1976 and a licence to drive only in matinees and trials a month later. He wasn't granted a full driving licence until a year later than that. "I think I was a bit hot at the time about having to wait but I think it was a good idea. The trials gave me the chance to show them I could drive. It was a good experience."

Roydon Scott was the first of his ten winners that first season and it was the same horse who's given him his biggest driving thrill...the 1979 Wellington Cup. "The boss was really keen to win that one," Fred recalled. "We wanted everything to go right." How hardly anything went right for Roydon Scott that night is now part of trotting history. But then, so is the fact that Fletcher and his charge looped a wall of horses at the top of the Hutt Park straight, collared Van James short of the line and won by one and a half lengths.

Now Fred takes each race as it comes. "They're all a battle of wits but it's easier if you do your homework. It's usually the last thing I do at night, checking the fields to see what the opposition is and what the others are likely to do. You can plan, but there's no way you can know what is going to happen in the actual race. That's why I like to see the horses running along in front at home. And if you can do that at the races, you're out of trouble."

Fred's a bit critical of the interference that goes on in a lot of our racing, especially in the lower classes. The big fields didn't help; and strangely enough, neither did the bigger tracks. "The bigger the track, the longer everyone seems to sit in the pack, just waiting for everyone to spread out in the run home." Fast-run races are always the cleanest. "With the pace on, there are few problems." Fred said he drove to win every race he could. And it was just as big a thrill winning somewhere out in the country as it was on the metropolitan tracks. He was always pleased to win a lower class or maiden race. "They're harder to win than the big ones. There are an awful lot of average horses around and in the top races, not so many to beat."

Training was a lot easier than the stud work. "That is daylight to dark. You are handling horses all the time and you get some pretty rough ones at times." With a staff of five counting Fred - Fay 'does the books' - the stud has an average of 300 mares a year. With numbers like that "we're almost neighing at the end of the season," Fred said. "Taking a horse away to the races, even if it is just for a couple of days, is almost like a holiday for us." The mares are handled on average every second day at least; and then there was the work with the yearlings, weaning, breaking in and all the other work involved with young horses. It was work no-one would do unless they liked it. The only part he didn't like was a bad foaling. "If you have got any trouble at all, then it is usually big trouble. And you don't like to loose a horse," Fred said.

It was work which meant you had to be on the place most of the time. And this made it difficult to take holidays. And to give the staff a break at the best times of the year. Still, he had good staff all through and this has made it possible for the Fletchers to make a couple of visits to the States. Fred, on one visit, had worked on such notable establishments as Lana Lobell, White Devon and Hanover Shoe Farms. And while that had been a tremendous experience, it was equally good to learn that here in NZ we were really just as advanced in just about all our stud work.

Of the four stallions at Roydon Lodge, American-bred Scottish Hanover was probably the Fletchers' favourite. "He has been around the longest and you tend to get more attached to them as they get older," Fred said. But now at 20, it will be a little easier for him in th coming seasons. "We will probably cut him back to about 50 mares this year," Fletcher said.


Credit: Graham Ingram writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 15Apr80

GEORGE YOUNGSON

Mr George Lindsay Youngson, who died in Gore last month at the age of 91, made an invaluable contribution to standardbred breeding in Southland and NZ with imported sires like Dillon Hall, Hal Tryax, Sandydale and others. Mr Youngson's death severs one of the last links for present day trotting men with the pioneer breeders of yesteryear, who did so much to lay the concrete foundations on which Southland's world-wide reputation as a standardbred nursery has been developed and capitalised on.

Mr Youngson was 22 when he came to NZ with his brother John, from Aberdeen, Scotland, where he was bought up. For several years he worked as a farm hand and ploughman in the Riversdale district of Northern Southland. In 1914, his brother John imported four Clydesdale stallions and the brothers, then based at Wendon, near Riversdale, travelled them around neighbouring faming communities as breeding stallions. Some years ago Mr Youngson stated that the work was particularly onerous and, more so, dangerous, taking into account the strength and sometimes vicious traits the powerful Clydesdale stallions could reveal. He mated many of the mares at district stockyards and hotels where broodmare owners and farmers often gathered.

In 1920, when he was 32, Mr Youngson bought the standardbred stallion Harold Direct from the Cody brothers of Riversdale, and travelled him about for stud purposes at a fee of only five quineas. Mr Youngson's next stud venture in 1928 was the fine Australian pacer Happy Voyage, when he was still domiciled in the Wendon district. Soon after, Mr Youngson met the late Sir John McKenzie's private trainer, Robert Plaxio, an American horseman, who did much to influence him to considering importing American sires. Plaxio, in fact, suggested Adioo Guy, whom he imported in 1929. At 19, Adioo Guy was four years older than Mr Youngson believed he was. Adioo Guy's departure for NZ was delayed a season. In that last season in America, Adioo Guy sired Adioo Volo, dam later of the immortal Adios. Adioo Guy, who died after four years with Mr Youngson, had a respectable percentage of success from the opportunities he received.

In the late 1920s Mr Youngson visited England to buy another Clydesdale stallion and, seeing the progeny of the American standardbred sire Wellington Direct soon after imported that horse. Frank Dewey, another American horse, followed in 1930. Mr Youngson's next importation was the Abbedale horse Sandydale, sire of General Sandy and Captain Sandy, and maternal sire of Johnny Globe. That successful stallion was soon passed on to noted Oamaru breeder Mr Johnny Johnson.

Dillon Hall was imported to NZ by Mr Youngson during World War 2. The son of The Laurel Hall and the great racemare Margaret Dillon was the first 2:00 pacer imported to NZ and topped the NZ sires' list in the 1948-49 season with the winners of 124 races and 275 placegetters. Dillon Hall carried on to top the NZ broodmare sires' list five times, which has recently been acclaimed as a remarkable feat for a sire who was only around for 15 years. Robin Dundee, Parlez Vous, Lunar Chance and Bay Foyle were only four top pacers out of mares by Dillon Hall, who also figures prominently in the pedigrees of Black Watch, Tobias, Lord Module and countless others.

Logan Derby, the sire of Johnny Globe, was Mr Youngson's next stud venture but better was to follow in the Tryax horse Hal Tryax, a horse he didn't really want but finally agreed to import relatively cheaply. Hal Tryax's career as a sire has been acclaimed as one of the most colourful and tragic in NZ breeding history. The first 2:00 3-year-old pacer imported to this country, Hal Tryax topped the NZ sires' list in the 1963-64 season with only three crops of racing age. His progeny included the first standardbred millionaire in the world, Cardigan Bay, champion racemare Robin Dundee and other top performers of the calibre of Tactile, Holy Hal, Blue Prince, Jurist, King Hal and so on. Although his daughters were relatively few in number, they made an outstanding contribution as matrons. One of the best performers from a daughter of Hal Tryax has been the champion Young Quinn. Tragically, Hal Tryax soon after became infertile and after topping the sires' list in the 1963-64 season he was pensioned off to The Chaslands, where he is still in retirement at the age of 33.

The noted broodmare Rustic Maid, whom Mr Youngson bought from the Canterbury horseman, the late Mr Bill Morland, was one of the most successful matrons in Southland breeding history, leaving Chamfer (1950 NZ Cup and later champion Australian sire), Free Fight (NZ Derby), Highland Scott (nine wins), Congruent (good sire in Aust), Slavonic (NZ Sapling Stakes) and others. One of her daughters, Scottish Lady, won the NZ Derby, and, in turn, left two Great Northern Derby winners, Scottish Brigade and Gentry, both later successful sires.

In earlier years Mr Youngson was involved in the importation and development of small grass seeds.

As long as there is trotting in Southland, George Youngson's influence, together with that of the stallions he imported and stood, will always be of marked significance. The light harness industry owes much to pioneer breeders of his foresight, enthusiasm and successful involvement.

Credit: Don Wright writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 9Apr80

FRANK OLIVER

Frank Oliver is concerned that the Trotting Conference has seen fit to permit stallions to serve an additional 25 mares each season.

The successful Hilderthorpe (14 kilometres north of Oamaru) owner-trainer and breeder of the past 36 years is adamant that stallions are serving too many mares (125 is now the maximum permitted). Weak foals not suitable for racing are the result. Oliver, 73, is opposed to artificial insemination on similar grounds. He argues that a large number of mares can be served from the one cover, with a resultant loss of vitality among the foals.

Oliver has a rising 2-year-old in work, Mighty Guy, whom he considers "as good as I have bred." The gelding was obtained from a natural service of Nardin's Byrd on Rain Cloud. Oliver is breeding from four other mares. Three of them, Clutha Gold, Strip and May West, are in foal to Nardin's Byrd. The other, Bindy, has been stinted to Huirapa (Bachelor Hanover-Atanui) who stands at Methven. Clutha Gold and May West are both unraced daughters of Rain Cloud and both are by Majestic Chance.

Their brother Kawarau Gold, won 10 races for Oliver, including the NZ Kindergarten and Oamaru Juvenile Stakes in the 1972-3 season. Kawarau Gold went on to win in the United States. His half-brother, Lumber Box, has also won there in 1:58.

Bindy, a Newport Chief mare, like Rain Cloud, claiming Elaine Travis as her grandam, has produced Bayi who has a best time of 1:59.6 set at Blue Bonnets in Montreal. Fab, a half-brother to Bindy, amassed $121,000 in stakes and has taken a record of 1:59.4. Fab, now 13, won at Rockingham Park late last year. Fab won 10 races for Oliver, including the 1973 National Handicap at Addington, before being sold to the United States. Fab (by Hundred Proof) and Bindy (by Newport Chief)are both out of Gala Girl, who also produced the speedy Boyfriend, Mighty Chief, the grand trotter, and the good pacing winner Selwyn Hanover. All were bred by Oliver.

Mighty Chief, who was sold for 190gns at the National Yearling Sale, amassed $36,445 in stakes from 20 wins and 25 placings. The My Chief gelding numbered the 1965 Dominion Handicap and the NZ Trotting Free-For-All among his wins. Selwyn Hanover, who was also sold as a youngster by Oliver, won nine races, including the 1968 Queen's Birthday Stakes at Ashburton on promotion. Maida Million, who was relegated to second for causing interference in the run home, later became the greatest stakes-winning mare bred in NZ, with $323,048. She is at stud in the United States. Bramble Hall, who finished third that day, amassed $215,809 and raced to an advanced age in America.

The Queen's Birthday Stakes was among seven races Boyfriend won when trained and driven by Oliver. Six of his wins were gained as a 3-year-old during the 1969-70 season when the Bachelor Hanover gelding set NZ records for one of his age of 2:49.8 (11 furlongs, mobile start), 3:10 (12 furlongs, standing start) and 3:25.2 (13 furlongs, stand). Boyfriend did not hit the high spots overseas, but advanced his earnings to $99,392. Oliver renewed his acquaintence with Boyfriend during a visit to the United States in 1973 when the gelding's form had slumped. Oliver suggested his hopples be lengthened and the horse won at his next start.

Gala Girl, who was named broodmare of the year in 1970, died a year later as a 17-year-old of complications while foaling in June to a clandestine mating with a seven-month-old colt. She had won the inaugural NZ Golden Slipper Stakes at Waimate in 1956. Gala Girl (by Red Emperor) was one of eight foals Oliver bred from Elaine Travis. The best of them was Pala Royal, who won 10 races in the 1950s. Pala Royal, a Dillon Hall gelding, was particularly adept in heavy footing at Forbury Park, the track them being clay. Two of Elaine Travis's foals died and one, Puzzled, was unraced. Another of her progeny was Band Queen, who won the Waikouaiti Cup in 1959. Oliver bought Elaine Travis for £100 in 1943, mainly for her breeding potential. A daughter of Travis Axworthy and Alice Grey, by Balboa the noted thoroughbred sire, she was an 8-year-old and her best effort in 22 starts over 4 seasons of racing was a second in a saddle event for pacers at Beaumont.

Oliver, then rabbitting at Patearoa, kept her in training, and he won first up with her at Wyndham on New Year's Day, 1944, when Frank was having his first race drive. Oliver shifted to Oamaru soon afterwards and Elaine Travis won him three more races, the last at the age of 10. The shift to Hilderthorpe, where he operates from a 110 acre property, was made later. Oliver has met success with other than his own horses. He took over Admire in the 1965-66 season for Gordon Aitcheson and Fred Ferris and got the gelding back to winning form after an absence of two years. Admire won the 1966 Kurow Cup at Oamaru and caused a boilover when he won the Hannon Memorial on the course the next year.

"It is always a game of luck. Try to breed from the best horses," said Oliver when asked what advice he would give prospective owners or breeders.

Credit: Taylor Strong writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 10Jun80

Cecil Devine adjusts Lord Module's headgear

C C DEVINE

"You know, I should have made it 1917, not 1915," says a somewhat rueful Cecil Devine. No doubt he is thinking of the date of birth on his licence application, the date which decreed that as from August 1 he was no longer able to drive a standardbred racehorse in either NZ or Australia. And no doubt, too, he is thinking that those two extra years might mean he would be able to continue driving his pride and joy, champion Lord Module, until he went to stud at the end of his racing career.

But rules are rules. In the trotting world as well as anywhere else. Cecil Charles Devine, born March 23, 1915, is openly critical of Rule of Trotting 90: "A professional horseman's licence shall not be granted to any person who, though not disqualified under Rule 84 hereof (a) is under the age of 16 years; or (b) is 65 years of age or over; or..." and so on. That's the bit that got at Cecil. "I have always been against the retiring rule. I firmly believe a driver should have to give up on a strictly medical basis; It wouldn't be so bad if a man could continue driving his own horses after reaching the age of 65 as long as he was fit."

Yes, it is an argument that has cropped up previously. Just about every time that one of the more prominent drivers has turned 65. Cecil presses home the point. "Morrie Holmes, Doug Watts, 'Gladdy' McKendry, Bob Young, Maurice McTigue, they all could have kept on driving long after they had to go. They were pushed out miles before their time. They were all fit men and trotting was the loser in more ways than one when they retired. "Their expertise was lost for a start; and name drivers encourage betting. Certainly, there is no lack of drivers today and there are some top young drivers, the likes of Peter Jones and the De Filippis. But there are others who could benefit through watching a top man. When I first got into trotting, I had to get out and drive against the top men."

And when did Cecil Devine first get into trotting? Back in the days of the depression. If it weren't for the depression who knows where he might have been now? He might even have been still practising at the bar. Legal men don't have to retire at 65. "I had the idea I might like to be a lawyer when I was at school. But after two and a half years at high school the depression hit and I had to give that idea away." It was just as tough in Cecil's native Tasmania (his father was a farmer at Collinsville, "up in the hills near Hobart") as it was anywhere else. Finding work was just about impossible. Cecil couldn't get a job. A lot of others managed to exist by "chipping the grass in the domain". And it was about this time Cecil first developed an interest in horses. He got a job with his older brother Eric, a prominent trotting trainer in Hobart at the time. He's still successful with horses, but has more recently had some top gallopers through his hands.

It was only because Eric could not afford to take the time off to bring a small team over for a month at NZ Cup time that Cecil ever came to NZ. "The horses belonged to a fellow named Rudd who bred a successful family of pacers, 13 of them in fact, from a mare called Milky Way. Among them were Evicus (he topped the points list at the 1936 Inter-Dominions at Perth), open class performer Cevius and Icevus (also placed at Inter-Dominion level and later stood here at stud). They were all good horses," Cecil recalls.

"I suppose I was about 20 at the time; I took on the job and was supposed to go back when the horses returned. But Wellington looked so good - they had a beautiful six furlong grass track at Hutt Park in those days - I decided to stay on to see if the rest of the country lived up to that early promise." Live up to it's promise NZ must have done; Cecil Devine is still here even though he does return regularly to his former homeland and is known as "Tas" by closer associates.

It wasn't long before he was offered a job with Vic Leeming who was training just out of Christchurch. Colonel Grattan was his top horse about that time; E C McDermott his number one driver. Cecil had driven a winner or two in Tasmania (he'd driven close to 400 when he had to retire) but can't recall with any certainty his first winner here. "Tonioro I think it was, probably at Omoto," is his initial recollection. But a check through the records of the time show that on December 31, 1938 Tonioro, driven by C C Devine , was beaten into second by a neck.

Still Cecil is more certain about the horse that got him started on the path that led him to his current situation. "It would have to be Teddy Gregg, a Quite Sure horse I leased and named after an Australian naval officer." Cecil had also leased a 20 acre property at Prebbleton some time earlier (the stables are still there, the track is gone) and spent most of his time breaking in horses for others, as well as doing a little training. Teddy Gregg was plagued with unsoundness and when tried as a pacer he couldn't stay. "I converted him to trotting and from then on he never looked back. He was in the money about 19 times from 21 starts. And he won four or five. I'd have to say he got me started. He must have won close on £2000. And about the time of the war, that was a fortune. Cecil never went to the war - "I was unfit they said" - but gradually gathered a small but useful team about him. "I got the odd good one or two and just went on and on from there."

Cecil has never had a large team to train. "I think the most I've ever had is twelve." But right from those early days there has been a good horse in the Devine team. Cecil screws up his face in the afternoon sun and starts to remember them. Great Wonder "she was a pretty good sort" who beat Johnny Globe (on a protest); Shadow Maid who was third in Gold Bar's 1945 NZ Cup; Bronze Eagle who had won the 1944 NZ Cup before coming to Cecil's where he died of tetanus; General Sandy "a top horse who beat Caduceus" and then one day dropped dead of a heart attack in training...the names roll forth. He didn't train them all when they came to their peak. Often they came to him after a run of outs and he got them going again.

One he had from the start was the champion filly Vivanti, incidentally by Bronze Eagle. She was a top juvenile winning the 1950 Sapling Stakes, the Juvenile Handicap at Addington from 24 behind - "a phenomenal run", the Welcome Stakes, the Oamaru Juvenile and so on. She beat Johnny Globe in a lot of those races but he came out on top when they met later in the year in the NZ Derby. However, she did win the Oaks.

The next year there was Van Dieman, the horse who was to give Cecil the first of his six NZ Cups and thus the wherewithall to allow him to consider buying his own property. He had every intention of buying a place on the Main South Road, not far from his present place; and Cecil minces no words when he recalls how he lost out in the bidding to another. "I was determined to have that place but eventually had to pull out when I realised I was in too far. The other chap would have kept going all day. He knew what my limit was." That same day, however, while doing some shoeing back at Prebbleton, a friend mentioned to him that the owner of the land he now occupies might be interested in selling. Cecil made the approach. True enough. The land was for sale. One hundred and sixteen acres of bare land were Cecil's. "The best thing I ever did. I've never had to consider expanding. It's probably the time to shrink."

By this time Cecil was married with a child, Bonnie, the red-haired girl who was later to marry Kevin Williams, the man who will be behind Lord Module this season. Cecil had met his wife 'Vonnie' while at Prebbleton where she was organist at the local church for ten years previously. Marriage "was too time-consuming" to continue that. Together they designed their present home, built another on the place as well as the track, stables and men's quarters.

A lot of young men have worked for Cecil and have then gone on to make their own names in the trotting world. Men like Jack Smolenski, Leicester Tatterson, Peter Yeatman, Jim Dalgety, Faser Kirk, Paul Gallagher. He's got a reputation of being a tough boss. "If paying attention to detail is tough, then I am tough," he admits. "When you don't take outside drives or have a big team, you have the time to be particular. And if your not, there is not excuse." He laughs when you suggest he has probably been responsible for putting a lot of people on the right track in his time. And then he confesses, he has learned something from most of those who have worked for him. "You develop your own ideas over the years, but you have got to be prepared to learn off others. Anyone who is not prepared to listen to others is doing himself a disservice. I'm still learning. I learned something the other day from someone who's been in the game only three months. And then when Lord Module had those cracked hooves, I had no idea how to get them right, even though I thought I was a fair student of shoeing. The mushroom shoe we used to fix them was Delvin Miller's idea. You have got to try every avenue to solve problems."

Cecil Devine expects as much from his horses as he does from his men. His philosophy towards training a top horse: feed well, work hard and not always fast, pay particular attention to that detail again. You must respect a top horse who gives everything; any owner, trainer or driver has to." Cecil stops and laughs and, looking straight at Mrs Devine: "but I don't think you get to love them as much as some people think." Mrs Devine races Lord Brigade in partnership with Cecil and it's obvious she thinks he's a good horse, even though he was just pipped at the post in Cecil's last raceday drive. Strangely enough, Mrs Devine has never driven a racehorse - "and I don't ever want to," she laughs.

Those top horses who give everything. Cecil has raced more than his fair share of them. Van Dieman won the NZ Cup in 1951, Thunder in 1956, the mighty False Step in 1958-59-60, Lord Module just last year. "That's far too long a gap," he laughs. Then there were the likes of Terryman, Raft, Van Rush, Drum Major, Bass Strait, Star Beam, Good Review...the list goes on. He has had some great wins in trotting. He's won a fair proportion of the big ones over the years. He reels them off: "Four Dunedin Cups, two Easter Cups, three Rangiora Cups, a Nelson Cup, three New Brighton Cups, Invercargill Centennial Cup, two Timaru Nursery Stakes, two Sapling Stakes, three Flying Stakes, two NZ Derbies, a Champion Stakes, Juvenile Stakes several times at Oamaru, Canterbury Park, Geraldine, Waikouaiti, Rangiora and Timaru Challenge Stakes, a Timaru Cup, Hannon Memorial, a Royal Cup and the big International Paces at Yonkers and Roosevelt..." the list goes on.

He finds it hard to pinpoint any particular highlight over the years. False Step's win in the $50,000 National Championship Pace at Yonkers in 1961 would be one, winning the 1954 Royal Cup when Van Dieman came with a withering run to beat Thelma Globe and Zulu and then meeting the Queen is another. "That would have to be a highlight; most people would have cut off their arm to win that race. Of course in those days you didn't meet or see royalty very often. Now, with the ease of travel, royalty is almost commonplace." Cecil also remembers February 15, 1964 with particular enthusiasm. that day at Addington horses by Van Dieman filled the first three placings: Van Rush driven by Morrie Holmes, Raft (C C himself) and Young Dieman (Paul Gallagher). "They were the only three horses by him in the race; it would have to be a unique feat."

Two years ago he was loathe to compare any of those top horses against the other. But now, he doesn't hesitate to say that Lord Module is the best of all his champions. "It's hard to compare horses of different eras, but Lord Module has done so many good things. False Step didn't have as much speed as Lord Module, but he was a top racehorse, Van Dieman was probably faster but needed to be covered up; Lord Module can do it from anywhere over all distances.

Cecil has been asked time and again when and if he is taking Lord Module to America. Usually it's been accepted that he will before settling back to a life as a stud stallion. But Cecil has never sid yes or no definitely. But now he says Lord Module will go...provided he races up to last year's form. And provided "Mum lets me go". "You can go," Mrs Devine is quick to reply. There are, however, no definite plans. You get the impression Cecil would like to win another NZ Cup before heading away. The stud career is definite. Nothing is more certain. There have been offers already to stand the horse "with full books guaranteed". But there's time for that. "He's the living image of Globe Derby," Cecil says fossicking around for a photograph of "the greatest sire ever" to prove his point. "It's uncanny, even down to the one bit of white on one foot."

The Cup won't be beyond Lord Module again. If anything, says Cecil, the son of Lordship has come back bigger and better than last year. "He's matured, he's very strong. Personally I think he will be a lot better than last year. He feels good in the sulky." Which is where Cecil won't be on raceday, and that makes him just a little sad in another way too. He thinks that only by driving a horse in a race can you really tell what he needs. Still, son-in-law Kevin Williams has been handling the horse in work and at the trials without any bother so it's now up to them on raceday. No-one else has ever driven the horse before. Cecil's been told that when he takes the horse to America he "shouldn't drive the horse" himself. He should get "a good driver". "Well, what's he going to do with a good driver on him?" Cecil asks. "It would be interesting." It's hard to tell whether or not he's annoyed at having that advice given him. Still, as long as he is fit, he intends to drive himself in America. There's no rule to stop him there. And he is fit. He is up and about by 7 of 7.15 every morning, and works hard enough to keep himself fit. "You must stay pretty healthy working out in the fresh air all the time...even if it is a bit too fresh sometimes these mornings," he says.

If he weren't 65, Cecil Devine would do the same thing all over again. "It's given me a pretty good life; I started with nothing and don't need anything now. I've had a lot of luck and I've had a lot of good horses (he's figured in the finish of 11 NZ Cups with Shadow Maid and Blue Prince as well as those others) over the years. Yes, I'd do it all again."

Of his last season, he was disappointed he couldn't get anything to go right in Sydney ("Lord Module wasn't half the horse he was here") and that he was only second in the Auckland Cup. Still he has a lot of admiration for the horse that beat him on that day, Delightful Lady. "She's a good mare, of that there is no doubt. That day, she was well turned out and very well driven. No doubt about that either.

Cecil means it when he says that. He has got a reputation for straight-talking, even though he can be a bit cagey about revealing future plans. His forthrightness has often got him into trouble with officialdom on racedays but as he says: "I always call a spade a spade. And I don't believe in being run over. If your right, it pays to stick to your guns. I've always done that."

He prefers not to talk about the time he was suspended after a battle with Jack Litten down the straight at Addington, except to mention that he did lose a few good horses through his suspension. Enough said. He remembers just as well his last drive down the straightwith Lord Brigade. "It was close you know," he say a little wistfully. "I would like to have won. Still you can't win all the time. I think I've won my share."

-o0o-

Ron Bisman writing in HRWeekly 11Jul90

C C (Cecil) Devine, who died in Christchurch last week aged 75, was a battler who clawed his way from being a nonentity to fame an fortune in the hard school that is NZ harness racing.

Content to train a small team, even when big success did come his way, Devine neverthless compiled a record in the nation's most prestigious harness race - the NZ Trotting Cup - that is second to none. He won the great event six times, and, while this equalled the training feat earlier in the century of the great James Bryce, Cecil drove all his winners, whereas Bryce shared the driving honours with sons Andrew and James jnr.

Devine's record is likely to stand the test od time.

In his hey-day, with some of his owners not averse to having a punt (and embued with great confidence in the judgement of their trainer), some of NZ's best-known book-makers refused to accept wagers of any sizeable amount on horses from Devine's stable. Devine trained with a purpose. He was a man with very set ideas and, as (sometimes)officialdom and (always) those who crossed him came to learn, he stood up unflinchingly for what he thought was right. When the chips were down, he was a hard man to beat - not only on the track but anywhere. To those he liked, Devine was a generous and loyal friend; to those who got on the wrong side of him, there was almost invariably no reprieve.

Born in Tasmania in 1916, Devine was drawn into trotting through his elder brother Eric, who worked with and drove horses. Hopes to become a lawyer were dashed by lack of wherewithal and opportunity in depression times that saw Cecil, after three years at high school, leave to work in a horse stable. In 1936, when brother Eric was unable to assist trainer Fred Rudd with the good Tasmanian performers Evicus, Icevus an Emlilus on a visit to New Zealand, Cecil got the trip. He was to be here for a month, but stayed for good.

Impressed by the sport here, Devine was readily persuaded to join up with the late Vic Leeming, training at Prebbleton. But, as second-string driver in the stable to Eugene McDermott, opportunities were few and far between. In 1938, Devine went it alone on a little property at Prebbleton, from where his first success as a trainer came with Prince de Oro, whom he rode to win a saddle event at Westport on Boxing Day, 1939. It was two years before Devine won again - on the Coast with trotter Teddy Gregg; and a few weeks after that he won with the same horse a non-tote race at Addington.

It was 1945 before Devine made his first NZ Cup tilt, and this was with Shadow Maid, a good race mare who had been handed to him after losing all semblance of form. Under his guidance, she finished third to Gold Bar and Integrity in a memorable Cup race. Better horses began coming into Devine's stable, and around 1950 he was making his mark with good pacer Good Review and crack filly Vivanti. The latter, bred by Devine and sold to the late Bill Parkinson, won the Sapling Stakes and NZ Oaks and was second in the NZ Derby before Parkinson sold her to Australia.

A milestone in Devine's career came when he leased, with right of purchase for $1000, Van Dieman (U Scott-Reno) as a two-year-old colt from Brian Forest, of Kaiapoi. In an outstanding career for Devine, who eventually bought him outright, Van Dieman won the 1951 NZ Cup and Royal Cup at Addington in 1954. Devine became a national hero as he received the congratulations of the Queen and Prince Philip.

In 1953, Devine left the small Prebbleton stable for a 46-hectare property at Templeton that he transformed from a bare patch of land into a model training establishment. Apart from Van Dieman, one of the first stars from his new property was Thunder, who made a meteoric rise through the classes, culminating with success in the 1956 NZ Cup. A big, rangy son of Light Brigade and Jack Potts mare Busted Flush, Thunder's maiden winat Methven was memorable. He collided with a rival at the start, dislodging Devine, who ran behind, caught hold of the sulky and climbed back in. Making up 100 yards to catch the body of the field, Thunder continued on to win the race to rave reports praising both horse and driver.

Other good horses in Devine's stable at this stage included Starbeam, Great Wonder, Nancy Lee and General Sandy (who was on his way to the top when he dropped dead soon after downing Caduceus in the NZ Pacing Championship). Next came Invicta, who, after winning his way to a tight mark, was despatched to the stable of Steve Edge by Devine. Along with the late Jack Litten, Devine had been suspended from driving for six months for their memorable whip-fight at Addington in 1957. If he couldn't drive Invicta, Devine didn't want to train him. But for this, he would almost certainly have added another NZ Cup to his bag. Under Edge, Invicta, as an 11-year-old, sprang a boilover winning the 1961 NZ Cup.

By now Devine had taken over False Step, inheriting him from the Litten stable following an argument between Litten and owner Jim Smyth. Winner of 14 races including the NZ Derby under Litten, False Step carried on under Devine to win 19 more races in NZ, and in doing so joined Indianapolis as the only three-time winners of the NZ Cup. False Step's Cup wins were in 1958, '59 and '60. Devine then campaigned him in New York. After tragically being stood down from the first leg of the 1961 Yonkers International Series when a blacksmith drove a nail into the quick of a hoof, False Step finished unluckily second to Australian star Apmat in the second leg. And while Devine won the third and finasl leg with False Step, with Apmat fourth, the Australian was awarded the title on points. Shortly after, False Step (now sold for $115,000 to American polaroid tycoon Jack Dreyfus) was driven by Devine to win the Frontiers Pace at Yonkers, with America's champion pacer Adios Butler only fifth.

More vivid in the memory of current-day harness racing fans will be Devine's great exploits with Lord Module. Buying this son of Lordship and the Bachelor Hanover mare Module through the National Sale for a mere $3000, Devine developed Lord Module into one of the most capable pacers pacers produced to this time in New Zealand. Despite a recalcitrant streak which cost him dearly at the start of many of his races, Lord Module won 28 of 93 races ans was also 40 times placed.

Highlights of his career were his 1979 NZ Cup win and his 1:54.9 time trial in 1980 in weather conditions all against a fast time at Addington. In his final race in the 1981 Allan Matson Free-For-All at Addingtn, Lord Module came from last to first to win brilliantly in the hands of Jack Smolenski, one of several one-time employees of Devine who went on to make names for thenselvesin the game.

Devine was forced to retire from race driving at the end of the 1979/80 season. After Lord Module's retirement from racing and standing him at stud, Cecil pottered with a horse or two, but his heart never really appeared to be totally in it from that point. Though he didn't show it, Devine took great personal satisfaction from the success of his son-in-law Kevin Williams with his NZ and Auckland Cups winner Master Mood. Devine's final race win was with Cheeky Module, a son of Lord Module, driven by Smolenski to win a maiden race at Motukarara in January, 1988.

The great trainer is survived by his wife Avonnie and his daughters Bonnie (Williams) and Debbie (Carolan).

-o0o-

A PERSONAL TRIBUTE by Dave Cannan

He was, unquestionably, one of the old school of trotting, long before it became fashionable to call the sport harness racing. And he was proud to be a trotting man, proud sometimes to the brink of vanity and egotism.

But then Cecil Devine had a lot to be proud of and while he never, in my experience, actively sought public recognition for his numerous achievements he was not one to take the self-effacing approach when the media became interested in him or his horses. Why? I never asked him and, if the truth be known, I was probably too intimidated to risk such an impertinent question. My educated guess is that Cecil worked so hard, battling his way from anonymity to world-wide fame, that he wasn't about to give anyone else the credit. And who would deny him that?

Cecil Devine won the NZ Cup six times, training and driving False Step (three), Thunder, Van Dieman and Lord Module to win the country's greatest race. James Bryce also won six Cups but Cecil, rightfully, claimed the record outright as Bryce only drove four. Its possible, but highly unlikely, someone will eventually take that record from Cecil and if "Tassie" is looking down on Addington the day it happens I'll bet dark clouds will magically appear on a bright and sunny November day, and grumble ominously in discontent.

Cecil, who died in July, 1990, aged 75, didn't live long enough to see one of his proudest achievments wiped from the record books - Lord Module's 1:54.9 time trial mile - and while I mourned his premature passing as much as most people, in a way I'm glad Cecil was spared that. Not that I would detract an ounce from Starship's 1:54.5 effort on a hot sunny day at Richmond in 1992 but who of us present could forget the drama and excitement of that cold, wintry night at Addington in 1980 when Lord Module set his mark more than 13 years ago. Not Kevin Williams, who drove the galloping prompter with frozen fingers, not Cecil Devine, who wiped the dew from the sulky as Lord Module prepared for his epic dash, and not me or the thousands of others who stayed on after the races were over to cheer on their champion to such an astonishing time.

And 18 months later they were cheering again when Lord Module denied all odds for the last time to win the Matson Free-for-all, downing Gammalite and Armalight in a race that threatened to bring the Addington Grandstands down. Cecil, forced into unwanted retirement, had to watch like all the rest of us from the stands and before the race began he walked quietly into the press room and slipped some tickets into my pocket. Knowing I rarely risked a dollar on the tote, Cecil had backed up my wavering - and his unflinching - faith in the much-troubled Lord Module with his own cash.

But later, when I chose to spend the proceeds on a mounted action picture of Lord Module, which still (hopefully) adorns a wall in the Addington press room, Cecil was openly furious with me, pointing out the dividend could have - and should have - been spent on my wife or young children. "You always look after your own first...always," he chided me and as epitaphs go, I think it's one of several Cecil Devine would have found appropriate.

Credit: Graham Ingram writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 9Sep80

E G MITCHELL

A well-known Christchurch trotting administrator E G (Ted) Mitchell died suddenly at Christchurch last Thursday.

At the time of his death Mr Mitchell was junior vice-president and a life member of the Banks Peninsula TC. He had also been that Club's original secretary, a position he held for 15 years. Although golfing (he was a life member and long-time secretary of the Templeton Golf Club) and gardening took up a lot of his spare time, Mr Mitchell's main interest was in trotting. Late last year he resigned as secretary of the Canterbury Trotting Owners and Breeders Association, a position he had held since 1946. He also served a term as president of the national owners and breeders association.

Mr Mitchell was one of the original members of the NZ Racing Authority. He was serving his third term on that body at the time of his death. Before the formation of the Authority, Mr Mitchell, in business as a public accountant in Christchurch for well over thirty years, was responsible for preparing submissions to the Government on the scheme for tax relief for racing clubs. These submissions were also considered by the Royal Commission into the industry, set up by the Government in 1970.

As well as being actively engaged in the administration of trotting, Mr Mitchell also had an interest in racing and breeding horses over the years. Among them were Dillon Dale, a winner at Forbury, Bonny Strathair, and with Charlie Winter, a share in Fifth Brigade.

Mr Mitchell was also a past secretary of the Canterbury Rugby Union.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 9Jan79

L O THOMAS

A well-known former trainer driver, Llewelyn Oliver Thomas, died in Christchurch recently.

Mr Thomas, 81, was the father of current successful horsemen, Trevor, who trains at Belfast, and Ivan who trains at Pukekohe. He himself prepared a team in the lower part of the North Island and later Addington.

Many of his horses reached the top company, among then Excelsa, County Antrim and Glenrossie. Excelsa was probably the best of them. She won 10 races, including the 1955 Easter Cup. County Antrim's two most important victories were a NZ Champion Stakes at Ashburton in 1946 and an All-Aged Stakes on the same course.

Earlier Mr Thomas had won the 1929 Derby Stakes with Purser, a Dominion Handicap with Huon Voyage in 1933 and a National Cup with Battle Colours. Glenrossie was a Consolation winner at the 1938 Inter-Dominions at Addington.

As well as his race-day activities, Mr Thomas was prominent as a committee member of the Canterbury Owners and Breeders Association for many years.



Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 1May79

H S DONALDSON

Tinwald owner-trainer H S (Hughie) Donaldson collapsed during the running of the Ngaio Handicap (won by his horse Santoza) at Hutt Park last Friday night, and died later in Wellington hospital.

Mr Donaldson, who was aged 72, had a long association with trotting, taking out an amateur trainer-horseman's licence during the 1945-46 season and a professional licence eight years later.

Though he never had a large team in work at any time, he gained a lot of success, particularly with trotters which he preferred to train. During his career, he developed such good trotters as Lessaday, Ninety Days, Stormy Petrel and Copper Tone and more recently, Santoza, whose win last Monday night was the eigth of his career.

Early in his career, Mr Donaldson prepared the grey mare Quite Contrary to win several races, and she later made her mark as a broodmare, being the dam of Soft Magic, who in turn left Doctor Voss, Ilsa Voss and Ripper's Delight, all good winners. Indianna, the dam of the useful winner Individual, Pieta, Countess Ada, Scotty's Double, La Gloria, Highland Host, Sure Lass and Pylon were earlier good winners for Mr Donalson.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 11Dec79

W A (BILL) CRADDOCK

Long-time trotting administrator Mr Bill Craddock died in Westport last Thursday night. Mr Craddock, aged 72, had not been in good health for some time.

Mr Craddock devoted many years of his life to the trotting sport and enjoyed success with many horses he raced. Amongst those he owned or raced were Rewa Scott (7 wins), Durban Chief (13 wins including the NZ Trotting Free-For-All), Our Own (11 wins), Craven (the dam of Boy Louw, Dupreez, Geffin and Protea), Miss Honour (3 wins), Life Member (4 wins) and Rosewood Garrison (3 wins).

His last success as an owner came at Addington last month when Rosewood Garrison won the Marine Handicap. Mr Craddock raced the mare in partnership with Mr Laurie Rutherford, a member of the executive of the Trotting Conference. Mr Craddock himself served as an executive member. He was appointed to fill a casual vacancy in September, 1965 and remained until July, 1976.

Mr Craddock did much for both racing and rugby on the West Coast. He served as honorary secretary with the Westport Trotting Club from 1930-1966. In 1966 he became president of the club, a position he held until 1977. He also served three three-year terms as mayor of Westport, the last ending two or three years ago. He was president and a life member of both the NZ and Buller Rugby Unions. He was president of the NZRFU in 1943. He was the longest ever serving councillor on the NZRFU and the only man to have ever served 50 years as treasurer for the Buller Rugby Union.

He was a well-known liaison officer for rugby teams touring the West Coast and was probably the greatest benefactor to any provincial rugby union in NZ. He managed two NZ touring rugby teams - the Maoris to Fiji and the 1957 All Blacks to Australia. Both were unbeaten on tour.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 6Mar79