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FIRST WATER

First Water(1921 Harold Rothschild-Red Diamond), NZ family of Red Diamond; 2:20.7; £995; three wins; 15 foals, 12 winners. Breeder: J Stevenson & J J McMath, Riversdale. All foals bred by H Hunter, Wyndham.

First Water's sire Harold Rothschild was a line bred Childe Harold(Rothschild-Harolds Rest) homebred stallion foaled at Willowbank Stud by Stevenson and McMath. Auckland Cup winner Harold Junior was one of his 49 winners and he was broodmare sire of First Water's Auckland Cup winning progeny Ned Worthy.

Her dam Red Diamond established a family that was set alight by First Water and her progeny. Red Diamond was by Prince Imperial from a Blackwood Abdallah mare. Prince Imperial came to NZ from Australia as a two-year-old. As a sire he left Lady Clare(NZ Cup) and was broodmare sire of many NZ provincial cup winners and Michael Galindo(Dominion Handicap). Prince Imperial left an indelible mark on NZ foundation maternal families. Red Diamond won her first race at Gore RC in 1911 (Labour Day Trot) was placed second in one of two other four-year-old starts and was unplaced at five before being bred from. Red Diamond also left Red Star and Diamond Child who founded successful families.

Red Diamond's family's greatest product is four time ID Pacing Champion Blacks A Fake (Victoria/ Hunter Cups, Truer Memorial, Qld Pacing C/S(2), $4.5m). Rondel and Smooth Satin are other ID Champions from the family. Leading juveniles descending from First Water are the 1970's champion Noodlum (Sapling/ Welcome Stakes, NZ/ Qld Derbies), multiple derby winning youngster of the 1960's in Tactile (Welcome/ Kindergarten Stakes, GN/NZ/NSW/VIC/SA Derbies) and more recently One Dream (NZ/ AUS Oaks). The quickest of Red Diamond's family members are Oneinamillion (1:49.3US, June 1998, 2nd NZ bred under 1:50) and in Australasia, Freyberg (1:51.7).

In her inaugural racing season (1925/6), First Water notched a win at Invercargill as a four-year-old. At five, two wins at Gore and Hutt Park while her final start as a six-year-old produced a £100 placing at Addington.

First Water's filly progeny:
1. First Author, first foal, unraced, left a number of fillies who bred on especially First Moko whose descendants have included Freberg, Malaz (Sapling Stakes, Southern Supremacy, Cross Stakes, Louisson Hcp, Invercargill Cup), Model Hardcraft (Timaru Nursery), Good Too (Dunedin Handicap).

2. Aqua Bond, winner of six races (Nelson President Hcp) left May Grattan whose descendants include All Promises (AUS/QLD Oaks) and Trout Stream leads directly to the Southland bred 'Matai' branch. Standouts include: Matai Dreamer (Kindergarten, GN Derby, NZ C/S - 4), Matai Mackenzie (Welcome Stakes, NZSS-2, NZ C/S, GN Derby), Matai Bret (Bunbury Cup), Black Irish (Aust Pacing C/S, ID hts(2), Fremantle Cup), Helena Jet (Southern Belle Speed Series), Angelina Jolie (Delightful Lady Classic-2f).

3. Nell Grattan, raced from three to nine years recording nine victories (Wanganui Cup, CPTC Matson Stks, NZMTC Papanui Handicap). She and her daughters bred on: Mighty Imp's descendants include Blue Water (Nevele R Fillies), Clancy (Hannon Memorial), Oneinamillion (QLD Derby) Winning Blue Chip (NZ Derby); Mighty Lass, Australian bred family of winners; Mighty Song, winner of eight to whom Best Deal Yet descends (QLD Derby) and Tactics, winner of eleven (New Brighton Cup) - dam of numerous winners including Tactile (six Derbies) and Deft (won 10 and was dam of Noodlum). This branch of the Nell Grattan (Red Diamond/ First Water) family is responsible for wonderful horses such as Blacks A Fake, Olga Korbut, One Dream, It's Ella, Some Legacy.

4. Rocks Ahead, won 16 races and was a sub 2:10.0 performer (2:09.4). Her wins included Addington's Dash/ Speedway/ Heathcote Handicaps, Oamaru's Presidents Handicap and Forbury's Dash Handicap [deadheat]/ Flying Handicap/ James Handicap (all told six wins at Forbury). Rocks Ahead was unplaced in 1938 and 1039 NZ Cups.
Rocks Ahead left seven winners including good pacer Navigate (11 wins, Ollivier Hcp/ Hannon Memorial) and Dominion Hcp/ Worthy Queen Trot/ ID heat winning trotter Barrier Reef (13 wins). She also left Rendezvous who founded her own award winning branch of the Red Diamond/ First Water family. Her filly Dismiss (Nelson Winter Cup) established a family that became a breeding goldmine for the Chins (Luk - trotters, Onn - pacers). Luk Chin's trotters descend through Dispense (dam Dimiss, eight wins, ID heat), including Gorbachev/ Djokovic (Cambridge Trotting Stakes -3), Lysenko, Lady Caballo (NZ Trotting Stakes -3), Fayanni (GN Breeders Trot twice, Thames Trotting Cup), Kasyanov (six wins then sold to Australia) and many more. Others not raced by Luk Chin descending from Dismiss include Godsun, Earl of Clevedon, Lord Burghley.
Dr Onn Chin raced pacer Feverish from this family (1:50.4 US at Meadowlands in earliy 2001, then fastest mare bred in NZ). Other good pacers descending from Dismiss were Disband for Chin Bing Foon (Luk & Onn's father), won 14 races in NZ including ID heat/3rd in 1965 Forbury final to dead-heaters Jay Ar/ Robin Dundee and Black Duke (34 wins, 1:53.7TT in Australia).
Rendezvous' fillies have left ID Pacing champions Rondel/ Smooth Satin ($1m, Chariots of Fire, Ben Hur), Light Buffy (SA Trotters Cup twice), The Private Dancer (Tatlow Memorial), Rare Touch NZ C/S -3) to name a few.

5. Salamis, raced once (unplaced), was a very productive broodmare. Among her descendants are Bitobliss (1:51.8, Kilmore Cup, Legends twice), Born to Trot (NZ Trotting Stakes-2), First Mate (USA Fireball series), Markalan (NZ Trotting Stakes-3, Trotting C/S).

First Water's male progeny:
1. First Lord, an entire, recorded ten wins(Heathcote Handicap twice, Wairarapa Cup at Hutt Park, Auckland's September Handicap/ F J Smith Memorial). First Lord became a successful sire both in NZ and Australia - Cardinal King (numerous feature races in NZ, 1968 Yonkers International race series), Lord Mina (WA Cup) and broodmare sire of Idolmite (Hannon/ Barton Memorials both twice, New Brighton Cup), John Craig (NSW/ SA Derby).
2. Indemnity by Dillon Hall, like First Lord he recorded four wins (Nelson Cup). Ned Worthy, like Aqua Bond by Worthy Bond, won seven races, winning the Winton Juvenile-3 at his first start, Wyndham Juvenile-3, 1940 Auckland Cup (trainer Bob Townley, driver Bill Doyle.

Minor winners produced by First Water include First Royal(3); Dark Water(2); Equery(2, one at Greymouth under saddle; Assault, one win from only two starts at Wellington; Paratrooper(1); Oasis(1).

Credit: Peter Craig writing in Harnessed Jan 2015

In 1919 Leo Berkett swapped a pacer he used in his gig with a clergyman for an aged grey mare, Wairoa Belle, which had good pacing blood in her on the side of her sire, Dictator. On local roads he found Wairoa Belle showed well against the horses of other gig owners and had a fair turn of speed.

Leo decided to enter her in races at the Nelson Trotting Club's summer meeting. The 1920 programme included both saddle and driven races. On the first day Wairoa Belle did not run well, but, on March 20, with advice on adjusting her hoppples, Leo Berkett rode her to lead the 14 horse field all the way to win by two lengths.

She paid the biggest dividend in NZ trotting history of £1033/5/-... a staggering sum when the average weekly wage was less than £10. Leo Berkett had no money on the race, the one and a half mile Wakefield Handicap, but one person had. He was a Nelson grain and seed merchant, Mr S C (Chummy) Levien, who was so pleased by the win that he gave Berkett the odd £33.

The stake of 55 sovereigns also went to Berkett as owner. The time for the race was 3min 59sec.

-o0o-

NZ Trotting Calendar 6Jun45

The following was taken from a NZ paper of about 25 years ago in reference to the huge dividend paid at the Nelson Trotting meeting:-"Quite the outstanding feature of the meeting was the huge dividend paid by Wairoa Belle in the Wakefield Handicap. Earlier in the afternoon the mare did a preliminary for the Ladies' Bracelet, but before going to the post the stipendiary steward noticed blood running from the hopple marks on both her hind legs. The officials refused to let her start until the driver agreed to race without hopples, which were blood-smeared. In the race she cut a poor figure, being one of the last to finish.

Later in the afternoon she was produced for the Wakefield Handicap, but again the stewards raised objection to her competing. The difficulty was got over by the rider removing the bloomers and lowering the hopples so that they would not chafe the sore places. There were 14 competitors, and out of the £1,500 invested only one ticket was taken out on Wairoa Belle's chance, this being held by a well-known Nelson merchant."

Credit: HRWeekly 23Jan91

ROYAL EMPRESS - Mystery Mare

The story of Royal Empress or more particularly her daughters is a vivid example of how a particular sire line cross can completely transform an underperforming racing family.

Royal Empress was from an unregistered mare, who was from an unnamed mare by the galloper Silver King. The next dam was unknown and so was the family. A Christchurch widow, Kitty Bare, then living at Yaldhurst, sent Royal Empress to good sires, notably the ones virtually next door, Frank Worthy and Logan Pointer. She nominated the resulting foals for the classics and watched them fail to measure up on raceday. One early foal, Rare Rey, was a fair performer in Auckland. Mrs Bare leased the next two fillies out for racing for which they were ill suited. Undaunted, when it came time to breed she sent them up the road to U Scott at Roydon Lodge.

Boom! Boom! Boom! The Scotand blood was liquid dynamite and the family just exploded in phenomenal fashion.

One daughter, Queen Ayesha, was only bred to U Scott about 10 times. And why not? Her first foal was Highland Fling, the incomparable. The next one to race was another star, Highland Kilt, who preferred trotting. In an era of giants he held the New Zealand mile record, won the Trotting Derby and an Interdominion heat and placed in the two biggest trot races behind great horses like Dictation , Gold Horizon et cetera. One of her daughters left Nigel Craig. No other mare has matched Queen Ayesha in leaving two horses of such ability at different gaits in the 65 years since.

Another daughter left the Via Veneto tribe and the second foal Bonny Heather left Crimson Star and the Australian champion Mackinlay. Mrs Bare also bred Robyn(U Scott) from these mares, good on the track and especially off it.

Meanwhile, another daughter of Royal Empress, Little Ada, went to U Scott and promptly left Caduceus the unforgettable 'Pocket Hercules' who covered himself in glory in three countries at the highest level. Royal Empress's next filly, Princess Medoro, went to U Scott and left the Auckland Cup winner, Unite, as well as the near Cup class pacer, Admit, to that stallion. It was an incredible record. By the time Australians listed numbered families by their success Royal Empress, 75 in New Zealand, was number 19 there.

As a kid I can remember gazing over the fence in awe at Mrs Bare's little stud next door to the dairy at Halswell, where she had moved. I couldn't recognise any of them but I knew among those mares and foals there had to be something special!

There have been good horses from the family since, the late Dr Harry Crofts persevered most with them. Jester Chance got to Cup class in the late 1970s, but when U Scott passed so did a lot of the magic and nobody has found the rainbow's end anywhere since.





Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed 2016

CUPS KINGS - GRATTAN LOYAL

INTRODUCTION
Bettor's Delight in just about ready to make the list as a "Cups King"- the most influential stallion in the two major all-aged races on out calendar, the Auckland and New Zealand Cups. He already has three winners and given his domination that might grow rapidly.

But topping some of the "old timers" won't be that easy, even if he has gone past many already. Who are the best? My top 10, based on the following statistical model.
- 10 points for each winner of the New Zealand or Auckland Cup.
- 5 point bonus for each individual winner greater than one.
- 5 points for each broodmare sire win.
- 1 point for each winner sired by a stallion son.

GRATTAN LOYAL 1920
(Grattan Royal-Gwita-Wildbrino)(Died aged 31)
Four WINS, Two WINNERS, Six BROODMARE WINS, Zero SIRE SON WINNERS = 75 points

Grattan Loyal, a black was imported by Freeman Holmes in 1930 as a moderately performed 10 year old. He was from the tough American/Canadian "Grattan" line yet ironically his best horse was the brilliant speedster Gold Bar. Loyal Nurse was his other big winner here, taking both Cup events. The Grattan Loyals were tough to gait and generally scorned trotting(his sire left only two qualified trotters in a long career in North America) but they were game and durable, winning a lot of trainer's hearts.
His first broodmare Cup credit was with Integrity in 1946 and the last was Stella Frost 24 years later. All the more amazing because his first crop here arrived in 1932. He never won a premiership (he had most winners in 1947) but was leading broodmare sire.

TRIVIA FACT - Grattan Loyal's sire, Grattan Royal, went from Chicago to Canada to Iowa before his first Canadian owner tracked him down only days before he was to be shot because of a serious leg injury and no patronage. On returning to Canada he became a huge success and made the Canadian Hall of Fame in 1981


Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed Nov 2016

CUPS KINGS - JACK POTTS

INTRODUCTION
Bettor's Delight in just about ready to make the list as a "Cups King"- the most influential stallion in the two major all-aged races on out calendar, the Auckland and New Zealand Cups. He already has three winners and given his domination that might grow rapidly.

But topping some of the "old timers" won't be that easy, even if he has gone past many already. Who are the best? My top 10, based on the following statistical model.
- 10 points for each winner of the New Zealand or Auckland Cup.
- 5 point bonus for each individual winner greater than one.
- 5 points for each broodmare sire win.
- 1 point for each winner sired by a stallion son.

JACK POTTS 1920
(Walter Direct-Margaret Steiner-Steiner) Died aged 24
Six WINS, Four WINNERS, Three BROODMARE WINNERS, Zero SIRE SON WINNERS = 90 points

Imported to New Zealand as a yearling by Alec Anderson and trained initially by Ben Jarden (later Ces Donald) Jack Potts was a top racehorse but a sensational sire because of his stamina. "If they had three mile(5000m) races nothing will ever beat him," a writer said of him in his racing days.
One odd aspect of his success was the naming of so many of his offspring after card game (such as Busted Flush the dam of NZ Cup winner, Thunder). Owners assumed that was the source of his name. In fact he had been named after a close friend of the breeder.

TRIVIAL FACT - The enormous popularity of Jack Potts put pressure on his stud duties and in at least one season he is said to have served over 100 mares. But the stud owner was later charged for using Jack Potts' sons for some services. He pleaded guilty.




Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed Nov 2016

ACRON - Enigma

Few horses in the nearly 100 years since have had careers hitting the highs and lows of Acron. When he was handed over by his breeder to trainer Ben Jarden as an early juvenile, he drove him a few times and was so dazzled he went and found a wealthy Australian partner to help buy him. Before he turned three J R McKenzie paid a sensational £2000($4000) for him, TWICE the price of any previous Standardbred sale in New Zealand. By comparison he bought his best horse Great Bingen, the stakes winning record holder in NZ for over 20 years, when he was up and running for just £400($800).

When he was a 3yo Acron won both Derby classics. When he was a 4yo he should have been the first of that age to win a NZ Cup(1923) instead of running second, though to be fair driver Jack Kennerley had to take some of the blame for getting trapped on the fence. The nexy year he won the one mile NZ Free-For-All in 2:03.6 which was still standing as an Australasian record when the horse died in 1935. Nobody of that era ever doubted that Acron could have been our first minute pacer.

But Acron was also one of the most infuriating horses to ever step on a track. In the end he wore out his welcome. Two years before his death, having failed as a sire, he went through a Christchurch sale ring for 20 guineas(about $50) to a South Canterbury home.

Acron could be ornery. He broke hopelessly when the favourite for the 1924 Cup but won the Free-For-All(a move up start) brilliantly. In the 1925 Cup, after some brilliant trials he missed away and was a distant third even though they tried to outthink him by putting Artie Butterfield in the cart. But then he beat reigning champion Great Bingen with ease over a mile in the Free-For-All.

In the 1926 Cup they slipped Bill Tomkinson in the cart hoping to outthink the horse but without a result. In 1927, after being transferred to the James Bryce stable in the hope of finally winning a Cup for Roydon Lodge, he tutned in two terrible races at Greymouth beforehand, produced a blistering final Cup trial and then failed completely on the day.

That was Acron, one of the few horses to defeat the famous trainer Jack Kennerley. The owner and the stewards haunted Kennerley over form reversals always seeking an explanation for what Kennerley knew there was no rational reason. The only one to know when Acron was going to turn it on was Acron.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed July 2016

BONNY LOGAN

BONNY LOGAN(1919 Logan Pointer/Bonilene) USA family of Black Betty; 2:09.8; $14,514; 14 wins; nine live foals, eight winners. Breeders: F Holmes and W H Norton, Christchurch and breeders of all foals except Captain Morant, Bonny Bridge, Admiration, Bashful - Miss P Norton.

Bonny Logan's sire like Belle Logan was Logan Pointer, her dam Bonilene was also imported and the founding mare of a very successful family. From relatively obscure sire and broodmare sires, Bonilene's pedigree included infusions of leading American stallions: Baron Wilkes, Nutwood and Charles Derby, Steinway leading back to Hambletonian 10 through George Wilkes and Strathmore. The family of Black Betty faded out in North America but prospered in New Zealand through a number of her daughters(Bon Rey, Bonny Drusus, Bonny Norval, St Helena) led by Bonny Logan.

Notable descendants tracing back to Bonilene include her greatest performer in double millionaire and three time Australian Harness Horse of the Year/ Grand Circuit Pacing champion Westburn Grant(NZ/VIC/NSW Derbies, Golden Nugget, two Miracle Miles, Truer Memorial, QLD C/S, 2 SA Cups, Harold Park Cup, Aust Pacing C/S, Two WA Cups, ID Ht/Final), NZ Cup winners Adorian & Lookaway, top race mares Hyperstat(VSS-3f/4m) and Gina Rosa(NZ Oaks, Nevele R Fillies, NZ Breeders Stakes, dam of Allstar Blue Jean), Shattering Class($810k) plus fastest performers in Allstar Blue Jean(1:48.4US), Georgetown(1:50.0US) and Hillside Joe(1:52.0Aus).

Racing for 10 seasons from two till 11 years old, Bonny Logan was a very good class race mare. At two(1921/2), she won at New Brighton and was placed fourth in Sapling Stakes. Her three-year-old career included five victories(New Brighton, Alexandra Park, Addington, Forbury Park & Canterbury Park) and second placings in both NZ and GN Derbies(stakes of £1,608). Just the one solitary win as a four-year-old at Addington(Craven Hcp) and as a five-year-old in 1924/25 season in the New Brighton club's Telegraph Hcp. Bonny Logan's three six-year-old successes all came at Addington beginning with an early season feature, Lightning, Royal and Telegraph Hcps. Victories as a seven-year-old came in the High Class and Hagley Hcps, both at Addington. Bonny Logan's sole win as an eight-year-old was in the Henry Mace Memorial at Addington. She raced for a further three seasons(nine- to eleven-year-old) but recorded no further wins, just several placings before moving to the breeding paddock.

Bonny Logan's progeny included many top performers on the track and in the breeding barn. Admiration's deeds will be more fully reviewed in a future article where she is one of our classic-producing mares. She was a winner of Timaru Nursery as a two-year-old(three wins). Bashful(Grattan Loyal) was unraced but proved a prolific and successful breeder. Included amongst her progeny were Cup class performers:

1. Damian - AK Cup, ID heat and his full brother
2. Diamond Hanover - ID heat, Ashburton Flying Stakes
3. Guiseppe - GN Derby, ID heat; minor sire, dam sire of Rundale(SA Trotters Derby).
Note: Damian, Diamond Hanover, Guiseppe all started in 1961 ID Grand Final at Addington. (Bashful only mare to achieve this feat).
4. Torrent - Easter Cup, ID Consolation; dam of Amaze(NZ Derby), Elite Del(dam of Cavaliere Servente, Sossy - Hannon Memorial, Ch-Ch Airport Travelodge FFA), Our Flawless(descendants include Step Outside, NSWSS 3f), Prima Vance(grand-dam of Grenadier - Junior FFA), Nursemaid - (Southland Oaks), Surge(grand-dam of Misjudge-Sapling, Woodlea Life - Delightful Lady Classic - 2f) as well as Bashful Hanover, unraced sire of 88 winners in Australia including Run Joe Run(NSW/Qld/Aus Derbies), dam-sire of Executioner(NSWSS - 3c) and Shy Songster, winner and sire of 63 winners in Australia. Other progeny included Firth(unplaced in eight two to three-year-old starts) who bred on with descendants including One Way Traffic(NZ C/S-2); and Kai Tere, non winning mare whose descendants include Hashed World(several provincial Cups).

Another filly in Coquette(Grattan Loyal), a winner of eight races including National Cup Hcp, left the very good winners and sires in:

1. Adorian - from Springfield Globe's first crop, was the winner of 12 races including NZ Cup, National and Louisson Hcps, 2nd in NZFFA, sire of 50 winners and dam-sire of New Law(NZ Derby), Swift Princess(NZ Oaks).
2. Forward - leading juvenile pacer, winner of eight races including Welcome/Sapling Stakes; sire of 83 winners including Avante(Ashburton Cup), Bambi, Le Char, Max Brydon, Pancho Boy and dam-sire of Ascot Arrow(Rosso Antico Stakes), Bad Luck(Kaikoura Cup, Ashburton Flying Stakes), Cinimod Junior(TVNZ Mile), Precious Sally(GN Oaks), Watbro(Hannon Memorial).
3. Morano - winner of nine races including Timaru Nursery and Metropolitan Challenge Stakes; sire of 102 winners including Courtier(Welcome Stakes, Timaru Nursery), Diarac(Hannon Memorial, Ashburton Flying stakes), Have Care(NZ Oaks), Humphrey(NZ/Kaikoura Cups), Manaroa(Kaikoura Cup, six ID heats, 2nd ID G/F, Marius (BPTC/Ordeal Cups, Trotting C/S),Martinigue(Kaikoura Cup), Sam Carter(Sapling stakes), Semioh(Welcome Stakes) and dam-sire of Barbara Del(Welcome Stakes), Captain Harcourt(GN Derby, AK/Easter Cups,ID Consolation), Michele Bromac(Kaikoura Cup, Junior FFA), Micron(Kaikora Cup), Morano Magic(Golden Nugget, Palestine(two Hannon Memorials, Kaikoura Cup, ID Consolation, Matson FFA), Royal Lopez(Sapling Stakes), Saucy Star(ID Consolation), Shalimar(NZ Oaks, Tonton Macoute(Messenger).
4. Vigilant(gelding)- Welcome Stakes.

Safety Pin(Rey De Oro) was a winner eight times including the Armstrong Memorial at Trentham in 1944(Hutt Park was requisitioned by military during WWII: Sept 1942 - February 1946 meetings). She bred on leaving a number of winners including Secure(Otahuhu Cup, sire of Safe Return, Kaikoura Cup, ID Consolation) and was grand-dam of good trotter Forward March.

Captain Morant(Rey De Oro) proved a good youngster winning Sapling and Champion Stakes amongst five age group races as a two-, three- and four-year-old.

Bonny Logan also left a number of good sires in:

1. Bayard(Frank Worthy) - good winner of 11 races(placed2nd/4th AK Cup and 3rd NZ Cup) and sire exported to Australia in 1945, he stood mainly in SA but had his last season in NSW. He sired 57 winners, being dam-sire of Mercedes(good class Perth pacer), Simpsonic(VIC Sapling), Weezy Anna(SA Oaks)
2. Gaillard(Rey de Oro) - winner of five races and sire of 63(five Aust), dam-sire of Great Adios(NZ Cu/FFA, Easter Cup), Petite Yvonne(ID heat), Portree(WA Cup), Sibelia(Hunter Cup), Smoko(VIC Derby).
3. Bonny Bridge(Grattan Loyal) - winner of NZ Derby and two other races, sire of winners in Tasmania including Young Noddy(Tas Derby) and dam-sire of Wendy Dawn(NZ Oaks).

Prosecutor(Rey de Oro), a 2:50.0 pacer also won three races for his dam Bonny Logan.


Credit: Peter Craig writing in Harnessed Dec 2014

DALNAHINE - Bargain Buy

Dalnahine 1918 Cost £100 - Won £7,500(approx.)
Before there were exports to America and when shifting older horses to Australia was in its infancy(the business was mostly the other way around), battlers with good horses often sold out to wealthier owners looking for a short cut to the presentation ceremonies. With few permits and a horrible handicapping system it was the best option for many.

Dalnahine was an example of that but with one remarkable aspect. He was a product of the famous Stevenson and McMath stud in Southland, and helped make the Harold's Rest family famous. But he was an old horse before he really made his mark.

Sold by his breeders to Hec Jarden, Dalnahine went through a virtual 'Who's Who' of New Zealand trainers after losing form in his middle life. Ben Jarden was the first followed by Manvers Edwards, another trainer of champions, and then James Bryce, the greatest trainer of the era. All of them gave Dalnahine the flick. Over the hill, been there done that, was their verdict.

In stepped leviathan Dunedin owner Jim Samson(he once nominated 16 horses for a Wingatui gallops meeting when most leading local trainers were lucky to have 10 in work), and he got Dalnahine for £100. He handed him over to a lesser-known trainer, Jock Henderson of Oamaru, and what followed was rather sensational.

Within six weeks of making his stable debut, Dalnahine had won over £2000 - huge money then when only a few races had a total stake of more than £1000. He went on performing at the highest level for several seasons. He ran in NZ Cups and was something of a sensation at Forbury Park at times. His brother Dalmeny, retained by the breeders, was also a high class performer.

Henderson's secret, if there was one, was never revealed but he was an expert trainer in his own right with a high strike rate before his comparatively early death. His greatest feat however was turning a 9yo 'has been' into one of the best pacers in the country


Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed 2016

CUP KINGS - REY DE ORO 1918

INTRODUCTION
Bettor's Delight in just about ready to make the list as a "Cups King"- the most influential stallion in the two major all-aged races on out calendar, the Auckland and New Zealand Cups. He already has three winners and given his domination that might grow rapidly.

But topping some of the "old timers" won't be that easy, even if he has gone past many already. Who are the best? My top 10, based on the following statistical model.
- 10 points for each winner of the New Zealand or Auckland Cup.
- 5 point bonus for each individual winner greater than one.
- 5 points for each broodmare sire win.
- 1 point for each winner sired by a stallion son.

REY DE ORO 1918
(Copa De Oro-Surbito-Steinway)(Died added 21)
Four WINS, Four WINNERS, Two BROODMARE WINS, One SIRE SON WINNERS - 66 points

Rey De Oro ("The Golden King") is one of four American horses on this list who raced in New Zealand before going to stud. He broke down before showing his best. He was the first stallion imported here to consistently leave precocious early speed.
Hi first crop caused a sensation when they quinellaed the premier two-year-old race, the Sapling Stakes and they repeated in the Derby as three-year-olds. A lot went on to better things (Parisenne/Roi L'or) and his stock won more than £100,000, a record at the time.
His NZ Cup winner was Morello and his mares left the well-named Gold Bar (he was probavly the source of Gold Bar's extreme speed) and Chamfer. Rey De Oro's sire Copa De Oro, (TT 1.59) followed him out to NZ as an old horse, the first two minute stallion to come here. He survived the trip only to die after leaving five registered live foals. Of the three mares, one left the two-minute capable, Cup class pacer, Native Chief and another the sensational trotter Todd Lonzia, who held the two-year-old trotting record for 30 years. Opportunity lost.

TRIVIA FACT - Reliable witnesses suggest Rey De Oro is lucky to be on the list. His son, Trevor De Oro was the official sire of the 1946 NZ Cup winner, Integrity. Trevor De Oro was only a fair handicapper and those in Wellington trotting circles at the time (Don Nyhan for one) reckoned it was common knowledge that it was a Logan Pointer horse there who was the real father of the Cup star. Ironically Trevor De Oro's one point pushes Nyhan's Johnny Globe off this list.



Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed Nov 2016

During last week the American-bred stallion O.Y.M., got cast in his box. At first the injuries were not thought to be serious but on Wednesday of last week things took a turn for the worse and he died.

The loss is a substantial one for his owner,Mr R E Hall, as O.Y.M. had become famous by reason of siring such great horses as Our Thorpe, Agathos, Cappriccio, O.I.C and numerous other high class performers.

Credit: The Toff writing in NZ Truth 6 Oct 1917