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MABEL & NORICE

There have been few more colourful tales of our harness world than that of Norice, arguably the greatest broodmare in its history, and her owner Mabel Duncan.

In the World War One years Norice was the breeding queen of New Zealand and Duncan kept her in suitably palatial surroundings at the country's plushest trotting stud, Coldstream Lodge in Fendalton. The present homestead at the end of Chilcombe St - the property originally fronted Memorial Avenue when it was 59 Burnside Rd - remains the only memorial to what also was the first stud of any code in New Zealand and the place many harness fans angled to get an invite to visit during carnival week in Christchurch.

Coldstream had been established and named by Ernest Jerningham Wakefield on whose motion the Canterbury Jockey Club was formed in 1855. He stood The Peer there (Peer St is still close by) but Ronald and Mabel Duncan would enlarge and transform it at great expense into a showplace hosting four of the most famous standardbreds of their time.

Horse-mad Mabel Duncan, an accomplished show rider in her youth, was the youngest daughter of A J White whose furniture store was Christchurch's largest. Her Husband, an accountant, successful real estate agent and land speculator, was the sixth son of the former Mayor of Christchurch, Andrew Duncan (there were seven in all) and a dashing "man about town" in the land agency business. They had been married in Sydney in 1905, chiefly to avoid embarrassment to family. The Whites were the high profile Catholic family in the city and the Duncans leaders of the Presbyterian church - not a popular quinella at any religious ceremony in those far off times. The doomsayers would have the last laugh.

Ronald Duncan acted as judge, timekeeper and stipendiary steward at several Canterbury racing clubs and later on the executive of the NZ Trotting Association and King Cole (for a time) was the only horse he raced. He added 10 ha to Coldstream and built a luxurious stable complex and trainer's quarters which included, a reporter marvelled, a hot shower. Mabel was loosening the purse strings as well.

She bought Norice, the most famous racemare in the country, for a hefty sum from the popular Bower Hotel (New Brighton) owner, James Pettie, who had imported Norice from California (accompanied on the trip by Dave Price who brought back the first spreaders used here) but was now moving to the outskirts of Gisborne. Mabel also bought the promising King Cole from Nelson Price as well as his dam. Mabel's trainer, Dave Price, had already given her his half share in King Cole as a foal.

King Cole was one of only 17 foals left here by Price's champion, Ribbonwood. 15 raced and 12 won. Another notable and expensive purchase, before her marriage, had been the champion Sal Tasker, the fastest mare in Australasia, with a sensational official time at Addington in 2:20. She was named after Sarah Tasker the wife of her prominent breeder James Tasker - though Nelson Price first raced the mare and landed a betting plunge first up at Sockburn with her before selling.

At the outbreak of World War One Coldstream boasted both the fastest mare and stallion in Australasia (King Cole having broken his sire Ribbonwood's mile record in a special morning trial at Addington) as well as Norice, the most commercial broodmare. Mabel often used Sal Tasker when driving to town (Ronald played a big role in the tramway being extended to Clyde Road later) safe in the knowledge no challenger could possibly beat her down Fendalton Road.

Mabel also sent mares to be bred in Australia to Abbey Bells and horses to race there including Sal Tasker and her son Coldstream Bells, which was cruelly robbed of the biggest prize in Australasia, the Melbourne Thousand, when another driver deliberately crashed into him and Price at the start. Coldstream Bells still ran second and was later a sire of some note. Mabel Duncan seemed jinxed at times with her horses yet Norice was always there to give Coldstream its status. She also had a champion pony stallion which went years without defeat in Christchurch show rings.

Norice had six generations of recorded pedigree when most local mares, Sal Tasker included, rarely had more than two. She was by Charles Derby (ancester of Johnny Globe, Lordship etc) and after she was bought a half-brother became one of the fastest juveniles in America. Black, fast, sometimes erratic, Norice was the leading stake earner of 1904 winning six of her first seven starts here. She would have won the first NZ Cup that year too but she had problems which prevented Price from training her sufficiently for the race. Even so she led clearly most of the way and as she was eased when passed by Monte Carlo in the straight the big margin was misleading. The veteran never beat her in shorter races.

Norice made history again when disqualified from first in a Flying Handicap at Addington for galloping near the finish. In a landmark decision the race was restored to her because the committee had not taken evidence from her driver, Price, which would have established that a hopple had broken. From then on committees could not make decisions without hearing evidence from the drivers. Later in the day she won the Champion Free-For-All. Norice had also caused Pettie some grief because he had to lodge another cheque "under strong protest" with the NZTA before Norice could race here. Her previous owner was apparently in forfeit to the American Trotting Association and that body had just agreed to share it's rulings with this country.

At stud Norice left a series of smart colts who were in strong demand in Australia as sire but her most famous son was Nelson Derby, a striking colt from birth bought from Mabel by George Craw of Palmerston North for a record £750. He won the Great Northern Derby and the Auckland Cup though not sound, according to trainer Bill Tomkinson, and sired Haughty the first mare outside America to break two minutes. Therein lay quite a story.

The racing dream which seemed to belong to Ronald and Mabel Duncan started to fall apart around 1916 when Duncan took the extraordinary step then of suing his wife for £325 through the courts, presumably for Coldstream costs. Coldstream was sold with Mabel retaining the home block. Ronald Duncan bought and moved to the famous homestead block in North Canterbury. He later moved to Australia where he died in 1942 having remarried after Mabel's death.

Mabel had to cut numbers and sell virtually all her young stock. Watching Nelson Derby, the horse she had been aiming to breed for so long walk out the gate must have been heartbreaking. Selling Norice and Sal Tasker (whose descendants are still competitive today) was never an option. She still clung to part of Coldstream when she died in 1936 the once wealthy heiress having been adjudged bankrupt the previous year. Her parents had a strong social conscience and spent much of their wealth on community projects including building and supporting the large St Joseph's orphanage in Halswell. Norice had her last foal in 1931.

Among the horses sold was Queen Cole (King Cole-Norice) to John Grice of Tinwald whose son Ben inherited her first foal Colene Pointer (Methven and Timaru Cups) a fine stayer and dam of Queen's Treasure and Kingcraft. Ben had another foundation mare, Logan Princess, dam of the high class Regal Voyage. When that mare retired, down the road at Walter Gudsell's Pluto Lodge Stud in Tinwald was a poorly patronised Nelson Derby and so history in the form of Haughty was made. Crossing the two families and doubling up on Norice blood through Nelson Derby by Ben Grice to reinforce the family speed factor has ensured the survival of the Norice character through every generation since. Native King was another Norice colt successful at stud. Kingcraft, by the obscure Quincey who also happened to stand locally (Colene Pointer had broken down so badly she could not travel far) was almost a great horse, competing in the NZ Cup after just eight starts, but like his granddam was erratic at times.

Norice's essential qualities of high speed and waywardness combined with soundness problems have suvived to a remarkable extent through almost a century of breeding. At crucial times her tribe produces fast fillies like herself, like Single Star, Riviera and Petro Star for Grice. Perhaps the best example of the potency of the mare was the amazing Mount Eden. He was the essence of her pacing power and like her highly strung yet his performances were so stunning no less a commentator than Ron Bisman claimed he was to him the fastest horse the world had seen.

The Norice line has actually thrived on the superior breeding performance of relatively few mares, and largely just three breeders - Mabel Duncan, Grice and the Cummings family of Tuapeka whose mare Sakuntala has been the springboard of much of the family's recent success. The New Zealand Cup winners Iraklis and Monkey King, both from this source, were noted for extreme acceleration. Their ancestress Hindu Star, dam of Sakuntala, carried a close up (3x3) Norice masterminded by Grice. Holmes D G came from a more obscure branch of the Norice tribe but still had the essential double cross of Nelson Derby.

In earlier eras stars like Nicotine Prince, Chief Command and Indecision; the speedy Maurice Holmes 2yos like Strauss, Violetta and company; Hardy Oak, Single Star, Ardstraw, Canis Minor, Tuapeka Star, Ruling Lobell etc, etc kept the Norice name to the fore. O Baby is her current Horse of the Year poll winner.

The Norice legacy can be character building for those seeking to extend it. Lightning does not strike as consistently as with some families - but when its stars align it sends an electric charge through the pacing world that no other family can match.

Mabel Duncan and Ben Grice knew what they had to work with. Their work was not in vain.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in HRWeekly 10Apr13

NORICE

There is an Indian legend that the spirit of a brave chief is permitted to return to the scene of his triumphs in time of peril or rejoicing and mingle with the young warriors, inspiring them with his daring or eloquence when reciting their deeds on the warpath. This was the red man's tribute to those who were gone, or, as Longfellow sets it to poetry in the "Psalm of Life.":

Lives of great men all remind us,
We can make our live sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us,
Footprints in the sands of time.

The wraith of Norice must have hovered many times over Addington, the Dominion's leading convincing ground, because here the great mare herself, her sons and their sons and daughters, and their legions of descendants of both gaits have, over a period of more than 40 years, left some imperishable imprints in the sands.

And these legions of Norice's descendants have only followed in the footsteps of their illustrious forebear, who proved head and shoulders above most of the best pacers and trotters that could have assembled in the Dominion from 1903 to 1906. Very quickly her reputation became such that she started a short-priced favourite in any event she contested, no matter what the distance or how severe the handicap.

She began racing as a six-year-old in the 1903-04 season, and scored five wins and a second in her first seven starts. Her first win was recorded in the Trial Handicap, of a mile and a half, at the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's meeting at Addington in November, 1903. The time on a heavy track was 3.57. The following day, which was "very wet" she won the Hornby Handicap, of two miles, in 5.03 4-5.

Already she had climbed the heights, for her next win was in the High-Class Handicap, of two miles, at Tahuna Park. At her next start she won the Leap Year Handicap, of two miles, at the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's Easter Meeting, in 4.54 and rounded off the season by romping home in the Champion Handicap, of two miles, at the same meeting in 4.46 2-5, those behind he including Vickery, The Needle, Blackchild, Boldrewood, St Simon, Monte Carlo, Vasco and Harold C.

The following season she ran three times unplaced and then ran second in the first NZ Trotting Cup to Monte Carlo. The favourite, Durbar, was third. At her next start she won the New Year Handicap, of two miles, at Plumpton Park, in 4.46 2-5. Her other win that season was in the Grand Free-For-All, of a mile and a quarter, at the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's Easter meeting, her time being 2.52 2-5, with Vickery and Monte Carlo in the minor placings. She won very easily.

The 1905-06 season saw the last of her on the racetrack, and she must have been well on towards the foaling stage when she was retired in April, 1906, because in the same year she produced her first foal, a filly by Rothschild, later known as Lady Derby. In August, 1905, she had won the Free-For-All Stakes, of a mile and a quarter. This event was run in two heats and a final, and she won both her heat and the final with ease. Norice was a champion, so good, in fact, that but for being unsound she probably would never have left America. This view was held by the late Dave Price , who was associated with the Charles Derby mare in all her races.

The Charles Derby strain has been notably successful in this country and Australia. It is probable that if the potency of this line in the Antipodes were brought to the notice of an American authority of the standing of John Hervey, he would be able to offer some tangible explanation of its speed-producing qualities. Because Norice was a daughter of Charles Derby; because the great Australian progenitor Globe Derby descended in the direct male line from Charles Derby, and because another champion mare in Trix Pointer is by Demonio, a son of Charles Derby, my curiosity was naturally aroused, and, on consulting Wallace's Year Book, I found that Charles Derby, like many other horses of his day, was inbred to Hambletonian 10, being by Steinway, by Strathmore, a son of Hambletonian 10, from Katie G, by Electioneer, by Hambletonian 10. Charles Derby cut a fairly respectable figure as a sire in the States, as he is credited by Wallace with having sired 48 standard performers, 13 trotters and 35 pacers, among the latter a really good horse in Jim Logan, 2.01¾; but he was by no means an outstanding progenitor, because the standard performers of sires like McKinney, Peter The Great, Bingen and Axworthy could be counted in hundreds. That does not alter the fact that Charles Derby's son Owyhee, established the greatest male line Australia has had by siring Mambrino Derby, the sire of Globe Derby, and that Charles Derby himself begot in Norice probably the greatest mare - racing and producing qualities taken into account - ever to come to the Dominion.

Norice's greatest fame of the moment comes through her son Nelson Derby, one of the most successful Colonial-bred sires of recent years, though he has never been extensively used at the stud and for the past ten years or more has been in private service. As the sire of Haughty, Hardy Oak, Nelson Eddy, Plutus and numerous other winners, Nelson Derby has occupied a prominent place on the sires' list for some seasons past. Nelson Derby was a good racehorse himself, his wins including the Great Northern Derby and Auckland Cup, but he was not a sound horse, otherwise, according to his last trainer, the late W J Tomkinson, he would have taken the highest honours offering in his time.

Native King, a high class trotter, and Nelson Fame, a brilliant pacer with two-minute potentialities, were full brothers to Nelson Derby. Of the pair, Native King was the most successful sire, his progeny including Native Prince, Native Star and Royal Romance. Nelson Fame met a premature death, and left only a few foals, including Lady Fame. Other sons of Norice who left winners were Bingen Boy and Derby Chimes, both of whom went to Australia, and Lord Derby.

One of the greatest lines coming down from the maternal side of Norice is that from her daughter Queen Cole, by King Cole, 2.08 3-5. Among her foals were three fillies, Colene Pointer, by Logan Pointer; Albena, by Rodgewood; and Queen's Treasure, by Rey de Oro.

Colene Pointer, who was a good pacer, won the Timaru Cup, but she broke down badly soon afterwards. It is related that she was so lame that she could not be sent off her owners place, and at that time an old horse called Quincey, who had been a good racehorse in his day, but not a great success as a sire, was one of the few stallions offering in the district. The upshot of this situation was that Colene Pointer was mated with Quincey, and produced Kingcraft, the only pacer of Cup class ever left by Quincey. Kingcraft won a division of the New Zealand Cup and finished second to Harold Logan the following year. He was at one time the most talked-of pacer in the Dominion, and certainly one of the fastest of the time. Colene Pointer produced other good winners in Kilrea and Village Guy; and Poker Face is good but unsound. Colene Parrish and Ping are other good winners left by Colene Pointer.

Albena also won races and is the dam of Albertini, Sterling Pointer, Strummer and Wrackful.

Queen's Treasure promises to become a successful matron of the true Norice pattern, for already her first three foals are winners, namely, a Cup horse in Hardy Oak, and Single Star and Jack's Treasure.

Lady Derby, a daughter of Rothschild and Norice, produced Derby Dillon, Peter Derby, Frances Derby, Lady Pointer, Her Ladyship, Sister Maud, Olatrice, and that fine trotter Sister Beatrice. Francis Derby produced Bingen Derby and Don Derby; Lady Pointer produced Lady Rey; Her Ladyship produced Lady Fame 4.26, and Play Lady; and Sister Maud has produced Sister Rose, Sister Mary, Queen Maud and others. In turn, Play Lady has produced Play Ring; Sister Rose is the dam of Teddy Gregg; and Queen Maud has produced Sports Guide and Royal Volo.

Theda Bara, a daughter of Van Coronado and Norice, produced General Bingen, Una Dillon, Actor Ballin, Tiger Lily and Rose Warton. Van Coronado was a comparetive failure as a sire, but apparently the Norice blood is capable of overcoming all such hindrances, because the Theda Bara branch of the family is also breeding on, her daughter, Rose Warton (by First Fashion) being the dam of Jimmy Wharton, and another daughter Una Dillon (by Harold Dillon) being the dam of Truman, Deanna Durbin and Storeman. Deanna Durbin has gone to the stud, and is the dam of a 1942 filly by Fremont which shows promise.

Daughters of Nelson Derby are producing winners. An unnamed Nelson Derby mare is the dam of Casabianca, Daphne Queen is the dam of Loyal King, and Hughenden Queen is the dam of Huguenot, 3.13 3-5.


Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 27 Sep 1944

Monte Carlo with Bert Edwards

MONTE CARLO

Monte Carlo was the winner of the first NZ Cup. Writing in "Pillars of Harness Horsedom" F C Thomas, who compiled the first volumes of the NZ Trotting Stud Book, wrote sporting notes for the Christchurch "Press" and "Weekly Press" for many years and was a racing and trotting handicapper, made the following observations.

"Of all the horses that passed through Bert Edwards hands, none gained such esteem in public estimation a did that grand old trotter Monte Carlo. Old "Monte" was owned by that fine old sportsman, Mr Tom Yarr, for whom Monte Carlo won the first New Zealand Trotting Cup, as well as many races from a mile to two miles, both in saddle and harness. In the writer's opinion "Monte" was the greatest all-rounder of his time. When he won the Trotting Cup his popularity gave rise to a remarkable demonstration at Addington. Ladies showered bunches of flowers on the unconcerned veteran and before Edwards could get him back to his stall half the hairs had been plucked from his tail as souvenirs. Monte Carlo and Reta Peter share the honour of being the only straight-out trotters to have won the New Zealand Trotting Cup."

"In 1898 the Lancaster Park Club offered a prize for any horse that could lower the two-mile Australasian record of 4.55, held by Mr Buckland's champion, Fritz. Several horses were entered for the event, but Monte Carlo was the only one to continue with his engagement. Paced by Free Holmes on the galloper Salvo Shot, the veteran trotted the journey without a mistake in 4.53, thereby getting within Fritz's time by 2 sec. Later in the same afternoon "Monte" came out and won the big two-mile handicap."


Credit: Pillars of Harness Horsedom: Karl Scott

RIBBONWOOD

"Horse Of The Year"? Ribbonwood was the horse of a decade! Good as horses like Lunar Chance, Easton Light and Captain Harcourt are, there would have been little hope of their being in contention for the "Horse Of The Year" award had such a prize existed in 1903.

That was the year of Ribbonwood, one of the greatest pacers ever bred in this country and one of the most successful stallions ever to stand in Australia. Only a little fellow, he possibly achieved more in his short career in advancing the popularity of trotting here than any other champion who followed him, with the possible exception of Cardigan Bay.

Bred at New Brighton by Mr Gilbert McHaffie, a prominent administrator at the time, Ribbonwood was by the imported Wildwood from Dolly, a Young Irvington mare of disputed parentage tracing to a thoroughbred source. Wildwood was bred in California and was imported by Mr Henry Richardson of New Plymouth who passed him on to the Kerr brothers of New Brighton for £500 which was not exactly pocket money in those days.

Trained at two years of age by Manny Edwards, Ribbonwood attracted the attention of Dave Price the owner of Prince Imperial and also in earlier times of his dam Princess. Price paid out £250 for Ribbonwood which was easily a record price for a racing proposition in the trotting world of those days. Although Ribbonwood was not much more than a pony, Price was right on the mark with his buying. Ribbonwood quickly established himself as the fastest pacer in NZ and by the 1902 season, when a 4-year-old, he was being handicapped out of many of the big races. In the 1902-3 season he won nine races with one second placing and two fourths. His first two wins were at the November Addington meeting in which he won the NZ Handicap (£200: then our richest race) by eight lengths and the free-for-all by nearly the same margin.

In February 1903 at Addington he won the feature event by fifty yards in Australasian record time for two miles of 4:35.8. Later the same afternoon, he smashed the Australasian mile record held by Fritz, recording 2:11 2-5. Two Australasian marks on the same day must be a unigue feat.

In April of that season, Ribbonwood took part in the celebrated match races with the Australian champion trotter Fritz who was brought over from Australia by his owner J A Buckland. The match was over three heats for £500 a side. Huge crowds attended and the Prime Minister, Dick Seddon presented the trophies. Fritz had been over the Tasman before (in 1899) and was a tremendous favourite with the NZ crowds who supported him strongly on the totalisator, though many were backing from their heasts and not their heads. Fritz was then 12-years-old and well past his best, but Mr Buckland was a sportsman of the old school and refused to let Dave Price's challenge to pass.

Ribbonwood won the first heat by five lengths, the second by a length and a half and the third by eighty yards. In the last heat he again lowered the mile record, this time to 2:10 and he later lowered it again to 2:09 where it stayed for some years. After his exhibition mile of 2:09 on the final day of the meeting, Ribbonwood never raced in NZ again due largely to the six months suspension Price received during the meeting. He took his champion to Australia but there Ribbonwood was sold for stud duties before he raced.

In latter years Price regretted selling his little champion. He parted with for £1000 and the son of Wildwood earned nearly that much for his new owner in his first stud season. Before leaving NZ, Ribbonwood was lightly used as a stallion between races. He left 18 foals here and has the unique siring record of getting 18 winners or a 100% record. But even this paled beside his Australian record and the claim was made some years ago that only Globe Derby has left more winners across the Tasman than the New Brighton-bred stallion.

One of his most successful sons was Realm who was brought over to this country by Bill Tomkinson in 1921. A little black horse like his sire, Realm was enormously popular here as Ribbonwood had been before him and he also held the mile record of 2:03.8 for a time. It was a NZ son of Ribbonwood who had lowered the champion's own time. This was King Cole (2:08.4) who features in the pedigrees of many of our fastest pacers, particularly those bred by Ben Grice. Realm also had success at stud as did Blue Mountain King, a successful racing son of Ribbonwood imported to this country in the late '20s.

Down through the years Ribbonwood blood has continued to have some say in fast mile times. His full-sister Manuka never amounted to anything on the track but she was the fourth dam of Tactician the first NZ horse to break two minutes in a race in NZ and Ribbonwood's son Childewood, a very successful sire, sired Roselawn who was the dam of Lawn Derby the first horse to break two minutes in Australasia. His son King Cole is in the pedigree of Mt Eden, and Ribbonwood appears on both sides of the pedigree of the Australian speedster Reichman who recorded 1:58 on a three furlong track. There are numerous other top horses who carry Ribbonwood blood including Ribands, Apmat, Avian Derby, Dale's Gift, Thelma Globe and the wonderful Harold Logan to name but a few.

Ribbonwood died at twenty years of age. It is said Price sold him in Australia for stud duties because support for him in this country was lukewarm. If so, we encouraged the loss of one of the greatest sires ever bred here.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in NZ Trotguide 5Aug76

HAROLD DILLON

Bred in California in 1903 Harold Dillon was imported as a yearling by Mr E T Le Lievre of Akaroa who played a major part in the development of the standardbred at that time. What Mr Le Lievre's reactions were when he first saw his new purchase cannot be guessed at but Harold Dillon turned out to be a very small horse and he never grew a great deal, being little more than a pony until the day he died.

Tried as a racehorse Harold Dillon was not a success but his breeding future received a boost when a member of his first small crop (he was used at the stud before he was 2 years old) won the Futurity Stakes at the Addington Easter meeting of 1909 which was an important race in it's time. This was Dillon Bell who reached the best classes, and another to do well from an early crop was Moa Bell who also won a number of races.

Harold Dillon had mixed patronage early on but once he was transferred to the Santa Rosa Stud at Halswell near Christchurch under a master horseman in Bob McMillan his stocks received a boost. Like many sires some of his stock acquired doubtful reputations which for a time threatened his own career but in the end his progeny were so successful on the track that he downed the critics and became a great sire.

Harold Dillon was leading sire for five seasons from 1916 until 1921 taking over from Rothschild and conceding leadership to Logan Pointer though he was second and third to that sire for a number of years.He produced 182 individual winners which was an excellent record for the day. His best one was the brilliant Author Dillon the Robalan of his time whose record of 18 wins and 14 placings would have been much better but for the ridiculous handicapping of the day which saw him giving away long starts to good fields. He won three NZ Free-For-Alls and was virtually unbeatable in these types of races. Like all the Harold Dillon breed he was as tough as old boots and raced from three to nine years for his record. He was a top juvenile pacer as well and was a surprising success as a sire, his mares going particularly well, producing among others Marlene (NZ Cup), Indian Clipper and Knave of Diamonds. He himself sired among others Queen Auditor who won 13 races and produced the top mare of the 50s in White Angel.

Cello Sydney Wilkes, himself little more than a pony was another top winner for Harold Dillon and among his 11 wins was the feat of winning four races at the Cup meeting which only one other horse has done, this being Cardigan Bay. Adonis another stallion on the small side was perhaps the best pacer of them all and was also a successful sire featuring prominently in the Misfortune family. Waitaki Girl by Harold Dillon won 14 races and nearly $12,000 in stakes winning the feature race at the Canterbury Park Winter Meeting four years in succession. Some of the Harold Dillons were great mudlarks one being Sungod who reached Cup class and was placed in that event. Sungod was a sire of note himself and sired All Sunshine, an ancestress of Lunar Chance.

John Dillon was another top class pacer and quite the fastest beginner seen up to his time. He started in several Cups but was a better sprinter than a stayer. The late 'Dil' Edwards claimed that John Dillon once did a quarter in 28 seconds in training at Addington which was sensational in those days. Other Cup class performers by Harold Dillon were Antonio Oinaki (also a successful sire) Dolly Dillon and Lord Dillon.

As a broodmare sire Harold Dillon was also successful his daughters producing over 200 winners, though he was more successful with his male line than some imported sires. Two from Harold Dillon mares were Pot Luck and Parisienne winner and runner-up in the 1938 Inter-Dominion Championship. Dilworth was a national recordholder and Reporter a top class performer, Grace Dillon was the grandam of Roschana the dam of Cardinal Garrison. Highland Princess was the dam of the winners of 31 races. Eileen Dillon was the dam of Acuity (7 wins) who in turn produced Poranui and the champion Australian pacer Jackie Scott. Prolific was the dam of Manoeuvre who won eight races while Tatsy Dillon who herself won the Dunedin Cup is the founder of a successful family including Tatsydale and the good trotters Merrin and Ali Bey.

Connie Dillon was a great producer for the Benny family of Springston and included in her offspring or descendants are Gold Peg (9 wins) the grandam of the ill-fated Balcairn, Royal Fame (8 wins) Royal Counter (10 wins)and others. Sakatawea the dam of Star Classic belongs to this family. Another successful Harold Dillon mare was Flossie Dillon dam of Sonoma (Methven Cup), Tom Thumb (8 wins) and Pat Dillon ancestress of a champion trotting family including Waitaki Hanover of whom she was grandam. Protector, the sire of Nigel Craig has Harold Dillon blood through his 3rd dam Muriel Dillon.

At Santa Rosa where Harold Dillon stood for most of his career until his death in 1929 there are no horses now, just rows and rows of houses. The stud may have gone and Harold Dillon may have gone but his influence on our bloodstock cannot be erased nearly as easily.

-o0o-

David McCarthy writing in NZ Trotguide 18Nov76

We cannot let the stud career of Harold Dillon go without adding to his list a mare which we inadvertently missed at the time. This was Mirie Dillon who founded a line of fine winners for Colin McLaughlin of Mt Hutt. She was the grandam of Allakasam and ancestress of Royal Ascot. Adding further to his list was Sadie Dillon the dam of the 1923 Cup winner Great Hope.


Credit: NZ Trotguide 11Nov76

RIBBONWOOD

Ribbonwood, our first great pacer and one of the five best to have ever raced in this country, spent his first year roaming the New Brighton sandhills where children used instant bridles and reins made of flax to ride the friendly little fellow.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in HRWeekly 28 Mar 2012

ROTHSCHILD

Though some may find it hard to concede with the present ever growing list of super sires, there is a strong case for suggesting that the greatest sire that ever stood in NZ is not Light Brigade, U Scott, Jack Potts, Dillon Hall or even Logan Pointer.

Rothschild, now a name that is only come across well back in modern pedigrees has as good a claim as any when it comes to rating sires in order of merit. For one thing he sired over 300 winners. That's a cracking total today but at the turn of the century it was a sensational achievement, difficult to appreciate now. There were fewer meetings then and so fewer races.There were fewer finely bred mares and it took some time for Rothschild to attract the ones that were available. What is more, Rothschild had to do everything on his own achievements. His name appears only once in the list of winning sires, in 1915-16 the first year records were officially kept. But no one doubts that he was the leading sire for many years before that, and had the records been kept he would have more premierships than anyone.

Bred in Australia in 1889, Rothschild was by Childe Harold, an expensive, but somewhat disappointing sire who has Harold Park named after him. Rothschild's dam Belle Briggs was considered to be the best bred mare to come into Australia to that time and but for being unsound it is doubtful that she would ever have left America. Rothschild had a brother called Osterley who was a top rachorse across the Tasman, only Fritz being able to beat him. Dan O'Brien, that most colourful figure of the turf, recommended to NZ friends that they buy Osterley, but they were unable to do so so bought his younger brother instead. It was just as well, for Osterley was a major disappointment at the stud.

Rothschild started in a number of races but never won, and as late as 1902, when 13 years old he was still making the odd appearance, though most owners would have given up by then. He stood at Mr W Jarden's Stud in Gloucester St, Christchurch and his breeding enabled him to command a five guinea fee. The bright bay stallion did not take long to make an impression. From his first crop came a sensational juvenile trotter Jessie Palm who streeted her opponents at two starts at two and went on to become a champion trotter. From his first crop too came The Baron who was a top performer in the last days of the Lancaster Park track in Christchurch.

The following year he produced Almont who was the sensation of his day. When he retired Almont took with him a three mile record of 6:50 which was actually never beaten. When he started his career the record was fully two minutes slower. Sal Tasker was another fine Rothschild mare going 2:20 for a mile at two years of age away back in 1906. She eventually went 2:12 and was the champion of her time. So was Emmeline a NZ mile record holder at 2:08.6 and placed in the NZ Cup. About the same time was the trotter Revenue, holder of the mile trotting record for 22 years with a time of 2:11.8 recorded at Forbury in the saddle. He often took on and beat fields of pacers.

Dan Patch, bred in Ashburton, but perhaps better known in Australia than his homeland, was another fine son of Rothschild. A free-legged pacer, Dan Patch held the Australian mile record of 2:10 for many years and in NZ he went a mile in 2:09.4 on Auckland's grass track. A genuine champion Dan Patch unfortunately died before starting a stud career of any significance.

Rothschild sired three NZ Cup winners. Belmont M upset winner of the 1906 Cup was the first, Albert H in 1912 the second and Ravenschild, second to Albert H the previous year, won easily in 1913. In the 1912 Cup in fact Rothschild horses filled the first three places while other sons and daughters to fill places were Evelyn, Lord Elmo, Moneymaker and Bright.

Harold Rothschild, later a very successful sire was another of Rothschild's offspring to do well and other sons who were fine racherses and sires were Gold Bell (one of the finest pacers the North Island ever saw), St Swithin and Jingle. Master Raymond was an outstanding trotter by Rothschild winning eight times over two miles. Pearlchild, Aileen, Capitalist, Lord Chancellor, Lady Sybil, Emilius and Coin were other very successful racehorses.

If he was a great sire himself Rothschild gained even greater fame through his daughters. Many of his most successful matrons were themselves good on the track and easily the best known was Pearlchild. Winner of many races for Mr H F Nicoll, including the National Handicap, Pearlchild, a daughter of Verity, produced ten individual winners at stud. Among them were three Derby winners (Ciro, Childe Pointer and Nantwich) a successful sire (Casanova), First Wrack, winner of 11 races and outstanding mares Vanity Fair, Pearl Pointer and Double Measure. The great record of the Verity family owes much to Pearlchild. Vanity Fair in particularly was an outstanding broodmare herself.

Another Rothschild mare now well known was Moonbeam, the grandam of Horotane and therefore ancestress of current Broodmare of the Year in Nancy Lee. Henrietta produced Haymetta, the winner of five and in turn dam of Duncraig who won nine. Jessie Fraser produced the successful racehorse and sire Logan Fraser. Cocaleen was the dam of four winners including the earlier mentioned top pacer Moneymaker and Logaleen who won five.

An unnamed Rothschild mare produced Golden Square the dam in turn of Graticulate who won eight. Sweet Daphne was a most successful mare being the founder of the family best known in recent years though the deeds of horses like Bright Highland and Bright Enterprise. Bright Alice, another daughter of Rothschild produced Cup winner Kohara who later did well at stud, and the Rothschild mare Kola Nut produced King Cole the mile recordholder of his day and a very successful sire. It was from King Cole's matings with Norice which has produced one of the greatest breeding lines in the Stud Book, a line commonly associated with veteran breeder Ben Grice.

A mare by Rothschild was the dam of Yenot who gained fame through the deeds of Parisienne and later La Mignon, Garcon Roux etc. Another Rothschild mare was the ancestress of Van Dieman and yet another unnamed mare the founder of the family to which Vanadium and Van Glory belong. Sal Tasker produced Coldstream Bells, a successful sire in the first quarter of the century. Another great Rothschild mare was Ocean Wave, dam of Muricata who produced two champion pacers in Ahuriri (two NZ Cups) and Taraire and who is the fourth dam of the trotting sire Great Evander.

Auckland Girl, who won eight races herself, was another successful mare at stud as was Dollar Princess who produced seven individual winners. Among them was Doraldina, winner of the Sapling Stakes and Derby and who herself produced five winners. Recess, grandam of Aldora was a member of the same family as was Gold Chief a Derby winner and sire of the champion Rupee. Another Rothschild mare Lady Derby founded one of the best branches of the Norice family which includes Maudeen, Queen Maude and Indecision among it's members. A mare by Rothschild founded the Gentle Annie family which claims among others the champion trotter Moon Boy and top pacer of yesteryear in Betty Boop. Then there was Olive Child, dam of Audubon Child, who in a colourful career won eight races.

The full relations Emmeline, Emilius, Aileen and Evelyn did great work for Rothschild's reputation and they may have set a record when three of them appeared in the same NZ Cup field and two were placed. Aileen produced at stud the Cup class pacer Ronald Logan and Emmilene founded a successful family, one prominent recent member being Cuddle Doon. Evelyn won five races herself and was the dam of four winners. Emilius had some success as a sire.

Altogether Rothschild daughters produced over 300 individual winners. Rothschild had much more success than many imported sires as far as his sons were concerned and a number of them are well known stud names. Harold Rothschild did very well down south and as a son of one of Southland's most successful foundation mares in Harold's Rest he played a prominent part in two other big Southland families, particularly in that of First Water whom he sired.

Capitalist sired the fine racehorse and good sire in Gold Bell. Lord Elmo sired some good mares in particular and so did Almont. George M Patchen appears in the pedigree of Cardigan Bay and Globe Bay and another son St Swithin sired the dam of Springfield Globe. Woodchild, Lord Chancellor, Imperial Crown, Proudchild, Prosphorous, St Kevin (a brother to Dan Patch) and Pygmalion, were other Rothschild horses to make an impression at stud while his Cup winner Ravenschild did well also.

Rothschild spent his declining years in the unlikely location of the Wellington Zoo and he died there in the early 20s at the age of 32. Shortly before his death his stock held the Australian and NZ mile pacing records, the Australasian trotting mile record and the world record over three miles. Though he officially topped the sires list once he remained in the top five for many years, even into the 1920s which shows the hardiness of his stock. Indeed his last representative on the tracks was still going in 1929. At one stage in his hey day just before World War I the sons and daughters of Rothschild held every official record in Australasia, a feat few can equal.

He was a horse of quite remarkable disposition and an existing photo of him shows him being confidently led by a lad not five years old. I wonder how many of our much boomed later sires could have fashioned a record equal to Rothschild if serving the class of mare which dominated his court. It might be worth noting that during his stud career Rothschild, in NZ alone sired more winners than the great Globe Derby managed across the Tasman. He was a remarkable influence in the development of the standardbred as we know it, and it would be a brave man who could state with certainty that any of his successors was a greater sire.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in NZ Trotguide 23Mar77

CUP KINGS - ROTHSCHILD 1889

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.

ROTHSCHILD 1889
(Childe Harold-Belle Briggs-James Lick)(Died aged 32)
Four WINS, Four WINNERS, Two BROODMARE WINS, Two SIRE SON WINNERS - 67 points.

Rothschild, Australian foaled, but of all American blood, was the leading sire for about a decade from 1904. When he died at the Wellington Zoo in 1921 he had left the winners of over 1000 races.
Rothschild sired the fastest pacers, fastest trotters as well as the fastest fillies in Australasia. He had a wonderful temperament. A famous photo shows a small boy holding his lead. Note also that some of his best son's race careers pre-dated the New Zealand Cup.
Rothschild didn't have much ability but it is remarkable that a year after his third NZ Cup winner Ravenschild won, a son of Rothschild, King Child sired the Cup winner, Win Soon. Another son, Harold Rothschild, was a key influence in all three of Southland's most famous families.

TRIVIA FACT - Rothschild's sale to William Jarden's stud (in Gloucester Street, Christchurch) was organised by Dan O'Brien who earlier trained the legendary galloper Carbine at Riccarton. O'Brien wanted to buy Rothschild's brilliant brother, Osterley. When he couldn't he advised Jarden that the much slower Rothschild might be as good as a sire. Osterley was a flop at stud and Rothschild the Champion.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed Nov 2016

JIMMY BROWN

Jimmy Brown the first horse to win twice on one city programme - back in 1887 - rose to fame between the shafts of the Akaroa coach his time feats causing Emerson Clarkson to buy him for racing. Jimmy, a track star too, eventually went blind. That was why one day at Heathcote he ran off and crashed into the river where his driver had to strip off to save him from drowning.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in HRWeekly 28 Mar 2012

DAISY

Trotting races in the 1880's in Christchurch could be just as exciting as the New Zealand Cup meeting will be next month. But they could also be different.

Daisy was a mare which was gifted to medical health specialist Dr Hacon, who headed hospitals for the mentally affected in England and North America before coming to Sunnyside Hospital in Christchurch. The good doctor gave the mare to Mortimer Davie to break to harness. One day, Davie put her between the shafts with a colt and set off for the city to buy some tobacco. In Colombo Street, there were two dods fighting in the road. The colt took fright and bolted. He could not be restrained until he reached Bishopscourt on Papanui Road. But it was the otherwise plain and ungainly looking mare which was the centre of attention. During the whole episode, she had not once broken out of a trot. Davie was as amazed as the onlookers.

Representations were made to the good doctor to allow the mare to race at Plumpton Park (Sockburn), and he reluctantly agreed. But there was one proviso. The mare was to be driven by his hospital stableman. The clever ones were appalled. The stableman had not only never driven in a race, but was a simple man who was a patient at the hospital as well as a worker. The doctor, not a betting man, could not be moved. The punters had to watch while the hapless driver, well out of his depth, responded to advice and instructions from other drivers instead of driving his own race.

Daisy was unbreakable but her driver, eager to please, spent a good deal of time slowing her down so the breaking horses and their plaintive drivers, calling to be given a chance, could catch up. In the end she was beaten. It was a long time before she was beaten again. Brought from the good doctor, she became the champion trotter of New Zealand and later crossed the Tasman and also was the champion in Australia.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in The Press 31Oct08