 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1954
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1954 NZ DERBY STAKES
For the first time in the history of the race, which dates back to 1914, the New Zealand Derby Stakes at Addington on Saturday resulted in a dead-heat: Royal Minstrel's spectacular dash through from a seemingly hopeless position with half a furlong to go saw him divide the honours with Single Medoro, who took over the lead from Malabella at the end of two furlongs and set all the pace.
Count Renaldo, Celestial, Eden Bridge, Don Hall and Light Nurse broke at the start. Single Medoro set a brisk pace, and the time, 3:15, against a strong wind, was very good indeed. He reached the quarter in 34sec, half mile in 65 2-5sec, mile in 2:14 3-5, and a mile and a quarter in 2:43 4-5.
M Holmes, driver of Royal Minstrel, has now driven nine Derby winners - he had his first success with Wrackler in 1928, in 1930 he drove Arethusa, and in 1931 Ciro. All three were owned by Mr H F Nicoll, who was for 25 years president of the NZ Trotting Conference. Holmes's next winning drive was on Aldershot in 1935. Aldershot was owned by Mr H F Nicoll's son, Mr A J Nicoll. Holmes's other winning drives were on Imperial Jade in 1939, Scottish Lady in 1942, Free Fight in 1946, Congo Song in 1947 and Royal Minstrel this year.
Sir John McKenzie, breeder and owner of Royal Minstrel, had previously won the Derby in 1923 with Acron, in 1932 with Taxpayer, and in 1935 with Double Great. Sir John said during the decoration of the winners in the birdcage by Mrs Hoy that Royal Minstrel's win had been a pleasant surprise: he had not given the horse much of a chance. He paid a tribute to M Holmes's ingenuity in getting Royal Minstrel out of a pocket when the race, as far as he was concerned, appeared to be practically over. He also acknowledged the good work done by his trainer, G B Noble, who was building a fine record in the preparation of classic winners.
Royal Minstrel is a brown gelding by the leading sire, U Scott, who is also building an imposing record in the Derby - Scottish Lady, the 1942 winner, Burns Night (1949), Caduceus (1953) and Royal Minstrel have won for him. Royal Minstrel is out of Virginia Song, 2:45 4-5, a useful pacer bred and raced by Sir John. She is by Gold Bar, 1:59 3-5, from Virginia Girl, by Great Bingen, 4:19 2-5, champion pacer of his day, and owned by Sir John. Virginia Girl was out of Nyallo, by Great Audubon from Millie C, the dam of Acron who, apart from his Derby successes, was an outstanding winner for Sir John, his victories including the November Free-For-All in 1924 and 1925, the first year in 2:03 3-5, which stood as the mile record for the Dominion and Australia for many years.
Single Medoro's win was a fine advertisment for the young Auckland sire Medoro, a richly-bred trotting stallion imported from Italy by Mr N Simpson. Medoro, who was a racehorse of the highest class, is of all-American blood lines, being by Prince Hall, 2:00 3-4, from Alma Lee, 2:04 3-4, dam of the world's champion trotting mare Rosalind, 1:56 3-4. Single Medoro, winner of a division of the Great Northern Stakes, for two-year-olds last season, is one of Medoro's first New Zealand crop, which includes several other very promising winners in New Zealand and Australia. Medoro seems certain to take high rank as a sire within the next few years.
The dam of Single Medoro is Mae Direct, a mare whose maternal ancestors have been owned by the Kennerley family for more than 30 years. R D Kennerley, trainer-driver of Single Medoro, is a son of the late J J Kennerley, who bought a mare named Rarebell Direct in New South Wales in the early 1920's and brought her to NZ in 1924. She was a winner for Kennerley here and on her retirement to the stud she produced, among other progeny, Loyal Direct (by Grattan Loyal), a useful winner, and who produced a champion in Single Direct, winner of a string of races for another of Kennerley's sons, E N Kennerley, including the Inter-Dominion Championship at Adelaide in 1949, the Auckland Cup, 1946, New Zealand Pacing Free-For-All, 1948, New Zealand Free-For-All, 1948, and the New Zealand Pacing Championship (free-for-all), 1948, besides finishing third in the NZ Cup on two occasions. Single Direct has won more than £30,000 in stakes in New Zealand and Australia, and although now into the veteran stage - he was foaled in 1942 - he is still in training and reported to be working well.
Loyal Direct, who was bred by J J Kennerley, passed to his daughter, Miss Maisie Kennerley on his death. Miss Kennerley married Mr G B Elliot, of Ohaupo, and they bred Single Direct (by Bill B), Mae Direct(by Peter Bingen), and Lawn Direct (by Master Lawn) from her. J J Kennerley declared shortly before his death that "if we can get a colt from Loyal Direct it should be good." His prophesy bore fruit in the performances of Single Direct and now Mae Direct has produced a high class colt in Single Medoro, who is raced in partnership by Mrs Elliot and a third son of J J Kennerley, Mr E J Kennerley. Mrs Elliot and her brother also own a two-year-old full-sister to Single Medoro, and Mae Direct has at foot a month-old colt by Smokey Hanover. Mae Direct has been returned to Medoro this season.
J J Kennerley, between 25 and 30 years ago, when located at Addington, was one of our leading trainers and drivers, and he set a high standard in the training and conditioning of his horses. In a comparatively short period he trained such outstanding performers as Great Bingen, Native Chief, Logan Chief, Acron, Peter Bingen, Pedro Pronto, Jackis Audubon, Peter Swift and Nelson's Victory, and for a short time he also had Roi l'Or in his stable. With Native Chief he won the first Derby run at Addington in 1925. Prior to that the race was run at New Brighton and decided in the Autumn; in 1925 it was taken over by the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club and run in the spring, so there were two New Zealand Derbies in 1925.
Peter Bingen, sire of Single Medoro's dam, twice won the New Zealand Cup for Kennerley, and also the November Free-For-All in 1928, the year of his first NZ Cup victory. For some years the New Zealand and Australian records for two miles, 4:18 4-5, and mile and a quarter 2:38 4-5, were held by Peter Bingen.
E N Kennerley, who has been the most successful son of J J with the reins and as a trainer, has handled many other winners besides Single Direct, among them a notable youngster in Centennial Hall, holder of the New Zealand and Australian three-year-old record of 3:10 3-5, put up at Harold Park, Sydney, where he beat Ribands in the Sydney Derby.
R D Kennerley had much success with a good trotter named Bessie Parrish in the 1930's and he won an Ashburton Cup with Warplane. Douglas Derby is one of his recent winners.
Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZTrotting Calendar 24Nov54