 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1984
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
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| After race presentation |
The 1984 John Brandon NZ Derby, which promised so much with one of the best fields of three-year-olds assembled for the event for some time, ended tragically for most at the end of only 200 metres when a spectacular smash eliminated all but five of the 14 horse field.
Horses, drivers and sulkies went in all directions as Liquid Lightning fell when second in the open, bringing down Tucker's Rule, Freightman, Ruthless, Logan Dryham, Kanturk and Roydon Glen, while Slugger had to be pulled to a dead stop and King Alba lost his driver after almost avoiding the melee. Three drivers, Charlie Hunter (Tucker's Rule), Barry Clark (Logan Dryham) and Colin De Filippi (Freightman) were taken to hospital after the event. Hunter, who crawled from under the wreckage of horses and sulkies, was the most seriously injured and was reported to be in a fair condition at Princess Margaret Hospital.
Liquid Lightning, who fell when he attempted to jump a shadow, became entangled with Roydon Glen, and these two horses lay on the track while the remaining five runners completed the course.
Victory went to the most loosely assessed horse in thr field, the Southland owned and bred Naval Officer, who joined Mike De Filippi's Broadfield stable prior to the Easter Meeting, and finished fifth in the first two legs of the John Brandon Triple Crown on the first two nights of the meeting.
The race started sensationally enough when one of the favourites, King Alba, broke in the run up and was many lengths behind at the start. After the smash, Josephine Bret, Lord Louie, Paleface Tryax, Naval Officer and Crowhurst were the only runners left in the contest at the end of 300 metres, with Naval Officer enjoying the run of the race on the outer from the 1600 metres. The field had to swing wide out on the track to miss the fallen runners with a round to go, when a loose dog on the track almost cause more problems.
Naval Officer finished best in the run home, winning by two lengths from the Southland filly Josephine Bret, who just held out Paleface Tryax by a neck. Crowhurst was nearly two lengths back fourth clear of Lord Louie. Naval Officer recorded a smart 3:22.5, a mile rate od 2:05.4, which was a good effort considering the field had to run very wide twice.
Owned by Brian O'Meara, Ray Taiaroa and Dave Edwards, Naval Officer is one of the first crop of the Meadow Skipper stallion Midshipman, who stood two seasons at Nevele R Stud in Christchurch, a season at John Butcher's in Cambridge and a season at Grant Sim's in Invercargill. He will stand at Colin Chandler's Matamata property for the 1984 stud season.
Naval Officer is out of the Smooth Hanover mare Smooth Robyn, from Robyn Lee, by Light Brigade from Night Sister, by U Scott. Runner up Josephine Bret is by Knowing Bret from the Young Charles mare Young Charlotte, While Paleface Tryax is another son of Midshipman from the Hal Tryax mare Brigitte Bardot.
Credit: Tony Williams writing in NZ Trotting Calender