 | RACING HISTORY |
YEAR: 1904
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1904 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP HANDICAP
The inaugural running of the NZ Trotting Cup was for a stake of £310, the greatest amount offered for a harness race in NZ to that time, the winner Mote Carlo, the 'hero of a hundred stubbornly-contested races,' received a wonderful ovation from the hundreds of admirers of the ever-green favourite. The record amount of £2637 was put through the totalisator on the race and the Met was delighted with it's record day's turnover of £13,468.
Norice (dam of Nelson Derby, Nelson Fame and Native King) was driven by D J Price into second place, and Durbar (A Pringle) was third. Monte Carlo's time was 4:44 3-5.
Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting
YEAR: 1904
FEATURE RACE COMMENT
1904 NZ TROTTING CUP HANDICAP
Seventy-one years ago the youthful Metropolitan Trotting Club decided to upgrade its main event, the NZ Handicap to the NZ Cup Handicap with the prizemoney rising almost double to the mighty sum of $610.
That first Cup in 1904 has tremendous significance for such a great success was it that the future of the Cup was assured and much of its magic (particularly in Canterbury) stems from the extraordinary events of that sunny November day so long ago.
The first Cup was run on the last day of the traditional Metropolitan meeting and in 1904 it was on what is now Show Day. The field for the inaugural event was not a large one but it had considerable quality by the standards of the day and a crowd of nearly 10,000 turned up to see it run. On a population proportion basis that is equivalent to nearly 50,000 today. Eight races were run and the tote turnover was $37,000 compared with 1974's nearly $800,000, with that much again in TAB investments.
The warm favourite to win was the great imported mare Norice, who has since been a major influence in our breeding scene and was the dam of the outstanding racehorse and sire Nelson Derby. Norice tried to do a 'Gold Bar' in the first Cup, rush to the lead at the start and at one stage being 15 lengths clear of the field in the hands of that colourful adventurer Dave Price. But rounding the last turn, Norice was starting to feel the pinch and the veteran Monte Carlo overtook her and cleared out to win by eight lengths from Norice with Durbar, who was to win in 1908, third and Royalwood next. Royalwood was trained and driven by Lou Robertson who was later a famous racing trainer in Australia, among his wins being the 1937 Melbourne Cup with Marabou.
Monte Carlo, paying $8.80 to win, was given a tremendous reception by the crowd, one that has rarely been matched since. The ladies present showered him with roses and by the time the old gelding reached his stable half of his tail had been plucked by his elated fans. It is not hard to see why Monte Carlo was so popular for he was the veteran to end them all. Depending on your source, he was either 14 or 15 years old the day he won the Cup and had been on the tracks since the 1894 season. By Lincoln Yet, the first foal of the great Pride of Lincoln and an extremely successful sire (he figures in the pedigree of the Rustic Maid family among others), Monte Carlo was originally owned by J Brake and at his only start in 1894 he won a maiden event at the Christchurch Showgrounds by 60 yards.
The next year he had one win from four starts, winning at Lancaster Park by eight lengths after conceding a 22sec start (220m behind today) but failed to win the following season from a handful of starts. Sold to the Greenpark sportsman Tom Yarr, the following season he won once from 20 starts but did better in 1898-99, winning six, including two in succession one a mile and the second over two miles - they certainly made them tough in those days. He gained five wins over the next two years, taking a highly respectable mile time 2:22, and his New Zealand Cup win was his only victory for the 1904 season. Even at that age he was not finished. He raced for two more seasons, being unplaced in 16 attempts in 1905 and gaining one win from nine starts the following year, which was his swan song.
Winning races from 4 to 16 years of age is no small feat but his owner-trainer was a prominent sportsman at that time and he was driven in most of his wins by the great Bert Edwards. Monte Carlo was a straightout trotter and the only one in the first Cup field as pacers were gradually taking over at that time. Only one other trotter has ever won the Cup in the 70 years since Monte Carlo set the ball rolling.
The old trotter was a great favourite with the crowds and though it may be fashionable to look down on some of those old-time champions with their short pedigrees and strange actions, there is no doubt he was a most worthy Cup winner. Perhaps somewhere he is keeping an eye on the 1975 aspirants, quietly chuckling about their strange harness and gear. And if he knew the mana the New Zealand Cup has today, old 'Monte' could justifably say 'I certainly started something there.' He certainly did.
Credit: David McCarthy writing in NZ Trotguide 6Nov75