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PATRICK O'REILLY

Patrick O'Reilly sen (73), a well liked and respected horseman in harness racing for 50 years, died at his Rakaia home. He had been in good health but suddenly collapsed and died after jogging a horse on his property. Resuscitation attempts were made by sons Kerry and Gerard without success.

O'Reilly was a most successful trainer and driver. He prepared a total of 341 winners and drove 190 winners. His first driving win was recorded behind Water Ranger at Hawera in 1945. The same horse gave Pat his first training success at Methven a year earlier when driven by Mawson Scoon. Water Ranger, by Sandydale from Gentle Oro, was leased as a 2-year-old from George Smart who was a Water Ranger from Chertsey.

O'Reilly trained many winners for his next door neighbour and good friend Bill Thomas including Black Diamond, Local Lie, Field Chief, Beverley Dawn and Mercury Light. Owners Laurie Broom and Harry Harrison were also held in high regard by O'Reilly.

Pat reliquished his reinsman's licence at the age of 65, along with Jim Ferguson and Owen Quinlan. That year the New Brighton club arranged for Pat and his four sons to drive in the Kevin Blair Pace at Addington on July 15. His best season was in the 1981-82 term when he prepared 22 winners. During 40 years on the track Pat was never suspended or fined for a race offence. He was regarded as a hard worker and any credit was attributed to a team effort by his wife Pauline and their helpers over the years.

Pat was born in Rakaia and one of 16 children raised by Maurice and Margaret O'Reilly. Other interests besides horses were rugby (most sports), his family and his trade as a farrier. He played for Mid-Canterbury as a first five for 15 years. O'Reilly learned his blacksmith skills from Methven trainer Clarrie May. Pat is survived by his wife Pauline and 10 children - sons Patrick jun, Kerry, Leo, Gerard and Denis, plus daughters Aileen, Maree, Janine, Kathryn and Irene.

O'Reilly's biggest wins include a NZ Cup with Spry (1969), two NZ Oaks with Swallow (1952) and Local Lie (1968), Wellinton Cup with Tehana (1958), Geraldine Cup with Just A Glow (1974), Rangiora Cup with Spry (1969), Nelson Cup with Prince Forbes (1971), Kurow Cup with Local Lie (1970), Hutchinson FFA with Local Lie (1971), Oamaru Juvenile Stakes with Direct Return (1969), Queens Birthday Stakes with Just A Glow (1974), Inter-Dominion Heat with Aqua Lady (1951), T S Harrison Stakes with Field Chief (1962), Waikouaiti 3yo Stakes with Adios Bachelor (1973). He also trained Elrana (1982) to win the Blenheim Cup, Signor Gabrielli to win the NZ Trotting Stakes (1984) and Norton to win the New Brighton Juvenile (1981), Celebrity Stakes (1981), Easter Cup (1984) and Pan Am Mile (1984).


Credit: NZ HRWeekly 20Apr94

1984 PAN AM MILE

Norton showed that he will be a leading contender for honours in the Lion Brown Easter Cup in April when he overcame a rocky run to win the New Brighton Trotting Club's Pan Am Mile in style at Addington Raceway on Saturday evening.

He looked to have lost his chance when he broke badly early in the run-up and he had to sprint hard to work in behind the others at the starting point. Then, after about 200m, Trilobal broke and clipped a wheel of Norton's sulky without any disastrous effects.

It was late in proceedings that he looked a winning prospect. He was at least five lengths from the leader, Joy Boy, on straightening up, but when Kerry O'Reilly asked him for an effort, the response was dramatic. He surged up to the leaders in a few strides and did not have to be pushed over the final stages to win by a length and a half.

Hilarious Guest, after racing rather erratically early, improved to be on the outside of Agrinion and Dear Sir and just behind Diamond Moose and Joy Boy with 400m to run. She looked a possible winner when she charged past Joy Boy, but closer to home she was no match for Norton. Agrinion, which was in the first three throughout, battled on for a close third, ahead of Dear Sir and Kind Nature, with Jilaire's Chance, which appeared to meet trouble on the home turn, at the head of the others.

Norton, raced by Mr Maurice Anderson, of Gore, and his son, Lindsay, earned an open-class ranking as a result of his win. He will now go on to Washdyke for another free-for-all next Saturday. Trained at Highbank by Pat O'Reilly, Norton has been plagued by problems. He suffered a pedal bone injury and, after a long layoff, came back to racing about 14 months ago. Then, after finishing sixth in the Pan Am Mile 12 months ago, he went sore again, the problem recurring in the spring. Norton came back to racing on January 2 last and Saturday's race was only his second for the season. "He's some horse. He did it so easily it was amazing," commented his driver after the race.

The favourite, Joy Boy, after being challenged for the front by Diamond Moose, for much of the last 1200m, had nothing left on the run home and dropped out to seventh. The race was run in rain, giving added merit to Norton's 1min 58s for the mile. The opening half of the race was run in 58.6s, with the final 400m in 29.2s.

Credit: G K Yule writing in Ch-Ch Press 20 Feb 1984

David Butt, Camelot, Robin Butt & the owner Harry Crofts

1984 NZ TROTTING CUP

"We'll start in everything how except waterjumps." So said a jubilant Dr Harry Crofts after Camelot ran out a three quarter length winner of the NZ Cup at Addington.

Camelot edged past the pacemaking Dillon Dale in the final 100 metres of the $125,000 feature to score a popular win. Dillon Dale lost second in the shadows of the post to Our Mana, while Hands Down headed the remainder some four lengths away.

While all the glory of the win went to Camelot, the Cup was marred to a great extent by a melee with a little under 700 metres to run in which the chances of seven horses were extinguished. George Shand, the driver of Borana, was suspended up to and including December 15 after being found guilty of causing interference to Diamond Moose at the 700 metres. Diamond Moose (Murray Butt) was brought down in the incident, while Double Cove (Jack Smolenski) fell, Enterprise (Peter Shand) fell, Supreme Ruler (Richard Brosnan) fell, Stampede (Gavin Hampton)lost his driver, as did Stortford Lodge (Paul Young). Also hampered badly in the incident was Norton. Peter Shand and Jack Smolenski both needed hospital treatment, Shand dislocating a shoulder while Smolenski broke an ankle. None of the remaining drivers were badly injured, mainly being shaken and bruised. Several horses had skin grazes but none were seriously injured.

Camelot settled back on the outer for Robin Butt. The pre-race and race-day favourite made his move with some 950 metres to run, improving three wide and being followed all the way by Our Mana. Camelot had just joined Diamond Moose at the 700 metres when the melee took place. Dillon Dale, who had broken at the start and lost up to 40 metres, looped the field on the back of Hands Down to lead at the 1500 metres. He still had control as the field swung for home and, despite his early mistake, fought back tenaciously when challenged by Camelot. Camelot edged ahead slowly but surely as the post loomed and had three quarters of a length over Our Mana at the line. The latter fought on well after trailing Camelot up from the 950 metres and coming off his back with 150 metres to run.

For 57-year-old Harry Crofts, the Cup win was a lifetime ambition fulfilled. After running second to Steel Jaw in his record run Cup 12 months previously and then winning the NZ Free-For-All, Camelot bounced back to form with a win from 29 metres in Mid-October. That return to form, plus his effort in the Cup a year earlier, brought Camelot to the forefront of discussions.

Said Harry Crofts at the presentation: "I would have cried if he'd lost...I can cry now that he's won."

Camelot will have further chances to demonstrate his ability before the season is completed. He will leave on November 20 for Sydney where he will contest the Australian Pacing Championship at Harold Park. After that he will be aimed at the Auckland Cup, followed by the Inter-Dominions at Moonee Valley in March. "After that it's off to the Meadowlands for the World Cup," said Harry Crofts. A tilt at that rich world class event will probably depend on his efforts during the next few months.

"I was never really worried," said Robin Butt after the race. "He was a bit slow early, but I gave him time to find his feet." Butt,41, has had Camelot in his care since being broken in by Alec Wright. The horse has had his share of problems in the last 12 months, a virus attack in Auckland last December and a lot of minor setbacks since have not helped the stallion. "He has kept right on improving this spring," said Robin Butt, "and peaked on the right day." While Camelot missed the melee at the 700 metres, he was involved in minor incident on the way to the course," said Harry Crofts. "He took a bit of skin off his rump. It was probably a good thing," he added. "I think it may have woken his ideas up a bit."

Camelot's victory in the Cup was only the third occaion on which Harry Crofts had seen his horse win. "I came over for the Cup meeting last year and saw him win the Free-For-All on Show Day," said Harry. He arrived back in New Zealand last March after spending two years stationed in Saudi Arabia. "I saw him win at the Canterbury Park meeting...and now today."

Harry Crofts has been involved in the trotting industry since 1950. "I bought my first horse when I was 23," he said. "I'd just qualified as a doctor and with my first wage bought a .22 rifle and the second a horse." Whether the gun was later used on other standardbred purchases Harry didn't say, but he added that he had raced "over 40 horses" since that time, "winning the odd race here and there", but that Camelot was by far the best he had had.

Harry Crofts bred Camelot from the Blue mare Blue Brook, a mare he purchased in 1971. "I was busy in my rooms the day Alan Holmes was having a sale and I asked Wayne Francis to buy a mare for me," said Mr Crofts. "I liked Blankets but knew she would fetch too much so I told Wayne to go up to $1500 to buy her three-quarter sister Blue Brook, who was in foal to Fallacy at the time. He only had to go to $1250 to get her then, after having a look at her blood, asked if he could go halves in the mare with me. We couldn't decide on who would take the first foal from her so agreed to let our wives have the first foal and then take alternative foals, with myself starting off." Apart from Camelot, Blue Brook has left minor winners in Timely Jubilee, Cover Story (US 2:02.4) and Brookby Blue. Camelot is the first Cup winner from the Norice family to which he belongs. Norice, herself a top mare, so many years ago, ran second in the 1904 NZ Cup.

While the honours were with Camelot, good runs came from the two other placegetters, Our Mana and Dillon Dale, especially the latter. A little slow early, Our Mana sat back behind Camelot all the way. Colin De Filippi didn't miss a beat when Camelot and Butt improved with 950 metres to run. Like Camelot, Our Mana was particularly lucky to miss any interference from the melee at the 700 metres. He followed Camelot until well into the straight, pulled off his back with 200 metres to run but couldn't bridge the gap. "Every chance," said Colin De Filippi after, "we were beaten by a better horse on the day."

The effort of Dillon Dale in finishing third was a feature of the race. The Takanini-trained seven-year-old galloped away and lost 40 metres before trainer-driver Don Dwyer could settle him into a pace. After catching the body of the field with 2400 metres to run, he improved three wide following Hands Down and took command with 1500 metres to run. With the winner running the 3200 metres in 4:06.4, one would have expected Dillon Dale to be struggling when the pressure was applied, but he fought back tenaciously all the way down the straight and lost second in the last few strides, being only half a neck away from Our Mana.

Fourth, four lengths away, was Hands Down. He began well from ten metres and Peter Jones improved him wide to lead with 1900 metres to run. He took a trail when Dillon Dale swept up and into the lead with 1500 metres to run but was under pressure to hold the trail at the 400 metres. He battled bravely to the wire.

Northern hope Te Puke Expects was fifth. He trailed early then settled back on the fence. He was under pressure a fair way from home and only battled. He comfortably beat Hilarious Guest, who lead from the 2400 metres to the 1900 before trailing. She dropped away from the 600 metres and was clear of the Australian champion Gammalite. He began well from 30 metres but was forced three wide from the 2400 metres. Bruce Clarke improved the gelding to sit without cover with a lap to run but Gammalite was obviously a beaten horse with 400 metres to run.

Only Norton and Borana of the remaining eight runners completed the course. Norton broke at the start and lost 20 metres before settling. He was making a move to follow Camelot and Our Mana round when badly checked in the accident at the 700 metres, his chances being extinguished.


Credit: Brian Carson writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

1983 PAN AM MILE

Just how deperately unlucky Bonnie's Chance was not to have taken a prominent part in the finish to the Auckland Cup a week earlier was emphasised when she strode away to an easy win in the Pan Am Mile at Addington Raceway on Saturday.

She tore out of the mobile barrier and was two lengths clear after a few strides. Then she relaxed and coasted over the first half of the race in little worse than 1min. After that she applied the pressure and, without being asked for an effort, she passed the post four lengths and a half in front of Dundas and Quiet Win. She returned 1:57.6, her last 800m in 57.4s, to become the first horse to win the prestigious sprint for a second time.

Patrick O'Reilly jun, has now driven the outstanding daughter of Majestic Chance and Bonnie Countess on two occasions for decisive wins. His other drive behind her was last season when she won the New Brighton Cup. "She's just terrific," commented O'Reilly. "I was worried when she pulled fiercely in her preliminary, but she settled and raced kindly. Richard (her trainer, Richard Brosnan) told me to give her as easy a run as possible. I just let her make her own way round to the half-way point and let her run home from there. It was just no effort to her. I reckon she could have bettered her time by a second and a half if not more had I pushed her a bit early," he added.

Bonnie's Chance has now had 64 starts for 28 wins and 18 placings worth $308,620 for Mrs Bonnie McGarry, of Timaru, and Mrs Karen Grice of Invercargill. There is a chance she might race at Washdyke on March 2 before going back to Alexandra Park for the Benson and Hedges Inter-Dominion series. The two most experienced open class horses in the field, Dundas and Quiet Win, led the futile chase after Bonnie's Chance. Dundas came from four places back to cut Quiet Win, which tracked Bonnie's Chance, by a short length for second.

There was much criticism of the inclusion of Diamond Moose and Our Mana in the field, but they fully justified their places. Diamond Moose gave Robin Butt an awkward drive when he raced fiercely on the rails. He clipped a wheel of Quiet Win's sulky near the 900m and the latter dragged a punctured tyre from that point. He surged gamely over the final stages to take fourth and earn $950, a neck in front of the C6 horse, Our Mana, which paced a remarkable race, considering his lack of experience. He raced in the open for the whole mile and kept on fighting to the line.

Norton, from a wide draw, was well off the pace and he made up many lengths in the run home for sixth, with the others never in contention. The performance of Diamond Moose, Our Mana and Norton showed they will be among the top pacers next season.

Credit: G K Yule writing in The Press 21 Feb 1983

1984 EASTER CUP

Kerry O'Reilly completed a notable double for the day when he drove Norton, trained by his father, to win the Easter Cup by a long head from the norther challenger, Ben. Then there was more than a length to Direct Kiwi, which held third by half a head from the favourite, Hands Down, which did not produce the dash which marked his win a week earlier.

Norton led for the last 2500m and paced his final 800m in 58.4s. He has now had 27 starts for 13 wins, 10 placings and $73,730 in stakes.

Delightful Lady was backed down the 3/5 favourite, but seventh was the best she could manage after receiving a perfect run. She looked a serious threat 200m out, but could not not carry her final sprint any further and Gary Hillier did not knock her about when it became obvious she could not get into the money.

Credit: G K Yule writing in Ch-Ch Press 23 Apr 1984