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Harry Hicoll

H F NICOLL

Mr H F Nicoll, who died in Christchurch on Monday, retired from the presidency of the NZ Trotting Conference in 1947 after holding the office for an uninterrupted period of 25 years. He enjoyed the confidence of his Executive and the clubs and was responsible for many of the reforms that raised the administration of the sport to a high level. Mr Nicoll was in his 90th year.

An Englishman by birth, Mr Nicoll was for five years on the staff of the Bank of England before coming to NZ, where he joined the staff of the Bank of NZ in Christchurch. He was there until the early 80s, when he was promoted to the position of accountant in the Ashburton office. He was afterwards acting-manager for a term, and resigned to commence business as a frozen meat exporter, taking his two brothers Messrs E F and L A Nicoll into partnership, with headquarters in Ashburton.

During World War I Mr Nicoll was chairman of the Ashburton County Efficiency Board and Belgian Relief Fund. He was also chairman of the Ashburton County Wheatgrower's Board, chairman of the United Wheatgrowers' Association, a director of the Wheat Marketing Agency, and a member of the Wheat Committee. He was also a member of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, and chairman of their Finance Committee.

Mr Nicoll's interst and active participation in sport covered a wide range. He played on the wing for the Pilgrim's Association Football Club while employed in England, and was a member of the Bank of England Company of the Civil Service Volunteers. In the early days he was secretary of the Christchurch Regatta Club, and also captained the Canterbury Rowing Club until his departure from Christchurch. He rowed No.3 in the Canterbury Senior Four, which won the Christchurch Regatta in 1887 and 1888, and in Wellington in 1889. This team also won the four-oared championship at Wanganui in 1889. Mr Nicoll rowed No.3 in the first NZ four to visit Australia, which finished second to Victoria, with New South Wales third and Tasmania fourth.

For nearly 50 years Mr Nicoll was president of the Ashburton Trotting Club. He was for many years a member of the NZ Trotting Association, and for a term was vice-president. Mr Nicoll was the originator of the motion to secure more days' racing for trotting, which was taken up by the Massey Government, and passed by the House. He was also instrumental in carrying the rule through the NZ Trotting Conference which made the standing start compulsory in all races, and was mainly responsible for the institution of the present handicapping system, which was one of the greatest progressive moves in the history of the sport. Recently he was primarily responsible for the introduction of the control of trotting meetings by stipendiary stewards. His work in the classic field will always rank as one of his outstanding achievements. The Ashburton Club, which sponsored three of NZ's leading classic races, the NZ Sapling Stakes, NZ Champion Stakes and NZ Futurity Stakes besides the All-Aged Stakes and other feature events, has been an acknowledged leader in this sphere of racing.

Mr Nicoll was president of the Ashburton County Racing Club from 1926 to 1950. Mr Nicoll raced both gallopers and trotters. In later years he confined his attention to the light-harness horse, and from Durbar Lodge came some great pacers and trotters, among them classic winners in Childe Pointer, Latona, Nantwich, Wrackler, Arethusa, Lady Swithin, Manhattan and Ciro. At Durbar Lodge also were bred the champion Indianapolis, winner of three NZ Cups, and another classic winner in Tempest. Mr Nicoll's outstanding successes in a lengthy list were with Durbar in the NZ Cup of 1908 and with Wrackler in the same race in 1930. Mr Nicoll imported Wrack, who was leading sire of NZ for several seasons.

Mr Nicoll raced some fine gallopers, among them Cross Battery, who won many races, including a Great Easter Handicap and Ashburton Cup; Sea King, winner of some 20 races; Ascalaphus, a winner of the Invercargill and Gore Cups; and Idasa, winner of the Geraldine Cup and other races. Mr Nicoll took Cross Battery and Sea King to Australia in 1907. Sea King ran second in a highweight handicap at Randwick, and Cross Battery ran third in the Sydney Cup.

On his completion of 21 years service as president of the Conference, Mr Nicoll was the guest of the trotting clubs of NZ at a complimentary dinner in Christchurch on August 6, 1943. Among the glowing tributes paid to the guest was that of Mr A G Henderson, then editor of the 'Star-Sun' who wrote: "Mr Nicoll has been a wise, tactful and courageous leader. Perhaps during the evening some speaker will recall that amongst the men who laid so securely the foundations of the modern sport, there was one striking group of big men. All standing well over six feet - Prime Canterbury - who showed enterprise, faith and determination and who backed their belief that trotting could and should be as popular a sport as galloping. Canterbury owes it's leadership in trotting in no small measure to these men, Mr Nicoll himself, Mr Jim Williams, Mr Frank Graham, Mr C M Ollivier and Mr J C Clarkson. They and those associated with them, held that good prize money would bring good horses and that a rigid code of conduct and good management of race meetings would win the support of the public. I have watched the progress of the sport with a critical eye since 1896 and know how thoroughly Mr Nicoll has deserved the thanks and praise of all good and true lovers of trotting."

On his retirement in 1947 Mr Nicoll was again honoured by trotting clubs at a dinner in Christchurch. The chairman of the evening, Mr A L Matson, who succeeded Mr Nicoll as president of the Conference, said: "Mr Nicoll is one of the Dominion's outstanding personalities. As a chairman and president he always exhibited that spark of genius. I have often accepted his judgement even though I thought he was wrong; but he never erred. His control of meetings has shown him to be a master. He has a quick brain, and his control has been an inspiration." Mr Matson said 1947 was jubilee year of the Trotting Conference and for half of the time of the Conference's existence Mr Nicoll had been president. There had been five presidents before him. The energy, tact and manner in which he carried out his duties as president were an inspiration to all chairmen throughout the Dominion.

Reference to Mr Nicoll as the "Caesar of trotting in NZ" was made by Mr J B Thompson, president of the old NZ Trotting Association, who said that whenever Mr Nicoll had any ideas that would be of benefit to trotting, he always carried them through to their consummation.

Because of his unique position in trotting, some people thought that Mr Nicoll had invented the sport, said Mr C S Thomas, then president of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club. This was not so. Trotting was in progress 2000 years ago, and there was an account of a trotting race in Homer's Iliad.

Mr E A Lee, president of the New Brighton Trotting Club, and a member of the board of the NZ Trotting Association, said that too often we reserved all the nice things we had to say about people until they were not there to enjoy them. "We should not regret Mr Nicoll's retirement," he said. "Rather we should regard it as promotion. His work will stand as a monument for generations. His dominating thought has always been the welfare of trotting."

"Trotting has occupied a considerable portion of my life," said Mr Nicoll in reply. "This parting will leave a gap it will be impossible to fill. I have enjoyed many valued friendships, and I feel proud of the good feeling that exists in every part of the Dominion where trotting fourishes. It was in 1905 that I was first persuaded to become an administrator of trotting. I was elected president of the Ashburton Trotting Club at a time when the club was £80 in debt, when it had no assets, and just after its secretary had departed suddenly. I could see what great possibilities there were in trotting, and I am grateful to say my confidence in the sport has been bourne out with great abundance." Mr Nicoll referred to the trainers of his horses in past years, the late A Pringle and D Warren, and concluded by expressing his love for trotting and the pride he felt in its advancement.

Mr Nicoll was married in 1889 to Anna Julianna Case, the daughter of Julien Case, the American consul in Japan. They had two sons, Messrs A J Nicoll and G H Nicoll, both of Ashburton, and two daughters, Mrs D V Donaldson and Mrs Le Clerc Latter, both of Christchurch. His wife died in 1935. In 1937 he married Helen J T Riddiford, the widow of Mr F E Riddiford, of Masterton. He is survived by his wife and his two sons and two daughters.

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'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 20Apr55

Some years ago, in an interview with the Calendar, the late Mr H F Nicoll recalled how he had first become acquainted with Andy Pringle, who was later to become Mr Nicoll's private trainer and remain so for many years. Pringle according to old-timers who saw his many feats of horsemanship, will always rank as one of the finest reinsmen, particularly on a saddle trotter, ever seen in this country. Pringle was leading horseman of the Dominion in the 1914-5,1916-7 and 1917-8 seasons.

"When first I became interested in the trotting sport, about 1902, Pringle was training at Gore and I heard of his reputation as a very skilled horseman," said Mr Nicoll. "In 1904 my mare Dora was engaged at Geraldine and I asked Andy to ride her. She did not win but Andy's riding so impressed me that I made him an offer to train for me privately. When he accepted I laid out a track on my Mitcham Road farm at Ashburton and he came to live there.

"Andy at once made his value apparent, and never did I at any time have cause to other than value his services. The first meeting attended after his engagement by me was in 1905, when the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's August meeting was held on the Riccarton racecourse. He won three races: with Victor Huon over two miles in 5.19, with Verity over a mile and a half in 3.47, and with Durbar over two miles in 4.55.

"Pringle was probably the best all-round horseman of his day; it was rarely that he took my horses to a meeting without winning one or more races. His integrity was an intrinsic part of his nature. I remember one occasion at Addington in 1906. He was riding Dora and I said to him: 'What will win?' He replied 'Alliance, will you put a fiver on for me?' I said: 'Very well, but remember, I'm backing Dora.' In the straight Alliance and Dora came away from the field and in a ding-dong finish Pringle, by a brillant piece of riding, just managed to win with Dora, who paid £10 4s. Alliance paid 10s for second.

"Pringle was always in great demand by other owners to ride and drive their horses, and for many years there was rarely a race run, when he was present, in which he was not engaged. The sport lost an admirable exponent when he retired. I have nothing but happy memories of my association with him," concluded Mr Nicoll.



Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 13Apr55

Albert H & A Hendriksen

1912 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

The influence of Rothschild in the early part of the century was never more evident than in the outcome of the 1912 New Zealand Cup, an in the composition of the field that went to the post.

The first three placed horses - Albert H, Ravenschild and Glendolough - were all by Rothschild. this outstanding achievement was later equalled by Light Brigade in 1957, when his progeny - Lookaway, Thunder and La Mignon - were the first three past the post. With the exception of Quincey, who was by Vancleve, all the other 15 acceptors in 1912 were descendants of either Rothschild or Prince Imperial. The latter had four representatives, while Rothschild had seven of his own, three by his sons and one by a grandson.

Albert H, a seven-year-old bay horse, was Rothschild's second New Zealand Cup winner, the first being Belmont M, in 1906. Driven a patient race by his trainer Albert Hendriksen, having his first Cup experience, Albert H came with a determined run in the final stages to win going away by two lengths. Ravenschild (Free Holmes)took second, with four lengths to Glendalough. Albert H paced the two miles in 4:48.8. Emmeline stood alone at the back on handicap, with her nearest rivals, St Swithin and Aberfeldy, five seconds away. The front-runners Medallion, Manderene, Ravenschild and Piecework started from nine seconds. Albert H was one of seven who started from eight seconds.

Albert H was the season's leading money-winner with £881. He was started only twice in the 1911-12 season - at the Canterbury Park meeting the previous June - and had won on both occasions in heavy ground. In August of the current season he was second in the King George Handicap, and the same afternoon won the International Handicap, over a mile-and-a-quarter. Despite this form he started seventh favourite in the Cup.

His dam, Jessie M, was by a thoroughbred horse, Son Of A Gun, who had placed second in the 1888 New Zealand Galloping Cup. Originally 18 horses had been accepted for the 1912 Cup, but Silver Princess and Lady Clare were withdrawn. Altogether 128 runners were accepted for the first day's racing, providing eight capacity fields.

St Swithin was made Cup favourite, Auckland pacer Manderene was second Choice, and Redchild, a trotter, was the next-best supported. However, all three failed to pay a dividend. The start was a shambles. Harry McNae's Gold Bell broke and collided with St Swithin, who dislodged his driver, Andy Pringle. Manderene also broke badly at the start. Bright stumbled after half-a-mile and was pulled up, and Medallion became another casualtywhen he broke and was pulled up near the mile post. So, again, the race was not a good one, with many horses not performing up to their handicaps, and the field was well spread over most of journey.

Showers on the second day made the track heavy. in the main race Adonis (Free Holmes), by Harold Dillon from Thelma, thereby a half-brother to Wildwood Junior, beat Sparkling Kola and Quincey. One of the two trotters who had contested the Cup, Quincey improved on his run when he beat the pacers on the third day, in the Courtenay Handicap. The Vancleve stallion ran an excellent 4:38, 10 seconds faster than the Cup time of Albert H. Master Raymond won the Dominion from Muricata and Kelso, taking 4:52.2 to trot the two miles.

The early indications were that the 1912 meeting would be a successful one, and so it proved. Totalisator returns on Cup Day smashed all records. Betting reached £32,969, with £7053 invested on the Cup. The turnover for the three days was £99,177, well within reach of the club's next milestone, £100,000.

Two alterations greeted patrons when they arrived at Addington for this meeting. The club had put up a large board, visible from all parts of the ground, on which were the names of the riders or drivers. Because of the growing importance of vehicular traffic, the club had bought more land and built a special roadway and entrance for all vehicles.

Harry Nicoll was the top owner for the third consecutive season with £987, well down on the £1547 and £1222 he had won in the previous two seasons.

Credit: Bernie Wood writing in The Cup

1908 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

Bookmakers had two terms of legal betting in New Zealand. In the early days they were licensed by the clubs, which worked with or without totalisator betting. By the turn of the century bookmakers had been banned, but in 1908 they were back, operating on the course only, at the whim of the clubs. The situation lasted until 1911, when they were finally denied access to the courses. The 1908 Gaming Act also prohibited the publication of totalisator dividends. This prohibition was not lifted until 1950, when the Totalisator Agency Board was established and off-course betting was legalised.

The Metropolitan Club issued a large number of bookmakers' licences in 1908 and they operated in the public and members enclosures. Their operations affected first-day turnover, which dropped to £10,606, compared with £13,168 on the first day of the 1907 carnival. On the second day, 24 bookmakers operated, providing the club with £480 in fees, and on the third day 30 bookmakers took out licences. On Cup Day, despite the bookmakers, a record £18,404 was handled by the totalisator. The three-day total of £41,432 was a drop of £1209 from the previous year.

At his third attempt, Durbar, owned by Harry Nicoll and trained by Andy Pringle, a combination of owner, trainer and driver that was to become a familiar sight at Addington, won a grand contest.

On the first day, Addington patrons had their first opportunity in the new seasonto see the very good four-year-old Wildwood Junior. Bill Kerr's star easily beat 14 others, most of them Cup contenders, in the Courtenay Handicap. Dick Fly was second and St Simon third. Wildwood Junior did not have a Cup run.

A small field of nine faced the starter in the New Zealand Cup. Advance, the early favourite, went amiss and was withdrawn from the carnival. Albertorious was the favourite again, after his eight-length win in the Christchurch Handicap the day before the Cup. But Albertorious, driven by Jim August, was last all the way. He was bracketed with Fusee, driven by Newton Price. Fusee fared worse. His sulky broke just after the start and he was pulled up.

Florin took an early lead and led until the last lap, when Terra Nova took control from Dick Fly, Master Poole, Lord Elmo and Durbar. Pringle sent Durbar after the leaders and he won by two lengths to Terra Nova, with eight lengths to Lord Elmo. At considerable intervals came Dick Fly and Master Poole, with the others well beaten. Durbar's time of 4:36 was just outside Ribbonwood's national record. The stake for the Cup was raised to 500 sovereigns, and for the first of many times the qualifying mark was tightened, on this occasion to 4:48.

Most of the Cup horses lined up again in ther seventh race, the Provincial Handicap, where Lord Elmo improved on his third placing in the Cup. He gave Wildwood Junior a two-second start and beat him by eight lengths. Durbar, also off two seconds was third.

Durbar was a 12-year-old Australian-bred gelding by Vancleve. Terra Nova was by Young Irvington and Lord Elmo was by Rothschild. All three sires were outstandingly successful. A tough old campaigner, Durbar raced until he was an 18-year-old, and unsuccessfully contested the 1909 and 1910 Cups. He was the top stake-earner in 1908-09, with £682. For the fifth consecutive season, John Buckland was top owner, his horses winnnig a record £1391.

In 1881 John Kerr, of Nelson, and Robert Wilkin, of Christchurch, had imported some American stock, which laid the foundation for harness racing breeding in this country. Among Kerr's stock was Irvington, and among Wilkin's importations was Vancleve, who stayed only a short whilein New Zealand and did not serve any mares before being sold to a trotting enthusiast in Sydney. He became one of the most successful sires identified with the Australian and New Zealand breeding scenes. Apart from the great trotter Fritz, and Durbar, he sired Quincey (Dominion Handicap), and a number of other top performers who were brought from Australia to win races in this country. More than 60 individual winners of hundreds of races on New Zealand tracks were sired by Vancleve, a remarkable record for a horse who spent his stud life in Australia. Vancleve mares also found their way into New Zealand studs, the most celebrated being Vanquish - granddam of the immortal Worthy Queen, who created a miler record for trotters of 2:03.6 at Addington in 1934.

Irvington was used for only a few seasons in New Zealand before he too, went to Australia. Irvington was a poor foaler. He sired only two winners - Lady Ashley and Young Irvington - and it is through the latter that the name survived. Bred in 1886 by Tom Free at New Brighton, Young Irvington was a good racehorse, not only the first "pacer" seen on Canterbury tracks, but also a natural or free-legged pacer, racing without straps. Young Irvington left about 60 winners, and his daughters were also outstanding producers at stud. Early on they produced Ribbonwood (Dolly), Our Thorpe (Lady Thorpe) and Admiral Wood (D.I.C.).

Durbar's owner, Harry Nicoll, who raced both thoroughbreds and standardbreds, was also a breeder and top administrator. For many years he was president of the Ashburton Trotting and Racing Clubs. He retired from the presidency of the New Zealand Trooting Conference in 1947, after holding that office for an uninterrupted period of 25 years. He owned his first horse in 1902 then, in 1905, Andy Pringle became Nicoll's private trainer and they started a long and successful association. Pringle was an astute horseman, often sought by other owners and trainers to drive their horses. He was top reinsman in 1914-15 and again in 1916-17 and 1917-18. His son, Jack Pringle, was also a top horseman, winning the trainers' and drivers' premierships in 1950-51. Nicoll was top owner in 1910-11 (£1547 10s), 1911-12 (£1222), 1912-13 (£987 10s) and 1920-21 (£4161). His Ashburton stud, named Durbar Lodge after his first Cup winner, produced some great pacers and trotters, with Indianapolis, Wrackler, Seas Gift and Bronze Eagle foremost. All were bred by Wrack, who was bought by Nicoll from American owners.

Credit: Bernie Wood writing in The Cup

1928 NEW ZEALAND DERBY

The New Zealand Derby Stakes proved a soft victory for Wrackler. Maurice Holmes, took him to the front at the end of a furlong and after driving a heady race in front he brought H. F. Nicoll's candidate home an easy winner.

When the barrier was released Grandlight and Wrackler shot out, setting a 24 yards break on Sonoma Child and Muriel de Oro. Wrackler took them to the first quarter pole in 37 3/5 seconds, and was at the half -mile in 1.13 2/5. Though Grandlight drew level with him with a round to go Wrackler was going very, easily. Rounding the far turn Grandlight, Muriel de Oro, Sonoma Child and Lindbergh were racing in a bunch just behind Wrackler. The ten furlongs were accounted for in 2.53 1/5. As they wheeled for home F. Holmes gave Sonoma Child a tap with the whip, but the gelding could not respond and Muriel de Oro was beaten also. Grandlight made a game effort to reach Wrackler, but Wrackler simply shook his tail at his rival, and won very easily.

Wrackler is a fine advertisement for the American horse, Wrack, which gives evidence of developing into a high-class sire. Grandlight will develop into a good handicap performer, and Lindbergh has a bright future. Sonoma Child was not himself, but he will win good stakes when he strikes form.



Credit: 'The Toff' writing in NZ Truth 15 Nov 1928

Maurice Holmes & Wrackler's owner Harry Nicoll

1930 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

In 1930, 5-year-old gelding Wrackler made his rivals look second rate when he ran away from Author Jinks and Jewel Pointer for Maurice Holmes, who had turned 22 only a week earlier. While the margin was four lengths, it appeared Wrackler could have won by half the length of the straight if asked.

The son of Wrack and Trix Pointer had been top class right from the start, winning the NZ and Great Northern Derbys, and later when the handicaps became too tough, switched to trotting and won the Dominion, a remarkable and unique feat.

Breeder/ owner Harry Nicoll, his private trainer Don Warren and Holmes also won the Derby that day with Wrackler's sister Arethusa, who beat a field of 20. Holmes was suspended for six weeks for causing a melee in the event, but was still the season's leading driver with 35 wins, a feat he would repeat on 17 further occasions.

Another highlight was Ces Donald training the quinella in the Dominion when the Author Dillon gelding Writer beat Kempton. They all had their thunder stolen somewhat on Cup Day though by a new star in Harold Logan, an 8-year-old who recorded his 10th win from his previous 12 starts.

Credit: New Zealand HRWeekly 8Oct03

WRACKLER & HARRY NICOLL: CHAMPIONS BOTH

What a combination it was. On our left was Wrackler rated "on all evidence available the world's best double gaited horse" and still the only one to win both the New Zealand Cup pacing and the Dominion Handicap trotting. On the right was his owner Harry Nicoll, arguably the greatest administrator in the history of the harness sport. An autocrat, he was the president of the New Zealand Trotting Conference (HRNZ) for over 25 years and of his Ashburton club for a staggering 48 years. Without Harry Nicholl the Inter-Dominion Championships would never have got off the ground.

An oarsman of international standard in his youth, it was said that Harry had never been to a trotting meeting until 1906 when the Ashburton club invited him to its meeting. It was not quite true. But the club was almost broke and Nicoll, a local business who successfully raced gallopers as "Mr J Case" and ran the local Racing Club was seen as a possible saviour.

Within two years Nicoll had embraced trotting and won the New Zealand Cup with Durbar, a 12-year-old he had bought here from an Australian and who raced on until he was 18. Nicoll was soon the leading owner and leading the code into class racing and handicapping by yards instead of clocks. After being thwarted by politics from heading the NZ Trotting Association he upset the famed Aucklander James Rowe for the chairmanship of the Conference in 1922 and won every election held from then until retiring in 1947.

By 1931 he was an honorary life member of every trotting club in New Zealand, joint president of the NZ Metropolitan club and later Predident of the Australasian Trotting Association. It was his offer to bankroll New Zealand horses going to Perth for the first Inter-Dominion which made the concept feasible. His Ashburton club was offering £3000 for three classic races in the 1920's making it the most successful in Australasia regardless of size.

Nicoll's Durbar Lodge near Ashburton was the leading stable with the renowned Andy Pringle as his private trainer. Nicoll bought from the United States the free-legged pacer, Wrack, by the world's leading sire Peter The Great, and the first genuine Grand Circuit horse to come to this country. He had paced 2.02.4 in Ohio shortly before his arrival - faster than later pacing supersire Hal Dale. Nicoll charged 40 guineas a service, a fee not matched for over 25 years and one Wrack could not sustain. History records he was a great success but for a time he was rejected by breeders until trainers like Bill Tomkinson, Don Warren and Roy Berry realised they did not handle high speed work and the tide was turned.

Nicoll was no sentimentalist. He sold up a lot of his horses during the Depression including Wrackler, and filly freak Arethusa, both retained by his son, Arthur. He sold his boom youngster, Indianapolis, Wrack's greatest son, knowing what he might become. In 1938 after the stallion had served 72 mares Nicoll sold Wrack to Tasmania. He died in Sydney in virtual exile the following year. It was a finale which did not sit well with many sportsmen here.

Nicoll was also controversial when Maurice Holmes, having knocked down half the field in the New Zealand Derby driving Nicoll's Arethusa, was given a suspension which ended the day before he was to drive her in the Northern Derby. "The judicial decision" raged the Truth newspaper, "could not have been more ridiculous had it decreed that in future Holmes was allowed to carry a sawn off shotgun to assist him bringing down what he desired."

Wrackler was all American-bred and his dam Trix Pointer the only Cup winning mare to leave a Cup winner. He was the champion 3-year-old and at four won the New Zealand Trotting Gold Cup in Wellington, a unique achievement for one that age. Wrackler was prepared by Don Warren to win the 1930 NZ Cup easily. It was a vintage pacing era so the Cup was run in divisions and Wrack horses thrived on hard racing. The day produced an amazing double because the Derby was the same day and won by Wrackler's sister, Arethusa, also driven by Maurice Holmes. Both horses wre typical Wracks - plain as pikestaffs, lean as whippets but with great stamina.

Warren was an expert and popular horseman with heart and personal problems. In August 1931 he was demoted by Nicoll as the Durbar Lodge trainer in favour of his assistant Jackie Behrns. A few weeks later Warren made a cup of tea for his wife and Behrns, chatted for a while and then went behind the barn and blew his head off with a shotgun. His health and demotion had devastared him. He was only 43.

At a War Relief meeting at Addington in July 1932 Behrns, having persuaded Arthur Nicoll who now owned him to try Wrackler as a trotter, won a feature at Addington at 8/8 in the betting which qualified him for the Dominion Handicap which he won four months later. At Addington about the same time he finished second in the big trot and in the very next race took on the "cream of the Dominion's pacers" in a high class race. His mixing of gaits could confuse him. In the 1934 Dominion he slid into a pace and lost his chance.

Wrackler was retired in 1935 but later returned to racing under Lester Maidens and won top trotting races at Addington as a 10-year-old. He lived a long and contented retirement carrying children to school on his back daily for many years before dying at the age of 27 in 1951.

It is virtually impossible his feat can be repeated in the modern era. Nor will any of Nicoll's successors be permitted to hold office for a quarter of a century. Wrackler and Harry Nicoll certainly like setting records.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in HRWeekly 8Aug2012

LEICESTER MAIDENS

Now forgotten, a lesson on how few "legends" last beyond our own time, Winchmore trainer Leicester Maidens produced some amazing results with "has been" pacers and trotters on both sides of the Tasman in the 1930's and 1940's. What was his secret? - and did it later play a role in Bart Cummings winning at least one of his Melbourne Cups?

Maiden's feats with top class veteran horses remain unequalled. In 1941, fresh from a two year retirement on health grounds, he won 23 races just from January to July when leading trainer Ces Donald had 34 for the whole season. More remarkably, the youngest of his winners was eight and the eldest two were 12! Zincali, raced by West Coast All Black, Jack Steel, and formerly with experts Maurice McTigue and "Dil" Edwards, was the leading stakes earner nationally, winning six races and setting an Australasian record for a mile and a half.

In 1936 when asked to take a "lost cause" for Ashburton owner, Harry Nicoll, Maidens agreed - if he could also try the New Zealand Cup/ Dominion Handicap winner Wrackler, then 10, which had been hacked in retirement for more than 12 months. Nicoll reluctantly agreed and within three months Wrackler had won the Addington Handicap beating most of the best open class trotters around.

Born in 1900 into an Ashburton farming family, the personable and popular Maidens first came to prominence with Harvest Child, one of two high class winners from th first crop of the "hyped" expensive stallion, Sonoma Harvester who never repeated the feat. Past his best and a refugee from stables such as that of Freeman Holmes, Harvest Child was rejuvenated under Maidens.

At his 1930's peak Maidens had 30 horses in work near Methven, a huge number then. Rollo, then a 12-year-old, had been retired out of Roy Berry's stable but won several rich races for Maidens. Peter Locanda, Marie Celeste - both 10 year olds - Zingarrie, Jesse Owens - who won four of his six starts for Maidens after being taken over from Dinny Teahen of Certissimus fame - and Palomar were other great successes.

His two best results, apart from Zincali, were Blue Mountain and Peter Smith. Blue Mountain was a tough grey horse owned bt Mrs Inex Sweetapple of Auckland and fornerly with Jack Shaw before Maidens raced him in partnership with his owner. He went within a length of beating Indianapolis in that champion's first NZ Cup in 1934, anothe champion Harold Logan being three lengths away.

Maidens inherited Peter Smith late in his career. He won the rich Olivier Handicap and ran third in three NZ Cup attempts, his problem on Cup Day being that as a fast beginner he was always dragging the field up to inevitable tearaway pacemaker, Gold Bar.

Maidens retired again in 1945 and took over the Royal Hotel in Palmerston North. In 17 seasons training by his count he had been in the top four trainers or drivers seven times and rarely outside the top five. In 1949 Maidens turned up in Melbourne, claiming health reasons though his wife, Margaret, remained in Palmerston North. After a time he took over a free-legged pacer well past his best called Dauntless Peter and decided to train him in hopples, something the horse hated with a passion. "He tried to kick them off every day for six weeks," Maidens recalled.

Largely thanks to a rejuvenated Dauntless Peter who beat the best in the Melbourne Free-For-All in spite of carrying a buckled wheel for most of the way so bad the driver had to sit on one side of the cart, Maidens then won a Melbourne trainer's premiership. Later, in 1953, he was on the front pages (headline "Women Screamed) after surviving a spetacular smash at the Showgrounds when thrown 20ft high in the air, and he was also a guest columnist in the Melbourne Argus.

He was then private trainer for owner/breeder Bob Stewart but after a time there was strife with the stewards over the form of Silver Trigger in two races the same night at a provincial meeting. Owner-trainer and horse were disqualified for 12 months. On appeal Stewart was absolved. However Maidens, who had been in trouble for giving the stewards a "serve" about them talking to him before the start of the race on the night, (he won one race and was second in the other) lost his appeal in spite of several impressive character witnesses in his defence. Stewart sold up in favour of galloping in disgust. Maidens later retired and died in Toorak, Melbourne, in 1973.

The Maidens secret? Various tonics were in use in that era but few were unknown to the top trainers on whom Maidens seemed to improve on time after time. He had either found an effective form of natural hormone treatment or, as he himself seemed to claim, he was ahead of his time in recognising the role of ulcers on the performance of older horses. "Old horses suffer more from ulcers because of stress and the standard training feeding diet ofter makes it worse," Maidens once said in an interview. "Ulcers are painful and have a big effect on diet and work. I pay special attention to diets for my horses (lower oats content, special cooked supplements) and work them less to cut stress."

60 years later, after veteran Rogan Josh came from nowhere to win the 1999 Melbourne Cup, Bart Cummings sang the praises of an ulcer product as the winning edge. Treating ulcers became a racing fad - until an ingredient was found to be a prohibited substance. Ulcer treatment remains large in the training of older horses as a result.

It would have been another story the colourful Leicester Maidens would love to have told.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in HR Weekly 6Feb13

HARRY NICOLL - President NZTC

It is doubtful if harness racing ever had a leader as powerful, able and when necessary as ruthless as Harry Nicoll.

The successful sportsman, businessman exporter and farmer who had turned Ashburton from bankruptcy to the most successful club in New Zealand in jus a few years then grew inpatient with others at national level and arranged for a dramatic "palace coup" at the Annual Conference outing a shocked and surprised John Rowe from the presidency in 1922. He won every subsequent election until retiring in 1947.

A skilful and astute administrator who pushed for standing starts and a "yards" handicapping system, Harry also knew as many tricks to retaining power as he did to gain it. He was a popular leader from an efficiency viewpoint during some of the hardest years in a century, winning over the clubs with strong and wise leadership. Harry believed in round numbers. He was president of Ashburton for 50 years and head of the Conference for 25 years, an unprecedented feat. As a side-line he was head of the Ashburton Racing Club for 25 years as well. Nicoll was autocratic and ruled with an iron hand when things got tricky.

When Dr Pezaro proposed easing handicapping restrictions for less able horses winning small stakes Nicoll turned to the Annual Conference delegates an said "Do you want horses to win with no penalty?" which gained a resounding "No" from the floor even though that was not actually what Pezaro was proposing. When the Government cut season permits by 50 per cent in 1942 Nicoll was heavily critical but toed the line and his company gave its four cars to the war effort.

Nicoll won a New Zealand Cup early in his trotting career with Durbar whom he purchased when the horse was almost a teenager. He hired the most talented trainer available, Andy Pringle, and they had a long association. He then bred and raced Wrackler the only horse to win both the Cup and the Dominion Handicap. He imported Wrack from America and his Durbar Lodge was at one stage the most powerful breeding and racing stable of classic horses in the country.

Harry was a trader who wanted his stable to pay its way and some of the best Durbar Lodge products won fame in other colours most notably Indianapolis. He also sold the distinguished Wrack, the first stallion to stand at $200, to Tasmania aged 21 which caused much comment about loyalty for services rendered.

His brother Jack was secretary of Ashburton for as long as Harry had been president. His son Arthur, later became president of the Conference though for a much shorter time than his father. Nobody could match that.

How would Harry have gone in 2016? With his connections, influence, standing and his refusal to stand for any nonsense, he might well have been a saviour just as he was in earlier dark days.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed Aug 2016