CLICK HERE TO GO BACK

CES DONALD

Ces Donald was among the rare breed who became a legend in his own lifetime.

When he trained his 1000th winner in NZ - Forest King at Addington in February, 1972 - he was the first horseman to reach that milestone and in thoroughbred circles, it is a feat only matched in recent years by Rex Cochrane. To put this achievement into perspective, one has to appreciate that when Donald was in his prime in the 1930s and 40s, there were approximately 50 meetings per season, plus the odd races held at galloping meetings, and often eight races per meeting. Even towards the end of his career in the 1960s there were still only about 120 meetings a year with nine races - it was the early 1970s when licences began to be despatched like the Allies were dropping 'windows' along with bombs over Germany in WWII.

The most successful trainer in modern times is Roy Purdon, who joined Donald in the 1000 Club in 1985 when the majority of his winners came after a 15 year period when well over 200 meetings a season were the norm. This is not obviously in anyway meant to belittle Purdon, who when he retired in partnership with son Barry in 1995 had moved on to a staggering 2021 wins.

When Donald won his ninth Trainer's Premiership in 1963, he bettered the record held by James Bryce, whose eight titles were in the formative years of trotting. Purdon won three and tied for another on his own account, and another 17 along with Barry. A more appropriate yardstick is perhaps Derek Jones, who has now been training for about the same length of time as Donald's career. A two time Premiership winner with Jack Grant, Jones is presently sitting on 977 wins.

Donald's story is the stuff that books are made of - the names that passed through his famous Belfast stables read almost like a who's who of trotting annals - and one cannot do it full justice here, but we will attempt a condensed form.

Born in the Heathcote Valley, near Christchurch, to Joseph and Florence Donald, who emigrated from the Gurnsey Islands in the English Channel, Donald was practically riding bareback before he could walk. First taking out a licence in April, 1922, Donald had his first win as a trainer/driver later that year when the trotter Mangoutu won at Addington. A Galindo mare, Mangoutu had won twice in five seasons and had not won in 18 months when as a 10-year-old, Donald took her over and produced her to win the two mile Seaview Handicap from 36 yards by four lengths as eighth favourite. She won another five races for Donald, including the Forbury Park T C feature, the Dominion Handicap, from 72 yards.

In his first full season of training, Donald also won the Greymouth and Westport Cups and the 500 sov. Liverpool Handicap at Addington with Harbour Light, a son of Wildwood Junior who had been around the traps prior to Donald buying him for himself. People were already starting to sit up and take notice, but half way through the 1924/5 season, Donald was suspended from driving for 12 months when Wharepiana, after winning at Ashburton by five lengths, staged a dramatic form reversal at the Forbury Park Summer meeting. The Hal Zolock filly had failed to show up on the first day, but won easily on the second and was disqualified.

After serving his time, Donald bounced back in dramatic fashion when the newcomers to his stable in the 1926/7 season included the imported American pacer Jack Potts and the Author Dillon mare Auditress, both from other stables. They were to prove a decisive turning point in the young Donald's career in more ways than one - not the least of which was later combining to produce the NZ Cup winner Marlene.

Despite being troubled by unsoundness, Jack Potts proved a top class pacer. At the 1927 Auckland TC Summer carnival, he was beaten a head by dual NZ Cup winner Ahuriri (both off 36 yards) in the Auckland Cup and won the President's Handicap from 60 yards, beating among others Jewel Pointer, Peterwah, Kohara and Sheik. Line-bred to two of Hambletonian's famous sons in Dictator and George Wilkes, the aristocratic Jack Potts, who was owned by Alex Anderson after arriving as a 2-year-old, did however have a fair degree of non-Hambletonian blood in his pedigree, such as the 'Clays' and 'Hals.'

With five crops racing, Jack Potts was leading sire in 1938 and occupied that position for nine consecutive seasons, only being dethroned by the arrival of U Scott and Dillon Hall. Jack Potts sire numerous Cup class and classic winners, among them Inter-Dominion champions Emulous (48) and Pot Black (38), NZ Cup winners Lucky Jack (37,39) and Marlene (40), NZ FFA winners Pacing Power (NZ Derby), Indian Clipper, Knave of Diamonds, Fine Art and Clockwork, Sapling Stakes winners Frisco Lady, Twos Loose (NZ Derby) and Sir Julian, Horsepower (GN Derby) and further NZ Derby winners in Gamble and Air Marshall. His daughters were to produce the likes of Van Dieman, Tactician, Thelma Globe, Lady Belmer, Patchwork, Thunder, Rupee and Young Charles.

Many of the fine performers sired by Jack Potts came from Donald's spacious and immaculate 30 acre property at Belfast - now a wasteland situated between the Styx River bridge and the Pentland subdivision. Donald would later relate how Jack Potts initially stood in the Depression years at £7 and many breeders would pay the fee off at a pound a time when they could afford it. Even when leading sire he still only stood for 25 guineas and it was only towards the end that he commanded an appropriate fee. He was never really rushed by breeders at any stage.

Donald's stables were into top gear by 1930, the year he first won the Trainers' Premiership with a record 45 wins, and over the next decade he occupied that position seven times. Among the horses who reached the very best classes, or close to it, during this period, were Plutus (17 wins, Inter-Dom Heat), Lindberg (14 wins, NZ Cup division), Kempton (Dominion, Rowe), Royal Silk, Carmel (Auckland Cup),Bessie Logan (NZ Cup trial), Sir Guy (11 wins), Writer (Dominion), Great Way, Accountant, Baron Bingen, Blaydon, Brook Pointer, Clockwork, Dilnon, Ferry Post, First Flight, Grand Canyon (Australasian Hcp), Morning Sun, Night Beam, Quality, Pearl Logan, Pluto, Real Light, Ron, St George, Sir Author, Village Guy and Blondie, the latter a distinctive cream pacer.

Tonic, Stand By, Tan John (Dominion), Ambition, Biworthy (2nd Dominion), John Mauritius, Wahnooka and Mr Penalty were all high class trotters. Wahnooka, among many who arrived from other stables with little apparent future, had looked promising as a pacer, but was a notorious knee knocker. Donald discovered his trotting ability however and won 13 races with him - shod as a pacer. The trotter Captain Bolt and the pacing filly De La Paix were fondly remembered by Donald for their ability, but who failed to realise their ability. Captain Bolt, who won eight and would have won many more if he had been at all reliable, beat the champion mare Sea Gift in a match race, while De La Paix was considered better than Marlene before she contracted strangles.

Along with Jack Potts in the 1930s, Donald also stood his son Gamble, the imported sires in Lusty Volo and Calumet Axworth and the thoroughbred Airway at Belfast and at the height of his breeding activities the broodmare band numbered around 90. Dabbling with the odd galloper, Donald owned and trained along with others Crash, a sprint record holder at Riccarton for a time. Donald had also seen the potential in dairy farming in the 1930s and purchased a rundown sheep and cattle station at Bullock Hill near Okuku which he transformed into a showplace holding. He made various sizeable investments in this area - some of which were to practically bankrupt him on occasions over the years - and at one point controlled over 3000 acres of farm land. He was a regular at the Addington sale yards with truckloads of fat cattle and in later years also ran a pig farm.

Donald was very much a three meals a day man, a philosophy he took to the stables. "Meat three times a day" for the men and "the best of oats," crushed on the premises, for the horses. "If you don't feed them, they can't work" was a well known quote. Donald would also later relate that horses were not treated "as a mob." "They are all individuals. They are all different. Some want to be alone. Some go haywire if they are left alone. Each one is handled with understanding, no matter how nervous, or mad, or bad it may be when it first arrives here. None of the head lads or stable boys are allowed to hit a horse. We don't molly-coddle them, of course, but the rough stuff is out. Firmness, by all means; cruelty never. I only allow three horses to each lad."

If the 1930s were pretty much a Donald benefit, he showed no signs of slowing down in the following decade. In fact, it began with perhaps his finest training feat. Marlene, who had won the Auckland Cup the previous season, had for all intents and purposes broken down after winning twice at the Met's August meeting and had not raced for three months going into the 1940 NZ Cup. Noticeably lame prior to the race, and afterwards, she won in a ding-dong struggle with Dusky Sound over the closing stages with Donald's brother Ron at the helm. Ron Donald was generally regarded as a better driver than his brother - in fact a quite brilliant all-round horseman - but his light was to fade as he lost his battle with the bottle. Marlene only raced a handful of further times without winning and then only left three named foals. Donald also won the Free-For-All with Plutus and the Dominion with Tan John, beating Captain Bolt, while Superior Rank and Repeal were also successful at the meeting.

Soon after, Donald produced the brilliant trotter Rangefinder, whom he believed was 2:00 material at a time when pacers had only just achieved the feat. The son of Frank Worthy beat the best trotters around and on one occasion easily accounted for a field of 23 pacers in the mile and a quarter Strowan Handicap at Addington. Bayard was just a pony pacer and well past his prime when he entered the stable, but Donald gave him such a new lease on life that he finished third from 12 yards in the 1942 NZ Cup when Haughty went a record 4:12 4/5 off the front. Steel Grey was a superb grey trotter that arrived from Auckland late in his career who won the 1946 NZ Trotting FFA for Donald, while Checkmate was a top pacer in the late 40s with 11 wins.

In the early 50s, Ben Grice's brilliant Brahman joined the team as a late 3-year-old and Donald won 10 times with him, including a defeat of Caduceus in the two mile Ollivier Handicap at the 1956 NZ Cup meeting, before he broke a sesamoid the following year on the eve of the Cup, a race Donald was sure he would win. After one of his bad patches in the 1957/58 season where he registered just one win, Donald bounced back with a number of good sorts, none better than the Southland mare Lady Shona. She won 10 races and finished fourth in the 1959 NZ Cup behind False Step, Gentry and Caduceus. Not far away were Falsehood (Dunedin Cup), King Hal, Dandy Briar (Auckland Cup over Cardigan Bay), Gildirect, Urrall and Cairnbrae (NZ Cup), all Cup class pacers for him around the same time and who often formed a formidable bracket - sometimes five of six of them in the same race.

Donald had three starters in the 1964 NZ Cup and opted to drive Ted Lowe's 8-year-old U Scott gelding Cairnbrae himself. After taking over at the mile, they left the likes of Orbiter, Lordship and Vanderford in their wake. In the latter part of the 1960s, the brothers Chief Command (NZ FFA) and Indecision -"who was twice the horse if he'd had any legs"- and Rauka Lad (New Brighton Cup) also raced and beat the best.

While he won with Cairnbrae, Donald was a rare sight in the sulky towards the end, preferring to employ the likes of Doug Watts, Doody Townley, Derek Jones and - when he could - Maurice Holmes. His last driving win was On Probation in April, 1966 - a horse he owned - and appropriately it was the Farewell Handicap at Hawera. He was for many years a keen supporter of the Club and a great friend of Club stalwart Alex Corrigan. Almost to the day, On Probation's win came 44 years after he first took out a licence.

It was in October, 1963, that Donald approached a youthful Bob Nyhan, who was engaged to his daughter Pat, and would marry her the following year, to become his stable foreman and No.1 driver. Ron Donald had long since departed and Kevin Holmes had left to set up his own stable. "Some of the owners had been complaining about having a different driver every week," recalls Nyhan, who had been briefly training on his own account after a stint with Jack Litten. While Nyhan jumped at the chance, he has some mixed emotions about that part of his life.

"Ces had always loved the challenge of a gamble, but towards the end, he really had a passion about stitching up the bookies. there were times when they came unstuck rather badly, and a lesser person might have given the game away, but he always bounced back. There were some horses that had been pulled up that often, when you asked them to go or hit them, they didn't know what to do. I well recall one day - I used to have a bet myself in those days - that I had got a mate to put the money on this horse I was driving, as I was sure it would win. When I arrived in the birdcage, Ces says to me 'you are not to win today'." Asked what he did, Nyhan said "I always did what I was told. You couldn't ask the outside drivers like Holmes and so forth not to try, so I always got the one that wasn't supposed to win. It didn't exactly help my career much at that point," said Nyhan.

Nyhan recalls Donald as being a terrific host, but he never once saw him drunk. "Often, it was when we had lost that he would shout all the boys after the races - and there were six or seven of them. He figured though that when we had won, there was no need to." Then there were the infamous boot parties in the carpark after the races. "Ben Grice, who was a great mate of Ces, often arrived full of gin and Ces would give him water because he didn't know the difference."

Nyhan says that a lot of Donald's horses had unsoundness problems due to the nature of his training track. "It was very fertile ground, but with any rain it became very puggy and hard on the legs. "I recall at times putting a truckload of sawdust on the track four to five times a day for a week just to give it a bit of binding. There was one day where out of 40 horses that were in work, I had to put bandages on 28 of them."

"He was ahead of his time though and was always experimenting with different types of feed. A lot of horses joined the stable that were not known to be very good stayers, but Ces was a great believer in feeding them glucose and they became good stayers. Long before swimming pools were thought of, Ces would stand a lot of horses in cold water. We always used to wash then in buckets of warm water - Ces said to me one day 'would you like a cold shower in the middle of winter?' He was the only one in those days too who would water the track in summer. He did not believe in automation though. Even when walking machines came along, he still preferred to have the staff walk the horses to cool off. I said to him one day that you could save a lot of money on staff with a walker and he just said don't be lazy."

Donald was still training when, literally, he was on his last legs - he had crook hips and was a familiar sight at the track with his walking sticks. A few weeks before he died in August, 1973, he had been told by his doctor that he would had to go into hospital for at least three weeks for complete rest. He only stayed a week - "he wanted to die at home."

Ces Donald presented himself to most, including his family and staff, as being gruff and difficult to approach. But Nyhan says he was amazed at the number of people who said to him at Donald's funeral how much he had helped them. "If someone was short, he had given them money, or if it was a young fellow trying to get started, he had given them gear and equipment. He did untold good for lots of people, but he never wanted anybody to know about it."


Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 5Jul00

THELMA GLOBE

'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 12Jun63.

Thelma Globe, dam of Blazing Globe, one of the smartest 3-year-olds in Australia this season, could quite easily have been relegated to the marton's paddock as a filly, so little promise did she show up till the time she reached her fourth birthday.

She was such a complete duffer as a juvenile that she was raced only once as a 3-year-old, was allowed to go out the rank outsider of a field of 14 in the NZ Oaks, and justified it!

Mr G Lancaster, who bred Thelma Globe, recalled that J Vivian, of Shands Track, Hornby, mouthed and gaited Thelma Globe, who was then given to H J Smith to train. She showed practically no promise and about the only think she was good for was as a pacemaker in trials. In training at the same stables was another of Mr Lancaster's juveniles, Yankiwi, who had much of the early ability of the Free Advice family; but while Yankiwi was usually up near the front of most of his workouts, Thelma Globe went in danger of being run over in the last bit. She became wayward at the barrier, and after her Oaks fiasco she went back to her owner's place and was turned out.

At four years she was leased to Drs A C and A S Sandston, with the right of purchase, and she won a few races before the Doctors excercised their option at what turned out to be a very reasonable figure. Thelma Globe was trained for all her successes, and driven in the majority of he races by J B Pringle. Thelma Globe, of course, was a champion. Her 4.11 for two miles is still a world record for a mare.

-o0o-

The death was reported recently of Thelma Globe, one of the greatest mares to race in the Dominion.

Thelma Globe, who began her career as a 3-year-old and had one unplaced start that season in the NZ Oaks, in which she was the outsider in a field of 14, was a bay mare by Springfield Globe from My Lady Luck, a full sister to two other top-class pacers in Pacing Power and Horsepower. She was purchased before she raced from her breeder, Mr G Lancaster, by the father and son owner combination, Drs A S and A C Sandston, of Christchurch.

Thelma Globe won her first race at the Timaru Trotting Club's meeting at Washdyke in January, 1951, when she was successful in the Fairlie Handicap. Altogether that season, Thelma Globe won four races, her fourth for the term also being at Washdyke when she won the Winter Handicap. Five wins came Thelma Globe's way as a 5-year-old, and they included the New Brighton Cup and a double on the one day at Forbury Park.

She won one race at six years, and the next year she had four wins. Her first success that term was gained in the Flying Handicap at Forbury Park, in which she beat Tactician in 2:35 for the mile and a quarter journey. She was then taken to Auckland for the Auckland Cup meeting where she proved invincible.

Thelma Globe won the principal event each day - the Auckland Cup, Champion Handicap and President's Free-For-All - and trainer-drivers of other champions in these races unstintingly acknowledged her superiority at the Epsom Carnival. "Nothing could have beaten her in the fee-for-all," said one trainer. "She lost more ground even than Johnny Globe and then won decisively."
That season Thelma Globe won $18,480 in stakes, which made her the leading stake-winner that term.

Thelma Globe more than emulated the greatness of her famous grandam, Free Advice. Free Advice was by Blue Mountain King (son of Ribbonwood)from Intaglio, by Logan Pointer(imp) from Cameos, by Galindo(imp) from Thelma, and Thelma Globe was certainly one of the greatest racehorses tracing to this famous taproot.

Thelma Globe was trained, and driven in practically all her races, by the late J B Pringle. In all, Thelma Globe started 92 times for 17 wins and 28 placings worth $40,880. At stud Thelma Globe produced Thermal and Don Caesar, both winners, but not in her class as performers.

Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 1May68

1951 NEW ZEALAND OAKS

Powerful Lady ran right up to her North Island form in the NZ Oaks. The Pacing Power-Rosalind Maid filly had matters all her own way from barrier rise and although she was inclined to hang out slightly she was untroubled in the run home. A big, bold pacer, she bears a resemblance in conformation and action to her dam and two high-class members of the same family in Commander Scott and Impromptu.

Regalia showed a useful turn of speed to get up for second place, and the full sister to Goldina promises to develop good form later on. Marionette, who filled third place, is a well-developed filly by Dillon Hall from Vorena. She is a grand pacer and it would cause no surprise to see her train on to good class form. Starlet, who was making her first appearance in a race, has a useful turn of speed, and racing and experience should work wonders with the half-sister by Dillon Hall to Petro Star and Riviera. She is certainly well connected.

Safe Deposit was well placed most of the way but weakened over the last half-mile to finish well back. False Gift ran a useful race to finish fifth. A bay filly by Bonny Bridge, she is out of Northern Star, a Brilliant Globe mare who ranks as a half-sister to Young Charles. The rest of the field, including Camille, Merry Gold and High Fashion, were beaten off and were far from impressive.

Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 5Dec51

WILLIAM KERR

The death occurred last week of Mr Wm. Kerr, famous in earlier days of trotting as a trainer and studmaster at 'Wildwood Farm,' New Brighton.

Wildwood Junior, winner of the NZ Cup in 1909 and 1910, Admiral Wood, Thelma, Calm, President Wilson, Goldie and others won numerous races for Wm. Kerr and his brother, C Kerr. At one time Wm. Kerr was the outstanding trainer in Canterbury.

'Wildwood Farm' was named after the great imported trotter Wildwood, who was brought from America as a 2-year-old by Mr H Richardson in 1894 and was subsequently purchased by Wm. and C Kerr. Wildwood proved a great trotter in a limited racing career in this country and during his 10 or 11 seasons at the stud he sired some great horses, notably the champions Ribbonwood and Wildwood Junior.

Writing of 'Wildwood Farm' many years ago, Mr F C Thomas, now living in retirement at Riccarton had the following comments: "The writer well remembers his first introduction to Wildwood, soon after the black son of Good Gift arrived in Chistchurch. Though still showing traces of his journey from San Francisco to Christchurch, he filled the eye as quite the best looking young horse ever brought to these shores. He was then rising three, and after a few week's spell was put into light work at Kerr's track. It was two seasons later, however, that he first faced a racecourse crowd, and though of practically unknown quality, he was backed for the Record Reign Handicap at the Showgrounds as if the race was all over bar shouting. Despite his opponents including much better-performed horses such as General Tracey, Albert Victor, Little Willie, Sam Slick and Viking, he was required to give them starts ranging from 4 to 10 secs in two miles. In the field also was a little fancied candidate hailing from Ashburton, Prince Imperial, owned by Mr A G Holmes, and driven by Newton Price. After going a fine race Wildwood just failed to concede Prince Imperial the required 4sec start, though he managed to account for all the others.

"It was this race that led up to the famous match between Wildwood and Prince Imperial at New Brighton, over which big sums of money changed hands. Dave Price drove Prince Imperial, and Willie Kerr, through the indisposition of his brother, held the reins over the black trotter. Wildwood won in two straight heats. Subsequently he showed his worth in races at the Showgrounds, New Brighton and Plumpton Park.

"On retiring to the stud Wildwood was not long in establishing his speed-begetting ability, as a sire of both pacers and trotters. On of the earliest to bring him fame was Ribbonwood, who defeated the Australian champion Fritz in the greatest match ever held in NZ. Another of Wildwood's sons, Wildwood Junior, must take rank as among the greatest racehorses of modern times. In their home trials there was little to choose between Wildwood Junior and his son Admiral Wood. Whereas the latter gained Blue Ribbon distinction, the 'black demon,' who did his racing before Derbies were instituted, won the NZ Trotting Cup in 1909 and 1910.

"Before both these Cups Wildwood Junior had done everything asked of him at his home track, one of his trials being two miles in 4.31, coming home the last mile in 2.10½. He was also a success at stud, tieing for first place on the sires' list for the number of races won, with Logan Pointer, in the 1921-22 season."

Wildwood Junior mares and their innumerable descendants also made their mark, and his blood courses through the veins of such great horses as Highland Fling, Lucky Jack and a host of others. From Wildwood Junior's dam Thelma, Wm. Kerr bred a great line of additional winners, successful sires and producing mares, and this great foundation mare has become the most famous of all Colonial-bred matrons. Winners in NZ and Australia descended from her in the direct maternal line are now close to the century mark.

-o0o-

F C Thomas & 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 21Feb51

Long before light-harness racing had been established on recognised courses in the Dominion, meetings were held by a few enthusiasts on the New Brighton beach. They were rough-and-ready affairs. Few of the competitors had had any training outside their daily routine between the shafts of tradesmen's carts. Most of the races had small sweepstakes attached to them, while the prizes were frequently of the utility order, such as a set of harness, a saddle or even a whip.

At one of the early meetings William Kerr made his first public appearance, and the finished manner in which he handled Queen B and Maud S was an augury of his later development into one of the greatest reinsmen ever associated with trotting in the Dominion. Some years later he and his brother Charles set up a training establishment at Wainoni, about half-way to New Brighton, which, in the course of time, became famous for the number of winners it turned out, besides being the foaling place of several champions. The establishment is still there, its homestead and tall macrocarpa hedges being a reminder of it's past glory.

When William and Charles Kerr set up as public trainers at Wainoni their abilty soon became recognised, and their stable was generally full. At every meeting, whether at New Brighton, Plumpton Park or Lower Heathcote, their colours were always to the fore, and frequently half the days programme came their way. When Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club was formed, much better stakes than usual were given on the opening day, and William Kerr won a £400 race with Blue Mountain. Up to this time the majority of horses passing through the Kerr Bros' hands were of the utility order. Those that showed more than average merit were gone on with, but the majority returned to their original sphere of usefulness.

As related in last week's issue, in 1894 Mr H S Richardson, of New Plymouth, imported two sires, Wildwood and Ha Ha; also two broodmares - Alice Azmoor and Norbell; a quartet that played a very important part in helping to build up the Dominion's light-harness industry. Mr Richardson had intended his collection as the nucleus of a North Island stud, but through the agency of the late Mr Joseph Chadwick, a well-known sporting journalist of his time, it was agreed to sell the lot to the brothers Kerr.

Wildwood was a handsome black son of Good Gift, by Electioneer, from Amlet, by Fallis (son of Electioneer; second dam Almeda, by Langford (thoroughbred); third dam Lady Bell by Williamson's Belmont; fourth dam Puss, by American Eclipse. It was an unusual pedigree, for Wildwood was a grandson of Electioneer on the sire's side, while his dam was a great grand-daughter of the same horse. Another feature of the pedigree was the unusally strong infusion of thoroughbred strains. There was four of these in Good Gift's veins, and a like number in those of Amlet.

Wildwood, as a 4-year-old, was put into work by William Kerr and soon showed form of an outstanding order. A number of races came his way, and his appearance at any meeting was an attraction, for most of the local 'sports' had as yet not seen a Yankee trotter in action. About this time Dave Price had in his stable a 4-year-old pacer known as Prince Imperial, a son of Hambletonian Bell Boy and his old favourite Princess, a champion pacing mare - a real sensation of her day. From his first appearance on the tracks Prince Imperial was hailed as a coming champion as he had carried all before him in his public trials. Discussion as to the merits of the two horses became general, the outcome being a match of £500 a side, best two of three one-mile heats.

Excitment reached fever heat when the two champions took the track at New Brighton. But, like so many contests of a similar nature, the match failed to live up to expectations. In the first heat Wildwood quickly raced past his opponent, and from this out the issue was never in doubt. Nor did Prince Imperial fare any better in the second heat. Again the American horse soon drew clear, and though Prince Imperial struggled on gamely, it was soon evident that he was outclassed. Wildwood soon afterwards was retired to the stud. He found a ready affinity with Thelma, who subsequently made good her claim to rank as the greatest producer and foundation mare of all Dominion-bred matrons.

Hearing that Mr John Todd, of Lincoln, had a useful sort of gelding for sale on his farm, William Kerr took a run out to inspect the juvenile. It did not come up to the would-be purchaser's expectations, but he was greatly taken with Thelma, who became his for the sum of £30. And what a great investment it turned out to be!

Thelma, who won several races, including the Champion's Plate, was seven when she retired. She produced 16 foals from 1902 to 1917 and died in 1922. He first foal was Willowwood (by Wildwood), who retired with an unbeaten record: he started only three times, once each season in 1907-08, 1908-09 and 1909-10 and led the field home on each occasion. He must have been a horse of some class, because in one case his winning margin was 10 lengths in a mile and a half race and in another it was 12 lengths in a mile race. His best time was 2.24.

Full relatives to Willowwood were Thelma's foals for the next three years - Wildwood Junior, 4.33, Marie Corelli, 2.17, and Authoress. Wildwood Junior was a champion stayer but unsound. Proof of his calibre is given by the fact that his two NZ Cup victories, in 1909 and 1910, were his only races during those seasons. Wildwood Junior became a very successful sire, and tied with Logan Pointer for first place for the number of races won in the 1921-22 season. Wildwood Junior sired more than 100 individual winners and his daughters bred on very successfully their progeny including Lucky Jack (dual NZ Cup winner), Olive Nelson (one of the best trotters of her day), Zincali (one-time mile and a half record holder), Bingen Palm, Zingarrie, Ronald Logan, Mute, Sure, Wild Guy, Midshipmaid, Probationer, Trenand, Belle Lorimer, Ambition, Real Girl and Dundas Boy. All told, Wildwood Junior mares produced more than 140 individual winners. Wildwood Junior also basked in great reflected glory when the claim was authenticated that the fourth dam of Highland Fling, 1.57 4/5, was an un-named mare by the Wildwood - Thelma horse.

Adonis, by Harold Dillon, as his name implies, was a handsome little chap. He was also a fine racehorse, winning in saddle and harness and was good on top of the ground or in the mud. He made a specialty of two-mile saddle races, and his numerous winning performances in harness included the Metropolitan Courtenay Handicap, Forbury Handicap, Metropolitan Parliamentary Handicap, Forbury Park Kitchener Handicap, all two-mile races, and the Metropolitan International Handicap, a leading mile and a quarter event in those days. Adonis also twice finished second in the National Cup. He had not been long at the stud in NZ when he was sold to the New South Wales studmaster Mr A R Tewksbury and became a very successful sire at the Delavan Stud. Adonis sired in the Dominion Queen's Own and Away, both Cup horses.

Waverley, by Galindo, was a good racehorse from three years of age. That season he won a mile harness event in his only start. At four years he made only two appearances and won over two miles in one of these by a wide margin. At five years he was again a decisive winner over two miles at Otahuhu. As a 6-year-old he finished second to Steel Bell in the Auckland Cup and won the President's Handicap, two miles, at the same meeting. At seven years he won a mile harness race in heavy going and the Australasian Handicap, two miles, in 4.35, both at Auckland. Waverley did most of his stud duty at the 'Willowbank' Stud, Southland, and got many winners, including Willow Wave (Auckland Cup), Master Roy, Lynwood, Play Wave, and Jolly Drive.

Of the other sons of Thelma, Neil Denis and The Pointer were the best racehorses. Neil Denis won three races and The Pointer six races. Azelzion also won races, and he and Neil Denis sired an odd winner or two. Aristos, another son of Thelma, did not race. The Pointer was gelded.

Daughters of Thelma who were excellent racehorses were Marie Corelli, 2.17, by Wildwood, Lady Sybil, 2.18 2/5, by Rothschild, and Cameos, 2.15 1/5, by Galindo. Lady Sybil as a 3-year-old was a winner over two miles in harness; at four she won three races, in saddle and harness; and at five she won twice, taking her best record of 2.18 3/5, a good effort in her day. In a restricted career Marie Corelli won two races and took a record of 2.17. She possessed great speed. Cameos, in her only start as a 3-year-old, won the Stewards Handicap, a mile and a half harness event at Forbury Park by half a dozen lengths. At four she won three races, including one over two miles in saddle by a dozen lengths. She won two more races the following season and also divided two great mares in Adelaide Direct and Emmeline in an important sprint at Forbury Park. Authoress did not race.

After Wildwood Junior, the next member of the tribe to carve a niche for himself on the rock of ages was a grandson of Thelma, Author Dillon, winner of the NZ Derby, NZ Cup - and the November Free-For-All three years in succession.

Onyx, who for some years held the NZ mile and a half record of 3.13 against time, and won numerous races before finally finishing second in the NZ Cup, was a famous grand-daughter of Thelma. She won £10,747 in stakes at a time when prize-money was less than half of what it is today. Onyx did not live long at the stud and her only foals were Princess Onyx, whose 3.39 1/5 for a mile and a half still stands as the 2-year-old trotting record, and Baron Chenault.

Free Advice, a great-grand-daughter of Thelma, was a splendid all-rounder who at one time held the mile and a quarter record for a mare. Her crowning achievement in an era of giants - Harold Logan, Wrackler, Kingcraft, Roi l'Or, Logan Park, Logan Chief, Peter Bingen and Lindbergh were among her contemporaries - was to win the second qualifying division of the 1931 NZ Cup from Wrackler, Kingcraft and Harold Logan and finish third to Harold Logan and Kingcraft in the final. A celebrity of the trotting gait who came through the Lady Sybil branch of the Thelma family was Pilot Peter, winner of the Dominion Handicap, 1938.

Classic winners of more recent years tracing to Thelma are Moana Tama (NZ Sapling Stakes); Nelson Eddy (NZ Champion Stakes); Horsepower (Great Northern Stakes, NZ Champion Stakes, NZ Futurity Stakes and Great Northern Derby); Pacing Power (Timaru Nursery Stakes, NZ Sapling Stakes, Oamaru Juvenile Stakes, NZ Derby and NZ Futurity Stakes); Free Again (Great Northern Stakes), and Perpetua (NZ Sapling Stakes and New Brighton Oaks).

Another mare that proved very prolific to the Wildwood strain was Gertie, a daughter of Knight Errant. She was imported from America to Sydney in 1890 by Messrs Trestrail and Burns, who subsequently passed her on to William Kerr. At the Wainoni establishment her first foal by Wildwood was the speedy Storm, followed by Stormlet and Stormless. In 1907 she was mated with Wildwood Junior, and the result was a bay colt called Calm, who did his breeder good service on the tracks. On one occasion Calm ran third in the NZ Trotting Cup, a race that Kerr always maintained should have been his. In his trials, Calm was the equal of Wildwood Junior, but was not nearly as genuine. Gertie's later foals, all by Wildwood Junior, were Gertiewood, Breeze, Calmly, Peaceful, Leewood and Taunekaha; a truly notable collection.

No mention of Wildwood would be complete without reference to his greatest son, the sensational Ribbonwood. This speed merchant was bred by Mr G H McHaffie, of New Brighton. Though he never had his name inscribed on the list of NZ Cup winners, he won many important events and made history by his easy defeat of Fritz in the never-to-be-forgotten match at Addington. Ribbonwood was phenominal for his day, he was the first horse in the Southern Hemisphere to break 2.10 for a mile.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 14Feb51

R B BERRY

The death of R B Berry removes NZ's most successful trainer of pacers and trotters of modern times. His list of classic and leading handicap winners is unrivalled in Dominion light-harness history. He 'made' most of his own champions, juvenile trotter or pacer, sprinter or stayer. The eminence he attained in his profession was in large measure due to his all-round knowledge of the horse from the foal stage, to his great patience, his almost uncanny sense of balance and perfection in the gaiting and educating of young horses, his instinctive love of all animals, his innate 'horsesense.'

The Thomas Murphy of Dominion trotting will be missed. The sands of time may reveal him as the same legendary figure in trotting as the late R J Mason has become in racing.

Berry was originally associated with the gallopers, and, like many other valuable recruits from the sister sport, he was forced out of the saddle by increasing weight. As a youth, he was apprenticed to Free Holmes, and later rode for M Hobbs and T Quinlivan. His most important riding success was on Sinapis in the NZ Cup of 1913. He also won the Thompson Handicap on Lagoda, McLean Stakes on Marsa, Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes on Charmilla, and was on Stardancer when she dead-heated in the Stewards' Handicap of 1912.

It was on his return from the Great War that Berry turned his attention to trotting, and the first horse he trained and drove was Coldwater; but it was the 'Bingen mares' that played an important part in putting Berry on the road to success, just as truly as Berry proved that the 'Bingen mares,' properly handled, were equal as racehorses to those of any other breed. It must be explained here that, due to their fiery and uncertain temperament, mares by Nelson Bingen had let themselves in for wide prejudice, and many of the breed were not even raced because of this 'set' against them.

The first of the Nelson Bingen mares Berry sent to the top was Escapade, and she not only became the champion trotting mare of her time, but she also beat pacers bordering on Cup class. Sea Pearl and Jean McElwyn were two pacing daughters of Nelson Bingen who took high honours and were big money-winners for Berry's stable. Sea Pearl was the leading stake-winner one season and Jean McElwyn, who stood little over 14 hands, was the 'pocket battleship' of her time and a genuine public favourite. Machine Gun, an Australian pacer, was a big stake-winner for the stable and reached Cup class. So did Dundas Boy, a fine pacer who was placed in a NZ Cup. Bingen Starr, Koro Peter and White Satin were high-class trotters sheltered by the Berry stable upwards of 15 years ago. Koro Peter and White Satin were both juvenile champions.

Two of the greatest stayers and 'characters' Berry trained were the trotter Trampfast and the pacer Rollo. Trampfast was described by Berry as "intelligent, game and reliable." He was well into double figures when Berry took him in hand after this grand trotter had been absent from the racetracks for a period of 18 months, but he developed better form than ever, and won the Dominion Handicap and other races. He also competed successfully against high-class pacers. Rollo was the antithesis of Trampfast in temperament. He was completely devoid of brains. Berry himself declared the big Jingle pacer had a vacuum between his ears. But he became a high-class winner and was a natural stayer. A problem on the mark, he had no idea of how to fill his hopples once he mis-stepped at the start, but he never stopped trying when he did go away at all well.

Berry's first acquaintance with mares of the Rey de Oro breed was not an inspiring experience. It was his turn to become prejudiced. For years he would not have a mare of this speedy family on the place. One day Mr D R Revell plucked up sufficient courage to ask him to take a yearling filly by Rey de Oro from Yenot. Berry agreed to do so, but only under pressure. Thus arrived Parisienne, the greatest mare of her time, winner of the Sapling Stakes, NZ Derby, Great Northern Derby, and numerous other races, including the Grand Championship at the Inter-Dominion series held at Addington in 1938.

Berry achieved his life's ambition as a trainer and driver when he won the NZ Trotting Cup with Lucky Jack and so completed the NZ Cups double Sinapis(1913), Lucky Jack(1937). Lucky Jack still ranks as one of the finest stayers of all time, as he went on to finish second in the Cup of 1938 and won again in 1939. Lucky Jack was also an outstanding performer at Inter-Dominion Championships, and his other important successes included the National Handicap and Timaru Cup.

Great Jewel, who joined Berry's stable late in life, was the leading stake-winner of the Dominion one season when he was trained at Yaldhurst, and if he had been sound he would probably have been a champion. Pacing Power was a great horse for Berry from the time he won the Timaru Nursery Stakes. He went on to win the Sapling Stakes, Derby, Ashburton Cup, NZ Premier Sprint Championship, and finished third in two NZ Cups. Sprigfield Globe, who came from Australia to join the stables some three seasons back, became one of the most brilliant pacers of recent years, his successes including the Mason Handicap and the NZ Premier Sprint Champuionship

One of Berry's greatest triumphs, and his last, was to train Bronze Eagle to win the £5000 NZ Trotting Cup of 1944; a triumph because general opinion was that this grand pacer had passed his prime before going into Berry's stable. Bronze Eagle also won the National Handicap and All Aged Stakes for Berry.

As a trainer of Classic and leading handicap races. Berry had an unrivalled record. His successes included: NZ Trotting Cup(Lucky Jack, twice, & Bronze Eagle); NZ Derby(Parisienne & Pacing Power); NZ Sapling Stakes(Parisienne, Pacing Power & Acropolis); NZ Champion Stakes(Attorney & Horsepower); NZ Futurity Stakes(Horsepower & Pacing Power); Great Northern Stakes(Horsepower & Bohemian); Great Northern Derby(Valdor, Parisienne, Horsepower & Acropolis); Canterbury Handicap(Rollo & Southern Chief); Canterbury Park Juvenile Stakes(Sandiways); Canterbury Three-Year-Old Stakes(Globe Direct); Dunedin Cup(Great Jewel); National Cup(Lucky Jack & Bronze Eagle), Dominion Handicap(Trampfast & Pilot Peter); Timaru Nursery Stakes(Walter Moore & Pacing Power); NZ Sires' Produce Stakes(White Satin); NZ Trotting Stakes, Timaru(Paying Guest); NZ Trotting Stakes, Addington(Fantom); NZ Premier Sprint Championship(Springfield Globe & Pacing Power); All Aged Stakes, Ashburton(Horsepower & Bronze Eagle).

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 3Jan46

1944 NEW ZEALAND PREMIER SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP

Pacing Power's grand finishing run to wear down Loyal Friend near the finish and win the NZ Premier Sprint Championship at Addington on Saturday, brought the crowd to it's feet.

Pacing Power had been an unlucky horse for well over a season, and this victory was well-deserved compensation for some bad luck that attended his efforts in big contests. In the 1943 Cup he was the victim of serious interference, and in this year's Cup he had to race on a track that scarcely suited him as well as the fast, dry track he was successful on in the Sprint Championship.

Pacing Power is all horse. Previously his leading role had been that of a stayer, but on Saturday he outstripped the best sprinters in commission, and no matter whether some of the chanpions stood on the mark or not, a championship is a championship calling for good manners and solidity in a horse, as well as speed and stamina. Pacing Power has all these attributes in liberal measure, and, only now six-years-old, he may yet inscribe his name on the roll of NZ Cup winners, because he has not been over-raced and may be just reaching his prime.

He certainly has the right back-ground because he is a descendant of famous Thelma, whose blood will be found in the pedigrees of previous Cup winners in Wildwood Junior(1909 & 1910), Author Dillon(1918), Lucky Jack(1937 & 1939) and Marlene(1940).

Full Result

1st: G Lancaster's PACING POWER. Trained & driven by R B Berry, Yalhurst.

2nd: A J Wilson's LOYAL FRIEND. Driven by F G Holmes.

3rd: B J Wilks's DUSKY SOUND. Driven by L A Maidens.

4th: H W Drewery's JOAN CONQUEST. Driven by J B Pringle.

The winner won by a head, with three lengths back to third.

Times: 2:38 2-5, 2:38 3-5, 2:39 1-5.

Also started: Bronze Eagle bracketed with the winner; Fine Art bracketed with the third horse; Gold Bar; Happy Man; Haughty; Integrity; Indian Clipper; Ronald Logan bracketed with the fourth horse; Parshall.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 15Nov44

Trainer Roy Berry, Owner W J Suttie and Driver George Noble

1944 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

"Black Sheep" of the last trotting Cup field, and looked upon until he joined R B Berry's stable as a pacer who had missed his mission in life, Bronze Eagle showed his real worth on Saturday by as game a performance as any ever put up by a Cup winner. Trained to the minute by R B Berry, and driven with consumate judgement by G B Noble, Bronze Eagle proved that years and years of near misses and frustrated endeavour had not left him with any inferiority complex.

It takes the great to make history; it takes a horse like Bronze Eagle to bury a mediocre past, toss precedents to the wind, and shine forth as one of the greatest stayers of his time. Here was the horse that went dangerously close to being eliminated from the last Cup. This was the 'ghouri' that broke in that race, caused interference, and led the committee to sigh and express a heartfelt wish that they had included Bronze Eagle among those eliminated. And here also is the horse that has sent one of the writer's long-cherished precedents for a six right out of the paddock! We have been telling you for years that horses that fail signally in the Cup do not win in later attempts. Well, Bronze Eagle has put 'paid' to that pet theory with a vengeance; we promise you it will not rear its ugly head again.

We can only admire Bronze Eagle's delayed-action triumph. His redemption, which began when he won the principal event at a Patriotic Meeting in July, came late, but now that it has come, we are glad to concede this handsome chestnut stallion his rightful place among the champions of his decade; to acknowledge that, after all, he was no Sunday horse when he worked well enough in training years ago to win any race in the land. He was merely hiding his light under a bushel, and waiting for the day when a combination par excellence, such as the Bronze Eagle-Berry-Noble trinity, should eventually come to pass.

Bronze Eagle's share of the Cup stake is £3250, and in addition, his owner, Mr W J Suttie, receives the handsome gold cup valued at £100. Bronze Eagle's total winnings now exceed £8000. He was bred by Mrs M A Tasker, Christchurch, and is an eight-year-old chestnut stallion by Wrack 2:02¾, from Lady Bridget, by Guy Parrish (imp) from Bridget Galindo, a full sister to Michael Galindo, one of the best trotters of his day and winner of the Dominion Handicap. Bridget Galindo was by Galindo (imp) from Mavoureen, by Prince Imperial from Moino, by General Tracey. This is a stout pedigree, and should give Bronze Eagle a stud value later on. Wrack was the leading sire of the Dominion for three seasons and is still prominent on the list. Wrack has now sired the winners of five NZ Cups, namely Wrackler (1930), Indianapolis(1934-35-36) and Bronze Eagle. Guy Parrish sired some good winners and trotters, notably Wild Guy (National Cup), Great Parrish (Auckland Cup) and Biddy Parrish, 2:08 trotter. He was a full-brother to Arion Guy, 1:59¾, sire of the dam of Certissimus. Galindo sired some good horses of both gaits. Prince Imperial was one of the most potent breeding forces of his time, and his blood is prominent in the pedigrees of Haughty, Gold Bar and other great ones. General Tracey, by Berlin (imp) from Jeanie Tracey (imp) was one of the best-bred horses of the early days.

Phenomenal is the only way to describe Integrity's effort to run second after losing, at a conservative estimate, 84 yards at the start. He did not settle down until Haughty, the backmarker, was well clear of him, and he could actually be counted out with half a mile covered. He certainly made up most of his lost ground by the time the last quarter was entered upon, but with Haughty now in the lead, and Pacing Power, Bronze Eagle and Countless among the others also in front of him, few were prepared for his spectacular dash down the outside of the track which took him momentarily to the front. He had disposed of Haughty, Pacing Power and Countless, and for a split second he looked like the winner, but then Bronze Eagle flashed through on the inside, where the going was not so good, and he outstayed Integrity by a length and a half.

Bronze Eagle has found a warm spot in the hearts of horselovers who know all about his struggle to reach the top, and enthusiasm knew no bounds when the horses were returned to the birdcage. Thousands literally broke the barriers and crowded onto the track to give Bronze Eagle and George Noble a memorable reception. Again, when Mr A L Matson, president of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, and Mr Forde, Deputy-Prime Minister of Australia, spoke to the presentation of the Cup, the crowd showed approval in whole-hearted fashion.

It was a magnificent race, a popular victory, and the largest crowd ever to attend Addington watched it with bated breath. The totalisator investments on the race, £31,758, are a record, and the £154,064/10/- put through the totalisator for the day is a record for the South Island.

It was another red-letter day in a chain of red-letter days that bedeck the history of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club.

Full Result

1st: W J Suttie's BRONZE EAGLE. Trained by R B Berry, Yaldhurst and driven by G B Noble, started off 24yds.

2nd: V Leeming's INTEGRITY. Driven by D C Watts, started off scratch.

3rd: G Lancaster's PACING POWER. Driven by R B Berry, started off 36yds. Bracketed with the winner.

4th: F McKendry's COUNTLESS. Driven by G McKendry, started off 24yds.

The winner won by a length and a half, with three lengths to third and a further four lengths to fourth.

Times: 4:24 4-5, 4:30 1-5, 4:28 2-5, 4:30 2-5.

Also started: Clockwork scr, Hardy Oak 12 and Haughty 60 bracketed; Parshall scr; Shadow Maid scr; Burt Scott 12; Gold Bar 12; Horsepower 12; Indian Clipper 12; Loyal Friend 12.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

JACK POTTS

How do you go about paying tribute to a sire who achieved as much as Jack Potts?

His record almost comes into the category of awe inspiring. Nine times leading sire, all in succession from 1937 until 1945, is a record achievment, for U Scott who equalled the nine premierships had them spread much further apart. Jack Potts was also leading broodmare sire six times. Altogether he sired 271 individual winners of over $900,000 and his daughters produced over 320 winners, some of them great horses. At one time Jack Potts were sought after in much the same way as gold in the 1860s and when you examined what they achieved this is not surprising.

Foaled in 1920 Jack Potts was imported to this country as a 2 year old by Alex Anderson of Christchurch through Robert A Smith who had a hand in bringing out a number of stallions in those days. Jack Potts was a good racehorse if not a great one though a leg injury he suffered as a young horse always made him a dicky proposition. However from Ces Donald's stable he won nine races and $10,000. He was pipped on the post in the Auckland Cup and was twice placed in the NZ Cup. A very handsome horse and a fine mover Jack Potts's main track victories were the NZMTC Metropolitan, Victoria, Advance, Hagley and Mid-Summer Handicaps and two major handicaps at Auckland.

Jack Potts was 12 years old before his progeny first appeared in 1933-34 winning only $568 that season. By 1935-36 he was third on the sires' list and remained in the top three for 13 seasons. His list of winners has some impressive names. Among them were Emulous who won $45,000 and an Inter-Dominion, dual Cup winner Lucky Jack who won 14 races, Marlene an Auckland and NZ Cup winner, the juvenile champions Pacing Power and Horsepower who won 30 races between them with the former placed in the Cup, Inter-Dominion champion of 1938 in Pot Luck ($17,000), Fine Art winner of 15 races, King Potts winner of 12 including the Easter Cup, Auckland Cup winner Betty Boop, Cup placegetters and major winners in Plunder Bar, Knave of Diamonds and Countless.

Lightning Lady the winner of 14 races, Ingle Belmer winner of 12, Clockwork the 1½ mile national record holder for some years and winner of 12 races, Checkmate (11 wins), free-for-all winner Indian Clipper (12 wins), Ferry Post (unsound, but still the winner of 14 races), Brucus, County Antrim and Accountant were other big winners for Jack Potts but by no means were they finished yet. Jack Potts produced a big number of top juveniles including the Derby winner Gamble and Sapling Stakes winner in Two's Loose, other Sapling winners in Frisco Lady and Sir Julien and G N Derby winner Free Again. Any number of his offspring reached tight assessments including Realm Again, Molly Direct, On Approval, Jack Peterson, Mighty Fine and War Guard. The stock of Jack Potts won four NZ Derbies and three NZ Cups. His offspring favoured the pacing gait and very few trotters by him ever appeared.

As a sire of broodmares Jack Potts was even more successful. Among the major winners his daughters produced were Tactician, our first two-minute racehorse who won 20 races including an Inter-Dominion and $40,000; Van Dieman winner of 18 and $42,000; Merval winner of 11 and holder for a time of a world's race record for a mare over a mile; the great Rupee winner of 14; Thelma Globe who won 17 races and also held a world mark over 1¼ miles; Globe Direct another record holder and winner of 14; Young Charles who won 11 races and would have won more if fully sound and a champion juvenile horse; Excelsa (10 wins) who ironically prevented Rupee from winning 10 successive tote races; Auditor, Lady Rowan, Trueco, Gough's Pride, Wayward Peter and Whipster who between them won nearly 70 races and Starbeam, Signal Light, Court Martial, Gay Knight (13 wins) were other big winners from Jack Potts mares.

Lottie Location an unraced daughter produced Local Gold who won nine and produced Arania (1:57, 12 wins) and Local Light, Sure Potts produced Florita who won nine. The unraced Anita Patch produced Patchwork (12 wins, Easter Cup) and Aladdin who won 8. Ingle Belmer, a Jack Potts-Purple Patch mare was the dam of Lady Belmer winner of 13. Lightning Lady produced six winners including Dresden Lady who won 10 and Ladyship the dam of Lordship. Kaulala, a daughter of Horotane produced Great Wonder winner of 10 while another daughter of that mare in Nightbeam (6 wins herself) produced the Broodmare of the Year in Nancy Lee in addition to those mentioned. Joan Potts produced the good racehorse and broodmare in La Fey while Aurie's Star in addition to Young Charles produced Ohio who won seven for Sir John McKenzie. Windermere produced Johnny Guitar who won nine including the Wellington Cup, Santa Anita produced eight winners and a daughter of the Jack Potts mare Suda Bay produced the grandam of Nigel Craig in addition to others. Kublai Khan, Genghis Khan, Impressario and Maharajah were some of the good winners produced from Jack Potts mares

In all the direct offspring of Jack Potts won more than 1200 races. For a number of years the stallion was a showring champion as well and he died in 1948 at 28 years of age. He was buried close to the Donald homestead. Apart from his first two seasons when he stood at M B (Dil) Edwards's Yaldhurst establishment he spent all his stud career at Donald's. His initial fee was seven guineas which seem ludicrous today. At the height of his career he stood at 25 guineas and later 50 guineas in his last year. Perhaps then it is not surprising that Ces Donald was quoted in later years as saying that the stud side of his operation did not make a significant profit. In his early years Jack Potts was not rushed by breeders either though he was fortunate to have the fine juvenile pacer Gamble from his first crop.

A number of Jack Potts sons were stood at stud including Gamble, Emulous, Lucky Jack, Pacing Power, Globe Direct, Realm Again (as a colt), Colossal and Tsana. Some of his sons including Gamble and Pacing Power did well in Australia and his daughters which went to that country also did well producing among others the West Australian champion Mark David.

Even though it was inevitablethat it would be superseded Jack Potts achieved a magnificent feat in siring the winners of nearly a million dollars, particularly as during the war years when he was king of the walk, racing was severely curtailed. His place in trotting is secure as one of the three greatest sires ever to have stood in this country.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in NZ Trotguide 19Jan77

WILLIAM CLINTON

A court case involving a New Zealand Trotting Cup winner, a leading trainer and a well-known Canterbury owner was guaranteed to be a headliner.

The 1911 New Zealand Cup winner, Lady Clare, raced by Darfield farmer, William F Clinton, and trained at Addington by Jim Tasker was the centre of a suit for £600 damages (about half the stake of a NZ Cup in those days) against Clinton, money Tasker considered he had been denied in stake earnings by the owner's drastic actions.

Clinton had paid a hefty 165 quineas to buy Lady Clare at an Ashburton sale only a year before her Cup win. She had ability but had only won a few races. Tasker agreed to train her for 10 shillings a week (for race expenses and shoeing) the stakes evenly divided. He had trained and driven Marian to become the first mare to win the NZ Cup in 1907 and make his wife, Sarah, the first female owner though that seems a well kept secret. Tasker also bred and sold Sal Tasker, named after his daughter, an Australasian champion mare.

He imported the stallion Galindo and others from America. Tasker drove the fancied stablemate Aberfeldy in the 1911 Cup and Ashburton's Jack Brankin handled Lady Clare. She led most of the way landing big bets for Clinton. In court Tasker took exception to Clinton's lawyer Oscar Alpers claiming that he had driven Aberfeldy "on a tight rein". Justice Dennison reminded Alpers that it was not a trial for fraud. Aberfeldy started in four Cups from the stable.

Set all year for a 1912 repeat Lady Clare suffered a minor knock on a leg in October. Tasker wrote to Clinton saying he would aim at supporting features and withdraw from the Cup. Clinton, who had backed the mare heavily for the Cup threw Tasker's letter in the fire, rang the club and scratched her from all her engagements in Cup week. Tasker was furious and sued. The mare had recovered well and the club's vet passed her fit to race. Another, Dr Charlton, praised Tasker's professional approach to the mare's injury at the hearing.

The colourful Clinton was the star of the courtroom drama but destroyed his own case along the way. Described as "a bewhiskered and somewhat rustic looking figure" he confided to the judge that "of course I had had a whiskey by then" when Tasker's lawyer questioned his refusal to discuss the mare's programme with Tasker after the latter made a special trip to Tattersalls hotel to meet him. "Are you sure it was not a double?" the normally humourless Justice Dennison asked.

Clinton, one of the most successful farmers in Canterbury whose stock sales attracted buyers from all over the province, claimed the right to scratch even though the agreement with Tasker was registered. He then whispered loudly to the judge that as there were no ladies in the court he could say the words Tasker had used telling Clinton what he could do with the mare if he did not accept the terms. "That would be rather a large undertaking" Dennison dryly commented on hearing them, telling the typist to replace them with a row of stars. Clinton then made the damaging admission to the judge that the cost of his actions to Tasker was "no more than he had cost me by scratching from the Cup" - referring to his Cup bets. "Such a statement made the reason for the action of Clinton very plain indeed" the Judge told the jury in the summing up.

Tasker's lawyer Mr Stringer, questioned Clinton about incidents caused by drinking on past visits to the city in his Cadillac and whether this was another example. Clinton had appeared unsteady making his way to the witness box.
Clinton: "That is a personal question and I refuse to answer"
Stringer: "Haven't you in fact had a glass too much this morning?"
Cliton: "That is a very personal question and I won't answer"

At the end of the show the jury absolved Tasker of any Blame ans awarded him £350 in damages. Another sensation passed into history.

Jim Tasker is still the only trainer to win NZ Cups with two different mares. In a bizarre coincidence the 1944 winner, Bronze Eagle from a family Tasker had had for 40 years, was bred, owned and trained by his son, Cliff, until a few months before the race. Tasker lost possession of the horse in a marriage settlement. His former wife gave it to her son, William Suttie, of Springston, the official owner. In another coincidence George Noble, like Brankin, only got the drive because trainer Roy Berry opted for inform stablemate, Pacing Power. Bronze Eagle had several Cup starts and sired the near champion filly, Vivanti, an early star for Cecil Devine.

Tasker retained Bronze Eagle's half-brother, Sir Michael, which won the NZ Free-For-All and NZ Derby for him some years later. The Tasker maternal line starting with Mavourneen were shy breeders and the Group 1 winners were Lady Bridget's only foals over many years.

William Clinton, whose family remains prominent in West Canterbury, died suddenly in 1915 triggering the biggest farming sale in Canterbury for years. He had also bought and raced the high class little roan trotter Muricata, good enough to be nominated for a NZ Cup against the pacers. Adding insult to injury she was run down late in the 1913 Dominion Handicap by the Tasker-owned Michael Galindo. Sold in 1917 Muricata left the dual NZ Cup winner, Ahuriri, and another top class pacer, the pony roan Taraire, later winner of the Pacing Championship in Perth which preceded the Inter-Dominion.

The NZ Cup association did not end there. Luxury Liner the record breaking 1987 winner had as his fifth dam none other than William Francis Clinton's fine staying mare, Lady Clare.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in HRWeekly 26Jun1911