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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

Nellie Winter & Millom's Girl

NELLIE WINTER

When Nellie Boyns scraped together £25 to buy a standardbred filly named Loyal Bonny in 1935, she mainly wanted a hack to ride, but one who could be bred from later on. It was considered a lot of money at that time, more so for a young buyer who was working full time for only 25 shillings per week.

Loyal Bonny was offered to Nellie (now Mrs Nellie Winter) for lease and this seemed a better alternative to buying the filly outright. However, Nellie's parents were not keen for her to have Bonny Loyal and they told her if she wanted the filly she would have to buy her. Nellie suspects her parents thought she would not be able to raise the necessary finance for the purchase which would mean she would not get the filly, but they had underestimated their daughter's determination. Nellie raised £23 and her father, who must have decided the project was a worthwhile one after all, made up the rest.

Later on, Nellie decided to try Loyal Bonny as a racing proposition. However, when she was put in the cart it was discovered she had only been mouthed on one side. This made driving her difficult and Nellie decided to put the mare in foal. She was sent to Lusty Volo and left a chestnut colt, later named Lusty Volo. Nellie sold him for £200 and this was her start in the business of breeding and selling. "My father told me wise men breed horses for fools to race," she said. "That is why we never raced a horse until he was two years dead and gone." Loyal Bonny left 15 live foals and Nellie sold them all except for three fillies, Eskdale, Millom and Whitehaven.

The latest relative of Loyal Bonny to be sold was Bonny Cord, who was by Card Shark out of Bonny Cindy. Bonny Cindy was by Nevele Gourmet out of Whitehaven. Nellie said an American trainer bought Bonny Cord as a 21st birthday present for his daughter. Today, more than 45 years since she purchased Loyal Bonny, Nellie was reluctant to estimate how many horses she has bred, raced or sold, but there have been many top horses amongst them. "It has been a lifetime of work," she said simply. Suffice to say that horses like the top trotters Westland King and his son Stormy Morn, Uteena and her son Tuteena and the top pacers Lookaway, Speedy Lopez, Flying Dream and Gerry Junior, to name only a few, all have one thing in common; they all trace to Nellie Winter's £25 hack, Loyal Bonny.

Nellie said her father, Henry Walker Boyns, was born in Millom, Cumberland, in the north of England. He was educated at Whitehaven University and later taught at Leeds University. He came to NZ on holiday in 1905, but ended up staying here. "He met my mother walking down the street and married her three weeks later," Nellie said. Although her father had "mucked around with the odd galloper" and had bred draught horses, Nellie's initial interest in horses stemmed mainly from the need to have a reliable hack to ride. Horses provided the main source of transport in NZ during Nellie's school days and it was a seven mile ride to her school.

She said she was one of the first women to be issued with a trainer's licence in NZ, but the licence approval had not come easily. It took perseverance and seven years of applications and rejections before she was finally granted an amateur trainer's licence in July, 1971. The Trotting Conference licensing committee had given her many reasons over the years why she could not be licensed. One of the final reasons - that she did not own a racing sulky - was easily remedied and had the desired result of licence approval. However, Nellie soon discovered licence approval was only a small step towards recognition as a trainer and it was clear that there were many male trainers and drivers, as well as club officials, who felt she should not be licensed. "I had a job getting started - the drivers ganged up on me," she said.

It was difficult to get drivers for her horses. But Peter Toomey was one who suffered no aversions to driving for a woman trainer. He drove most of Nellie's horses in those early days, before the success of her horses, and the licensing of other woman trainers, gradually waned the opposition. Over the years, Nellie had received many compliments on her "marvellously mouthed" horses. Credit for the skillful mouthing work was due to Burke Roper, who went to school with Nellie's second husband, Henry Winter. Mr Roper later worked for Nellie and Henry when Nellie ran a dairy farm at New Brighton which had been bequeathed to her by her parents. "We were on town supply at New Brighton," Nellie said, "so the cows came first." In addition they also owned several butcher shops and Henry Winter was also a cattle dealer, but with Mr Roper's help there was still time for the horses.

Nellie said she had been a widow for 15 years and had moved to her present home, on an 86 acre property at Marshlands in Christchurch, when her New Brighton farmland was zoned residential about seven years ago. Although Nellie trains a small team, her stable is a busy one. The welcome mat is always out at the Winter stable. Several trainers work from her property and a number of young trainers had started out leasing boxes at her stable before moving on to their own properties. Nellie also grazes outside horses on the property which she said is ideally suited to horses. "My foals and yearlings tower head and shoulders above the rest that come here to graze," she said. She is also proud of her roomy 800 metre clay track. "Our horses never get leg problems here," she explained.

Nellie's most recent training success was with Isel (Loyal Bonny's great grandson) at the Cheviot meeting held at Addington on March 19. She also qualified yet another of Loyal Bonny's great grandson's in Bonny Fella at Addington a fortnight ago. At the Winter stable, all trainers of winners, qualifiers and horses sold are expected to provide cream cakes for everyone at morning tea, so Nellie had to provide two spreads in quick succession. The cream cake requirement was not too good for the various trainer's waistlines, Nellie said, but it was a pleasant way of celebrating success - and also very nice for visiting journalists.

Nellie will tell you her horses are "all pets" and when asked who is the best horse she has been associated with, she will not single out any one horse. But there is one, a yearling named Millom's Girl, whom she is particularly fond of at present. The youngster is a great granddaughter of Loyal Bonny. She is by Keystone Mutiny out of Flying Jill (Flying Song-Millom, by U Scott out of Loyal Bonny). Although she had already had an offer from an American buyer for Millom's Girl, Nellie said she planned to race the filly with a friend, Edith Savage, and they have high hopes for her.

Credit: Shelley Caldwell writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 6Apr83

Cecil Devine with the Cup won by Lord Module

1979 NZ TROTTING CUP

There have been many vocal receptions for winners at Addington over the years. But its been a long, long time since anyone got the reception Lord Module and his veteran trainer Cecil Devine had to face after their thrilling NZ Cup win last Tuesday.

The cheers started as the brilliant racehorse bullocked his way out of the ruck at the top of the straight, took complete charge 150 metres out and left the others to it. They continued, with a fair bit of admiring applause thrown in, too, as an emotional Devine brought Lord Module back into the birdcage before the howl of the protest siren changed the tone of the hubub. But they started anew as a still-shaking Devine emerged back into the sunlight of the birdcage from the gloom of the stipes room and made his way across the lawn to be presented with what must have been his dream come true...the gleam of gold at the end of a driving career lasting 43 years.

Devine had previously trained and driven five New Zealand Cup winners (Van Dieman in 1952, Thunder 1956 and False Step 1858-59-60)but none would have been achieved in such tense circumstances, and with such spectacular ease or with such significance as last Tuesday's victory. It was especially significant for it was Cecil's last drive in the Cup. He has to give up at the end of the present season, having reached the compolsory retiring age of 65.

It was especially tense for, even having drawn 3 on the front, Lord Module stood on the mark and swung round, losing forty of fifty metres before hitting out fairly.
After 800 metres he had caught the field to be three wide at the rear. Soon after, though, he got a good run through to be perfectly placed one out and one back behind Sapling. However Sapling, not going like a horse who won more than $130,000 last season, started to feel the pinch about 800 metres from home and Lord Module lost his place. He was wide at the turn, appeared to put in a couple of rough ones, and then charged out of the ruck and set sail for the line and that $52,000 first prize.

It was thought later that Lord Module might have interfered with the chances of third placed Trevira at that moment. But according to Gavin Hamilton, driver of the southern visitor, he knew Lord Module was "bursting to go" behind him and there was no way he could have beaten the Lordship five-year-old. The astute Devine had Lord Mobule trained to the minute, if not the second, for the big race. In seven previous starts this season, the horse had scored a win, four seconds and two thirds. His time of 4:09 for the 3200 metres equalled the time of Robalan in 1974 and was just .4 of a second outside the time set by Lunar Chance and Arapaho. It was a good effort considering the windy conditions.

As well as setting a personal record for Devine, the race also produced another unique statistic. When Lord Module goes to stud, which he undoubtedly will do before too many more seasons are over he will be the third in a direct line of Cup winners. His sire Lordship won the Cup twice (in '62 and '66) and that great performer's own sire Johnny Globe took it in 1954 in a time that was never bettered, 4:07.6 for the two miles. Winner of the Cup in 1916, incidentally, Cathedral Chimes went on to sire Ahuriri ('25 and '26) and in the following year, Kohara.

Lord Module is out of Module, a Bachelor Hanover mare out of Volatile, by First Lord out of Belle Volo, by Lusty Volo out of Belle Pointer by the great Logan Pointer, himself the sire of a double New Zealand Cup winner in Harold Logan. The blood of Logan Pointer is also prominent in the blood of Lord Module's male line.

For the beaten lot in this year's Cup, though - and most of them were a thoroughly beaten lot - there could be few excuses. Runner-up, hardy little Rocky Tryax enjoyed a perfect trail for most of the trip and Lord Module went past him in the straight as if he was tied to the rail. Trevira was doing good work at the end and Bad Luck, in the possie he seems to like the best, making the pace, just hung on for his forth. Driver Robert Cameron said later he was waiting for something to have him on but the challenges just didn't come to push him.

Tough mare Del's Dream did the best of the northern contingent and driver Denis Nyhan thought he was in with a good show going down the back for the last time. "I was going well enough and I could see that most of the others were flat," he said. But the mare, too, had no answer to the power of Lord Module's withering burst. Last year's winner Trusty Scot was slow away and then had to come wide from the turn, Greg Robinson was checked and broke at the 2000 metres and must have finished closed but for this and Delightful Lady broke for no reason. Wee Win was well enough placed on the outer and it was unusual for him, after having been where he likes it, not to have pressed on. Majestic Charger had his chance while Sapling, after a hard run early, had little left at the end. Sun Seeker made a flier at the start but then in the incident when Greg Robinson met trouble, put paid to any chance he may have had and that of Rondel at the same time.

It was probably ironic that while Cecil Devine was winning at his nineteenth drive in the New Zealand Cup, his son-in-law Kevin Williams (Sun Seeker) was earning himself a week's holiday for that incident in just his first Cup drive.


Credit: Graham Ingram writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

CECIL DONALD

The first trainer in either code to train 1000 winners (in 1972) Cecil Donald has a special hniche in harness racing history. But a simple stat hadly does him justice. In an erawhen the Purdon have rewritten most training records, the innovation and scope of the vintage Donald years stand out as exceptional.

Donald was the "young man in a hurry" of the trotting world from the time he started out training at Addington in 1922. Having five horses was considered a large professional stable then, and only people like James Bryce had 20. Donald soon had 30 in work. Within seven years he had won his first training and driving premierships, his 45 training wins being 11 more than the previous best. He also held the driving record.

After a hat-trick at Forbury he was described in the media as a "healthy vigourous young man whose secret is his personal supervision every day of a huge team of 30 horses." When Cecil won his final Premiership in 1961 he had equalled James Bryce's enduring record of seven. He had won an Auckland Cup (Carmel) and quinellaed the Dominion Handicap (Kempton, Writer) within 12 months of his first. He also posted the lowest winning total of any premiership with 17 wins in 1941-42 when there were only 559 races and huge travel restrictions. Through that era his operation and enterprise constantly attracted headlines.

Some of the major ones:

* In 1931 he became the first to drive and win a race at Addington (the first) the morning after driving in the seventh race at Alexandra Park. Donald had arranged for Captain McGregor to fly his primitive aircraft from Christchurch to Feilding, left the Northern Express near there for his first plane ride and was able to inspect his stable before the first race.

* Early trainers stood stallions to make ends meet but Donald went a lot further with Jack Potts which arrived from America as a 3-year-old in 1922 imported by Alec Anderson. Jack Potts, a lovely pacer, and the only American pacing-bred sire available then, became the breeding phenomenon of his era winning nine successive sires premierships.

* In 1938-39 Jack Potts was the first to leave 100 winners in a season. Donald also stood sons of Jack Potts such as Gamble (2nd in a NZ Cup) which at times caused some problems with officialdom. In 1937he had over 150 horses at Belfast, unheard of in that era. He also raced and trained gallopers and stood thoroughbreds at stud.

* Calumet Axworth, a disappointment, and Lusty Volo, a £1500 purchase, were stallions Donald imported from America. Lusty Volo died from heart failure whe his oldest crop were only two. He left top liners Great Venture and Sir Michael as well as the dam of Our Roger.

* At the 1937 New Zealand Cup meeting Donald was the leading trainer, the leading driver and his stallion Jack Potts the leading sire - another unique record. At the 1940 New Zealand Cup meeting, Donald trained the winner of the NZ Cup (Marlene), the Dominion Handicap (Tan John, a $16 buy and then aged 14) and the NZ FFA (Plutus) - a feat not repeated in the 72 years since.

* Cecil quoted his feat of training the home-bred but chronically unsound Marlene, then seven, to win the Cup as his finest achievment. As usual his skilful brother, Ron, drove, Cecil believing lightweight was an advantage in the cart. He had also been severely injured in a fall driving Accountant that year. But Cecil drove Cairnbrae (an 8-year-old) with supreme judgement (led last mile) to win his second Cup for owner Ted Lowe in 1964 at a time when the various brackets including King Hal, Gildirect, Urrall, Falsehood and Dandy Briar were popular combinations with the public. Donald had minor placings in other Cups with Lindbergh, Jack Potts, Bayard, Lary Shona and Falsehood.

* More than once he produced three horse brackets in the race. Dandy Briar won an Auckland Cup. In later years Chief Command, Indecision and Rauka Lad were his top pacers.

* In 1941 Donald based his entire racing team at Oamaru in the weeks leading up to the August Addington meeting because of the drier tracks. "The Belfast track was always a problem in winter but those were the sort of ideas he would come up with," Donald's former chief assistant Bob Nyhan recalls.

* A Donald innovation relieved a disastrous fire at Belfast which killed his high class pacer Accountant, a brother to Marlene. He had a special irrigation system for his track. "It was something new," Nyhan said. "Nobody bothered to water their training tracks like that. He also groomed the track during training sessions." When a rear barn burst into flames during the night in June, 1944, only the resources of the track watering system saved the main barn. Five horses died in the fire, most by suffocation.

* In 1950 Donald who had held some large sales of his own of young stock here in the 1930's, landed in Sydney with 25 horses to sell or, if not sold, to race. Among them was the stallion Gamble which fetched 1300 quineas. Most of the rest found a new home.

* The Donald training regime accentuated the basics. He had extraordinary patience in "setting a horse up" - claimed as 12 months or more by some. "He was a great feeder," Nyhan remembers. Glocose was a staple part of the horse's diet and his biggest successes were with stayers.

* Don Nyhan used to recall how Donald would put colts together on trucks without stalls as part of their education.

* Beside all that Ces Donald was a leading cattle dealer and eventually bought farms to cater for his stock. To manage one of the biggest racing teams in the country, a stud, and maintain his dealing interests makes him one of the rare achievers in the Kiwi harness world.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in HRWeekly 2May12

Our Roger & Doug Watts parade after the 1955 NZ Cup win

OUR ROGER

Our Roger, who was recently retired by his owner, Mr W A Newton, of Akaroa, had a meteoric rise to the best classes. Although he was not surrounded with the glamour of Johnny Globe, Highland Fling and Harold Logan, Our Roger was an honest and game pacer who gained his place amongst the best in the Dominion through sheer grit and determination.

Our Roger showed ability right from the start, but was considered a 'write-off' when he developed a wind affliction. He recovered quickly following an operation and soon showed his true calibre by going right through the classes to cap a fine career in November 1955 by giving a grand display to win the NZ Cup.

When the pedigree of Our Roger is studied it is not surprising that he reached dress-circle company, as he is directly descended from that grand producer, Berthabell(imp) who was imported to NZ by Mr Etienne Le Lievre in 1914. In the 1930's Mr Le Lievre gave Bertha Parrish, one of Berthabell's last foals to his son-in-law, Mr W A Newton. Mr Newton mated Bertha Parrish with Lusty Volo to produce Sea Gypsy. As a 6-year-old the unraced Sea Gypsy produced her first foal, Our Roger, to Dillon Hall.

J D Litten was entrusted with the developing and training of Our Roger and at his first start as a 3-year-old, he finished third in the Waiutu Handicap at the winter meeting of the Reefton Jockey Club in June 1951. He followed up this forward showing by winning the Lewis Pass Handicap on the second day by three lengths. That was his sole success as a 3-year-old.

As a 4-year-old in the 1951-52 season Our Roger won two races and was then put aside pending an operation for his wind. Following his operation he was spelled on his owner's property at Akaroa and on his return to racing the next season he quickly demonstrated that he had made a complete recovery by winning the Wainoni Handicap at the New Brighton Trotting Club's summer meeting in December, 1953, pacing the mile and a half journey in the smart time of 3.13 3/5. Four more successes came his way that season, including the Ritchie Handicap at Forbury Park.

Our Roger opened his winning account for the 1954-55 season when he won the President's Handicap at Forbury Park in October and he completed a nice double for the day when he was successful later in the Farewell Handicap. It was now apparent that Our Roger was headed for the best classes. He next won a qualifying heat of the Inter-Dominion Championships at Auckland in February, 1955, this being his final success for the season.

At the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's National meeting in 1955 Our Roger won the Louisson Handicap and immediately entered calculations for the next NZ Cup. His next four starts resulted in two minor placings but his fifth appearance proved him too good from the limit, for Caduceus, Johnny Globe and Rupee in the Ashburton Flying Stakes, when he beat his stablemate Caduceus, and Johnny Globe, by a length, these two dead-heating for second place.

His next and greatest triumph was in the NZ Cup of 1955 when he outstayed such horses as Rupee, Excelsa, Thelma Globe, Caduceus, Our Kentucky and Tactician over the final half mile of a truly-run race, registering 4.12 1/5 for the two-mile journey. His Cup success was his fifteenth of Our Roger's career and his last. He retires the winner of £15,224 10s in stakes.

Our Roger was trained throughout his career by the West Melton trainer, J D Litten, but was driven to win the Cup by D C Watts. On receiving the Cup Mr Newton said: "The credit must go to Mr Litten and his stable boys and to 'Roger's' driver, Mr Watts." Mr Newton later said that he had been trying since 1924 to breed a winner of the NZ Cup and Our Roger was only the second horse he had raced.

Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 9Jan57

SEA GIFT

The death was reported recently of the grand trotting mare in Sea Gift.

Sea Gift was champion trotter of her era; she raced with conspicuous success for eight seasons and she took a record of 4.21 2/5 for two miles which was a record for some years. One of her greatest performances was at Forbury Park on November 28, 1936 when she downed a good field of pacers in the President's Handicap, the principal event. Sea Gift won by three lengths and returned the good time of 4.26 for the two miles. Included in the field were such pacers as Gunfire(2nd), Grace McElwyn(3rd), Iraq(4th), Pot Luck, Rocks Ahead and Bonny Azure.

Sea Gift was bred by the late H F Nicoll, Ashburton when the depression was at it's height; horses were a liability, even the good ones, and Sea Gift went under the hammer at a Durbar Lodge dispersal sale at the gift price of 6gns. Her purchaser was Mr D McNeill, but she made her first race appearance in the ownership of J Bryce, who also trained her. Foaled in 1929, Sea Gift was by Wrack (who sired innumerable high-class trotters), from an un-named mare by Paul Huon. This un-named mare was also out of an un-named mare by Franz and nothing more in known about the pedigree of Sea Gift.

Sea Gift commenced racing as a 3-year-old in the 1932-33 season and at her first start she finished third in the Longbeach Handicap at Ashburton on June 10, 1933, when trained by J Bryce and driven by A Bryce. She was unplaced at her next attempt but quickly made amends in the Foxhill Handicap on the second day of the Nelson meeting in June, the same season. This was Sea Gift's third and last start as a 3-year-old and she won by a length, beating Alf Parrish and Sister Mary.

At four years, Sea Gift started 15 times and gained four wins and three places. At her fifth start at that age - in the ownership of Mr T Smith - she won the Summer Handicap at Greymouth, beating Wahnooka by three lengths, Worthy Star being third. By this time Sea Gift was being trained by the late E J Smith, who drove her in the Summer Handicap. Sea Gift's other three successes that season were in the Peninsula Handicap at Forbury Park, the Winter Handicap at Wellington and the Progressive Handicap at Canterbury Park. These three wins were gained in succession and Sea Gift had passed into the ownership of the late Mr C M Archer and Mr D McFarlane, for whom she was still being trained by E J Smith. She was driven at Forbury Park by M Holmes, but E J Smith held the reins in her other two wins.

The 1934-5 season was a very succesful one for Sea Gift. In all, she won seven races and was placed once for £1049 in stakes, a small reward on today's standards. Her most important successes that season were in the Autumn Handicap at the Metropolitan Easter meeting and in the Elevation Handicap at Canterbury Park. In the later event, Sea Gift started from 72 yards and beat Explosion, who was on 60 yards, by a length, and ran the two-mile journey on a heavy track in 4.40 2/5. Teviot Downs, driven by J Fraser, Jnr was third and Standby was fourth.

As a 6-year-old in the 1935-6 season, Sea Gift won the Steward's Handicap on the first day of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's August meeting and followed this success with a clear-cut win by two lengths in the Dominion Handicap. This event was then run over one mile and a half and Sea Gift, driven by her trainer, E J Smith, started from 36 yards and won by two lengths. Runner-up to Sea Gift was Stanley T(24 yards), who was driven by R Young. Lough Guy(Limit), driven by owner R Townley was third. Sea Gift was also placed on two occasions that season, finishing third to First Wrack in the Middleton Handicap, from 84 yards and third in the High Class Handicap on the second day of the Easter meeting at Addington.

Her first appearance in the 1936-7 season as a 7-year-old resulted in a win for Sea Gift. This was in the Steward's Handicap at the August meeting at Addington. She started from 84 yards behind and beat Teviot Downs by a short head, running the mile and a half journey in 3.37 on a holding track. Sea Gift was now forced to race from long marks against those of her gait and her chances were becoming fewer and fewer. At her third start for the 1936-7 season she was beaten into second by Wrackler in the Addington Handicap and she then took on the pacers in the James Buchanan Handicap at Forbury Park. This was her first attempt against the pacers and she was beaten into second place by a good pacer in Willow Wave, driven by O E Hooper.

Despite her good showing in this event, Sea Gift was allowed to go out 8-7 in the betting in the President's Handicap on the second day, which she won by three lengths. Her next two starts resulted in two third placings and in the latter she beat all but Lucky Jack and Village Guy in the Timaru Handicap, trotting the two miles in 4.29 3/5. Sea Gift's last success as a 7-year-old was in the Halswell Handicap at the Addington Easter meeting. A field of high-class pacers lined up for this event, including Morello, Rongomai, Pot Luck, Big Author and Rocks Ahead. Trotting in her best style, Sea Gift beat them all, having a neck to spare from Morello at the post with Rongomai in third place. She ran the two-mile journey in 4.27 3/5.

This gallant little mare had 17 starts as an 8-year-old and although she failed to win a race, she was placed four times. She finished third to King's Play and Nervie's Last in the Canterbury Handicap at Addington, third in the Burwood Handicap at New Brighton to Pot Luck and Isabel Derby, second to Parisienne in the Lyttleton Handicap at Addington and second to Isabel Derby in the Timaru Cup. It was no disgrace for Sea Gift to have to go under to pacers of the calibre of those who beat her that season.

Sea Gift was nine years old in the 1938-9 season and 'father time' combined with a busy career was beginning to catch up on her. She was not a spent force however. At her second start for that season, she took her place in the National Challenge Stakes, run on the second day of the August meeting at Addington. This was a special event for trotters and pacers and was run over two miles. The field comprised King's Warrior, Sea Gift, Wahnooka, Peggoty, Waikato Prince, Ginger Jack, Lucky Jack and War Buoy. The trotters in the field started from the limit and the pacers were handicapped on 72 yards. Sea Gift trotted a gallant race and led into the straight from Wahnooka, Peggoty and King's Warrior. In the run to the judge, King's Warrior, driven by the late F J Smith, proved too good and he beat Sea Gift by two lengths with Wahnooka in third place.

Two more minor placings came Sea Gift's way that season before she managed to run home a winner. She finished fourth to Logan Derby, Southern Smile and Morello in the President's Handicap at Forbury Park and fourth in the Forbury Handicap at the same meeting to Logan Derby, Morello and Renown's Best. Before the season closed, Sea Gift returned to winning form in the James Memorial Handicap at Forbury Park, a race in which she beat Marsceres and Marlene, in the smart time of 4.24.

Sea Gift started three times at the age of 10 years, but her only glimpse of form was her fourth placing behind Marsceres, Horsepower and Silver Guy in the Queen Mary Handicap at the Addigton August meeting.

Sea Gift's record against the pacers must rank as one of the best compiled by one of her gait. She met and beat high-class pacers on three occasions and was placed nine times when racing against them. In all, Sea Gift won 18 races and was placed 21 times for £3889 in stakes. Of course stake money was microscopic then compared with 1952.

Retired to stud, Sea Gift produced Trade Wind to Lusty Volo in 1940. Trade Wind failed to win a race but on being returned to Lusty Volo, Sea Gift produced Sea Glory, who took a record of 3.58 for one mile and five furlongs as a trotter. Volo's Gift, also by Lusty Volo, was the 1942 foal of Sea Gift. He was also a useful trotter who took a record of 4.45 1/5. In 1945, Sea Gift produced Sandan to U Scott. Sandan was a good winner as a pacer in NZ, having a record of 3.18 1/5 for one mile and a half, and she has been a good winner in Australia as a trotter, where she is a record holder.


Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 17Apr57

Doug Watts, Owner Bill Newton & Trainer Jack Litten

1955 NZ TROTTING CUP

In 1914 the late Mr Etienne Le Lievre imported to New Zealand the American mare, Berthabell, and installed her as the grand dame of his already select "Oinako" stud at Akaroa. Berthabell proved a prolific broodmare. In the 1930's Mr Le Lievre gave Bertha Parrish, one of Berthabell's last foals to his son-in-law, Mr W A Newton, now the mayor of Akaroa.

Mr Newton mated Bertha Parrish with the imported Lusty Volo to produce Sea Gypsy. As a six-year-old the unraced Sea Gypsy produced her first foal, Our Roger, to Dillon Hall. Our Roger showed ability right from the start, but early in his career was considered a "write-off" when he developed a wind afflection. He recovered completely following an operation, won his way to the best class, and at Addington produced a grand display of stamina and determination to wine the 1955 New Zealand Cup from Rupee, Excelsa and Thelma Globe. It was Our Roger's day, he took all the honours.

Third out of the barrier, Our Roger was always in the first half dozen, and he clung to the rails for most of the journey. D C Watts was content to keep him in this handy position until rounding the home turn, where he moved up to share second placing with his stablemate, Caduceus, just behind the joint leaders, Rupee and Excelsa. Our Roger was abreast with Rupee and Excelsa at the furlong, and it was obvious that all three were tired horses. First, Rupee took Excelsa's measure, and looked likely to win, but Our Roger, under a vigorous drive, was not to be denied, and he gradually wore down J. Grice's six-year-old to win going away by two lengths. He paced his two miles in 4:12.2 - time which had previously been bettered by only nine horses in the history of the sport in New Zealand. Our Roger enjoyed one of the best positions in the running, but D C Watts was not without his anxious moments. The gelding had difficulty in working clear, and actually clipped the wheel of Rupee's sulky on the home turn. With less luck, he could have met his undoing at that stage.

The only excuse that could be offered for Rupee is that he pulled a punctured tyre from the home turn; but it is most unlikely that that would have any bearing on the result. He began brilliantly from the limit, and in the first few strides was two lengths clear. When Exselsa took over with one mile and a half to run, he received a perfect trail, which he enjoyed to the home turn. Driver D J Townley said after the race that when he pulled Rupee clear in the straight he considered he had Excelsa well covered, but knew the one to beat was going to be Our Roger. "I still though that Rupee would outstay him; but on the day Our Roger was the better horse," he said. Rupee finished one and a half lengths clear of Excelsa, who was far from disgraced. She made her best beginning for a long time, and set a true pace for the mile and a half. She did not give in until well into the straight and battled on gamely to the end.

If there are to be any excuses made, they are perhaps deserved by the grand mare, Thelma Globe, who, in finishing fourth from 36 yards behind, recorded 4:11, a world record for one of her sex. Thelma Globe was well back in the field from the outset, and with six furlongs to travel, she had only Merval, Single Direct and Aladdin behind her. She was still well back at the half, but she then commenced a run which carried her around the outside up to the middle of the field on the top turn. She was behind the first six turning for home, and continued her run right to the post for her placing, one and a half lengths from Excelsa. Thelma Globe's trainer-driver, J B Pringle, said after the race that when he attempted to give the mare a reminder with the whip at the top of the straight, the lash got caught in the shaft, and he could not free it until the race was virtually over. All he could do was to shake the reins at his charge in the final stages. In the circumstances, her effort was brilliant.

Two lengths back, Caduceus toiled on for fifth placing. The breaks were not with him on the day, and he was not disgraced. He did not hit out as well as could be wished for, with the result that to get into a prominent position in the running he was forced to cover extra ground. He moved up on the outside to join Rupee in second place with six furlongs covered, and from that stage was without the benefit of a trail. J D Litten, West Melton trainer of Our Roger and Caduceus, said when he returned to the birdcage: "Of the two, I was sure Caduceus would do the better today; but I caught a lot of back-wash early, and was never in a happy position afterwards."

Tactican finished sixth, close by Caduceus. He was slow away from the 42-yard mark, and in improving his position in the middle stages was forced to travel three sulky-widths out. He was eigth with six furlongs to travel, but did not look any real danger over the final round. Our Kentucky finished a disappointing seventh. He enjoyed a good position in the running, one sulky-width out, and trailing Caduceus, but from the half-mile was always struggling. Soangetaha, who was awkwardly placed, finished next, just behind Our Kentucky. Next were Denbry, Merval, who broke at the start, and was third-last with six-furlongs to travel, followed in by Poranui. Then after a gap of three lengths came Laureldale, who was seventh or eigth in the running. Petite Yvonne, who was near Laureldale throughout, finished next, ahead of Au Revoir, who broke at the half-mile, when in tenth place. Single Direct was several lengths back, and Aladdin brought up the rear.

In presenting the gold cup to Mr Newton, the Governor General (Sir Willoughby Norrie) disclosed that he and Lady Norrie "recently spent a very pleasant day at Akaroa and were entertained by Our Roger's owner. Mr Newton said that his horse had a good show in the Cup, and advised me to back him...which I did," said Sir Willoughby. Mr Newton, on receiving the Cup, said: "The credit must go to Mr Litten and his stable boys, and to 'Roger's' driver, Mr Watts." Later Mr Newton said he had been trying since 1924 to breed a winner of the New Zealand Cup. "The first horse I raced was Right Royal, who was a good one but did not get to the best class. Our Roger is my second horse," he said.

His Cup win was the fifteenth success of Our Roger's career, and his stake-winnings are now £14,999/10/-.

Our Roger's sire, Dillon Hall, who died in Mid-October at the age of 23, was one of the most outstandingly successful sires ever to stand in New Zealand. He has topped the sires' list four times since 1948-49, and is at this stage of this season well clear of any other sire. His 335 individual winners have won approximately 1150 races for a total exceeding by many thousands the £500,000 mark. He was by The Laurel Hall, a famous son of Peter The Great, from the Dillon Axworthy mare, Margaret Dillon.

Berthabell was a daughter of Peter The Great and Corona Mac, by Wilkes Boy, who earned immortality by siring Grattan. From her third dam, Lady Thorne Junior, descended Lou Dillon, 1:58.5, the world's first two-minute trotter. To Nelson Bingen, Berthabell left Great Bingen, Worthy Bingen, Peter Bingen, Bessie Bingen, Bertha Bingen, Great Peter, Barron Bingen and Great Nelson, all good winners. To Guy Parrish she left Great Parrish and Corona Bell, and to Travis Axworthyshe left Ringtrue. Her Progeny won a total of £34,535. Great Bingen being the main contributor with £14,120.

Of the sons of Berthabell who stood at the stud, Worthy Bingen sired the grand trotting mare, Worthy Queen, 2:03.6, and 30 other winners; Peter Bingen's 32 winners included Peter Smith (2:36, 3:11.4 and 4:15.6) and Double Peter, who also reached Cup class; Great Bingen's 44 winners included the classic performers, Taxpayer, Double Great, Refund and Great News; Great Parrish sired 31 winners; and Ringtrue about 23. Winners on the distaff side of the Berthabell family number well over 50, and descendants of the famous old mare, who died at "Oinako" at the age of 23, are spread through the Dominion and Australia.

Our Roger's success gave Watts his second winning drive in the Cup. He piloted Integrity home in 1946. It was trainer J D Litten's first success in the event. As a youth, Litten was associated with Miss Bella Button, whose parents owned the New Brighton racecourse. The Buttons owned harness horses, show horses and ponies. With the experience he gained helping with those horses, Litten has carried on to be an outstandingly successful trainer, and a master at educating young horses. Litten was responsible for the early training of Congo Song, the best three-year-old of his year; Vedette, winner of the 1951 Inter-Dominion Pacer's Championship Final and 18 other races for £27,650; Fallacy, a champion two and three-year-old; and he has prepared Our Roger and Caduceus throughout their careers.

Credit: Ron Bisman writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

1947 NZ SPRINT CHAMPIONSHIP (NZ FREE-FOR-ALL)

The highlight of Show Day was Sir Michael's all-the-way win in the New Zealand Premier Sprint Championship. His return to the winning list, despite some poor form earlier this season, did not come as a complete surprise, because he was reported to have worked a brilliant mile and a quarter a few days before this latest success. Sir Michael, a handsome five-year-old brown horse by Lusty Volo from Lady Bridget, has now won 12 races and £7985 in stakes.

Full Result

First: C Tasker's SIR MICHAEL. Trained by the owner and driven by R Young.

Second: A V Prendeville & J X Ferguson's TURCO. Driven by G S Smith.

Third: N H Norton's GREAT BELWIN. Driven by F J Smith.

Fourth: O E Hooper's KNAVE OF DIAMONDS. Driven by the owner.

The winner won by half a length, with a further half a length back to third.

Also started: Battle Colours, Dundee Sandy, Emulous, Highland Fling, Nyallo Scott, Integrity, In The Mood, Loyal Nurse & Trusty Scott.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calandar 19Nov47