| PEOPLE |
YEAR: 1982
KEVIN HOLMES
Cambridge trainer Kevin Holmes died at Waikato Hospital on Monday, October 12. Holmes had been there for treatment to severe facial gunshot wounds and it was felt by members of his family he had made tremendous progress, so naturally his death came as a great shock.
Holmes, 38, was a son of Yaldhurst trainer Allan Holmes, a nephew of 'The Maestro' Maurice Holmes and a grandson of the legendary 'Old' Free Holmes. Kevin, then aged 18, emulated his grand-father when he drove his first winner at Ashburton. In getting Implore home first in a division of the Tinwald Handicap on June 3, 1961, Kevin turned back the clock to 1884 when Free Holmes rode his first winner, a galloper named Our John, when just 13.
Kevin won a trot with Ahumai, later the same day as Implore while other winners in those early days were scored behind Hancove, Dame Margot and Gildirect. The latter gave him his first winning drive at Addington (April 14, 1962), winning the Williams Handicap and beating his uncle Maurice (Master Alan) and his boss Ces Donald (Dandy Briar)
While working for Donald, Kevin continued to rack up the winners. He took the Nelson Caltex Gold Cup in 1962 with Congo Boy, then began his association with the Jim Wilson-trained trotter Flaming Way. Behind this talented son of Stormyway, Kevin won the 1963 Canterbury Park Trotters Cup and a notable double at the 1964 New Zealand Cup meeting when he scored in the Worthy Queen and Dominion Handicaps.
In April, 1965, Holmes appeared as the trainer-driver of Rannack Song, who won at Addington. He next cropped up training and driving a two-year-old filly named Brilliant Rose at Alexandra Park in May the same year. Later he drove Captain Hal and Persistent for R J Kemble. In the 1970's Kevin trained in partnership at Cambridge with Colin Butler and, at the time of his death, was training with his brother Colin Holmes.
The pinnacle of his career came in 1978 when he won the World Drivers Championship contested in North America against high class opposition. The following year he defended his title in New Zealand and Australia, finishing second.
Apart from those already mentioned, Holmes was associated with some top horses during his career. Two of the best were speedy mare Ripper's Delight and the outstanding juvenile Testing Times. Ripper's Delight beat some classy colts in the 1975 Great Northern Derby and later added the North Island Oaks. She eventually reached New Zealand Cup class, providing Kevin with his only drive in that race when unplaced in 1976.
Testing Times was the top two-year-old of the 1976-77 season, posting a national juvenile race record of 2:01.6 and winning 14 races in New Zealand and Australia (unbeaten in four starts). Taken to America in July of 1977 for the $280,000 Woodrow Wilson Pace at The Meadowlands, Testing Times ran second for Holmes in a $20,000 heat to No No Yankee, clocking 1:58.4, but finishing 11th in the final to the same horse.
Tonton Macoute, the 1973 New Zealand Messenger winner, was another fine winner for Holmes. In the provincial Cups in the North Island Holmes fashioned a fine record, winning three Hawera Cups - Scottish Crusader (1972), General Gyrone (1973) and Waiata Nui (1975) - two Rotorua Cups - Marshall Hanover (1975) and Vanavara (1976) - a Taranaki Cup with Hanover Scottish (1979) and the Masterton Cup with Chet Hanover (1979). As well he won the McMillan Trotters Mile at Cambridge twice - Uteena (1970) and Flagon Wagon (1975) - and picked up the 1973 Cardigan Bay Stakes at Hutt Park with Lordy Boy.
Holmes, who also drove winners in America, Europe, Australia and Macau, won approximately 500 races in New Zealand and trained about 300.
Credit: 1982 DB Trotting Annual
YEAR: 1981
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Young Charles, who died a few days ago at the grand age of 35, did much to underline the hard wearing qualities of the U Scott line.
"His death was sad, but easy to accept," his owner-breeder Bob Mayne said last week. "He ate up normally, did everything else as usual and quietly walked away and died," said Mr Mayne, a retired Christchurch cartage contractor.
As a racehorse and as a sire Young Charles was every inch an individual, being bred on the stout U Scott - Jack Potts cross. U Scott and Jack Potts both headed the NZ sires' list on nine occasions and Young Charles topped the list in 1975, the year of Young Quinn.
Foaled on October 25, 1946, Young Charles revealed immediate ability for trainer Colin Berkett, being champion 2-year-old and 3-year-old of his year. In all, he won 11 races and had 26 placings from 56 starts for $24,435, racing against the likes of Van Dieman, Johnny Globe, Vedette, Caduceus, Burns Night and Soangetaha. Hampered by tendon trouble once he attained Cup class rating, his courage won the hearts of many. Canterbury trotting men to this day maintain that his second to Johnny Globe in the 1954 NZ Cup 'on three legs' was one of the most memorable contests ever at Addington. Johnny Globe set a world two mile time of 4:07.6 in that race and Young Charles on a restricted preparation, recorded 4:10.8.
"My greatest thrills were his wins in the NZ Futurity Stakes and All-Aged Stakes at the Ashburton June meeting," Mr Mayne recalled. "Colin Berkett was a great feeder, and, as Young Charles had a wonderful constitution, he had to be worked really hard to give his best on the track," Mr Mayne said.
Young Charles' battle for recognition as a sire was certainly an uphill one. When retired to Mr Mayne's Yaldhurst property he received only eight mares and 11 the following season. He then had a season in Auckland before moving to Southland. Restricted as his early opportunities were, Young Charles slowly but surely acquired the respect of breeders, siring the likes of Danny's Pal (10 wins and 14 placings), Jacobite (12 wins and 9 placings), Valcador (10 wins and 12 placings), Lonesome Valley (9 wins and 12 placings) and Top Copy (9 wins and 21 placings).
Even better, however, was to come when he stood at Colin Baynes' Ferndale and Otama nurseries. Notable pacers conceived at those studs before he finished his Southland career at Des Baynes' Highway Farm, Edendale included Young Quinn (1:55), Sapling (1978-79 Pacer of the Year), Sassenach (1:58.6), Peter Onedin (1:56.8), Gurkha (1:58.2) and Ghandi ($225,000).
Young Charles has so far been credited with siring 165 winners and 20 in 2:00, from around 470 live foals an excellent percentage of 35. Only Local Light (23) and Lordship (22) have been more successful NZ-bred sires of 2:00 performers. "I always wanted him to make the top as a sire more than anything else in the world. When Young Quinn won the 1975 Inter-Dominion final in Auckland, that really put the icing on the cake for me," Mr Mayne said.
As a broodmare sire, Young Charles has now emerged as a real force. He has sired the dams of 122 winners (to July 31, 1981) and at least eight in 2:00 including Armbro Star (1:59.6), Testing Times (1:59.2), Loyal Drift (NZ Oaks), Smooth Charles (1:58.8) and Saucy Jack (Methven Cup).
One way or another, Young Charles has been a good horse to many trotting people all over NZ and many are grateful for the care he received right up until his death. Bob Mayne went to a lot of trouble to bury Young Charles in a special grave on his property last week. The influence of his old favourite promises to be felt as long as there is light harness racing in NZ. Sapling, his best performed entire son, has been heavily booked for his initial season at the Hokonui Stud, where he was conceived nine years ago and where Young Charles made his name as a sire.
Credit: Don Wright writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 22Sep81