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BONNY LOGAN

BONNY LOGAN(1919 Logan Pointer/Bonilene) USA family of Black Betty; 2:09.8; $14,514; 14 wins; nine live foals, eight winners. Breeders: F Holmes and W H Norton, Christchurch and breeders of all foals except Captain Morant, Bonny Bridge, Admiration, Bashful - Miss P Norton.

Bonny Logan's sire like Belle Logan was Logan Pointer, her dam Bonilene was also imported and the founding mare of a very successful family. From relatively obscure sire and broodmare sires, Bonilene's pedigree included infusions of leading American stallions: Baron Wilkes, Nutwood and Charles Derby, Steinway leading back to Hambletonian 10 through George Wilkes and Strathmore. The family of Black Betty faded out in North America but prospered in New Zealand through a number of her daughters(Bon Rey, Bonny Drusus, Bonny Norval, St Helena) led by Bonny Logan.

Notable descendants tracing back to Bonilene include her greatest performer in double millionaire and three time Australian Harness Horse of the Year/ Grand Circuit Pacing champion Westburn Grant(NZ/VIC/NSW Derbies, Golden Nugget, two Miracle Miles, Truer Memorial, QLD C/S, 2 SA Cups, Harold Park Cup, Aust Pacing C/S, Two WA Cups, ID Ht/Final), NZ Cup winners Adorian & Lookaway, top race mares Hyperstat(VSS-3f/4m) and Gina Rosa(NZ Oaks, Nevele R Fillies, NZ Breeders Stakes, dam of Allstar Blue Jean), Shattering Class($810k) plus fastest performers in Allstar Blue Jean(1:48.4US), Georgetown(1:50.0US) and Hillside Joe(1:52.0Aus).

Racing for 10 seasons from two till 11 years old, Bonny Logan was a very good class race mare. At two(1921/2), she won at New Brighton and was placed fourth in Sapling Stakes. Her three-year-old career included five victories(New Brighton, Alexandra Park, Addington, Forbury Park & Canterbury Park) and second placings in both NZ and GN Derbies(stakes of £1,608). Just the one solitary win as a four-year-old at Addington(Craven Hcp) and as a five-year-old in 1924/25 season in the New Brighton club's Telegraph Hcp. Bonny Logan's three six-year-old successes all came at Addington beginning with an early season feature, Lightning, Royal and Telegraph Hcps. Victories as a seven-year-old came in the High Class and Hagley Hcps, both at Addington. Bonny Logan's sole win as an eight-year-old was in the Henry Mace Memorial at Addington. She raced for a further three seasons(nine- to eleven-year-old) but recorded no further wins, just several placings before moving to the breeding paddock.

Bonny Logan's progeny included many top performers on the track and in the breeding barn. Admiration's deeds will be more fully reviewed in a future article where she is one of our classic-producing mares. She was a winner of Timaru Nursery as a two-year-old(three wins). Bashful(Grattan Loyal) was unraced but proved a prolific and successful breeder. Included amongst her progeny were Cup class performers:

1. Damian - AK Cup, ID heat and his full brother
2. Diamond Hanover - ID heat, Ashburton Flying Stakes
3. Guiseppe - GN Derby, ID heat; minor sire, dam sire of Rundale(SA Trotters Derby).
Note: Damian, Diamond Hanover, Guiseppe all started in 1961 ID Grand Final at Addington. (Bashful only mare to achieve this feat).
4. Torrent - Easter Cup, ID Consolation; dam of Amaze(NZ Derby), Elite Del(dam of Cavaliere Servente, Sossy - Hannon Memorial, Ch-Ch Airport Travelodge FFA), Our Flawless(descendants include Step Outside, NSWSS 3f), Prima Vance(grand-dam of Grenadier - Junior FFA), Nursemaid - (Southland Oaks), Surge(grand-dam of Misjudge-Sapling, Woodlea Life - Delightful Lady Classic - 2f) as well as Bashful Hanover, unraced sire of 88 winners in Australia including Run Joe Run(NSW/Qld/Aus Derbies), dam-sire of Executioner(NSWSS - 3c) and Shy Songster, winner and sire of 63 winners in Australia. Other progeny included Firth(unplaced in eight two to three-year-old starts) who bred on with descendants including One Way Traffic(NZ C/S-2); and Kai Tere, non winning mare whose descendants include Hashed World(several provincial Cups).

Another filly in Coquette(Grattan Loyal), a winner of eight races including National Cup Hcp, left the very good winners and sires in:

1. Adorian - from Springfield Globe's first crop, was the winner of 12 races including NZ Cup, National and Louisson Hcps, 2nd in NZFFA, sire of 50 winners and dam-sire of New Law(NZ Derby), Swift Princess(NZ Oaks).
2. Forward - leading juvenile pacer, winner of eight races including Welcome/Sapling Stakes; sire of 83 winners including Avante(Ashburton Cup), Bambi, Le Char, Max Brydon, Pancho Boy and dam-sire of Ascot Arrow(Rosso Antico Stakes), Bad Luck(Kaikoura Cup, Ashburton Flying Stakes), Cinimod Junior(TVNZ Mile), Precious Sally(GN Oaks), Watbro(Hannon Memorial).
3. Morano - winner of nine races including Timaru Nursery and Metropolitan Challenge Stakes; sire of 102 winners including Courtier(Welcome Stakes, Timaru Nursery), Diarac(Hannon Memorial, Ashburton Flying stakes), Have Care(NZ Oaks), Humphrey(NZ/Kaikoura Cups), Manaroa(Kaikoura Cup, six ID heats, 2nd ID G/F, Marius (BPTC/Ordeal Cups, Trotting C/S),Martinigue(Kaikoura Cup), Sam Carter(Sapling stakes), Semioh(Welcome Stakes) and dam-sire of Barbara Del(Welcome Stakes), Captain Harcourt(GN Derby, AK/Easter Cups,ID Consolation), Michele Bromac(Kaikoura Cup, Junior FFA), Micron(Kaikora Cup), Morano Magic(Golden Nugget, Palestine(two Hannon Memorials, Kaikoura Cup, ID Consolation, Matson FFA), Royal Lopez(Sapling Stakes), Saucy Star(ID Consolation), Shalimar(NZ Oaks, Tonton Macoute(Messenger).
4. Vigilant(gelding)- Welcome Stakes.

Safety Pin(Rey De Oro) was a winner eight times including the Armstrong Memorial at Trentham in 1944(Hutt Park was requisitioned by military during WWII: Sept 1942 - February 1946 meetings). She bred on leaving a number of winners including Secure(Otahuhu Cup, sire of Safe Return, Kaikoura Cup, ID Consolation) and was grand-dam of good trotter Forward March.

Captain Morant(Rey De Oro) proved a good youngster winning Sapling and Champion Stakes amongst five age group races as a two-, three- and four-year-old.

Bonny Logan also left a number of good sires in:

1. Bayard(Frank Worthy) - good winner of 11 races(placed2nd/4th AK Cup and 3rd NZ Cup) and sire exported to Australia in 1945, he stood mainly in SA but had his last season in NSW. He sired 57 winners, being dam-sire of Mercedes(good class Perth pacer), Simpsonic(VIC Sapling), Weezy Anna(SA Oaks)
2. Gaillard(Rey de Oro) - winner of five races and sire of 63(five Aust), dam-sire of Great Adios(NZ Cu/FFA, Easter Cup), Petite Yvonne(ID heat), Portree(WA Cup), Sibelia(Hunter Cup), Smoko(VIC Derby).
3. Bonny Bridge(Grattan Loyal) - winner of NZ Derby and two other races, sire of winners in Tasmania including Young Noddy(Tas Derby) and dam-sire of Wendy Dawn(NZ Oaks).

Prosecutor(Rey de Oro), a 2:50.0 pacer also won three races for his dam Bonny Logan.


Credit: Peter Craig writing in Harnessed Dec 2014

1968 NZ TROTTING CUP

Crumbling one after another before the long reaching stride of Humphrey, the rest of the 1968 NZ Cup field proved completely out of their depth against the short priced favourite from Hinds. My own impression of Tuesday's Funeral March in Be Flat was that the winner, whether the race had been run at it's pitiful 4:16, or 4:06, the result, as far as the winner was concerned, would have been the same. A real champion who can sprint, stay and, above all, begin like a rocket, had all the answers from go to whoa.

The half-mile sprint our first $20,000 Cup was reduced to came as a complete anti-climax to the great expectation that preceeded the race; instead of a re-incarnation of a Gold Bar or a Vesuvius we were treated to the frustrating dawdlings of pacers quite capable of reaching two-minute speed but who, instead, were firmly reefed and riveted to jog the first mile in 2:12.4 and the mile and a half in 3:16.8. This left Humphrey the relatively simple task of a last half-mile in 59.6, which he obviously do 'on his ear' any old time. In fact, if anything could have offered him any sort of competition, he could have knocked spots off two-minute speed on the day. Hubert should have been there to see him go!

Humphrey is raced by W E (Ted) Lowe and his wife, and Ted drove with supreme skill and confidence. The hearts of backers of the favourite must have moved close to their palates when Mister Chips broke with a little less than half a mile covered and caused a hullabaloo, because Humphrey looked to be right in the path of it; but Ted Lowe said after the race that the incident had caused him no concern. There were many well-wishers who viewed with no little anxiety the lack of 'elbow room' Humphrey would have from his short mark of 6 yards. They were soon reassured. Humphrey proved to be actually better off there than he might have been on the limit and, when he got away with such smooth alacrity, even for him, he virtually had victory conceded to him by the snails pace set by Spry, in particular.

Humphrey, a quality seven-year-old bay gelding, built like a greyhound, has now won 18 races and been placed 21 times for $42,665 in stakes. By Morano, a brilliant though temperamental pacer by U Scott from Coquette, Humphrey's sire was a member of the Bonilene (imp.) family, which has been represented by two NZ Cup winners, Lookaway and Adorian, on the distaff side. Dalene, dam of Humphrey, won three races and took a 2:10.6 rating for a mile and five furlongs. She is by the eminently successful American-bred sire Light Brigade, and her dam, Doonholme, also a useful pacer, was a royally-bred mare by Rey De Oro (our leading sire on three occasions) from Raclaim, by Wrack (also our leading sire for several seasons), from Trix Pointer, the great American-bred pacer who won the NZ Cup in 1919, and whose son Wrackler (by Wrack) won it in 1930. That is a brief sketch of the Trix Pointer household and its three NZ Cup winners to date; and, by the way, the 1953 NZ Cup winner Adorian is Humphrey's uncle! Ted Lowe mentioned this during the Cup presentation.

Now on to the Lowe family record in the NZ Cup. The late W T Lowe, father of Ted Lowe, bred and owned Lucky Jack, who won the Cup in 1937 and 1939 and finished second to Morello in 1938; and Ted Lowe also owned Cairnbrae, who was trained and driven to win the 1964 Cup by C S Donald. Ted Lowe paid a warm tribute to "the best vet in the world, Bill Robinson," during his reply to the gold cup presentation in the birdcage. Bill Robinson apparently performed a delicate, highly-professional and skilful operation to remove a stick from Humphrey's rump when he was a young horse. Ted Lowe at one stage thought Humphrey "would never race again," but Mr Robinson saved the day - and the future - for Humphrey. A special mention, too, for Mrs W T Lowe, Ted's mother, who has now seen, from the foal stage right through to headquarters fame, generation after generation of the family founded by Tairene, a chestnut mare bred by her late husband and foaled in 1912, by the dual NZ Cup winner Wildwood Junior fron Jessie B., by Smith O'Brien from the legendary Prickwillow mare. Atanui is one of this tribe.

The field had an initial upset through Governor Frost's rearing up and falling when the field was practically ready to leave. This caused a few minutes delay, and when the trigger was eventually pulled, Jacobite, Mister Chips, Happy Ending and Cuddle Doon broke, while Allakasam shuffled off the mark and Cardinal Garrison was slow to move. Atanui was the early leader from Loyal Knight, Chief Command, Miles Gentry, Spry and Governor Frost, with Mister Chips improving, then Co Pilot, Jacobite, Chequer Board and Humphrey. Spry hit the front at the end of five furlongs, and with a mile covered he was followed by Chief Command, Atanui and Governor Frost. Humphrey was tenth at this point, and he had run up close to Spry with half a mile to go. The horse who might have made a race of it for Humphrey from then on was Chief Command, but he got pushed back at a crucial stage, and the race was well sewn up by the time he secured an opening to brush home briskly in fourth place. Cardinal Garrison also looked a shade unlucky. After his slow beginning he made up his lost ground promptly, only to have a ragged spell probably because of the lack of pace. His run from the half-mile, where he had to go three wide to get within a length and a quarter of the winner, presented him as a four-year-old of real class, and his big day will assuredly come.

But it was Humphrey, more Humphrey, and nothing but Humphrey once he flew past Spry. Co Pilot did surprisingly well to come in two lengths and a half from the second horse, and following the fourth horse, Chief Command were Chequer Board, Miles Gentry, Atanui, Spry, Governor Frost, Loyal Knight, Allakasam, Great Adios, Happy Ending and Cuddle Doon in that order.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

BURNS NIGHT

The death was reported recently of the 1949 NZ Derby Stakes winner, Burns Night. Burns Night died suddenly on the property of his owner, the Methven trainer, G McKendry.

Burns Night, a son of U Scott and Festival, was one of the best pacers of his era and won over all distances, being outstanding over a mile and five furlongs journey.

On the third day of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's Easter meeting in 1953, Burns Night accomplished something unique in the annals of the light-harness sport when he created two world records in the one day. That day he won the Easter Handicap in 3.22 for the mile and five furlong journey and in the concluding event, the Au Revoir Free-for-all he paced the mile journey from a standing start in 2.02 3/5, both records. Those times have since been lowered, the first by Ribands and the second by Johnny Globe.

Burns Night was bought by McKendry for £500 when 10 days old and he won £18,020 in stakes. In all, Burns Night gained 16 wins and 25 placings, two of his wins being in free-for-alls. He may not have been an idol of the public such as Harold Logan, Highland Fling or Johnny Globe, but there is no doubting he was a grand pacer.

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Two world's records were broken by Burns Night at Addington on Saturday, the concluding day of the NZ Metropolitan TC's Easter Meeting. He won the Easter Handicap in 3:22 for the mile and five furlongs lowering the previous record of 3:22 3-5 standing to the credit of Vedette since 1951.

Three hours later Burns Night made short work of a great field in the Au Revoir Free-For-All, his time for the mile being 2:02 3-5, a world's record from a standing start. The previous record in harness was Walla Walla's 2:04 1-5, put up in the first of the Invitation Match Races at Addington in 1934. In saddle, from a standing start, Gold Bar won in 2:03 3-5 on the same track in 1942.

Burns Night won the Easter Handicap to the accompaniment of a noisy demonstration from a section of the crowd. It appeared, however, that there was as much clapping and cheering as booing. An inquiry was held into Burns Night's previous unplaced performances at the meeting and it was decided to take no action. Burns Night was never near the fence over the last mile of the Easter Handicap, and it was a great effort on his part to come from sixth - very wide out - at the home turn and win going away by a daylight margin. Burns Night's time, 3:22, is a 2:04 2-5 mile rate, a phenominal run from an exacting handicap and over a good deal of extra ground.

The mile free-for-all was just as easy for him. Drawn in the second line, about 6 yards behind the front row, he overcame this disadvantage with a fast beginning and he was soon racing close up on the rails about the middle of the field. He had Petite Yvonne and Johnny Globe measured off at the distance, and although Vedette finished well, he had no chance with Burns Night, who won most convincingly. This time the whole crowd cheered wholeheartedly. Burns Night gave a superlative exhibition of pacing and the fact that he went at least 6 yards more than a mile adds to the merit of probably the greatest sprint race performance registered outside America - it is certainly the greatest ever recorded the world over from a standing start.

Now a 6-year-old, Burns Night was out in strong juvenile seasons; among his contemporaries at two and three years were Young Charles, Van Dieman, Soangetaha and Morano. Burns Night was the hard-luck horse of the 2-year-old classics in the 1948-49 season. He made only four appearances, being beaten by a length by Morano in the Timaru Nursery Stakes, going under by the same margin to Young Charles in the Welcome Stakes, coming second, six lengths behind Young Charles,in the Oamaru Juvenile Stakes, and trailing along a poor fourth behind Farlena, Young Charles and Van Dieman in the NZ Sapling Stakes.

But things brightened up considerably for him when he turned three. At his second start he brought off one of the big surprises of the NZ Cup carnival by defeating the hot favourite Young Charles, with Van Dieman third and Soangetaha fourth, in the NZ Derby. He gave that form some endorsement by running Morano to a neck, with Vedette third in the NZ Metropolitan Challenge Stakes a week later and decisively winning the NZ Champion Stakes at Ashburton, from Van Dieman at his next start. Van Dieman beat him narrowly in the Charles Cross Stakes at New Year, but that was no disgrace as things turned out: Van Dieman developed into a NZ Cup winner.

Burns Night, as a 4-year-old, opened the 1950-51 season with a flourish, winning at his first appearance, the Geraldine Cup. He looked a coming young stayer the day he won the Moorhouse Handicap at the Canterbury Park New Year Meeting, 1951, in the good time of 4:19 4-5 in this 4:40 class and, following a lapse of form for the next two months, he came into his own again with a slashing victory over a seasoned field in the Timaru Centennial Cup in March, 1951.

During the 1951-52 season Burns Night developed into one of the finest handicap horses in the land. He made a somewhat timid opening with his third placing behind Te Maru and Realm Again in the Heathcote Handicap at the Metropolitan August Meeting and a poor showing in hs following race at New Brighton, but at his next appearance he rang rings around Star Rosa and Palava in the Methven Cup. In successive starts at the 1951 NZ Cup Meeting he finished second to Laureldale in the Empire Handicap, won the Australasian Handicap from Adorian and Mundanity, and the Flying Mile from Adorian and Mighty Song in 2:05 2-5. His next three runs resulted in a meritorious third from 48 yards in the Boxing Day Handicap at Ashburton, in which he registered 3:10 3-5 for a mile and a half, and wins in the Canterbury Handicap and the Mason Handicap at New Year, 1952. In these latter two races he defeated such high class pacers as Van Dieman, Vedette and Parawa Derby.

Came the NZ Metropolitan TC's Easter Meeting, 1952, and Burns Night, after finishing third in the Rattray Handicap to Maori Home and Johnny Globe, proved much too good for Zulu and Maida Dillon in the Williams Handicap on the second day and, started in the Electric Stakes, of a mile and a quarter, later the same afternoon, he gained his first free-for-all success, the minor placegetters being Zulu, Vedette and Van Dieman.

This season Burns Night's form has not been easy to follow. He took some time to reach his best in the early part of the season. He had a profitable time at Forbury Park in January, finishing second in the Forbury Free-for-All to Soangetaha on the first day, and winning the principal event, the Irwin Handicap and finishing second to Johnny Globe in the Champion Free-for-All, on the second day.

He was one of five champion pacers to go to Timaru for an exhibition mile race last month, but he went very poorly indeed. Again on the first two days of the Metropolitan Easter Meeting his performances were abject in the extreme, and the public were scarcely prepared for his sharp recovery on the concluding day, hence the annoyance of some of the onlookers.

Burns Night was bought by G McKendry from his breeder, Mr N G Mason, before he raced. Burns Night has now won 15 races and £16,430 in stakes. He is a good type of brown entire by U Scott from Festival, a mare picked up on the bargain counter by Mr N G Mason, of Rangiora, who has bred Burns Night and Gay Piper from her. Mr Mason bought Festival at the late E C McDermott's dispersal sale in 1938 for a few pounds. Dunmore one of Festival's earlier foals bred by McDermott, was a good performer for McKendry as far as he went - in his first season on the racetrack his record was six wins, five thirds and three fourths in 16 starts.

Festival was a tidy stake-winner for McDermott in depression times when £100 to the winner was quite a pile of money. She began racing as a 3-year-old and won her first two starts, both at Nelson. At four she started ten times for the very creditable return of four wins and a second. She won two races and was once second in 15 starts as a 5-year-old. She was more than useful over all distances, and in training she could reel off a mile and a quarter in 2:41, which was well above average in the early 1930s. Festival was got by the American horse Sonoma Harvester, from a mare by Prince Imperial. It is one of the shortest pedigrees in the Stud Book, but the calibre of her progeny - all of her five foals that have raced have all been winners - indicates that there must have been a good deal more behind her than these meagre details suggest. She was certainly no nondescript herself, being a clean-gaited, level-headed pacer, and her two sons, Gay Piper and Burns Night, both show breeding.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 12Nov58

Adorian

1953 NZ TROTTING CUP

Bridging a gap of 32 years since he drove Sherwood first past the post in the New Zealand Trotting Cup of 1921, F G Holmes won this year's race with Adorian after being no further back than third at any part of the running. Sherwood, on a protest for crossing Reta Peter, was placed second in the 1921 race, so it was F G Holmes's first Cup success.

Once again it was a newcomer's year. Adorian, who qualified for the race by winning the two principal events at the last Metropolitan August Meeting, followed in the footsteps of last year's Cup winner, Mobile Globe, who won the same August double three months before his victory in the premier event. Adorian proved himself every inch a stayer on Tuesday. His 4:13 4-5, while wide of the race record - and world's record - of 4:10 2-5 established by Highland Fling in 1948, was real stamina by any standards, particularly when it is known that he ran the last mile in 2:04 2-5 and the last half mile in better than a minute.

This brilliant climax to a spectacular race on a perfect track and in ideal weather proved to great an ordeal for the gallant favourite, Johnny Globe, who probably lost the race when he cannoned into the breaking Tactics soon after the start, thereby losing his balance and all of 60 yards before he got down to work again. This unfortunate incident drew audible sympathy from the public, who left no doubts by their investments that they had extreme confidence in the glamour horse of today.

Billy Boy, the leader out from the start, was closely attended by Adorian and Pleasant Smile. Meanwhile Tactics, drawn number 1 at the barrier (a position from which, it is claimed, she has never begun correctly yet), broke badly. Lady Rowan also broke, and Tactician set off on a bobble and went scratchily throughout. With just over three furlongs covered, Pleasant Smile ran into a clear lead from Billy Boy and Adorian (on the outer), and then came Thelma Globe, Soangetaha, Burns Night, Tactician, Vedette, Maori Home and Van Dieman, with Johnny Globe making up ground rapidly. There were few changes of any importance in the next six furlongs, but the race brightened up when Johnny Globe moved round the field with three and a half furlongs to go.

Adorian strode confidently to the lead with three furlongs to go and he was clear of Johnny Globe at the home turn. Soangetaha momentarily looked dangerous when he issued a challenge on the inside at the distance, but actually it was a two-horse race over the final furlong and Adorian always held the upper hand. The fourth horse, Burns Night, had every chance. He was two lengths behind Soangetaha. Vedette, who never looked like the champion of old at any stage, was a fair fifth, and then arrived Billy Boy, Maori Home, Van Dieman, Lady Rowan, Pleasant Smile, Tactician and Thelma Globe, with Tactics last. It was stated before the race that Tactics was suffering from seasonal trouble.

For the second year in succession the Australian-bred Springfield Globe sired the winner. It is interesting to speculate on what heights the Globe Derby sallion might have attained as a sire if he had remained in the Dominion instead of returning to Australia some six years ago.

Coquette, the dam of Adorian, who reached Cup class herself, has a 100% record as a producer of winners - her only four foals before her premature death (in 1949) were Vigilant, winner of £2327 in stakes in the Dominion (he has also won races in Australia); Morano, £9025; Forward, £4560; and Adorian, winner of twelve races and £17,217 10s in stakes and trophy - the New Zealand Gold Cup is valued at £250. Coquette's four offspring, therefore have won the grand total of £33,129 10s. Adorian and all the rest of Coquette's progeny were bred by Miss P Norton and F G Holmes, and Coquette was bred by F Holmes (venerable father of F G), and Miss Norton. Coquette was by Grattan Loyal from Bonny Logan, by Logan Pointer from Bonilene, and Grattan Loyal, Logan Pointer and Bonilene were all imported to this country by F Holmes. Springfield Globe, sire of Adorian, was out of a Logan Pointer mare, so Adorian has two close-up strains of this famous blood.

Although this was F G Holmes's first outright win in the New Zealand Cup - he owns and trains Adorian as well - he has been one of the Dominion's most capable trainers and horsemen for close on 40 years, he began driving at a very early age. "It was unjust," he declared when referring during the Cup presentation to the fate of Sherwood in 1921. He also made passing reference to some bad luck he had in one or two previous Cups, and said one of his ambitions, now that he was "not getting any younger," was to make a trip to America. He paid tribute to D McKendry, who looks after Adorian and who played a big part in turning the horse out so fit.

Mr C E Hoy, who congratulated Holmes on his skilful driving and the excellent performance and condition of Adorian, then called for cheers all round and Mrs Hoy decorated the winner with a garland of flowers. The Holmes family have a good record in the New Zealand Cup. Free Holmes, father of F G, Maurice and Allan, trained and drove Trix Pointer in 1919, Maurice drove Wrackler in 1930 and trained and drove Chamfer in 1950, and Allan Holmes drove Harold Logan in 1932 and owned and trained and drove the flying 1945 winner, Gold Bar.

Not at any stage of his career has Adorian been responsible for anything of a dazzling nature. He has been a 'late ripener' with a vengeance, coming to his full powers in easy stages until he has reached his zenith as a six-year-old; a powerful, quality horse of fine balance, a rich bay with little white about him, and no vices. He is a treat to train and drive and have around the place, according to the people who look after him, and he is as reliable and genuine as they come. Quite a reputation for a mere horse, but well earned by Adorian, a 'gentleman' in or out of harness.

Probably due to the fact that, for the first time since double betting was resumed, the first leg was run on the New Zealand Cup, there was a decided fall off in win-and-place betting on the big race. This year's on-course total was £28,331, compared with £38,336 last year; the off-course figures were £29,815 10s, against £33,943 10s last year. The record total on a New Zealand Cup is the £40,907 10s (on-course only) invested in 1951. This year's on-course total was £179,170 15s, compared with £190,930 15s last year, when the off-course figures were £86,475 15s; this year the off-course total soared to £139,707, including £49,031 on the double. The on-course double figures this year were £14,592 5s. The crowd was not as large as in some previous years.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 11Nov53

BRAHMAN

World class for a Dominion 2-year-old was entered when Brahman paced a mile against time at Addington on Saturday 13 June in 2.02 1/5. Incredulity was plainly written on the faces of seasoned racegoers all over the course when they stopped their watches at this sensational figure. Before the trial Brahman's connections were quietly confident the colt would go between 2.04 and 2.05 and even the owner, Mr B Grice, and the driver, F G Holmes, must have been astonished and elated at the big slice Brahman carved off Convivial's previous Australasian record of 2.08 4/5, put up at Harold Park, Sydney, in 1951.

Brahman's performance was epoch-making not only because he completely annihilated all previous NZ and Australian 2-year-old records, but also because his figures compare favourably with anything done in the acknowledged leading light-harness country in the world, the United States.

Brahman made his record on a six-furlong track - certainly one of the fastest and best conditioned in the world - but cognisance must be taken of the fact that the American authorities compute that the mile track is the perfect sized track and by far the fastest for record-breaking purposes. They say emphatically - and their overwhelming number of world's records fully substantiates their conclusions - that their leading mile tracks are between four and five seconds to the mile faster than their best half-mile tracks. For example: Greyhound trotted his world's record mile of 1.55¼ on a mile track and the best he could do on a half-mile track was 1.59¾; Billy Direct's 1.55 was done on a mile track, and the best pacing performance on a half-mile track is Sampson Hanover's 1.59 3/5.

It does not strictly follow that the difference in speed between a six-furlong track like Addington and a mile track of similar composition would be, say, two seconds by the American way of reckoning, but it would not be far off the mark, and that brings Brahman's potential speed on a mile track - with its wider and more gradual bends - down to the two-minute mark. It may sound fantastic, it may be dismissed by many people as a rather dubiuos method of working things out; but that is the extent the Americans have found, by long years of experience, speed is reduced or increased according to the sizes of tracks, and they ought to know.

Brahman is also entitled to this: although the track was in perfect order and only a slight breeze was blowing, the atmosphere was a bit damp and certainly cold when he made his attempt, and winter can scarcely be the most favourable time of year for record-making. On the contra account, of course, Brahman had gained valuable months in age and seasoned condition by delaying his trial until June instead of taking it on in the height of summer - or the autumn.

Notwithstanding all this supposition, it was a world run by any standards and puts Brahman in the same champion mould as Titan Hanover, 2.00, a trotter, and Knight Dream, 2.00 2/5, a pacer. Titan Hanover is the only harness horse, trotter or pacer, to enter the 2.00 list at two years, and Knight Dream, a pacer, is the fastest 2-year-old of that gait.

Brahman, driven by F G Holmes in the familar colours - cardinal, cream sash, cardinal cap - of his breeder-owner-trainer, Mr B Grice, and with Morano, driven by A Holmes in his well known jacket - purple, red band and cap - as galloping companion (pacemaker has become a misnomer because the rules long since required the accompanying horse never to head the one making the attempt at any part of the trial), Brahman was not long about warming up and at the first time of asking he hit the mile starting peg at top speed. Pacing like a machine - he is smooth and effortless in style - he reached the quarter in a tick better than 31secs and the half-mile in 60 2/5secs.

Experienced trotting trainers and others in the stands this looked at each other in consternation. "He can't keep this up," said one. "He'll stop to a walk in the straight," declared another. A third registered blank astonishment by shaking his watch in his ear to make sure it hadn't seized up! And Brahman sizzled on towards the three-quarter mark. There was still no sign of a slackening of speed - six furlongs in 1.31 1/5! "He must feel the strain soon," muttered a bewildered newspaper reporter, who was still dazed by the performance a couple of hours after Brahman had felt no such thing. At the furlong Brahman certainly had nothing in reserve, but when F G shook the whip at him he showed he had grit as well as all this phenomenal speed by finishing without a flicker and tramping the final quarter in 31secs flat, only a fifth slower than his opening quarter and making his full time 2.02 1/5.

"It should stand for some time." This was the triumph of understatment drawn out of Ben Grice when this notoriously 'mike-shy' sportsman was coaxed to say something about his champion during one of those extremely friendly gatherings in the birdcage which have become a pleasant aftermath of special events at Metropolitan meetings. The president, Mr C E Hoy, drew applause when he disclosed that Mr Grice had needed no inducement to send Brahman against the record. He assured the crowd, however, that the club would present Mr Grice with a momento to commemorate the occasion. Brahman had brought lustre to Dominion trotting by his superb performance. It was hard to credit what he had done, and he was confident it was only the forerunner of many more records on the part of Brahman. In his reply Mr Grice said he thought before the attempt that Brahman would go 2.04 or 2.05. He was naturally thrilled with the outcome. "He had a good driver and a good track," he said.

F G Holmes, who has always been on the top deck among NZ reinsmen, had Brahman under perfect control throughout the trial. He had worked him many times and got to know Brahman right down to the nails in his shoes! A few days before the official trial he had driven the colt a "pretty stiff mile." In a telephone conversation with the editor of the Calendar, A Holmes, who was naturally a keenly interested party in the trial, said: "He went the last half in a tick better than a minute. We think he'll go at least 2.06 on Saturday."

F G Holmes gave Mr Grice and A Holmes all the help and encouragement he possibly could. He made Morano available as galloping aid to Brahman and told his brother to "make his own arrangements" about the details of the attack on the record. These side issues may seem of small moment to some of our readers, but they are mentioned to stress the fine sportmanship that inspired the whole show, one of the most exhilarating things that has happened to our sport in all it's existence. In fact, the writer must confess that no previous light-harness performance in the last 30 years has stirred him to the same depths as did Brahman's prodigious run on Saturday morning.

Special significance attaches to Brahman's figures because they are only 1 4/5secs slower than the world's 2-year-old pacing record of Knight Dream, and 2 1/5 behind the world's 2-year-old record of the trotter Titan Hanover (the only 2-year-old of either gait in the two-minute list). Compare this with the difference between the times of our older champions: Highland Fling's 1.57 4/5 is 2 4/5secs slower than Billy Direct's world's pacing record of 1.55 and about 2 3/5secs slower than Greyhound's trotting record of 1.55¼. This is not meant as any disparagement of the peerless 'Fling'; it is mentioned merely to emphasise that Brahman would probably prove at least the equal of the best 2-year-olds in America today.

A Holmes drove the galloping companion, Morano, with discernment - the mission had obviously been thoroughly planned and rehearsed, and Morano was kept a 'daylight' margin behind Brahman (the fact that Brahman could hear his hoof-beats was sufficient) until the final quarter, when Morano was moved up to finish with his head on the record-breakers quarters, as our picture shows.

There was another member of the Holmes family at Addington on Saturday who must hav derived great pleasure and satisfaction from the performances of all the participants. That was 82-year-old Freeman Holmes, father of F (Freeman) G and Allan Holmes. Freeman Holmes, an importer of numerous sires and mares, brought from Canada the pacing stallion Grattan Loyal, a big stud success and sire of Gold Bar, the sire of Brahman. Freeman Holmes also imported, from America, Rey de Oro, sire of Gold Bar's dam, Imperial Gold, and Logan Pointer, sire of Gold Bar's grandam, Imperial Pointer. Rey de Oro and Logan Pointer were both outstanding stud successes, and Logan Pointer also figures as the sire of Logan Princess, the grandam of Haughty, who produced Brahman. It is a chain of breeding events, culminating in a phenomenon like Brahman, any breeder would be mighty proud to own.

Gold Bar was bred by A Holmes and developed into a champion by him. He held a number of records on his retirement in 1946, and one of these, his mile and a quarter in 2.35, still stands. Of interest, too, is that Haughty's 3.35 2/5 for the same distance has also stood as the mare's record for a similar period to Gold Bar's and that both sire and dam of Brahman have identical mile records, 1.59 3/5.

Mr B Grice's son, Mr D P Grice, who owns Wayfarer, a full-brother to Haughty and sire of Buccaneer, told the writer recently that Nelson Derby, sire of Haughty and many other good ones, had never done a big stud season. A dozen mares was about the limit of the patronage he received each season, yet he sired a remarkable percentage of winners and must rank as one of the most successful Colonial-bred sires of all time - he got over 100 individual winners and lived to the ripe old age of 31.

Regal Voyage, dam of Haughty, was bought at auction by Mr B Grice for stud purposes. She was a beautiful looking mare, in contrast to most of her progeny, who were on the plain side - neither Haughty or her son Brahman would get a prize for looks but they were certainly fashioned to go fast. That Prince Imperial strain again: Gold Bar has it through his third dam, Imperial Polly, and Haughty gets it through her third dam, an unnamed Prince Imperial mare, so Brahman has a double dose of this prepotent strain, a strain that courses through the veins of some of the greatest horses of both gaits over nearly half a century.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 17Jun53

Gladdy McKendry & Burns Night

1949 NEW ZEALAND DERBY STAKES

Burns Night overwhelmed the unlucky favourite, Young Charles, in the last 50yds of the NZ Derby Stakes and brought off the first major upset in the blue ribbon event since Air Marshal won in 1944.

Until his Derby success Burns Night was a maiden, but last season he performed consistently in a number of the leading two-year-old classics, being runner-up to Morano in the Timaru Nursery Stakes; occupying the same position to Young Charles in both the Welcome Stakes and the Oamaru Juvenile Stakes; and finishing fourth to Farlena, Young Charles and Van Dieman in the NZ Sapling Stakes. These were Burns Night's only starts as a two-year-old and no horse of his age raced more consistently last season.

The reason he drifted to seventh favouritism in the Derby was no doubt due to his failure in the Riccarton Stakes a week earlier, when he did not get away well. Morano broke up badly at the start of the Derby, slewing across the track and stopping Young Charles who lost fully 50yds. Farlena lost more than that and Van Dieman and Te Maru were slow to settle down. Racing into the back Casacando was sent in pursuit of the leaders and he soon took over from Anitra and Soangetaha. Flight Commander was hemmed in on the rails, and he never looked like finding an opening, eventually going into a tangle in the run home when literally climbing over Casacando.

Young Charles set out in earnest after the leaders with half a mile to go, but he had no sooner got within range of Casacando than Soangetaha came out from the rails to meet the challenge, thus forcing Young Charles to race three out right round the far turn. It was a fine spectacle when Casacando, Soangetaha and Young Charles wheeled for home almost abreast. Casacando was the first to weaken, and Young Charles was under a hard drive to hold a small advantage from Soangetaha. Then Van Dieman joined in. Young Charles was doing a little better than these when Burns Night came from the clouds, right on the outside, to clinch victory by more than half a length.

Burns Night won a truly-run race (the mile was run in 2:13 2-5, the mile and a quarter in 2:42 3-5 and the full distance in 3:16 1-5, a little below Croughton's race record of 3:15 4-5) in decisive fashion, but on top of his early set-back, Young Charles was desperately unlucky. None of the breaks came his way during the running, either, and the manner in which he fought off all challenges except the winner's was recognised on all sides as the effort of a young champion.

The story is told that Mr N G Mason, breeder of Burns Night, did not deliberately set out to buy the Derby winner's dam, Festival. He just happened to be passing that way when Festival was put up for auction, and he only had to part with £7 to become her owner. He bred Gay Piper from her, and sold this good pacer to G McKendry for £500 as a yearling. Gay Piper turned out to be so good that McKendry paid another £500 for Burns Night when this colt was only a few days old. Gay Piper and Burns Night are both entires and may be given stud opportunities later on, as they are attractive individuals.

The Derby result was a distinct triumph for U Scott as a sire, the first three-fillers all being by him.


Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 9Nov49

Mobile Globe parades after winning the 1952 Cup

1952 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

In a true staying test for the 1952 New Zealand Trotting Cup, Mobile Globe well earned the generous applause of the dense crowd that packed Addington to see him collar Tactician a furlong from home and go on for decisive victory.

A stayers' race it certainly was. With the track thoroughly saturated by heavy rain throughout the previous night and early morning, racing near the fence was out of the question, and although the track from the middle to the outside fence was drying out rapidly by the time the Cup was run, it was still not fast, and every candidate had to cover a good deal more than two miles.

Furthermore, there was no loitering at any stage and the sectional times show that the pace was faster early than later: the first half-mile in 1:06 1-5, mile in 2:12 4-5, mile and a half 3:19 4-5, and the full journey (gross by Mobile Globe, from 12yds)4:27 2-5. The final quarter took 33 3-5secs and the last half 1:07 3-5 or more than a second slower than the opening half-mile.

The sensational collapse of Johnny Globe, the hot on-course favourite, with half a mile still to run, took away a lot of the anticipated glamour from the race: he had tangled at the start and lost 24yds, something foreign to his make-up. He dropped right back to the rear when the pressure was on.

Morano broke up completely and took no real part in the race, and Young Charles made his usual poor beginning. Soangetaha soon strode away in front of Pleasant Smile, White Angel and Blue Mist. Before two and a half furlongs had been covered, Pleasant Smile was a clear leader from Soangetaha, White Angel, Tactician, Burns Night, Blue Mist, Mobile Globe, Johnny Globe, Te Maru, Maori Home and Van Dieman, with a gap of five lengths back to Young Charles and further daylight to Vedette, who was not at all happy in the patchy going.

With a mile covered Te Maru had run up to Pleasant Smile in the lead and half a dozen lengths would have covered all the field (with the sole exception of Morano) at the stage. Te Maru took charge with six furlongs to go, and positions changed rapidly from that point. Tactician was taken to the front with less than three furlongs to go and he opened up a lead of two to three lengths coming round the top, where Mobile Globe and Maori Home were next of a field now stringing out.

Mobile Globe, coming through on the inside, soon had Tactician in trouble and he beat him by four lengths. Van Dieman made a late run for third a good length away, Maori Home was fourth, then Burns Night, Young Charles, Te Maru, Pleasant Smile, Vedette, Soangetaha, White Angel, Blue Mist and the thoroughly exhausted Johnny Globe.

The Dominion-wide popularity of the Trotting Cup is revealed by the off-course total on Tuesday of £33,943 10s. The total on-course was £38,336. The record total on a New Zealand Trotting Cup (on-course only) is the £40,907 10s invested last year. It is interesting to recall that the total off-course receipts last year for the whole day's racing were only £4061 15s. This year's off-course investments for the day reached £86,475 15s.

Mobile Globe, an eight-year-old bay gelding, brought his total stake-winnings to £14,705. The Cup was his 13th win. He was bred by Mr N G Mason, Rangiora, who bought his dam, Helen Ann, for a few pounds. Mr Mason sold Mobile Globe as a yearling to Messrs Findlay and Orange, of Mosgiel, and Mr Orange sold his share to Mr C Smith, who races the horse in partnership Mr J Finglay, perhaps better known as an erstwhile star forward for the Otago Rugby Union game.

Mobile Globe won 10 of his races when trained by C M Laing, and in his only four starts for N L Berkett he has won three races - he had previously won the two principal handicap races at the Metropolitan August meeting this season.

The New Zealand Cup is becoming something of a family affair for the Berketts. L F Berkett trained Highland Fling to win in 1947 and 48, he drove that great champion in his second success in the race, his son, C R, being the driver in 1947. C R Berkett was the trainer and driver of the surprise 1949 winner, Loyal Nurse.

Mobile Globe is by Springfield Globe, who also sired Tactician, the second horse in the Cup. Springfield Globe's success in the Dominion this season is nothing short of phenomenal. With his youngest New Zealand progeny now five-year-olds, he has established a substantial lead over Light Brigade, U Scott, Dillon Hall and Grattan Loyal. It is doubtful if there has been a greater Colonial-bred sire than Springfield Globe since the mighty Rothschild, who headed the list for many seasons up till 1915-16. Springfield Globe returned to Australia about six years ago. He is by Globe Derby (Australia's greatest sire of all time with 309 individual winners), from the New Zealand bred Ayr, by Logan Pointer-Precision, by St Swithin from the thoroughbred mare Kildasa. Ayr was bred at Durbar Lodge, Ashburton, by H F Nicoll, and Springfield Globe was bred in Tasmania by Mr E Tatlow. Springfield Globe, a great racehorse, won an Inter-Dominion Championship in Tasmania and was a free-for-all winner at Addington.

Mobile Globe's dam, Helen Ann, is by Silk Thread, an American importation who was a good winner for Sir John McKenzie. Helen Ann is out of Helen, by Brent Locanda (imp) from Tui Russell, by imported Russell Patch (son of the champion Dan Patch, 1:55.25), from Elie de Beaumont, by Prince Imperial, a great name in New Zealand stayers' pedigrees.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 12Nov52