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VONNELL - Classic Winner Producing Mare

Vonnell (1965 Van Hanover-Dainty), Aus family of Lady Ajax; 2:13.4, $805; 1 win; 8 foals, 7 to race for 6 winners/1 qualifier. Breeders Ron & Mrs Maureen Hamilton. All foals bred by: Mrs Maureen Hamilton & Mrs Jill Marshall.

Sire Van Hanover is a descendant of Axworthy and his son Guy Axworthy (Van Hanover 4x4 to Guy Axworthy)appearing on his paternal side. His own sire Nibble Hanover, winner of 35 of 67 races, is the only stallion to have sired both a Hambletonian (Miss Tilly) and Little Brown Jug (Knight Dream) winner. Van Hanover topped the NZ Broodmare sires list (winners) for two and three year olds in 1977. He sired 109 winners in Australasia; damsire of 201 including Justin Hanover (WA Golden Nugget), Karloo Frost (NSWSS-3c) and Vonnell's foals Lirelle, Trevira, Tokorangi & Trilobal.

Vonnell's dam Dainty only had the one significant foal and that was Vonnell. Dainty was by the Springfield Globe stallion High Class from Luckylast, who was by Blaydon from Fortunate, by Wrack from Fortune Maid and back through Miss Fortune to Edith and Lady Ajax. Vonnell raced from two (unplaced), placed at three, with her only success being at Wyndham as a 4yo. She was unplaced at five before entering the broodmare barn.

Vonnell's male progeny included:

Trevira, classy and speedy open class pacer, winner of 16. Commencing as a 4yo, Trevira won eight of his thirteen starts including the Gore Cup, Trans Tours Discovery 4yo Stakes as well as wins at Forbury Park, Oamaru, Waikouaiti, Wyndham, Invercargill and Winton. A two-time winner at five in consecutive races (Ashburton Cup and the CPTC President's Stakes), Trevira finished fourth (promoted) in Sapling's AK Cup victory and in an ID Consolation at Addington.
Trevira managed 4 wins at six - Waikato Flying Mile at Cambridge, Whangarei Hotel Flying Mile (first sub-two-minute mile at Ruakaka, 1:59.6) beating Young Quinn who had just returned from north America, and consecutive starts at the Addington Easter meeting the Lion Lager Sprint and the Easter Cup). Notable placings included seconds in the NZFFA, Benson & Hedges Flying Mile, New Brighton Cup, Adams Memorial; thirds in NZ Cup (Lord Module), Thames Cup; fourths in the Pan Am Mile & the Pezaro Memorial.
His 2 wins at seven were at Winton and a second Waikato Flying Mile at Cambridge, part of 14 cheques from 16 seasonal starts. Significant placings were recorded with seconds in the Thames Cup, the Benson & Hedges Flying Mile, Wellington Cup; thirds in Hannon Memorial, Pezaro Memorial and fourths in the NZFFA and the Pan Am Mile. Trevira was sidelined for a season in January after the Wellington Cup second with a splint problem in his near foreleg. Trevira did not win at eight but finished second in the Ansett Flying Mile (Addington) with thirds in the Timaru Couplands Mile that Bonnies Chance won in 1:56.2 and the Easter Cup. He headed for North America after the Easter Cup (2:00.2US).

Trilobal, nine race winner. Unplaced in his sole 2yo start, Trilobal won five at three (Gore - Tanqueray & Eastern Southland 3yo Stakes; twice at Wyndham and Invercargill), he was second in the Southland Juvenile Championship and third in the Timaru Challenge Stakes.
At four, Trilobal won a further four at Oamaru, on Cup Day at Addington and the Timaru and New Brighton Cups. He was placed second in the Ashburton Cup and fifth behind Hands Down in the Easter Cup. Trilobal was a non-winner at five and six with just a solitary placing in the Wellington Cup (third).

Vonnell's fillies included:

Cambric, three wins (Wyndham, Addington & Timaru), dam of a winner Chequers (2 at Alexandra Park, 4 in Western Australia with 2 at Gloucester Park).

Lirelle, twice second and a third in the DB Fillies heats (fourth in the Final); 4th in the Southland Oaks at three before becoming the winner of four as a 4yo including the Invercargill Breeders Stakes and third in the Winton Equine Stakes. She was bred from but never managed to conceive.

Tokorangi was an eight-win Lumber Dream mare for Noel Taylor with six of her victories coming at three (Claudelands, Manawatu, Hutt Park and three at Alexandra Park). Taylor turned down an offer of $40,000 from North America for Tokorangi. At four she won twice at Alexandra Park (Franklin Cup) and placed twice including a second in the NI Breeders Stakes. A further 9 starts at five and six were unproductive before Tokorangi was retired for breeding. She was dam of Power and Glory, 1:53.4US (among first100 NZ bred Pacers in 1:55)

Tricotine, the winner of four, including 2 at Winton and fourth in the Ladyship Stakes, dam of:
. Just Royce, 9 wins, 2 at Addington, with significant placings including seconds in the NZ Cup to Il Vicolo, and the Thames Cup; thirds in the Superstars and NZ Championship at four; fourth in the NZFFA.
. Royceden, 12 wins (3 at Moonee Valley & Globe Derby)
. Tri Royce, dam of Riverboat Royce (Palmerstonian Classic).

Credit: Peter Craig writin in Harnessed Sept 2015

LEYAVA - Classic Winner Producing Mare

Leyava (1958 Garrison Hanover-Pollyapolis), Aus family of Lady Ajax; 2:09.6, $1,710; 2 wins; 11 foals, eight to race for seven winners and 1 qualifier. Breeder J S Sellars. All foals bred by A M Sellars.

Leyava raced briefly from four to seven winning at Roxburgh (4yo) and Winton (5yo). Placed at six and seven, she became a very successful broodmare.

Equal with Lordship for number of winners produced, Leyava's sire Garrison Hanover was imported to NZ in 1955 standing at stud for 28 years for Bill Denton having to be humanely destroyed in March 1981. His was a quality pedigree by Billy Direct from a Guy McKinney mare (Gloria Hanover) from Peter The Great mare Queenly McKinney. He was a good winner in the USA against the best horses of his day. He was sire of Garry Rowan, who sired Garry's Advice and Classic Garry who left Chandon in Australia. Leading sire for three consecutive years 1966-7 to 1968-9, Garrison Hanover was leading broodmare sire in 1982/3.

His 501 winners included Caledonian Garrison (GN Derby), Cardinal Garrison (GN & NSW Derbies, AK Cup), Dandy Briar (AK Cup), David Garrison (NZ 2yo Championship), Game Adios, Main Adios & New Law (NZ Derby), Garry Dillon (NZ Cup), Lady Nugent & Shalimar (NZ Oaks), Speedy Guest (GN Derby, Messenger), Waitaki Hanover (GN Derby, NZFFA, AK & Hunter Cups).

Garrison Hanover's broodmare sire credits included Albas Reign (NZ 2yo Championship, NZ Derby), Balcove (NZFFA, Easter Cup), Classiebawn (NZ Breeders Stakes), Harvest Gold (GN Oaks)& Hilarious Guest (refer Loyal Guest)

Dam Pollyapolis was by Indianapolis from Fortune's Favourite, a grand daughter of Miss Fortune, most prominent of Edith's foals. Pollyapolis was a six-race winner spread over four seasons (Invercargill, Wyndham, Ashburton twice, Addington & Forbury Park). Besides Leyava, Pollyapolis left Gore Cup winner Trigside; Va Vite, dam of Calton Hill (winner of the inaugural NZ 4yo Championship); granddam of Karalea (Roxburgh Cup), Glen Moira (Winton, Roxburgh & CPTC Winter Cups); third dam of Rapture (Southland Oaks), Kildonnan (Riverton, Yarra Valley & Warragul Cups)

The Australian family of Lady Ajax was founded in 1880's, the result of mating Ajax with Lady Fisher. Two of her offspring were sire Piccaninny (9 Sydney wins; sire of 46 winners; sire of the third dam of Lawn Derby) and Edith, who when exported to NZ began a very successful branch of this family through her filly Miss Fortune. Those tracing to this family include Free Hall (ID Pacing Final), Tobacco Road (NZ Derby), Radiant Fortune (WA Cup), Trevira (Easter Cup), Pacific (USA Breeders Crown), Yankee Loch (Rowe Cup, ID Trot Final), Flight South (AK Cup), Pullover Brown (VIC, NZ, & Aus Oaks, NZ Breeders Stakes), Moment In Time (AUS Oaks), Fleur De Lil (WA Oaks, Aus 3f Breeders Crown, 1:53.4AUS), Sovereignty (GN Trotting Derby, National Trot, T1:56.7) with the quickest being Montecito (1:49.2US).

Leyava's male progeny include:

Profiteer, winner of six races, the first 2 at four (Wyndham, Forbury Park). The Reefton Cup and 2 Addington wins followed plus second in the Hororata Cup at five with a final win at Addington as an 8yo. Profiteer sired five winners.

Ryal, a good Southland pacer for owner/trainer Jim Dynes, whose 9 wins were recorded from three to five. His single win at three was at Oamaru before finishing second in the Queens Birthday Stakes. At four, 7 wins with 3 at Invercargill, 1 at Wyndham and 3 at Addington (at Easter - Rattray & Plains Handicaps, NZ Autumn Stakes). His single win at five was at the NZ Cup carnival in the Canterbury Restricted FFA. Ryal was exported to North America.

Sassanach, a classy twelve-race winner before he was exported to North America. Sassenach recorded 4 wins at three. The major win was the NZ 3yo Championship at Addington. His outstanding season at 4 included the NZ Cup meeting wins in the Hayward & Churchill Hcps, CPTC Presidents Hcp before 2 heat wins at the 1971 Addington ID's (2nd in another heat but unplaced in the final). His Final 2 NZ wins were at Addington as a 5yo in the Le Lievre & Ollivier Hcps. Sassenach placed in each of the following three seasons - at 6, third in the Miracle Mile, fourth in the Ollivier Hcp; at seven, third in the Clarendon FFA and at eight, second in CPTC Presidents Hcp.

Shavande, winner of five races in Southland starting with 2 wins at three (Wyndham & Gore). Further 2 wins at Wyndham at four before his final win at five (Gore Cup). he raced for two further seasons without success before export to North America.

Stampede, winner of 11 races over four years reaching Cup class. He started with 6 wins as a 4yo (Winton, Invercargill, Hutt Park(2), Addington(2)) with a second in the Wyndham Cup and fourth in the NZ 4yo Championship. Stampede's 4 wins at five were at Forbury Park, Addington and Alexandra Park twice including ID Consolation as well as running third in the Easter Cup (Hands Down). A solitary win at six was recorded in the Ray Coupland Stakes (previously the Ollivier Hcp) during the Addington Cup carnival. At seven Stampede placed second in the Kaikoura Cup and fourth in NZFFA. The Young Charles stallion sired 51 winners (Defoe 1:53.00TT, Taylor Mile, 4yo Superstars, ID Heat; Lady Bonnie, Ashburton Cup; Stands To Reason NZSS 2c, Cardigan Bay Stakes at 2); damsire of 35 winners (Wingandaprayer, Riverton Cup; Les Lisle, Waimate, Amberley & Tuapeka Cups; Onedin Crusader, Kurow &Timaru Winter Cups; Onedin Lecacy, Invercargill Cup).

Zabadak, Stampede's half brother was an open class pacer who won on eleven occasions. A winner at three at Invercargill, where he also finished second in Futurity and third in Southland Challenge Stakes. t four, Zabadac won at Winton, Invercargill and twice at Wyndham (Wyndham Cup). At five, wins were recorded at Wyndham, Forbury Park and Addington (Pan Am Mile consolation) together with second in the Gore Cup and fourth in the Easter Cup. Zabadac's 3 wins at six included Forbury Park (beating Bonnies Chance) and a double at Addington (Firestone Junior FFA, Wee Win FFA). He finished second in the White Heron Travelodge FFA, third in ID heat and fifth in Auckland Cup. He Placed at seven and eight; second in the Winton Cup, third Pan Am Mile consolation.

Leyava's fillies included:

(My) Saligna, born in NZ, unraced dam of Silken Smooth (2 wins, 2:00.8, fastest progeny), exported to Australia, her 10 foals produced six winners from seven to race mostly for Solid Earth Pty Ltd, Queensland.

Socialite, unraced, dam of Lady Megan, granddam of Greek To Me, Tom and Grace; Susan Who, dam of Flashbang, 1:55.0, Menangle

Credit: Peter Craig writing in Harnessed Aug 2015

Lord Module wins from Trevira & Trusty Scot

1979 BENSON & HEDGES NZ FREE-FOR-ALL

Lord Module rubbed salt into the wounds of his NZ Cup victims when he ran them into the ground in the New Zealand Free-For-All.

The brilliant five-year-old gave what amounted to a solo performance when he cleared out from his rivals over the 2000 metres to win by four lengths in the brilliant time of 2:26.7 for the distance, only 0.1 of a second outside Robalan's world record set when winning the same race for the third successive time in 1974.

Lord Module rated 1:58.1 for the mobile event, and cut out the amazing sectional times of 27.5, 27.6, 1:27.9 and 1:57.8. There was no horse in the field capable of making a race of it with Lord Module as owner-trainer Ces Devine bounced him straight to the front. He had the others struggling to stay in sight rounding the home turn, and it was left to dogged stayer Trevira to battle past Trusty Scot and take second. Trusty Scot trailed Lord Module throughout, with Trevira on his back. They were three lengths clear of Matai Dreamer who came home strongly from near the rear without ever looking like posing a threat. Wee Win was a further three lengths back with two to Delightful Lady, who broke in the run up.

The others were a tired lot headed by Greg Robinson, who never got into contention. His driver Max Robinson, came in for some barracking from the crowd when he returned to the birdcage, after comments he made following the controversial NZ Cup.


Credit: Tony Williams writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

FRED FLETCHER

If he were a public trainer, Fred Fletcher reckons he would have very few people bringing horses to him. He wouldn't get anyone wanting a quick return anyway. His theory about training - and it is one which seems to have worked to perfection this season - involves taking a lot of time getting a horse to the races. And preferably not racing them as 2-year-olds. These days, with rapidly rising costs everywhere, there are not too many owners willing, or in a position to wait long for a return on their investment.

However, the success Fred Fletcher has had this term - it's only his fourth since getting his licence in July, 1976 - might make some see the wisdom of patience. The Templeton studmaster has only had nine horses to the races this season. Between them they have had 104 starts for 21 wins and 43 placings. Of the nine, only Wejover Star has not won. He had just one start for Fletcher before being sold to America where he has since won his first three starts with a best time of only a fraction of a second outside two minutes.

Stable star over the past two seasons, undoubtedly, has been Roydon Scott. And there is nothing surer he will be racing in America, too, before next season is through. Winner of the Wellington Cup last year, the big Scottish Hanover horse has been plagued by misfortune since missing the Inter-Dominions at Addington and the NZ Cup, through injury both times. But he proved he was right again by running a slashing second to Trevira in the Easter Cup and in the process unofficially breaking Young Quinn's 4:06.7 for the 3200 metres. "He'll probably go to the States about halfway through the season," Fletcher said last week. "He's being handicapped on back marks for invitation races, and apart from them there are only free-for-alls and the big cup for him. Even in the Easter Cup he was off 15 metres...and that was only the second time he's run 3200 metres. He would be good in the States. He's tremendous away from the mobile gate and he'll go some good miles."

Roydon Scott, winner of three races this season, has a best time of 1:58.9 set as a 3-year-old. That's more than a second slower than the other stable star, the game little mare Philippa Frost, who finished third in the Easter Cup and clocked 1:57.7 when running second in the Pan Am Mile Consolation. Fletcher has trained her to win six races this season, a major contributor to his tally of 41 since getting his open driving licence in May, 1977.

Others on his winners' list this term are fine young trotter Game Captian, Who's won four from five starts, Reuben James (also four), Chantilly Belle, Game Mander, Spangled Partner and Star Blazer. The latter, a winner at Rangiora recently, is the first horse Fletcher has raced on his own account. His wife, Fay, races Reuben James herself and has leased Chantily Belle to "the boss", owner of Roydon Lodge, Roy McKenzie. And while the training of racehorses has been a successful sideline for Fletcher, it's the running of Roydon Lodge that is his main occupation. "The racing's only part time. The stud's what we're here for."

Fred Fletcher, now 41, started at Roydon Lodge when the McKenzie establishment was divided into racing stables and the stud 11 years ago. Now it comprises about 300 acres, in two properties. One provided grazing and feed crops for the stud and stables. Fred was there when the present Roydon Lodge property was set up. With a couple of helpers, he "built everything" up from scratch to establish the stud with Scottish Hanover and Armbro Hurricane the stud sires. He went to the stud after seven years working for George Noble at Yaldhurst when Noble was in charge of the McKenzie horses. There he was involved mainly in stud work, a job which didn't seem to appeal to many people. "There is usually too much work involved," Fletcher said. "When people want to get involved with horses, a racing stable is much more attractive. There is more glamour and the chance of a drive is always there." The problem today, even in racing stables, was to find the right person with the right dedication to the job. Stable work was a tough life but a lot of those who applied for jobs seemed to want to drive fast work within a few days. "They all want to be Morrie Holmes," Fletcher said.

He himself had only just started a job in a bakehouse when he had seen the Nobles advertising for an assistant at the stud. He applied. The job was his when a prviously successful applicant had considered the house which went with the job too small for his family. It didn't deter Fred, Fay and their two daughters, Wendy and Fiona. "People said we were mad when we sold our own home in Burwood and moved out to Yaldhurst. But it was a good move." It was a good move if only for the reason that Fred was able, in between stud work, to observe a fine trainer of racehorses in action. "George believed in a long slow build-up. I suppose I got my initial ideas for my own methods from working with the Nobles," Fred said.

Fred had always wanted to work with horses, even when he was a youngster living in Blackball, where his father was a bushman. The only boy in a family of four, Fred had big ideas about being a jockey 'until I grew a bit big'. He got his interest in horses from his father, an avid racegoer. "He loved horses, gallopers and trotters. And even though he wasn't a big bettor, he followed them all over the Coast, around Nelson, across to Canterbury. I used to go with him." It is with a little sadness the Fletchers recall Fred's father's death. "He died just when Fred was getting going," Fay said. "We often think what a thrill it would have been for him to have seen Fred winning." At 13, Fred and his family had moved to Christchurch. Two years later he left Shirley Intermediate to start a job with the logging gang working the Burwood Plantation. "I didn't go to high school. I thought I knew enough at 15," Fred joked. The choice on leaving school was between working in a grocery shop, signing on as an apperentice jockey at Riccarton, or the plantation. The bush won, mainly because it meant Fred was constantly working with horses, a team of five draught horses, nibbing logs from the plantation. And he didn't have to worry about weight. The job lasted nine years. And when Fred left, the tractor had gradually superseded the horse. "The timber was just about finished and there was just one horse. Not really enough to keep me on for." So it was on to the bakehouse, Yaldhurst and then, 11 years ago, to Roydon Lodge.

"For a start we used to break in the young horses here and give thm an early education before sending them on to Mr McKenzie's other trainers. But once the Yaldhurst property was sold, he had no trainer in the South Island. He had the idea that it would be a good thing, seeing the horses were born here and were broken in here, if we could take them further. It was only a matter of more staff, and getting a licence." Fletcher was granted his professional trainer's licence in July, 1976 and a licence to drive only in matinees and trials a month later. He wasn't granted a full driving licence until a year later than that. "I think I was a bit hot at the time about having to wait but I think it was a good idea. The trials gave me the chance to show them I could drive. It was a good experience."

Roydon Scott was the first of his ten winners that first season and it was the same horse who's given him his biggest driving thrill...the 1979 Wellington Cup. "The boss was really keen to win that one," Fred recalled. "We wanted everything to go right." How hardly anything went right for Roydon Scott that night is now part of trotting history. But then, so is the fact that Fletcher and his charge looped a wall of horses at the top of the Hutt Park straight, collared Van James short of the line and won by one and a half lengths.

Now Fred takes each race as it comes. "They're all a battle of wits but it's easier if you do your homework. It's usually the last thing I do at night, checking the fields to see what the opposition is and what the others are likely to do. You can plan, but there's no way you can know what is going to happen in the actual race. That's why I like to see the horses running along in front at home. And if you can do that at the races, you're out of trouble."

Fred's a bit critical of the interference that goes on in a lot of our racing, especially in the lower classes. The big fields didn't help; and strangely enough, neither did the bigger tracks. "The bigger the track, the longer everyone seems to sit in the pack, just waiting for everyone to spread out in the run home." Fast-run races are always the cleanest. "With the pace on, there are few problems." Fred said he drove to win every race he could. And it was just as big a thrill winning somewhere out in the country as it was on the metropolitan tracks. He was always pleased to win a lower class or maiden race. "They're harder to win than the big ones. There are an awful lot of average horses around and in the top races, not so many to beat."

Training was a lot easier than the stud work. "That is daylight to dark. You are handling horses all the time and you get some pretty rough ones at times." With a staff of five counting Fred - Fay 'does the books' - the stud has an average of 300 mares a year. With numbers like that "we're almost neighing at the end of the season," Fred said. "Taking a horse away to the races, even if it is just for a couple of days, is almost like a holiday for us." The mares are handled on average every second day at least; and then there was the work with the yearlings, weaning, breaking in and all the other work involved with young horses. It was work no-one would do unless they liked it. The only part he didn't like was a bad foaling. "If you have got any trouble at all, then it is usually big trouble. And you don't like to loose a horse," Fred said.

It was work which meant you had to be on the place most of the time. And this made it difficult to take holidays. And to give the staff a break at the best times of the year. Still, he had good staff all through and this has made it possible for the Fletchers to make a couple of visits to the States. Fred, on one visit, had worked on such notable establishments as Lana Lobell, White Devon and Hanover Shoe Farms. And while that had been a tremendous experience, it was equally good to learn that here in NZ we were really just as advanced in just about all our stud work.

Of the four stallions at Roydon Lodge, American-bred Scottish Hanover was probably the Fletchers' favourite. "He has been around the longest and you tend to get more attached to them as they get older," Fred said. But now at 20, it will be a little easier for him in th coming seasons. "We will probably cut him back to about 50 mares this year," Fletcher said.


Credit: Graham Ingram writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 15Apr80

Hands Down & Delightful Lady

Great Races: 1980 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP.

If the 1979 New Zealand Cup had been a spectacular sight, the 1980 edition promised even more, and it didn't disappoint in going right to the wire - literally. On paper there had never been a better field of protagonists, or since for that matter, and in a full field of 15 for the first Cup to carry a stake of $100,000, a good case could have been made for at least 10 of them.

By the time the big day rolled around though, the class, form and champion status of Delightful Lady, Lord Module and Roydon Scott had been well established and it seemed the winner would come from that trio. But also in contention were such fine stayers as Greg Robinson, Sapling, Trevira, Trusty Scot and Wee Win, and then there were the Hannon winner Idolmite and Kaikoura Cup winner Sun Seeker, along with a 'young' upstart in the form of 5-year-old Hands Down.

Delightful Lady was a 7-year-old and in career best form. She had downed Lord Module in the previous Auckland Cup and been much too good for her northern rivals in five straight races in the spring, only going down in her last lead-up event when beaten two heads by frontmarkers Trio and Dictatorship fron 25m in the Rondel Handicap on October 29. Against her was the 15m backmark and the record book though - a mare had not won the Cup since Loyal Nurse in 1949, let alone from a handicap.

Lord Module looked and seemed in great shape for a second Cup win when resuming with a strong finishing second to Wee Win in the Ashburton Flying Stakes, but then things began to turn to custard when starting a hot favourite in two races at Forbury Park in mid-October. Kevin Williams, son-in-law of owner-trainer Ces Devine, had been employed to drive Lord Module at the start of the season, but on the first night in Dunedin the stallion had swung sideways at the start and taken no part in what was the first sign of things to come. Devine then engaged Jack Smolenski, but on the second night Lord Module refused to move at all, and when he repeated that performance in the Cup Trial he was made unruly.

Devine had been reluctant to race Lord Module after Forbury, as a repeat mulish display would have resulted in him being stood down from racing and starting in the Cup, and also compounding his problems was the fact that Lord Module was now also suffering from quarter cracks in his hind hooves as well as the front. Then the week of the Cup Trial, Smolenski had also been suspended for an indiscretion at Kaikoura and an appeal had failed at the 11th hour, forcing Devine to turn to the experience of John Noble. It was hardly an ideal build up, but the Cup still loomed as and promised to be an epic battle between 'The Lord' and 'The Lady.'

Roydon Scott would actually run the favourite though, on the strength of two brilliant wins at Addington in September and the Cup Trial, and the fact he was a normally smart beginner and off the front. He resumed by breaking his own NZ standing start 2000m record in the Laing Free-For-All and was no less impressive with a last to first performance in the Hutchison FFA a fortnight later. Not known at the time though was that the Cup would be the last race for the injury-troubled Scottish Hanover gelding, and that he would be humanely put down inside of a year when arthritis took its toll.

Sapling was a 7-year-old entire and coming to the end of his sterling career, but had shown with a runaway win at Forbury Park that he was still a big threat in any race. Greg Robinson was the same age and while overshadowed by Delightful Lady his staying credentials were never in question either. Another 7-year-old in Trevira, third in the Cup a year earlier, had streeted his rival in the Easter Cup that year in a track record 4:06.9, and downed Sapling at Ascot Park in the spring in NZ record time, while the 8-year-old Wee Win had shown at Ashburton that he was far from finished too. The 1978 Cup winner Trusty Scot, also now eight, had downed Trevira and Sapling at Gore in late September, also adding to the form puzzle.

Almost forgotten and neglected while all this was going on was Hands Down, who had qualified for the Cup with an outstanding double in the Louisson and National Handicaps in August. A one-time rogue who had improved to be just a very wayward customer in the early part of his racing career, Hands Down had finally turned the corner for trainer Derek Jones in breaking maiden ranks the previous December. The National was his sixth straight win and 11th in less than eight months, a sequence which had included the Canterbuy Park Winter Cup in 4:09.3 after a great tussle with Bonnie's Chance. But he had not shown up in two further races - at Forbury Park he had been tripped up by the shifty track and been stood down for a month and until trialling satisfactorily, and at Kaikoura he had been checked and galloped - nor was he placed in the Cup Trial.

But a then 25-year-old Peter Jones was still quietly confident in what would be his first Cup drive. "At that point he was still fragile and easily tripped up at the best of times (referring to his Dunedin and Kaikoura failures), but in the Cup Trial I just kept him 'in behind' and he had been travelling as easy as any of them," recalled Jones last week. "I think he fell from favour mostly because he had got there (to Cup class) so quickly, and had become overlooked particularly given the quality and experience of the others. When it might have seemed the bubble had burst, his career was actually still in the ascendency when most of the others were in the descent," he added.

The start of the 1980 NZ Cup was almost as sensational as the finish. Lord Module played up and eventually just stood there, figuring 200 metres was about his correct handicap, while Roydon Scott also missed away badly and lost all chance along with Canis Minor and Trio. Hands Down was also tardily away and settled down well behind Delightful Lady, who had started from more like a 20m handicap with on tape behind the 10m line, and had been slow starting because of it. Delightful Lady was normally a very smart starter, but a flying tape was her signal to get into gear.

Mack Dougall took up the early running from Trevira in the open, but it wasn't long before the fireworks began - Wee Win and Bob Cameron were soon off and around them when the pace eased and led a mile from home. They had been tracked forward by Hands Down, and Delightful Lady had attempted to follow him, but was shoved four-wide a lap out by Lordable and Denis Nyhan.

Jones pressed on to join Wee Win at the 1100m and Delightful Lady camped three-wide outside them, until the 700m mark when Mike Stromont tuned up the wick and Hands Down and Delightful Lady went clear and set sail for the judge, going at it hammer and tongs. The great mare seemed to have the measure of Hands Down on the home turn and Stormont glanced to his right to see no other threats were coming. Half a length up at the furlong, Delightful Lady looked certain to have the Cup in the bag, but Jones was just foxing and when he finally went for Hands Down, the rugged gelding responded and gradually pegged the mare back, in the end drawing away by a neck right on the line.

The race had been a true test of stamina - Hands Down's 4:07.2 off the front broke Johnny Globe's equivalent race record and was the fastest 3200m recorded at Addington since the introduction of metrics - and the stretch duel was a truly stirring, strength sapping and memorable one. Delightful Lady was gallant in defeat, not giving an inch until the final strides after such a tough run, while Sapling finished on gamely for third four lengths away after being held up at a crucial time by the tiring Wee Win. Greg Robinson was fourth another three lengths as the rest of the field filed in at intervals, with a last ironic and sarcastic cheer being saved for Lord Module as he actually finished the race, a very long last, only to suffer the ignominy of being barred from standing starts.

Delightful Lady, who was credited with a placed time of 4:06.1 in the Cup, underlined her greatness when she trekked back to Auckland and won the Franklin Cup three days later in 4:05.8 from 55 metres. This gave her the record 'no ifs or buts' over Young Quinn's 4:06.7 recorded at the Auckland Inter-Dominions five years earlier - Young Quinn having bowed out from the spotlight by parading at Addington on Cup Day. Delightful Lady would win 12 races that season, careering away with a second Auckland Cup in another all-comers' national record and claiming the Horse of the Year title, and was no worse than third in 18 races that year.

But Hands Down's triumph from seemingly certain defeat in the NZ Cup was certainly no less a performance that day. "I would have been quite happy to sit outside Wee Win, but when Mike (Stormont) made his move down the back, he forced me to go. Hands Down never got tired and even when Delightful Lady got half a length on us, I knew we weren't going away - it was just a matter of whether she would come back to us and in the end she did. Hands Down couldn't go the Auckland way, but on his day at Addington, he was pretty much unbeatable." He had the last say over Lord Module in an equally exciting NZ Free-For-All after trotting speedster Scotch Tar had taken them through the first mile in 1:57.4, and the Allan Matson proved a mere formality.

Hands Down would start in five more Cups without success, being third a year later behind Armalight and fourth in 1983, and only Roi l'Or, Tactician and Master Musician would start in more Cups with seven unsuccessful bids. When retired with 31 wins, 23 had come at Addington to break Lordship's record of 21, and also included three Easter Cups and four Louissons.

For Derek Jones, his son had provided him with his first Cup winner after 21 drives himself, which included the likes of Auckland Cup winners Soangetaha ( for his solitary third place behind Adorian almost 30 years earlier) and Leading Light. When informed that Hands Down was his 13th individual starter in the race during his famous quick wit - "bugger, if I had known that - I would have backed him."

For breeder/owner Bill McAughtrie, a humble and semi-retired farmer from Omarama, Hands Down's overnight success was a reminder just how fickle the game can be. As he accepted the gleaming trophy from the Duchess of Kent, McAughtrie reflected that year earlier "I knew I had a horse with a tonne of ability, but I never thought he would ever win a race."

Hands Down, by the successful Tar Heel horse Armbro Del, belonged to the maternal line of previous Cup winners Cardigan Bay and Globe Bay and a host of other top performers. McAughtrie had been involved with the family for 20 years, when he leased the first foal in Slick Chick from Snow Jane, an unraced U Scott half-sister to the dam of Cardigan Bay. Slick Chick won a race with Jack Fraser jnr as the trainer, but when he gave the game away, McAughtrie gave the Brahman gelding to Jones and he won another six. McAughtrie then bought from Christchurch breeder Harry Kay his sister Snowline for $1000. She won three as a 3-year-old, but was then so badly injured in a fence that it seemed she was finished, and McAughtrie bred he to Fallacy to get the dam of Hands Down - Snow Chick.

Put back into work, Snowline won another nine races, including a 2:00 mile in the New Year FFA at Addington. In March 1971, Snowline won her last race at Greymouth, the same night that Snow Chick won a maiden race for Jones and then training partner Jack Grant, and both were soon retired.

Snowline's dam, Snow Jane was also the dam of 1976 Inter-Dominion Trotting Grand Final winner Bay Johnny, Snow Globe (10 NZ wins trotting), good Australian pacer Toliver Bay and the dam of a brilliant one in Apre Ski (Vic Marathon, US1:56).

Snowline had 10 in all with nine of them being fillies that amounted to little on the track, but the first colt from the first of them, Snow Chick, was Hands Down.

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 12Jul06

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

Ces Devine, Jack Smolenski & Lord Module

GREAT RACES: LORD MODULE 1981 ALLAN MATSON FFA

Now that we have entered the realms of our 'living memory', the very first occasion that always springs to mind as a 'greatest event' is Lord Module's 1981 Allan Matson. It was a great race featuring a number of great horses like a lot of others, but it was a spectacle combined with the recent history and the emotions which flowed which made it all the more special.

I was a rising 21-year-old cadet with the then 'NZ Trotting Calendar' in November, 1981, having been brought on board the HRW's predecessor a year or two earlier by editor Tony Williams, based solely on unabashed enthusiasm - couldn't even type let alone write a story. Reading up the old Calendars at the time to refresh the memory, it is obvious by the time the 1981 Cup Meeting came round that my main responsibilities each week had still only evolved into banging out the weekend's race results all day Monday on our trusty old portable typewriter, sorting out the NZ-bred winners in America and being 'trusted' with the intro, and 'working' at the Addington races, where my primary objective was to ensure I made the stretch to the old tote 10 times a night and in time to get Tony's investments placed, which was all very exciting given each one was more than my weekly wage. The memory banks recede with time, but I will never, ever forget the night of November 21, 1981.

Sitting in the open Press Box in the old Member's Stand and on an angle to the public grandstand, which in those days was pretty full for events such as the last night of the Cup Meeting, the sight of the stand moving like a slow moving landside was unbelievable. The people were coming to greet, cheer and clap their idol, and they crammed around the birdcage for the nearest and best possible vantage point. It was enough to make grown men cry, and some did.

To appreciate and understand what led to this night of unbridled enthusiasm and passion and an unforgettably magic moment in time, one had to live through the career of Lord Module, one which for the most part seemed like one sensational hair-raising performance or controversial abject failure after another.

In 1976, the racing days of Canterbury's favourite (standardbred) son Robalan were over, and the people needed a new champion. Lord Module wasn't long in coming, displaying exceptional talent and potential as a 2-year-old for a by now veteran and semi-retired but legendary horseman in Ces Devine, a man who did not suffer fools lightly let alone owners and slow horses. He suffered Lord Module though, even when more often than not that season he would run the favourite and do a stretch at the start, mobiles being still a rarity at Addington, rather than the norm. But his class was well and truly confirmed when he romped away in record time with the NZ Juvenile Championship at Alexandra Park at season's end, accounting for the boom northern youngster Testing Times (10 wins from 12 starts going in) and other top colts in Glide Time, Redcraze, Main Star and Motu Prince.

He was back bigger and bolder at three, but no better behaved, and waywardness would cost him dearly in both the New Zealand and Great Northern Derbys. Devine was not afraid to start him against tough and older intermediate grade pacers if it suited the schedule though, and his eight wins that season included a 'c5-c6' mobile at Addington over the good mares Ruling River and Bronze Queen and the 'c7-c9' Barton Memorial at Forbury Park, where he started favourite against pretty much an open class field and bolted in by six lengths over stable-mate Sun Seeker (handled by son-in-law Kevin Williams) and Miss Pert.

Not much changed at four either, a season he began in open class. Lord Module started favourite in each of his first eight races that year - except for the NZ Cup where he blew the start - and failed to win any of them for one reason or another. He started to get his act together in the second half of the season with three straight wins and a game third from 30m behind in the Forbury 4YO Championship to frontmarker Graikos, giving cause for a rise in optimism going into the 1979 Inter-Dominions at Addington.

That optimism crashed to Ground Zero on the first night though when he was up to his old tricks again and tailed the field home bar one even more tardy Australian in Gemini Boy. Faced with a 'must win' situation on the second night, Lord Module again conceded ground and settled well behind favourite Markovina (15m), but the 3200m helped and after tracking the NZ-bred entire up and into line six-wide, and as many lengths from the leaders, Lord Module scorched the outside fence and got up to down Belmer's Image in the last stride. A sound second to the unbeaten heat winner Wee Win on the third night had him comfortably into the Final, but Lord Module had had enough of the heroics for now and in an Inter-Dominion which was supposed to serve as redemption for the 'one that got away' with False Step, Devine's thoughts instead turned to what would be his last NZ Cup drive that year.

Lord Module would be overshadowed in the spring by a redhot Roydon Scott - on the comeback trail after going amiss the previous January - and was also the centre of much mirth at the National Meeting in August. Roydon Scott had beaten him fairly and squarely in the Louisson, but when the field emerged from a blanket of fog less than 100 metres from the finish in the National Handicap, Lord Module had Roydon Scott in a box as Sunseeker won uncontested to qualify for the Cup. Roydon Scott had gone amiss again by the time Lord Module was runner-up at Ashburton to Bad Luck and Oamaru to Watbro, but Devine was just foxing and fine-tuning his V8 to have it ready to explode at the Cup Meeting.

And explode it did, at least at the start in the minds of punters, who sent him out a $3.55 favourite. While only winning once at Forbury Park in his seven lead-up races, Lord Module had been second or third in the other six and had been rewarded for his good behaviour by being taken off the unruly list. This however resulted in him drawing the awkward barrier one in the Cup, and as if to signal that Lord Module figured big occasions equated to failure and disappointment, he stood motionless as he tape flew and watched the rest of the field disembark. He had however made up his lost 50 metres by the time Bad Luck reached the winning post the first time and Devine immediately latched onto Sapling's back for an early cart into the race.

What happened soon after would become the stuff of folklore. Sapling took over the 'death seat' occupied by Sun Seeker, and Lord Module managed to slot into the one-one in an incident which forced his stablemate down onto Greg Robinson, who galloped and put Rondel out of the race. Pushed back from the half by the three-wide train as Sapling also tired and came back on him, Lord Module showed up at the furlong and careered away for a brilliant and magnificent four-and-a-half-length win in a truly-run 4:09.

Gavan Hamilton, who was a 22-year-old participant in all this and had a good view behind his father Ron's horse, the third-placed Trevira, wrote to vote for this race as one of the greatest, and offered his thoughts on what transpired. "I was talking to Henry (Skinner with Sapling) later and he said 'I looked around and saw Lord Module coming and I thought this was good. Then I looked around again to see where he'd got to and he was on my back, and I thought how the hell did that happen.' Soon after we had finished, Max (Robinson with Greg Robinson) drove over to Ces and screamed 'you are going to lose that' and so on. Max was normally a very placid sort of fellow and Wolfie was none to happy either. Then I was called into the room about getting cut off (by Lord Module) at the furlong. I had taken hold for a stride but that's all, I didn't think it had cost me second. But if I had been second, it would have been tempting to say 'what about the earlier incident'."

There was an enquiry into the infamous incident about 2100 metre from home, but after receiving conflicting evidence and viewing an inconclusive video, the announcement that the placings would stand came about 20 minutes later much to the delight of all and sundry. Fair to say, the Stipes knew they stood to be lynched by an angry mob at best if they had taken the race off Lord Module, or more to the point, Devine.

Hamilton, these days working for a fertilisator company while keeping his hand in with the odd horse, was as much in awe of Lord Module that day as anyone. "I was four-wide coming to the turn outside Del's Dream and Lord Module was inside me, fair bolting and climbing all over Denis Nyhan (Del's Dream). Denis turned to me and said 'who is that' and I said it's 'Tassie'. He said keep him there as long as you can and you might win. Being just a lad with a chance to win the Cup, I thought I would go for it and put a winning break on him. Well no sooner had I done that and he was out and around me and gone in two strides, and I thought, my God what a horse, and I didn't even know he had done a stretch at the start."

Three days later, Lord Module jogged the opening mile of the Free-For-All in 1:57.4 and won easing down by four lengths over Trevira, missing Robalan's world record by .1 of a second, and the Allan Matson was likewise a walk in the park. The Pan Am Mile and the NZ record for a race of 1:56.2 soon followed - where he loafed home in 30.2 with nobody to push him - as he did in the New Year Mile over speedster Locarno and new Auckland sensation Delightful Lady.

The 1:55 barrier then fell in an epic time-trial at Addington in far from even good conditions. The event had been postponed a week due to the weather, and from 8.30pm until after the last race following day-long rain, but over 6000 ardent admirers braved the bitter conditions and Lord Module didn't disappoint in powering home in 1:54.9 when most figured 1:57 would be tough.

Turning back an offer of $600,000 from Del Miller which would have resulted in the resurrection of the International Series in New York with a flat "not for sale at any price - I'm having too much fun," Devine next headed off for a tilt at th Auckland Cup, and Lord Module headed for the downward spiral to his career which would land him on the night of the 1981 Allan Matson, with only one further win behind him - a mile at Washdyke over light-weights Philippa Frost and The Raider the previous February from 14 races in his 6-year-old season.

He had developed a reputation as a complete rogue, and it mattered little that the painful quarter cracks which had troubled him on and off for much of his career had reduced his mental capacity to that of an errant 3-year-old with a tooth ache. He had been stood down from even starting in the spring and failed special trials which would have allowed him to take his place in the Cup. Yet another sullen display had seen him fail to participate at all in the NZ Free-For-All, in a week when the spotlight shone brightly on Armalight, Lord Module had been reduced to the butt of cruel jibes and jokes by all but his most fanatical followers.

Come the Allan Matson, and the 'bully' was that if Lord Module produced another act of petulance and Devine didn't then retire him, the Stipes would. Enough was enough - the end was nigh.

It was therefore hearts in mouths stuff as the mobile began to move away, and heads in hands when Lord Module pig-rooted and momentarily it seemed 'here we go again'- the end had come with another inglorious display. But out of desperation, Jack Smolenski went for the whip, and Lord Module lept into action and was almost unbelievably in his rightful place as the start was reached, and the crowd roared for the first time. Settling handy only to be pushed back in the running, Lord Module was last on the fence with a lap to go as Armalight and Gammalite - under the bat but unable to cross - took them along at break-neck speed, closely attende by Bonnie's Chance and Hands Down.

All the while the crowd rumbled with feverish excitement. Still last at the 300m, Lord Module began to make his move and when he showed up six-wide at the furlong, Reon Murtha screamed "and here's Lord Module, and oh, he is just mowing them down!" And the crowd erupted. There was a secondary eruption when a new world record was announced, and a third when Lord Module finally arrived back at the birdcage after some delay - he had kept going at high speed some way past the finish and Smolenski had only been able to bring him to a standstill and turn around in the backstraight.

Even Devine was visibly shaken, and down at the track the incessant and frenetic reaction that swept along everyone meant that it was impossible to hear someone only a few feet away. Lord Module returned to a hero's welcome and old-timers agreed that the only receptions to compare were the aftermath of Johnny Globe's NZ Cup almost half a century earlier, and the retirement of the immortal Harold Logan in the late 30s. All else was forgotten in the delerium and ecstasy - no abuse this time, just admiration and awe.

Not known that night was that it would in fact be Lord Module's last race. The quarter cracks would deteriorate beyond repair in the ensuing months, and Devine announced his retirement to stud a few months later. That would not be the start of another fairytale story, but as the end to a spectacular racing career, what a way to go!


Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 5Jul06