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NATIVE CHIEF - Enigma

Let me tell you how fast the Winton-bred Native Chief was. When word was out that Jack Kennerley was going to give him a fast workout at Addington large crowds gathered in the early morning to watch. A beautifully actioned, longstriding Native Chief could reel off 900m in 58 any time he was asked which was sensational then. One morning he worked on his own in 2:02which was more than a second inside the Australasian record.

Retained by his breeder, James Duffy, he was raced on lease for much of his career by Kennerley. There was no doubt Native Chief could have paced two minutes. But he had no manners. If he could break at the start he would and if he started to pull there was no stopping him.

In 1928 he took part in a match race with Great Bingen over a mile which attracted the biggest interest in such an event since the Ribbonwood-Fitz sensation nearly 30 years before. Native Chief won it but there were more than a few boos for him on the return to scale from the very large crowd after five false starts ruined the contest through Native Chief breaking in the run up. When they did go, he had tangled just before the start and Withers had taken a hold on Great Bingen, a public idol then, expecting another false start. Instead Native Chief recovered quickly and was never headed, beating a genuine champion by three lengths.

It all ended in tears. Kennerley wanted to send him against time to break the mile record.But the Duffy's(James Duffy had passed on) weren't having it for some reason. They sent him to the James Bryce stable for a spell and a new campaign and Kennerley "agreed" to end his lease.

Native Chief had just one start in the NZ Cup. He broke early and then pulled his way out of contention. . Story of his life. But oh that two minute speed! Sensational.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed July 2016

LOGAN POINTER

Early in 1915 Riccarton horseman Freeman Holmes took delivery of three horses which he had selected in the United States with the assistance of Mr W Lang. The shipment was horses but as far as the struggling standardbred industry was concerned it might have been fine gold.

The three horses which were to leave an indelible mark in their adopted country were a yearling filly Trix Pointer, the 3 year old filly Bonilene and the Star Pointer horse Logan Pointer, then six years old. Trix Pointer and Bonilene founded two of the most sought after families in the stud book while Logan Pointer was to become a sire of legendary achievements in a tragically brief career. Indeed surveying his success and comparing it with others whose careers at stud were much longer it can be argued that he was the most successful stallion ever to stand in this country.

Whether his triumphs year after year surprised even those responsible for bringing him to NZ it is not known but it can be safely assumed that it would have been a shock to his American owners. At the time of his sale to Freeman Holmes, Logan Pointer was an unfashionably-bred horse who had never got to the races. It is not known how much was paid for him but Maurice Holmes relates that the price would have been very small and it is even possible that Logan Pointer was 'thrown in' with the two fillies. Racing in those days was at a fairly low ebb in America and an unraced six year old such as Logan Pointer would not have been a stud proposition there. Freeman Holmes saw something in him though and his almost unerring judgement at selecting bloodstock was to prove right again.

Logan Pointer didn't take long to establish himself. Appearing first on the sires' list in 1918 he was fifth the following year, then second and top (with Wildwood Jnr) in 1921. For the next six years he reigned supreme against some very good sires before Nelson Bingen forced him into second place by the barest of margins in the 1928-29 season. He never regained the top spot because of his untimely death but he was well up in the list through the middle thirties by which time he was also top broodmare sire. During his years as leading sire Logan Pointer produced the winners of 493 races and altogether he sired 187 individual winners - a ratio to foals which would take a lot of beating. As a sire of broodmares he was even more famous producing in all the dams of 318 winners including 65 in the 2:10 list.

To include here every top winner with Logan Pointer blood in their veins would fill pages but we can take a look at some of his greatest performers.

Undoubtedly his finest son was Harold Logan who will need no introduction to older readers. The winner of 27 races from 66 starts including two Cups, Harold Logan was the idol of his day and still perhaps as popular a horse as has ever been led into the Addington birdcage. Harold Logan was immensely popular because of his speed, his courage, his almost uncanny intelligence and because of the rags to riches success he was. He didn't race until he was five and was very ordinary until coming into the hands of Dick Humphries as a seven year old. From then until his retirement at the ripe old age of 15 he held crowds in the palm of his hand, setting several records including an amazing 2:36.8 over 1¼ miles on a soft grass track at New Brighton.

Then there was Logan Chief who was a top pacer of his day and the winner of over $24,000 over a long career, which was really big money then. Cardinal Logan won 17 races in all including the Speedway Handicap when it was a Cup meeting feature and he ran second to Kohara in the NZ Cup. Acron won nine and two of them were NZ Free-For-Alls. Acron was the fastest pacer of his day holding the mile record of 2:03.6 for a number of years. Unfortunately he was a wayward type and never developed his full potential. Native Chief was another in the same category. Widely regarded as our 'most likely to succeed' two minute horse (he worked 2:02 at Addington), Native Chief proved untrainable most of the time. Every leading trainer had a go at him at one time or another but his great speed could never be successfully harnessed though he won a NZ Derby when caught in the mood.

Onyx was a mare also not easy to train but she won $22,000 (a record for a mare at that time) and held a 1½ mile record of 3:13. Apart from Onyx and Bonny Logan, Logan Pointer had most racetrack success through his sons. Others to be leaders of their time were Jewel Pointer, Logan Wood (Dunedin Cup), Prince Pointer, Logan Park, Logan Lou (two National Handicaps), Great Logan, King Pointer (National & NZFFA, the one eyed trotter Trampfast (Dominion Handicap and very successful among the pacers) and Colene Pointer.

Logan Pointer did not as a rule leave many trotters, Trampfast being the only one who reached the top. His stock were noted for their hardiness, many of them competing over many seasons, and also for their temperaments, the sire himself being a very sensible stallion, easy to manage. The occasional wayward one appeared but they do in most sire lines. Altogether Logan Pointer's offspring won nearly $500,000 which in the depressed stakes era of the twenties was a marvellous feat.

As a sire of broodmares Logan Pointer was even more successful. Statistics were not officially kept in those days but there is no doubt he was the leading sire of mares for many seasons. To give you some idea of his influence take a look at these names who had Logan Pointer mares as their dams: Springfield Globe, Logan Derby, Free Advice, Silver De Oro, Grand Mogul (24 wins including an Interdominion Final), Royal Silk, Regal Voyage (dam of Haughty), Royal Empress (grandam of Highland Fling and Highland Kilt), Imperial Pointer (dam of Gold Bar), Smile Again and Kingcraft.

When toting up the list of early two minute performers in NZ, Gold Bar, Haughty, Highland Fling, Johnny Globe, Tactician and Caduceus all had Logan Pointer blood running freely in their veins. In the late twenties Logan Pointer's offspring held nearly 70%of NZ time records. Logan Pointer's sire line didn't survive long here, Logan Fraser probably being the most successful, siring over 30 winners including Ronald Logan. Jewel Pointer was a moderate success here and in Australia. It was unfortunate that most of his best sons were geldings.

Where Logan Pointer got his extraordinary siring potential from is difficult to determine. His sire Star Pointer, the first two minute pacer, was, giving him the best of it, a disappointment at stud, and Logan Pointer's distaff lines were rather obscure. The tragedy of his stud career was that he was cut down when at the height of it. In January 1924 when only fifteen years old, the stallion was let out of his box as usual for a stroll around the paddock while his groom Joe Washington returned for some more shuteye. But unknown to Washington there was a pony also in the paddock and the groom was awakened by a noise from the paddock rail. The noise was made by the escaping pony who had savaged Logan Pointer and kicked him in the leg, splitting it right up to the thigh. There was no chance of saving the great sire and he was accordingly put down.

During his nine seasons he had served about 100 mares a season, his fee never rising above 12 guineas. The mares were by no means all trotting bred and his feat of producing nearly 200 winners from about 900 matings was a tremendous one. What he might have achieved if he had lived another five years is anybody's guest. Is it any wonder that breeders still like mares with Logan Pointer blood in their veins? As a racehorse he may not have been much but as a stallion he was one in a thousand.





Credit: David McCarthy writing in NZ Trotguide 7Oct76

REGINA LOGAN

Regina Logan (1924 Logan Pointer-Regina de Oro), NZ family of Regina; unraced; 14 foals, 10 winners. Breeder: James Duffy, Winton. Foals bred by : M Duffy, Winton (Regina Derby); J M McTavish, Winton (Southern Smile); all other foals bred by Miss Julia Cuffs, Weedons.

Yet another classic winner producing mare whose sire was Logan Pointer. Regina Logan's sire Logan Pointer (1909) left 191 winners including Harold Logan (Two NZ Cups, three NZFFA's) with broodmare credits of three Inter Dominion (ID) Champions in Logan Derby, grand Mogul and Springfield Globe. Logan Pointer was leading sire on seven occasions in NZ.

Dam Regina de Oro was by Copa de Oro who died after one season in NZ (sired Rey de Oro in North America) from Regina Belle (NZMTC President's Hcp). Her dam sire was Bellman, an Australian bred trotter of imported parents who sired 47 winners (30 pacers, 17 trotters) including Bell Car (Easter Hcp), Bell Fashion (Timaru Cup). His broodmare credits included the very speedy Native Chief (NZ Derby, NZFFA). Bellman's daughters included Rita Bell (family of Delightful Lady), kola Bell (family of Sheza Mona) and Bellflower (family of Stanley Rio). Regina Belle left good pacer Logan Chief (NZFFA, Dunedin, Canterbury Hcp, Easter Hcp twice, winner of 23 races from 178 starts, to 31/7/1930 held records for gelding for 1m, 1¼m, 1½m) and his half sister Wild Queen was grand dam of Grand Mogul and 5th dam of Black Watch. Regina de Oro's daughter's included Regina Pointer- grand dam of Garry Dillon and descendant in Honkin Vision.

The family of Regina was founded in Southland and has become well established in Australia. Standout descendants include - Garry Dillon (NZ/ Waikato Cups, CF Mark Memorial), Nicky's Falcon (Redcliffe Cup, raced until 14 years old in Queensland), Honkin Vision ($½m, NZSS-2c/3, NZ C/S-2/3, Flying Stakes-3, Junior FFA), Bruce Hall (ID Pacing Consolation), Trusty Scot (NZ Cup/ FFA, Kaikoura Cup, Ashburton Flying Stakes, ID ht), Grand Mogul (ID Pacing ht/final, Louisson/ Easter Hcps).

Regina Logan's fillies included:

1. Pola Negri, a mare of 14.1 hands, was a winner on five occasions. She left daughters who bred on including:
- Ardour, left Dourglo (Geraldine/ Wyndham Cups)
- Ballyhaunis, left Jennifer: descendants Post Dated Vance (Leonard Memorial, Delightful Lady Classic) and Seafield Princess, ancestress of Seafield Hanover (GN Oaks), Letucerockthem (I:52.1, APG-2c, NSW Breeders Challenge-2c/3c), Letucerocku (1:52.6).
- Clontarf bred on.

2. Dalgan Park - descendants through Dalgan Hall, include numerous Australian winners predominantly Tasmanian, Laradoc (ID ht), Bravado Vale (ID Trot Consolation).

3. Promise Me, unraced, bred on with a leading descendant being good trotter Silver Wheels (Rhodes Mile Trot). Southern Smile, reached good company winning the James Hcp at Forbury among her eleven victories. She was one of the first 100 2:10 pacers in NZ (2:08.8 10furs 1936/7. She failed to produce any foals. Voloma, whose Invercargill Cup win at six came from her only start that season. She recorded four earlier wins but failed to produce other than one foal (Native Chief) who was unraced due to injury. Like Southern Smile, by Adioo Guy who left many fine breeding producers, these two mares failed to breed on.

4. Two Crosses, in-bred to Copa de Oro 2/3 was unraced. She was dam of:
- Master Scott, sire of several Australian winners and descendants Teramby Time (NSWSS-3f), Kyalla Mary (NSWSS-2f)
- True Glory, dam of Gay Baron (Riccarton/ Queens Birthday Stakes-3, Rangiora/ CPTC Winter Cups), Rapine (Hawera Cup); 3rd dam of Wickliffe (Golden Slipper/ Oamaru Juvenile-2)

Regina Logan's male progeny included two good juveniles:

Southern Chief, winner of the inaugural Futurity Stakes that became the Timaru Nursery-2 in 1936. An offer of £1,000 was refused shortly after this victory. Of his twelve wins, five were as a six-year-old including Methven Cup, Oamaru President Handicap and Canterbury Handicap. He was used as a sire.

Walter Moore, half brother of Southern Chief, was a good juvenile pacer by Quite Sure. He won his division (two run) of 1940 Timaru Nursery-2 at his first start. In doing so he established a NZ 2YO Pacers mile record of 2:10.8. This stood as the two-year-old standing start record for thirty years (2:07.0, Lumber 1970). His four wins at three included Ashburton All Aged Stakes and NZ Futurity. His final two victories came at four at Forbury and he was unsuccessful over the next four seasons before being retired.

Other minor winners from Regina Logan were - Regina Derby, won one race at Winton JC before fracturing a leg working around roads; Southland, full brother to Southern Chief (Wrack) was the winner of five races at Auckland, Christchurch and Greymouth (3 wins); Luck Ahead, won 3 (Hawera, South Canterbury JC, FPTC); Southern Way's only win came at first start as a three-year-old at Westland; Honest Truth was a winner at Greymouth.

Credit: Peter Craig writing in Harnessed Feb 2015

1926 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP
Two of the possibilities in Native Chief and Queen'a Own spoilt their chances by an inaccurate beginning and Great Bingen took i11 during the early part of the race and was pulled up. Of the 14 acceptors Black Admiral was not started. The favorites were Ahuriri, the coupled horses, Acron and Great Bingen, Native Chief and Waitaki Girl.

Had Native Chief not misbehaved at the start he may have occupied a winning place. As it was the pace he had to go for the first half-mile to regain his lost ground took all the steam out of him and he died right away three furlongs from home. From the word go Ahuriri never looked like getting beaten when the field had gone a furlong. He was in fifth place, where Bryce was content to allow his candidate to shelter from the wind till a mile and a-half had been completed. At this stage of the race he dashed into second place where he stayed till well into the home stretch, where he gave him a tap with the whip and home he came winning comfortably by twp lengths. Prince Pointer, who filled second place, began smartly and went into the lead at the two-furlong disc and acted as a pacemaker right into the home stretch, though he beat Talaro by five lengths for second money. He had no chance of finishing m front of the winner.

Talaro went a stinging good race. He led for a quarter- of a mile where he dropped in behind Prince Pointer. Even when Ahuriri collared his position three furlongs from home he boxed on in determined style and gathered third money. Considering the ground he lost at the start Jack Potts went a wonderful race to occupy fourth place to which is attached 300 sovs. Acron and Man-o-War had every chance. Waitaki Girl and Sheik battled hard through their field but neither ever threatened danger.

This is the second time that Ahiiriri has annexed the New Zealand Trotting Cup. He won it last year he is owned by R. N. Morten who bred him, and is trained by J.Bryce.

The first mile was cut out in 2.l3 2/5; the mile and a half in 3.20 4/5 and the full journey in 4.25.

His connections must have been confident.

The judicial stewards severely cautioned J. Bryce, driver of Ahuriri, for interfering with Talaro and fined him £15.


Credit: NZ Truth 11 Nov1926

1927 NEW ZEALAND FREE-FOR-ALL

Due to the display on the part of New Zealand's greatest pacer, Great Bingen, the Free-for-All was a very disappointing contest. Great Bingen took fright at the start and galloped a furlong and a half before he could be induced to strike his gait. By that time the field was well on its journey and he had no chance of making up his ground.

The winner, Native Chief can-canned at the start, lost several lengths and then had the race won at the head of the stretch. It wasn't a race at the finish, Native Chief winning easily in the slow time of 2.11 1-5. He really went in 2.8. That is from the time he left the starting peg.

Bell Harold and Loganwood loafed over the first half-mile which took 1.8 to cover, hence it is easy to understand why Native Chief gathered them so easily. In the straight, Peter Bingen put in his claim for second money and got it without doing any damge from a record point of view. Great Hope went away badly. Had Bonny Logan been able to have got clear m the straight she would have made the finish more interesting.


Credit: 'The Toff' writing in NZ Truth 17 Nov 1927

J J KENNERLEY

It is with regret that we record the death of J J Kennerley, formerly of Christchurch, and later living in retirement in Auckland.

J J Kennerley, contrary to a general idea, was not an Australian. He was born in the Waikato, but at a early age he went to Australia with his parents.

It was in 1911 that Kennerley trained and drove his first winner, Lively Bells. Kennerley later won a Sydney Thousand with Hardy Wilkes, whom authorities still regard as one of the greatest trotters seen in Australia and NZ.

In 1914 Kennerley came to NZ, and won a race with Eminent at Addington. He returned to Australia but in 1921 he came back to NZ, and settled here. He soon became a leading trainer and at one time he had probably the best team of horses under his charge ever sheltered by the one stable in the Dominion. At that time he was private trainer to Mr J R McKenzie, who owned Great Bingen and Acron and many other good ones.

Other champions and near-champions trained by Kennerley about the same time were Peter Bingen, Native Chief, Logan Chief and Pedro Pronto.

Kennerley twice won the NZ Cup with Peter Bingen, and trained winners of five Free-For-Alls in Logan Chief, Acron (twice), Native Chief and Peter Bingen.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 12Aug42

1928 NEW ZEALAND FREE-FOR-ALL

From fifth position at the barrier, Peter Bingen took possession after going a furlong and a-half in the Free-For-All.

He showed his four classy opponents the way home in 2.38 4/5, which is a new record for a mile and a quarter for Australia and New Zealand. As in his finish in the New Zealand Trotting Cup, he commenced to tire, but notwithstanding he ran the last four furlongs in 1.0 4/5. He did the first two furlongs in 34 4/5, half-mile in 1.6 and the mile in 2.8. Jack Kennerley knows Peter from the bridle, to the end of the reins, and he handled him to perfection.

Native Chief cut up at the start, but Jewel Pointer, Peter Bingen, Great Bingen and Prince Pointer began smartly. After Peter Bingen had collared the lead from Jewel Pointer, the quartet settled down to race m single file, the order being; Peter Bingen, Jewel Pointer, Great Bingen and Prince Pointer.

Three and a-half furlongs from home Withers took Great Bingen up to Jewel Pointer and was in that position at the bend for home, where Jewel Pointer broke, and interfered with Great Bingen, whose sulky wheel went up in the air. For a moment it looked as though Great Bingen would fall. This settled his big chance of winning.

At the head of the lane Prince Pointer pulled out a great effort, and though finishing like an express, he just failed to reach Peter Bingen by a head. Prior to Peter Bingen's record, Minto Derby was the holder, his time being 2.40 1/5.


Credit: 'The Toff' writing in NZ Truth 15 Nov 1928