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YEAR: 1987

FG Holmes pictured with the 1935 Wellington & Auckland Cups won by Graham Direct and Adorian's 53 NZ Cup
FREEMAN (FG) HOLMES

Freeman (FG) Holmes, who died in Christchurch last week aged 88, apart from being one of NZ's most accomplished and successful horsemen, was an enigma. Many of the old school have insisted he was every bit as gifted a reinsman as his famous brother Maurice. His record leaves no doubt that he was not only a top driver but also an outstanding trainer.

'FG' was a loner; an introvert who shunned publicity and well wishers, and was very selective about who he even spoke to. He was harder to get on with when he'd just won a race than when he had been tipped out from a favourite. Yet catch him in the right moment and he would chat the breeze for as long as you would care to listen - and listening to him could at times be very enlightening and rewarding. Besides breeding, racing, training and driving, he had other pet pursuits, high among them hunting and shooting. He was also, in his early days, a fine athlete.

The writer well recalls as a junior in the racing department of "The Press", Christchurch, in November, 1953, calling on 'FG' at home at West Eyreton a few hours after his NZ Cup win with Adorian, in the hope of getting a feature story to phone through in time to make the next morning's paper. People were phoning to congratulate the family. Freeman refused to be called to the phone. "Don't ask them here," he insisted. "We're not having a party." Trying to get the background to Adorian from him was nigh on impossible. He insisted, with that curious humour of his, that I sang a song before he would tell me anything. When I obliged, instead of telling me about Adorian, he played for me, over and over, a record of an Australian race in which, in a skirmish with top Sydney driver Jack Watts, 'FG' had been tipped out over the rail and quite seriously injured. "He's a bloody good driver, that Jack Watts," said Freeman each time we listened to the incident. I finally got some sort of story from him - which took some working out as he spoke of horses, mares, colts and fillies without bothering about their registered racing names.

'FG' was the first son of the famous Free Holmes to come to prominence. Insofar as NZ horse racing is concerned, the Holmes saga began with Freeman Senior. Born on a farm near Ashburton in 1871, he was, as a rising 12-year-old five-stone stripling, pressed into service, because of a shortage of jockeys, to ride, laden with "ballast," in an Ashburton galloping event - which he duly won. "Old Free" as he ultimately became reverently known to the racing and trotting fraternities in NZ, successfully rode gallopers on the flat, and over jumps, and then became a prominent trainer and owner of thoroughbreds.

Turning his hand to the sister sport of trotting, Free became a leading saddle exponent, driver, trainer, importer and breeder. Race driving until he was 73, Free continued to train, and when well into his 80s was training - and riding to and from Riccarton racecourse from his property nearby - the thoroughbred Tarantella, owned by his then teenage grandson Graham (son of FG), and a winner for them.

Of Free's four sons, first Freeman, then Maurice, then Allan became actively involved as drivers and branched out to become trainers in their own right. Walter stayed at home, assisting with the stud side of Free's activities. 'FG' was a proficient jockey. He was 13 when he won the Apprentice's Plate at Wingatui in February, 1913, and subsequently won several hurdles and flat events. He first drew attention to himself riding saddle winner Law Chimes at the 1916 NZ Cup carnival. Two years later he finished third with Sungod in Author Dillon's NZ Cup.

Freeman's first classic win came in the fourth edition of the Auckland Trotting Club's Great Northern Derby in 1919, driving Lady Swithin for successful Ashburton owner and administrator H F Nicoll, later to become long-time president of the NZ Trotting Conference. In 1921, then aged 22, Freeman drove Sherwood to win the NZ Cup for owner S G Lemon. After a protest alleging interference by Holmes to the previous year's winner, straight-out trotter Reta Peter (whom he beat by two lengths), Sherwood was relegated to second and Holmes was fined £25. The incident was hotly debated for years by many who saw the race. And, when, 32 years later, 'FG' trained and drove his own good horse Adorian to win the 1953 NZ Cup, he seized the opportunity at the presentation to insist again that he should not have been disqualified with Sherwood. "It was unjust," he said.

'FG' drove NZ Sapling Stakes winners Richore (1926), Sonoma Child (1928), Captain Morant (1942)and Forward (1951). He won the NZ-GN Derbies double in 1927 with J Washington's Daphne de Oro, drove J Duffy's Native Chief to win the NZ Free-For-All that year and was the nation's leading reinsman of 1927/28 with 33 wins. He trained Graham Direct to win the 1935 Auckland Trotting Cup for J Westerman (driven by his father, Free) and drove him himself to win the 1938 NZ Trotting Gold Cup at Wellington. He won two further NZ Derbies with Bonny Bridge (1943) and Blue (1958).

Much of the credit for tough NZ-bred gelding Captain Sandy becoming the first two-time Inter-Dominion Grand Champion must go to 'FG'. At the 1950 series in Melbourne, with regular pilot James Bryce junior suspended, FG Holmes filled the breach and from the awkward 24yd mark got him into the final by gaining a fourth and a third in the heats. But Holmes himself was suspended on the third night for alleged interference to swift Melbourne Claude Derby. Jack Watts replaced 'FG' and Captain Sandy won the Grand Final by a head from Globe Direct, trained and driven by Freeman's brother, Maurice. At the same carnival, brother Allan won a Consolation with Congo Song.

At the 1953 Inter-Dominions in Perth, Freeman again did most to get Captain Sandy in the Grand Final, finishing fourth with him the first night and second in fastest time the second night. Committed to drive good NZ mare Blue Mist (with whom he won on the first two nights) in the Grand Final, Freeman had a rocky run with her on the way to finishing fifth. His replacement behind Captain Sandy, West Australian Bob Pollock junior, emerged triumphant.

'FG's 1953 NZ Cup winner Adorian was one of four good winners he and Miss P Norton bred from a very good mare for them, Coquette. Miss Norton and 'Old Free' bred Coquette by Free's importation Grattan Loyal from Bonny Logan, daughter of Free's importations Logan Pointer and Bonilene. Racing from three to ten years, Bonny Logan won 14 races for Free and his principal stable patron W H Norton, then produced nine live foals, eight of them winners. 'FG' raced and trained Coquette for eight wins including the 1942 National Cup. Apart from Adorian, Coquette's only other three foals were top winners for 'FG' in the shape of Vigilant, Morano and Forward.

In a memorable contest for the 1951 Canterbury Park Juvenile Stakes at Addington, 'FG' was skittled and tipped from Forward's sulky at the start, ran with the colt holding on to his reins for some fifty yards, climbed back into the cart, wheeled the field in the last half-mile and won. In 1953, 'FG' drove Brahman, son of the first two NZ-bred 2:00 pacers Gold Bar and Haughty, to an Australasian record 2:02.2 time trial as a two-year-old. In 1957 he drove Blue, trained and part-owned by his brother Allan, to a world yearling record of 2:09.2. Both marks lasted for more than 20 years.

In the 1960's, 'FG' became associated with champion trotter Ordeal. Seven before she won a race, she was handed to him after five wins for Reefton trainer Charlis Murcott. She won two more as a seven-year-old under Holmes. After having a season off to have a mystery foal that was destroyed because the sire was unknown, she returned to racing as a nine-year-old. Her next victories under Freeman were the Worthy Queen-Dominion Handicap double at Addington. She went on to win the 1961 Rowe Cup (driven by Maurice Holmes from 78yds in a national record 4:14), and wound up winning in America.

In later years, Holmes dabbled as an amateur trainer of gallopers, winning with good chaser Hogan. His last racing win came with Delargey at Wingatui in October,1980.

'FGs' sons Freeman ('FL') and the late Graham Holmes followed in the footstep of their father, uncles and grandfather as prominent horsemen, and 'FL' has been associated as part-owner, trainer, driver and now studmaster of a modern-day champion, Noodlum.

-o0o-

'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 30May51

If you read about it in a Nat Could or Edgar Wallace racing thriller you wouldn't believe it, which only goes to prove that fiction, after all, is not such a complete stranger to the truth!

It happened at Addington on Saturday (May 26): the race, the Juvenile Handicap, the horse, Forward, and the hero of the piece F G Holmes, trainer-driver of Forward.

When the barriers were released, Centennial Hall swung across and tipped up Forward's sulky on its side, throwing Holmes on to the ground. With the field well on the way, Forward instinctively went after them. Holmes, holding firmly on the reins, was smartly on his feet, and he secured a tenuous hold on Forward's sulky with one hand while holding the reins in the other.

For upwards of 50yds, Holmes was forced to put in some giant strides to keep up with Forward, and he eventually managed to get one foot in the sulky, followed immediately by the other; by the time he was seated safely again the leaders must have been 60yds in front of him; it was a wonder he retrieved the situation with no greater loss of ground.

The majority of the public had not been unaware of the incident, and Holmes was warmly applauded on passing the stands the first time round. Excitement mounted as Forward improved his position and hotly challenged the leaders with two furlongs to go. Wide out, he strode to the front at the distance and won full of running.

It was an astonishing recovery, to say the least. Most of the people who made him hot favourite must have been persuaded that all chance had vanished when Holmes was deposited on the ground at the outset. Presence of mind, a full measure of grit and determination, and an ounce of luck were the main ingredients in perhaps the most dramatic spill and its sequel ever seen at Addington; it at least ranks equal to Indianapolis's win in the Christchurch Handicap at Addington in 1934 with a broken hopple.


Credit: Ron Bisman writing in HRWeekly 4Jun87

 

YEAR: 1918

Author Dillon & Ben Jarden in the winner's circle
1918 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

Author Dillon had only just escaped the fire at trainer Ben Jarden's stables a year before with a singed tail, but on this occasion was far too quick for 10 rivals on Cup day.

A son of leading imported sire Harold Dillon and Authoress, a sister of Wildwood Junior, Author Dillon was the champion of the time and was so superior on this day, despite giving away starts of up to seven seconds, that he had the race in safe keeping half a mile from home.

Handicapped on the benchmark of nine seconds and out of the next two Cups, Author Dillon won three consequtive NZ FFA's, comfortably having the better of Cathedral Chimes off level marks, and went on to a successful stud career despite limited opportunities.

His credits in that respect included the dam of 1940 Cup winner Marlene.

**NZ HRWeekly 1Oct 2003**

The 1918 New Zealand Cup was billed as a match race between the two outstanding horses, Author Dillon and Cathedral Chimes, the former handicapped at 4:27 and Cathedral Chimes at 4:24 in the 11 horse field. Cathedral Chimes, bracketed with Matchlight and Sherwood, Author Dillon, bracketed with John Dillon, and Randle McDonnell's Emilius carried three-quarters of the £11,158 10s invested on the race. Agathos and Admiral Wood, both of whom had lost all form, had little support. From the front, Sungod had a 10-second start from Cathedral Chimes and seven seconds from Author Dillon. But that huge advantage was not enough.

Sungod, driven by 19-year-old F G Holmes - having his first drive in the race - and Moneymaker (Andy Pringle) made the early pace, but failed to stay the distance, finishing third and fourth. Second favourite Author Dillon paced a splendid race, being patiently handled an well driven by Ben Jarden. Itwas obvious four furlongs from the winning post the Author Dillon had the race in safe keeping and he won by four lengths from Matchlight (Albert Hendricksen), who finished a game second and rescued the James Bryce trio.

Emilius broke at the start and lost a lot of ground. He made several attempts during the race to get closer by following Author Dillon, but faded and finished fifth. Adelaide Direct failed to show any dash, while Agathos, Admiral Wood, John Dillon and Sherwood were never prominent. The biggest disappointment, however, was Cathedral Chimes, who began slowly and toiled in th rear, finishing a long last.

Author Dillon's time of 4:26.4 was a national race-winning record and, when retuned to the birdcage, he and Jarden received a great reception. Cheering broke out again when the club president, Charles Louisson, presented the silver cup to Jarden. Author Dillon was hailed a champion and his subsequent form confirmed his standing as th country's best-performed pacer to that time. Two days later he won the first of his three consecutive New Zealand Free-For-Alls, beating Adelaide Direct by two lengths, with six lengths to Cathedral Chimes, and the only other starter, Admiral Wood, beaten off. Author Dillon's New Zealand Cup - Free-For-All double at the same meeting has been repeated 25 times.

Willie Lincoln, by Lord Elmo, who was second behind Matchlight in the Courtenay Handicap, won the third-day Christchurch Handicap. However, Author Dillon provided th sensation. He started 12 seconds behind the winner and was beaten by only a half-length. He paced a world-record 4:24.6. The £2000 won by Author Dillon was the largest sum won at a harness racing meeting in New Zealand. Ben Jarden raced three horses at this meeting, John Dillon and Huon Patch being the other two. All were in the money, netting Jarden £2405. Author Dillon was the season's top earner with £2350.

Cup Day racing was marred by a fall in the fourth race, the Riccarton Handicap, in which James Bryce broke his leg. No other driver was hurtand no horses suffered injuries. While the fall sidelined Bryce for a considerable time, the family name was not absent from the tracks, because James Bryce junior made his appearance at the age of 16 and won the third-day Australasian Handicap with Joan of Arc.

Author Dillon started in two further New Zeand Cups, pacing a world race record of 4:21.6 in 1920 when finishing third. Over seven seasons he was the top earner only once, though in 1920-21 he was runner-up to Willie Lincoln. He eventually went into retirement aged nine, having raced 58 times, for 18 wins and 14 minor placings. His lifetime earnings reached £7760, won during a period when stakes were very low by today's standards. He paid for his brilliant performances with increasing handicaps and from early on was starting from near-impossible marks. At the time of his retirement, Author Dillon had lowered his mile time to 2:06.4. In addition, he held the two-mile(4:21.6) and one-mile-and-a-quarter(2:41.4)records, sharing the latter with Our Thorpe who, just before the 1918 Cup, set a mile record of 2:06.2 against time at Addington. Sungod, third in the 1918 Cup, eventually went to stud in Southland, where he was the leading sire for many years.

Ben Jarden raced a big team. He later moved from Islington to Yaldhurst, where he set up his Irvington Stud and in 1940 he moved to Lower Hutt and trained a small team at Hutt Park. The Jarden name was kept to the forefront in the 1950's through the deeds of Ben Jarden's son, Ron, who became one of New Zealand's greatest rugby stars. For a time Ben Jarden stood Author Dillon at his Irvington Stud, and later Sir John McKenzie stood him at Roydon Lodge. Author Dillon proved a successful sire. He produced two Cup-class offspring (Author Jinks and Lindbergh) and a Dominion Handicap winner in Writer. His daughters produced several good winners, among them Marlene(1940 New Zealand Cup winner), Knave Of Diamonds(placed in the 1947 Cup) and Indian Clipper.

Author Dillon's sire, Harold Dillon, was an outstanding producer who took over from Rothschild as the leading sire in New Zealand. He was at the head of the list for six seasons, from 1916-17 until 1921-22. He was foaled in California in 1903 and imported to New Zealand bt Etienne Le Lievre as a yearling. The American horseman Robert McMillan stood Harold Dillon at his Santa Rosa Stud, at Halswell, with outstanding success. Author Dillon was certainly his best offspring, but others who made Cup class were Paul Default, Dolly Dillon, Oinako, Lord Dillon, Sungod, Waitaki Girl and Adonis. Harold Dillon mares also produced nemerous winners, the best being the great race and broodmare Parisienne, dam of La Mignon and Mary Wootton, La Mignon ran third in the 1957 New Zealand Cup and later produced the brilliant Garcon Roux. Mary Wootton, to U Scott, produced Scottish Command, who also recorded a third in the New Zealand Cup, in 1961. Scottish Command left his mark at stud, producing Sole Command, who won the NZ Cup in 1977, and the Auckland Cup in February 1978, and Trusty Scot, winner of the 1978 NZ Cup. Scottish Command became the third New Zealand-bred sire, after Johnny Globe and Young Charles, to break the stranglehold that the imported sires held on the New Zealand breeding scene. He finished top sire in the 1977-78 season.

**Bernie Wood writing in The Cup**

Credit: NZ HRWeekly 1Oct03

 

YEAR: 1921

1921 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

The weather was dull for the opening day at Addington, but the attendance was quite up to that of previous years. Agathos's number was missing when the scratching board was brought into evidence announcing the starters for the N.Z. Trotting Cup. This left a dozen runners. They were a well-conditioned lot, but while doing their preliminaries it was noticeable that Willie Lincoln and John Dillon were a trifle sore. Once warmed up, they raced along in good 3tyle. It is doubtful if Albert Cling has ever stripped better, and Man o' War looked a picture. Immediately the machine was opened Albert Cling and Man o' War divided favoritism,- the pair being entrusted with over a thousand tickets more than the third favorite, Gleaming.

After a false start, on which the field scarcely went more than a hundred yards, the candidates were again marshalled, but again the starter's efforts were frustrated due to Rangitata Lass dancing all over the course. On this occasion Vice Admiral, Sherwood, Trix Pointer, Reta Peter, John Dillon, General Link and Albert Cling raced for three furlongs before receiving the signal "no start." At the third attempt the field moved away to their bells with the exception of Asturio, who jibbed and took no part in the race.

Gleaming rushed to the front and raced to the four furlong distance in 1.8 1-5s., with Vice Admiral, John Dillon, Sherwood, Reta Peter, Trix Pointer. General Link and Willie Lincoln in close attendance, and Albert Cling making up his ground fast. At this stage it was obvious that Man o' War would never be in the picture, for he was boring badly and losing several lengths at every bend.

With a mile and a quarter covered in 2.41, Gleaming compounded, and Vice Admiral rushed to the head of affairs with Reta Peter, Sherwood, Willie Lincoln, Trix Pointer and John Dillon in hot pursuit. Going to the mile and a half post, which was negotiated in 3.23 2- 5s., Vice Admiral was hitting out in determined fashion, but Reta Peter, Sherwood and Trix Pointer were asserting themselves in bold style.

Entering the home stretch, Edwards drew the whip on Vice Admiral. Half way down the running Sherwood and Reta Peter headed Vice Admiral, and while the pair were engaged in a hot tussle, F. Holmes, Junr., driver of Sherwood, appeared to cross Reta Peter as they flashed past the judge. Sherwood had two lengths advantage of Reta Peter, who was three lengths in front of Vice Admiral. A neck away came Willie Lincoln, then Trix Pointer and Albert Cling.

Immediately on returning to scale the owner of Reta Peter lodged a protest against Sherwood for crossing fifty yards from the winning-post. After lengthy deliberation the stewards awarded the race to Reta Peter, and placed Sherwood second, and fined F. Holmes, Junr., driver of Sherwood, £25.

This places the second Cup to the credit of Reta Peter. She is owned by Mr. P. H. Robson, who bred her. Her , sire, Petereta, is a son of the world's greatest sire, Peter the Great, while her dam is Tot Huon, a daughter of the famous Huon. Reta Peter is trained at New Brighton by A. G. Wilson, who deserves credit for the manner in which he not only prepared the mare, but handled her in the race. Reta Peter, was the only trotter in the contest.

An appeal was lodged by the owner of Sherwood, but the Appeal Committee, which happened to be on the course, met immediately and decided that no appeal could lie.


Credit: NZ Truth 12 Nov 1921

 

YEAR: 1921

Reta Peter winner of the 1920 & 1921 NZ Cups
1921 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

If Reta Peter's first win was popular, the second was controversial.

She was second past the post to Sherwood and F G Holmes, but a protest was lodged and officials deemed the interference at the top of the straight serious enough to reverse the placings.

It was serious enough for Reta Peter to return to the birdcage bleeding from her front legs anyway.

In this way, Reta Peter went into the records as the second and last trotter to win the Cup, and one of only two mares to win it twice, the other being Haughty.

**Credit: NZ HRWeekly 1Oct 2003**

The 1921 New Zealand Cup had an unprecedented climax when Sherwood, driven by F G Holmes, was first past the post but was relegated to second for crossing in front of Reta Peter at the straight entrance. The finish was an exciting one, and it was unfortunate that the race had to won on protest.

The interference in the final stages was obvious and the protest lodged by the mare's owner did not surprise the Addington public. The Judicial Committee, after considering the matter, resolved under part 25 of the Rules of Trotting, "as to keeping positions", that Holmes, the driver of Sherwood, had seriously interfered with Reta Peter. It placed Reta Peter first and Sherwood second, In addition, Holmes was fined £25. Reta Peter returned to the birdcage after the race with skin off her front legs, which were bleeding.

An appeal against the decision was immediately lodged by Holmes and accepted by the stewards. The Appeal Committee of the New Zealand Trotting Association decision met and, after studying the evidence, decided that the Judicial Committee decision was correct. Holmes never agreed with that decision, and took the opportunity when Adorian won for him in 1953 to remind officials of the grave injustice he alleged had been done to him 32 years previously.

The crowd around the birdcage in 1921 did not show much enthusiasm after the protest, and conjecture remains as to whether the interference was serious enough to warrant relegation. In the history of the race the only other disqualification from first place came in 1969, when Stella Frost, driven by Doodey Townley, was deemed to have caused a serious spill, which cost several horses their chances.

For trainer-driver Alf Wilson and Reta Peter, the 1921 victory was a triumph. Reta Peter had not raced earlier in the season, as she had been pin-fired, so her effort without lead-up races was a good one. She remains the only trotter to have won the NZ Cup twice and, along with Haughty, the only mare to have had double success.

The Cup stake was raised to 3000 sovereigns and the class tightened to 4:32. Reta Peter was opposed by 11 others, but a short limit of six seconds was set, with the Australian import Man O'War - for several weeks the race favourite - on the back mark. There was great controversy at the time about this handicap, because, by comparison with Reta Peter, he seemed badly off. Man O'War's best two-mile time was 4:29.4, yet Reta Peter, who had a best time of 4:28.6, had an advantage of five seconds over him at the start.

Trainer James Bryce was not pleased with Man O'War's trackwork and stated publicly before the race that his horse was not fit enough to run a gruelling two miles. And so it proved. Man O'War was slow away and always toiled in the rear of the field in a cloud of dust. His display was the subject of an official inquiry, at which Bryce stated he had not wanted to start Man O'War, because the horse had gone from bad to unmanageable in training the week before the race. He further stated that Man O'War bored badly during the race and struck a post coming into the straight, almost falling. Owner Joe Corrigan was bitterly disappointed with the display. "The horse will not race again at the meeting," he said.

Man O'War, a black stallion born in Australia in 1914, was a good horse, adept in bad going. Brought to New Zealand in 1920 as a six-year-old, he won the Auckland Cup for Bryce, from 84 yards. He won a second Auckland Cup the following year, from 96 yards, and was a good winner on New Zealand tracks, ending the 1921-1922 season as leading money-winner with £2935. At stud he produced the top-class mare Navy Blue, who included the 1938 Auckland Cup among her 14 wins. Man O'War's best son was Happy Man, who reached Cup class and later, as a 17-year-old, won a free-for-all in Western Australia. Man O'War mares produced Loyal Nurse, who won the Auckland Cup in 1946 and the NZ Cup in 1949, Soangetaha, who won the Auckland Cup in 1951 and 1952, and Parawa Derby.

Man O'War started second favourite behind Albert Cling, who again let down his supporters. John McLennan had him well placed all the way but he faded to sixth. the race start was not the best recommendation for the time system - there were two false starts and, on the second ocession, several horses were at top speed for three furlongs before they were pulled up. Reta Peter was first out both times. Eventually, the field was sent away at their correct bells, with the exception of Asturio, who broke, and Man O'War, who was slow away.

Gleaming (Bill Warren) and Vice-Admiral (Dil Edwards) led out from John Dillon, Sherwood, Trix Pointer, Albert Cling and Reta Peter. There was little change until the last lap, at which stage Gleaming began to tire and Vice-Admiral opened a lead of four lengths on Reta Peter, with Trix Pointer and her bracketmate, Sherwood, starting good runs. Sherwood passed Vice-Admiral and Reta Peter just as the straight was reached and, driven with great vigour by F G Holmes, appeared to have won a good race by a length from Reta Peter.

Vice-Admiral, a black gelded son of the three-year-old Cup starter of 1907, Advance, and the best of his offspring, held on for third, just ahead of Willie Lincoln, Trix Pointer and Albert Cling. Manvers Edwards, known as Dil, was a son of Manny Edwards, and had his first Cup drive behind Vice-Admiral.

Surprisingly - even for those early days at Addington - Asturio ran again on Cup Day, finishing third in the final race, the Recovery Handicap. Just as significant on this occasion was his driver, Ossie Hooper, soon to leave an indelible mark on the Addington scene. Drum Withers was also prominent among the successful new drivers at this Cup meeting.

Albert Cling, who disappointed for a second consecutive time in the Cup, ran a New Zealand race record for the mile of 2:09.6 when winning the Free-For-All from three others, Trix Pointer, Willie Lincoln and Marie Tempest. The final day of the meeting belonged to Trix Pointer, who showed why Free Holmes held her in such high regard. She won the Christchurch Handicap over two miles, her first winning run since April 1920, and later in the day ran third to Ena Bell and Chid over one mile. In the process she registered 2:08.6, breaking the race record that had been set by Albert Cling the previous day. Ena Bell was trained and driven by Gisborne's Bob Fisken, who also produced the Dominion Handicap winner Wild Moor.

The only dual winner at the meeting was the trotter Whispering Willie, who beat the pacers in the Courtenay Handicap to win in 4:29.4 and the trotters in the Middleton Handicap.

**Credit: Bernie Wood writing in The Cup**

Credit: NZ HRWeekly 1Oct03

 

YEAR: 1927

1927 NEW ZEALAND DERBY

The New Zealand Derby Stakes saw some good three-year-olds in action and it took a high class filly in Daphne de Oro to gain the honors.

Admirably handled by F. G. Holmes, she got on the journey nicely and after mixing it with her opponents for nine furlongs she drew away to give her pilot "a ride in the park" down the straight. She won very easily.

For second money there was a keen set-to between Eugene de Oro and Harvest Child. Both youngsters answered gamely to the demands made upon them in the straight and it was only after a real battling finish that Eugene de Oro gained the upper hand. The honors of the race from a sire's point of view were all with Rey de Oro, which is the father of both Daphne de Oro and Eugene de Oro.

Donard did his best to get the money. He is a real pacer and one that will take Maurice Holmes first home on several occasions later m the season.


Credit: NZ Truth 17 Nov 1927

 

YEAR: 1930

1930 NEW ZEALAND FREE-FOR-ALL

Although the Free-for-All resulted 1i an inspiring race, easily the best of the meeting, there was one feature that was disappointing. There were eleven starters, and only nine could line across the track at the mile and a-quarter starting point, so the two to draw the outside positions - Logan Park and Tom Thumb — had to line up behind the others. The result was that Logan Park, after jumping out had to be checked, a thing he will not stand, so he went to a tangle and took no part in the race.

With Logan Park under a handicap, the legitimate choice was Wrackler, in view of his Cup form, but the race suggests that Wrackler is a great horse only on account of his stamina. Some are now making excuses for Wrackler, and some even go to the extent of saying that F. G. Holmes did not handle him as well as would younger brother Maurice. The latter statement is grossly unfair, for the simple facts are that Wrackler was not brilliant enough to take the position that F. G. Holmes would have liked, yet he kept him on the fence most of the way, and did just as much with him as any other driver could have done.

Through being in this position, which his lack of brilliancy forced him to assume, he did receive a slight check on the home bend, yet he was almost in line with the leaders half way down the straight, from which point both King Pointer and Carmel outsprinted him home. King Pointer's win was certainly full of merit, for he was not under the same desperate drive at the finish as was Wrackler and Carmel, and the only excuse that can be made for Wrackler is that perhaps he may not have been tuned up for a sprint. On the day he was fairly beaten. Although "iffy" at the peg, there are few more determined pacers than King Pointer.


Credit: NZ Truth 20 Nov 1930



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