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J F HAMILTON

A man who had a lifetime association with trotting in Southland, Mr James Francis Hamilton, died at his home in Winton recently. He was 80.

Born in the Winton district, he was a member of a family closely associated with trotting since its formative days in the province. He farmed in the Oreti district before retiring to Winton some years ago.

Hamilton bred and raced a champion straight-out trotter in Bellflower, one of the best of her time, who put up some phenomenal performances under the saddle. She was trained and ridden by Mr Hamilton, who sent her to Canterbury when she was handicapped out of Southland classes to be trained by the late Andy Pringle.

In August 1916, Bellflower beat a field of pacers over two miles at Addington, and she repeated the performance in the Australasian Handicap at the NZ Cup meeting the same year. The following season, at her last appearance before being retired, Bellflower again beat the pacers over two miles in the saddle in the Australasian Handicap, winning by 10 lengths in 4:35 2/5. She was then 12 years old.

When racing in Southland, Bellflower, after winning five races, became so badly placed in the handicaps that Mr Hamilton did not race her for a season and he bred her to Marvin Dillon to whom she produced a winner in Flowerbell. Bellflower had nine foals. Two of them, Nelson Bell and Bon Fleur, were useful winners, but the best of her progeny was Arctotis, who developed outstanding form. He was sold for a record price at the time of $1200 but later developed unsoundness. Bellflower's daughters bred on to some purpose and today the family is widely and successfully represented. A top juvenile trotter of a few seasons back in Halberg was a member of it.

Mr Hamilton held a trainers' and horseman's licence for more than 40 years and a short time ago recalled driving in a race at Invercargill involving a 'ring-in' in 1924. This was the notorious case of Willie Lincoln, a Cup class horse who raced under the name of Lookout.

Mr Hamilton raced, educated and bred many horses over the years. Azaleas, whom he drove at Invercargill in Willie Lincoln's race, later bred to advantage, leaving such winners as Tritoma, Picotee, Azure, Arabia and many others. An early winner for Mr Hamilton was Bellfashion, who won the first mile and three furlong race at Forbury Park. Bellfashion, a son of Bellman, proved himself an able pacer and was unbeaten in the show ring.

For some years Mr Hamilton was a member of the committee of the Winton Trotting Club, being a vice-president for a time. On his retirement he continued to take a close interest in every phase of the sport and had a keen and studious knowledge of the breeding side. Mr Hamilton is survived by three sons, Ian, Colin, Murray, and one daughter, June(Mrs Smith, Edendale).

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 10Jun70