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Robalan & Denis Nyhan

ROBALAN

"The dirty, low, mongrel. He's always been a cow of a thing." That ain't no way to treat a lady and Denis Nyhan certainly isn't sincere as he talks about his old favourite Robalan. He's just annoyed because 'Robby' gets a kick out of playing hard to get. "He never lets me catch him and I reckon he enjoys it. Denise is the only one whose got a chance"

Robalan is rising 21 and looks it, but remains in fine heart, enjoying his retirement with his old mate 'Annie', or former smart trotter Relinquish. It's hard to imagine this ageing gelding was once the free-legged pacing phenomenon whose mere presence on the track was enough to fill the stands. Robalan had character and charisma, special qualities that elevate horses from merely outstanding to champion status. People loved him and that's the most important ingredient. He was big and powerful and possessed astonishing speed. And he was different...he was free-legged.

Most of Robalan's achievements on the track have now been passed with time, and to the younger generation he is just another name in the record books, but to those fortunate enough to witness this freak of the equine world, his was a most colourful chapter.

He came from total obscurity. Born in 1966, Robalan and his dam, the lightly raced U Scott mare Elsinore, were consigned to the 1967 National Yearling Sale and purchased by E Broad of Invercargill for 475gns. Gil Shirley, who weaned and initially handled Robalan, recalled some years later that he was "as mad as a snake." As a late yearling he was leased by locals Rob Pollock and Alan Devery, from whom he derived his name. When Broad passed away soon after, Pollock and Devery exercised their right of purchase of $1500.

Robalan showed an inclination for free-legged pacing at this early stage but Devery was finding him more than a handful. He could jump anything in sight and had a pet hate for workcarts, on which he often inflicted severe damage. After showing enough promise as a 2-year-old to take to the trials, Devery handed him over to Wyndham horseman Alex Townley. At this point Devery did not have a professional licence to train. Robalan's future was soon in doubt, however. In just his second trial for Townley he finished swinging a leg, which turned out to be the aftermath of a shoulder injury sustained as a yearling. After a second veterinary examination discovered the problem and Robalan was successfully operated on, he was sent back to Townley, who produced him to run placings in the NZ Kindergarten Stakes and Welcome Stakes.

Recommissioned as a 3-year-old, Robalan was soon troubled by a wind affliction and his career was again in doubt. At this point Denis Nyhan enquired after him, saying he and a Blenheim friend, Peter Hope, were interested in buying him. Business was quickly done, Pollock selling his share and buying a taxi business. This was to be the turning point in Robalan's fortunes. Nyhan's no non-sense attitude, a willingness to try the unorthodox, and the constant care of wife Denise, was to send Robalan along the path to stardom.

His rise was not spectacularly fast - he took two years to reach open class - but as time passed it became increasingly evident that Robalan was something "out of the box." Nyhan had finally thrown the hopples away for good after Robalan failed hopelessly in the 1971 Inter-Dominions at Addington. There were still chinks in the armour, but as a five and six-year-old, his emergence became very real.

Robalan won five races as a 5-year-old and six at six, looking particularly good in winning the Ashburton Flying Stakes, NZ Free-For-All, Wellington Cup, a heat of the Easter Cup and a heat of the 1974 Inter-Dominions in Sydney. This was a golden era in Australasian harness racing. Robalan, along with Royal Ascot, Arapaho, Manaroa and Globe Bay, travelled to Sydney to do battle with the likes of Hondo Grattan, Just Too Good, Jason King, Glamour Chief, Bold Biami, Reichman, Welcome Advice and Adios Victor. And to the day he dies, Nyhan will vow and declare that Inter-Dom should have been his. In the Final, Robalan was waiting to pounce as the field rounded the home turn, but a skirmish saw them knocked sideways and lose all chance. "I really felt that Robby was travelling better than Royal Ascot, and as Royal Ascot was only beaten a head (by Hondo Grattan), he must have been very unlucky," Nyhan said.

The following season Robalan was to emerge as a truly great pacer. Arapaho hogged the prized plums, the NZ and Auckland Cups, but Robalan was voted Harness Horse of the Year over the sensational juvenile Noodlum. Robalan won a record 12 races during the season and all things being equal was invincible. An impressive double at Forbury Park in October saw him installed second favourite for the NZ Cup, but after being slow away and forced wide to make his run from the half, he was unable to make any impression on Arapaho and Globe Bay and a brand new rival, Young Quinn.

Back to sprinting in the NZ Free-For-All, Robalan waltzed home for the second year in succession, beating Arapaho by five and a half lengths. Then came a thrilling win over Young Quinn in the Miracle Mile, sprinting twice during the running before holding on to win in 1:58. Now on the top of his form, Robalan toyed with Young Quinn and Arapaho in the National Flying Pace, a lead-up to the Auckland Cup. The big event was to elude Robalan - he was squeezed up early and broke, eventually being pulled up. As if furious at that defeat, Robalan scored six consecutive wins, including his second Wellington Cup (by three lengths over Young Quinn), the Commonwealth Games Free-For-All over Arapaho, and the Canterbury Park Free-For-All effortlessly in 1:57.6, a lifetime best.

About this time there was considerable speculation as to what Robalan was really capable of over the magic mile. Never one to mince words, Nyhan said his champ would go 1:52 in America, or at least better than the then world record of 1:53. This drew its share of criticism, but, given events since, Nyhan's prediction was obviously pretty close to the mark.

Young Quinn was all the rage for the early part of the 1974/75 season, sweeping all before him with eight consecutve wins in the north leading up to the NZ Cup. Robalan looked back to his best for his fourth attempt until struck down by a blood disorder less than a fortnight before the coveted event. A start looked very doubtful, but largely through the dedication of Denise, Robalan bounced back at the pre-cup trials to signal his intentions.

It is now history that Robalan cruised home amidst wild applause, in what Nyhan later described as "little more than a workout," and he set the seal on his greatness a few days later with a world record in the NZ Free-For-All. Recording his third straight runaway win in the event, Robalan stunned the race-going public, putting the mobile 2000m behind him in 2:26.6, a mile rate of 1:58. This bettered the record credited to top American pacer Irvin Paul by three seconds. It wasn't so much the time, but the ease with which he accomplished it.

Young Quinn, a battling third in the NZ Cup, was to gain his revenge over the next few months. He took the Miracle Mile in a NZ record 1:57 after Robalan had sensationally broken when vying for the lead at the top of the straight, and bolted away with the Auckland Cup, Robalan finding the 20 metre handicap too much. Forced to miss Young Quinn's Inter-Dominion in Auckland through an ailment, Robalan reappeared at Easter to again thrill the crowds on his favourite stomping ground. A hot favourite from his 35 metre handicap, Robalan looked hopelessly out of it when he galloped, cantered and trotted away from the mark, more than doubling his initial deficit. But Nyhan seized the opportunity to follow Lunar Chance around the field with a lap to travel and Robalan went on to win easily in a track record 4:07.4. Bill Doyle, Nyhan's father-in-law, had timed Robalan post to post in 4:02. This was his crowning glory.

Robalan returned as 9-year-old and, while he again struck winning form, he was obviously past his best an finding long handicaps to the younger brigade too much to overcome. His career finished on a sad note when he broke down in the Claredon Free-For-All at Addington on January 2, 1976.

Robalan had originally been bought strictly as a business proposition...he was bought to be sold. There were plenty of offers along the way as well, but either they weren't enough or the right money didn't front up. As time passed it became obvious that Robalan was simply priceless, gelding or not. How could you sell a chance at winning the NZ Cup? And he certainly vindicated Nyhan's faith. "Put it down to sentiment," was Nyhan's reaction to several tempting offers during his whirlwind 7-year-old season.

Robalan was at the height of his career as a seven and eight-year-old and really struck a purple patch in the summer of 74, with six consecutive wins. Nyhan doesn't have an explanation for this, except that every great horse has his time. "When Robbie had his first season or two in open class, there were several other top horses around at the time. It was just a case of who got the run on the day. As time passed these horses fell away. Arapaho, Royal Ascot and Manaroa had had their time at the top. As Robby's career was drawing to a close, Young Quinn was coming to it," Nyhan reflected.

Nyhan can see parallels between his times in the limelight with Lordship and Robalan and today's stars. "Master Mood is obviously NZ's top pacer at the moment, but throw Roydon Glen and one or two others in the same race and it would just be the luck on the day. Seldom does a horse remain undisputably tops for a long period of time," he said.

Prior to Robalan, Nyhan had been associated with two other great pacers. As a boy he closely followed the fortunes of his father's wonderful pacer Johnny Globe, and then in the 1960's he was the regular driver of his mother's 'pocket battleship' Lordship. How does Robalan compare to these and other champion horses of their time? "Not many horses reach the absolute top bracket and I can't see any point in comparing those that do. They are the sort of horses you dream about...they keep you going. Robby was special to us because we had so much to do with him. I just wish I had another one that could run like him."

-o0o-

The free-legged pacer Robalan will not have to suffer the demands of another winter. With arthritis setting in, Denis Nyhan made the decision at the weekend to put him down and spare him any further discomfort.

He was buried on Nyhan's Templeton property, where he spent most of his 29 years.

Mike Grainger: HRWeekly: 6May96


Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 9Apr87

1974 NZ TROTTING CUP

Eight-year-old free-legged pacer Robalan returned to the birdcage to a standing ovation from the crowd, who had just witnessed him win the New Zealand Trotting Cup at his fourth attempt.

For Robalan it was justification at last. At previous attempts at the New Zealand and Auckland Cups he had not always had luck on his side and was being hailed as a horse who could not win a big handicap. But all this went overboard as Robalan wore down Kotare Legend inside the final 60 metres and went on to win convincingly by two and a quarter lengths.

The race was a triumph for part owner-trainer Denis Nyhan who had the un-nerving experience on October 23 of having Robalan turn in a shocking performance at the race trials at Addington. A mysterious complaint was thought to be the cause of Robalan's form loss at the trials but he showed gradual improvement last week and showed that he was close to his best when he won at the Cup trials.

Favoured by a good run in the $50,000 Cup, Robalan clearly outstayed Kotare Legend and the raging favourite Young Quinn, who had to be content with third, a placing he filled last year. Robalan's victory took his lifetime earnings to $140,115 the result of 32 wins and 31 placings, one of these wins and two placings being gained at Harold Park in Sydney. The Lumber Dream-Elsinore gelding recognised as one of the fastest pacers in commission at present is raced in partnership by Nyhan, Invercargill farmer Alan Devery and company director Peter Hope. His time for the 3200 metres in the Cup was 4:09, the first 800 metres in a fast 1:02, the 1600 in 2:04.2 and the first 2400 in 3:10.2, the final 800 metres took 59.2 and the final 400 in 30.

Robalan was back in tenth place on the outer at the 1000 metres but Nyhan sent him forward to follow favourite Young Quinn up towards the leaders as Peter Wolfenden made his move. Robalan was travelling nicely in fifth place on the home turn as Kotare Legend slipped clear from Hi Foyle, Young Quinn and Noble Lord. Robalan moved to Kotare Legend 60 metres out and went on to win comfortably and in doing so he gave Denis Nyhan his third driving success in the Cup and his first training success. Previously Nyhan had won two Cups behind Lordship, a horse trained by his father Don Nyhan.

Kotare Legend who was handy throughout after leading briefly early, shot to the lead with 500 metres to run and though he looked to have a winning break at the 200 metres he had no answer to Robalan. Young Quinn was a big disappointment to his army of supporters. He opened up paying $1.25 and was still showing only $1.55 a few minutes before closing time. He started to pull about the 1600 metres and though he battled on solidly after getting up to third at the 500 he never looked like winning. Hi Foyle looked a big danger when he moved into second at the top of the straight but he wilted to fourth more than five lengths from the winner. Lightsey surprised many by battling on for fifth though four lengths further back and he was clear of Why Bill who was hampered at the start but ran past beaten runners in the final 600 metres. Well-supported Speedy Guest from the back mark of 10 metres attempted to follow Young Quinn and Robalan forward from the 1000 but he could not muster the pace and never really threatened afterwards.

Credit: 'Lookout' writing in the NZ Trotguide

1974 NZ FREE-FOR-ALL

In what must be considered the greatest day's racing ever seen at Addington, Robalan, Noodlum, Easton Light and Game Lad starred on the second day of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's Cup meeting.

In a day marked by many outstanding performances, Robalan's world record time in the 2000 metre NZ Free-For-All must rank as the greatest most racegoers have been priveged to see. As if to set the seal on his brilliant NZ Cup win of three days previously, Robalan shattered any previous best time over the 2000 metres, or its old equivilent of one and a quarter miles.

The world mile and a quarter record stands to the credit of Irvin Paul who went 2:29.6 in 1962, but Robalan's time of 2:26.6 for 2000 metres is well inside this. Irvin Paul rated just a shade under 2:00 in setting his record, but Robalan's rating for the journey was about 1:58.1, which shows just how brilliant that performance was.

In winning the NZ Free-For-All for the third successive year, Robalan took his stake earnings to $145,290, the result of 33 wins and 31 placings. The most eagerly awaited event now as far as trotting enthusiasts are concerned is the New Brighton Trotting Club's Stars Travel Miracle Mile at Addington on December 7. In view of Denis Nyhan's statement after Robalan's win that his free-legged star could have gone even faster, this next race over a mile must surely be a land-mark given the right conditions.

Though well beaten by Robalan, the performance of Hi Foyle (second) and Young Quinn (third) should not be allowed to pass without notice. Hi Foyle turned in a remarkable performance to take second three and a half lengths back being forced to race without a trail from the 1500 metres while Young Quinn, who dropped to the rear at the start, put in a very good run to get third though more than eight lengths from the winner.


Credit: NZ Trotguide

1973 NZ FREE-FOR-ALL

Robalan won his second successive New Zealand Free-For-All and gave driver Denis Nyhan his fourth win in the event when he raced away for a five and a half lengths win. Robalan strode to the lead after 450 metres and from then on he was travelling too well. He cracked the pace on at the 800 metres and drew right away in the straight.

New Zealand Cup winner Arapaho, after breaking at the start, had a battle with Globe Bay before working off the fence with 1200 metres to go and though he ran on determinedly, he had to be content with second, half a head in front of Bomber Bill, who tracked Robalan all the way.

Young Quinn finished brilliantly but late to get fourth, only another half-head back, with a neck to Young Cardigan, who fought on well from three back on the fence and looked as though he may pay a dividend at the 100 metres mark. Rauka Lad, who ran wide in the straight, was next ahead of Royal Ascot and Lightsey.

Credit: 'Lookout' writing in NZ Trotguide

DENIS NYHAN

Your first (Cup) win was behind Lordship in 1962. You were young then. Did any nerves affect you on the big day?

Well, you can't afford to be nervous. There is too much going on. Lordship had worked brilliantly leading up to the Cup and Russell Cooper had just crafted a beautifully built new Bryant cart which we had. It had shorter shafts. We tried it on Lordshipon the Sunday and he was fine. Everthing went well until Cup morning.

And?

We were out doing stud work (with Johnny Globe) on a lovely morning and then it started to bucket down. We just didn't know how he would handle it. That affected the confidence. As I remember it we got a beautiful run in the one-one and he handled th wet well.

He beat the great Cardigan Bay twice at that meeting but he didn't line up against him in 1963.

He galloped in the Free-For-All in 1962 but then still beat Cardy. I mean they were great horses at that time. But on the last day he felt "noddy" warming up for the first time. He developed needle splints and he hardly raced in 1963-64.

He won the Cup again in 1966, a long time apart and he gave the others a 42-yard start. He must have been a good beginner.

He was a marvel, really. In between all that trouble he still won all the best races (45 wins). As an older horse he could get on the toe at the start. One day he broke a crossbar on the cart kicking it. But when they said "go" he was off like a rocket. That day I started him out in the middle of the track, a big help if you were on a handicap because you were on your own and could angle him straight to the rail and make up the ground. I think we actually led for most of the last round that day.

What made him special to drive?

High Speed. Lordy had unbelievable acceleration. He could circle a field of top class horses - and I mean real top class horses like Robin Dundee and company - in a furlong (200m) and it just gave you an extra dimension in the race. He was also a clever horse on his feet. Very manoeuvrable in a field. A dream horse really.

Who did you model your driving style on?

Bob Young was a driver who always appealed to me. He balanced his horses up so well and he always looked in control. But there were a lot of genuinely great horsemen about then. And I learned a lot when I worked for Eddie Cobb in America.

Such as?

There wer those great horsemen operating therethen too, legendary fellas. Delvin Miller, Cobb, Stanley Dancer, John Simpson. Clint Hodgins was my special favourite. He was a big man, tall, always ice cool and alwaysseemed beautifully balanced in a cart so his size didn't seem to matter. They had two real champions then, Adios Butler who was more of a speed horse, and Bye Bye Byrd, more of a stayer. I saw Clint win a big race on Bye Bye Byrd with a great drive one night. I used to think then wouldn't it be great one day to be good enough to drive great horses like that. I never forgot it.

Robalan paced free-legged of course. There were hardly any free-legged pacers then. It must have been a gamble to take the hopples off.

Not really on looking back. At home we used to work Johnny Globe and Lordship free-legged and they were fine. They were just better with hopples on raceday. Robalan was better without them. He was a beautiful pacer actually. He won a lot of races on the smaller tracks, Hutt Park and Forbury. He could use his speed just as much as on the big ones.

He had a lot of tries before he won the Cup. Why was that?

Well,one year another driver spent all his time looking after me instead of trying to win on his own horse, but basically he wasn't really a two mile(3200) horse. Robalan had phenomenal speed over short distances, probably even faster than Lordy. When he won the Stars Travel Miracle Mile he drew the outside and just blew them away pace and ran world records. He could be a bit keen in his races wanting to use his speed, so while he could stay alright in a two mile race he could take a bit out of himself. We never worked him hard at home to keep him relaxed.

Like what?

My wife Denise (a daughter of great trotting trainer, Bill Doyle, for whom Denis drove Wipe Outin two Cups) did a lot of work and travelling with him, but I don't think from memory he ever worked faster than 4:50 for two miles before a Cup.

Only just before he won in 1974 he collapsed dramatically in a trial. What caused that?

We never found out. They went all over him but he just came right on his own, not long before the race. In the actual Cup Trial he was as good as ever.

So what are the secrets to driving a Cup winner. Does the thought of winning affect your tactics?

You don't think of winning. It is a mistake if you do. You go through processes aimed at getting the best result and that's all you can plan for. Even when you've done everything right you still need a bit of luck on your side. Winning is the best outcome but only one. And while it is like driving any other race, in theory it isn't really because of what is at stake.

Processes?

Knowing every other horse, how it races, the driver's style, checking the colours are still the same in the prelim. Working out where the best horses might be, the ones which will give you a run into the race. That is very important, following the right horse, things like that. You also have to stay cool and have disipline, like Clint Hodgins.

Disipline?

Some drivers change their styles in big races. You never saw the top American drivers do that. They adapted to each horse but they drove in their established style. You can get into trouble doing somethingfancy and different. The same spot in the field can be the best place to be and the worst.

You alway carry a watch. How important are sectional times?

Most important of all. A really good horse can feel like he is going easily when in fact he is running terrific sectionals and they can run themselves out in a big staying race without the driver being fully aware of it. You've seen them on Cup Day. You need to check that it is not happening to you. You can't make a decision on a watch but you can checkthat the ones you are making are right

Any unusual things you did?

Funny thing, I always make a point of studyingthe first race of the day. It was a trotting racebut it was over the Cup distance. I liked to see if they were going at high speed and then checking it off against the times. It gave me a feel for what the Cup might be like. The tempo of the race is everything.

It all sounds like hard work. Did you always get the right answers?

Even if youy are doing everything right you can't afford for something to go wrong at vital stages of the race. That is where the luck comes in. You always need some of it.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in The Press 6Nov2010

1981 BENSON & HEDGES NZ FREE-FOR-ALL

"I reckon someone must have pinched the motor out of my car and put it into that horse... and I've got a big car." With those few words John Noble probably summed up the feelings of the other drivers who, like him, had finished away down the track in Armalight's world-shattering Free-For-All last Friday.

There was something slightly unreal about the NZ Cup winner's performance in the $25,000 Benson and Hedges event. In winning in 2:23.5 she smashed the mighty Robalan's world record time for the mobile 2000 metres by 3.1 seconds. And yet all the way she just looked as though she was cruising.

Everyone remembers that day back in November 1974 when Robalan crushed a top field in the Free-For-All to set the new standard - and the effort Lord Module had to put up to get within a tick of that time a couple of years ago. But visualise those three running their times in an imaginary simultaneous race...and then think again about Brent Smith's champion mare out in front at the line, 16 lengths to the good of Robalan on his day. That's some feat of imagination. But that's how it would have been.

In actual fact on Friday, she had a 'mere' three lengths on Bonnie's Chance and Superior Chance. But the victory was as complete as her seven length win in the NZ Cup only three days before. "Yes, we were under a bit more pressure out there today. We only won by three lengths," driver Bob Negus commented as he came off the track.

But the pressure, in reality, was on the other thirteen starters right from the time the mobile gate took off. Negus hunted Armalight into the lead after a hundred metres and set about demoralising the others with a 1:54.2 first mile. She bowled along in front of Superior Chance on the rails, northerner John Tudor on his outer and Richard Brosnan and Bonnie's Chance in the perfect possie one out and one back. Trio, El Regale, Cyllarus and Gammalite, three wide, were next, their drivers probably wondering when Negus was going to relent a little and let off the pressure. In fact, he gave the mare a bit of a spell into the backstraight the last time...only a little breather, mind, but it was sufficient to enable them to sprint the last bit home in around 57 seconds with Negus using only the reins to tell her she was in a race.

Bonnie's Chance had to go around John Tudor soon after turning for home but, in spite of a big run, could get no closer than three lengths, with a half head to Superior Chance, who stuck to his hopeless task well. Daylight was next. Gammalite, all the way from Melbourne to meet a horse who must be unbeatable in her current form, battled away resolutely for fourth just ahead of Hands Down, winner of the event last year.

The first four all finished inside Robalan's record by at least a second, providing a spectacle not one of the 20,000 plus crowd at Addington will forget for a long time. The official mile rate for the event was a withering 1:55.6, sufficiently fast to just about win any of the major American races on the big mile tracks, and not much slower than Lord Module's 1:54.9 mile time trial. Staggering!

According to Negus, the track was perfect for the race. "It was lightning fast." And besides, "the race was only once round. I couldn't really make any mistakes, could I?" he joked, savouring the euphoria of the moment.

Richard Brosnan had no excuse for coming only second, in spite of driving a near perfect race. "How could you take anything away from the winner? You couldn't," he said. He never at any stage thought he could have caught Armalight with his mare. "We were flat all the way." Bill Denton was quietly chuffed with the way Superior Chance had gone. "His was a good honest race. He's always good from the gate, but it was a bit of a change to get a good run." Gammalite's driver Bruce Clark could only shake his head at the performance of the winner but confirmed the tough visitor had battled on well. Peter Jones, in the spotlight with Hands Down after their Cup - Free-For-All double last season, was pleased enough with the run of his horse. He'd stayed back until just after the 800 metres and "was still making ground at the end. But you haven't got a show when they go that quick up front," was his slightly understated assessment.

Lord Module was the other horse in the race to have taken out the feature double...two years ago when he himself was unbeatable. But on Friday, yet again, he gave his backers no hope of getting any sort of return by refusing absolutely to move off with the others. The stipendary stewards later advised a worried Cecil Devine his horse would have to trial twice before being allowed to start next in a mobile event. Those trials took place satisfactorily yesterday and he will probably line up in the Allan Matson on Saturday night when he will have Armalight to contend with again. If she does line up, she'll be after win number 15 from just 21 starts.



Credit: Graham Ingram writing in the NZ Trotting Calendar

Young Quinn and John Langdon

GREAT RACE: YOUNG QUINN 1975 INTERDOM FINAL

As the 1975 Inter-Dominions in Auckland loomed, New Zealand's chances of repelling the formidable Australian assault and ending their almost complete domination of the Championship for a decade seemed to be on very shaky ground. Outside of Stella Frost's promoted win at Addington four years earlier, following the disqualification of Junior's Image, and Phil Coulson for seven years - later remitted to four years by the NZ Trotting Conference - after a caffeine positive, New Zealand had not looked even close to winning an Inter-Dominion since the 1965 series in Dunedin was shared by Jay Ar and Robin Dundee.

This included the previous Inter-Dominion at Alexandra Park in 1968, a series dominated by Tasmanian champion Halwes and following his shock withdrawal from the Final with a quarter crack less than a hour before attempting a clean sweep, ultimately won by NSW's First Lee. This was Australia's first Inter-Dominion win on New Zealand soil, which was not supposed to happen. And the Forbury Park success had hardly counted, what with Blazing Globe being the only Australian contender of any note. A son of Stormyway and the grand NZ mare Thelma Globe trained by Perc Hall at Penrith, Blazing Globe won a heat on the third night, but a couple of fourths in the heats was the best that could be managed by the combined efforts of Guiness (NSW), Palpitate (Vic) and Minton Hall and Pacing Lawn from WA, and their trip seemed mostly about taking in the scenery.

The 11-strong Australian challenge for the Pacing Championship in 1975 though was spearheaded by two-time winner Hondo Grattan and well established stars in Paleface Adios, Just Too Good, Tarcoola Frost and Royal Gaze, all but the latter from NSW. Hondo Grattan had won 44 races at that point, while Just Too Good had won 46 and Paleface Adios 43 and Royal Gaze had just won the Hunter Cup.

Then a week out from opening night came the devastating news that Robalan had been withdrawn after being troubled by an abscess on the chest. The 8-year-old free-legged champion had brilliantly won that season's NZ Cup and NZ Free-For-All, the latter for the third consecutive year and in world record time, where a 5-year-old Young Quinn had arrived in Christchurch off the back of eight straight wins and proved fallible.

A few months later, New Zealand's hopes of an Inter-Dominion win seemed to rest squarely on the shoulders of the Auckland and Wellington Cup winner Young Quinn. The likes of Hi Foyle, Speedy Guest, Vanadium, and the 4-year-olds Captain Harcourt, Master Dean and Kotare Legend were considered good class, but hardly capable of beating the Australian champions even with a head start in the handicaps. But this was Alexandra Park of course, and a whole new ball game, or direction, for the visitors. And they were about to run into a horse who by the end of the Championship, would be talked about as the best seen since Cardigan Bay.

Young Quinn, affectionately nicknamed 'Garbage' by his Edendale connections due to his habit of eating everything in sight as a youngster, including his bedding, would also by the end of his 5-year-old campaign earn the label of 'the Mighty Quinn' from none other than Peter Wolfenden, who since being spoiled by 'Cardy' had rarely been heard to utter a generous word for any other horse.

When the dust had settled on the season, Young Quinn had raced 22 times in New Zealand for 19 wins, two thirds and a seventh, and in Australia, three times for two wins and a fourth, the latter in a heat of the Lord Mayor's Cup at Harold Park from 25m not long after brilliantly downing Mitchell Victory, Royal Gaze, Hondo Grattan, Paleface Adios and Adios Victor in the Miracle Mile, and Hondo Grattan in the Hurricane Stakes. Robalan had set the record for wins in NZ in a season the previous year at 12, while Young Quinn's 10 consecutive wins to complete his campaign was also a record within a NZ season. He earned $149,961 when no other horse had topped $100,000 in a year and became the first horse in Australasia to top $200,000 in career winnings, at a point when the only other six-figure winners were Robalan ($164,020), Arapaho ($128,345) and Lordship ($113,790). In today's terms, it was easily a million dollar-plus winning season.

He set New Zealand race records for one mile (1:57 in the NZ Miracle Mile) and two miles (4:06.7) and his records for 2200m, 2600m and 2700m from a stand were faster than the records from mobiles.

Bud Baynes and his son Des had bred Young Quinn after the former had bought his out of form dam, the Hal Tryax mare Loyal Trick, for a few hundred dollars in what was just his second venture into standardbred ownership, having earlier won a race with a son of Hal Tryax in Hal Away. Convinced he could get the Southland 3yo Stakes winner back into form, Baynes soon discovered that Loyal Trick was too far gone with arthritis to be a racing prospect and bred her to Young Charles, who was standing at stud for his brother Colin at nearby Ferndale. The resulting filly in Judy Charles was sold as a yearling to Christchurch's Colin McLachlan and had three wins, losing one on a protest, while Loyal Trick's third foal and first colt, by Young Charles, died of tetanus. Des Baynes was 19 and working for Colin, who coincidentally then offered him a free service to Young Charles, and Bud loaned Loyal Trick on the understanding they would race the foal together.

A very precocious youngster, Young Quinn had won seven juvenile trials before making his debut in the Mercer Stakes at Addington in January, 1972, where Baynes had asked a polished former Southland horseman in Robert Cameron to drive. Cameron agreed, but during the float trip to Christchurch he said to Baynes "they're pretty good up at Addington; I think we'll be lucky if we finish about sixth." Young Quinn was 12th at the half but got up to impressively down smart sorts in Willie Win and Marc Bohan and by the end of the season had won eight races from 10 starts, equalling the juvenile record for races won by Sam Tryax, and taken out the prized double of the Sapling Stakes and Juvenile Championship.

An early knee injury cost him dearly as a 3-year-old, and attempting to win the NZ Derby in his season's debut when not ready set him back even further. But after being placed with Charlie Hunter at Cambridge for a failed Great Northern Derby tilt, Young Quinn began to fulfil his considerable earlier promise at four, a season he started in open class. He chased Arapaho home in the NZ and Auckland Cups and came up half a head short of Robalan in the Miracle Mile, won in 1:58, but his wins included the Allan Matson and Ollivier at the NZ Cup Meeting with Hunter at the helm.

His failures however included the Perth Inter-Dominions, where he made no impression after not travelling well and failing to settle at all in the heat. Returning home to romp away with free-for-all in Auckland in March, Young Quinn went for a well earned rest, and was soon back in the new season and sweeping all northern rivals aside with seven straight wins in the hands of Wolfenden heading into the NZ Cup carnival. Starting hot favourite in the Cup, he got hooked up in an early speed duel and pulled himself into the ground, and only class carried him into third as Robalan carried the day in his fourth attempt over Kotare Legend, while he recovered from last early to finish a distant third in the FFA.

Another Allan Matson from 25m in record time was a mere formality in Robalan's absence however and then came the Miracle Mile in Australasian record time of 1:57, where Robalan was favourite but went off stride challenging at the furlong. Freshened for the Auckland Cup carnival, Young Quinn led up and inexplicably faded to seventh in the National Flying Pace as arch-rival Robalan swept by brilliantly, but this would be the last time he would meet defeat in New Zealand.

Going into the Inter-Doms, Young Quinn had bolted away with the Auckland Cup by 10 lengths over Robalan (30m) in very wet and slushy conditions, as well as the Waikato Flying Mile by eight lengths and Wellington Cup by five from 35m. Hunter had taken back the reins after the NZ Cup Meeting and must have been on good terms with himself when Young Quinn proved much too good for pacemaker Just Too Good and Royal Gaze on the opening night of the Inters. Jack Smolenski won the other pacing heats with Speedy Guest and Vanadium, as Paleface Adios finished a bold second to the latter and Hondo Grattan ran into strife after Tony Turnbull left his shadow roll at home and had to borrow an unsuitable one. But on the second night, Hunter was brought back to earth with a thud - literally - when involved in a pile-up which wiped out half the field, and put both his arms in plaster. Three races later, up stepped Hunter's 27-year-old right-hand-man John Langdon to not only quide Young Quinn safely through the remaining heats, but win the Trotting Final with Castleton's Pride for Roy McKenzie and trainer Hunter.

Come the $61,000 Grand Final and over 30,000 were on-hand to cheer Young Quinn on from 15m, with only Hondo Grattan behind him on 25m. The rest of the country tuned in to watch on television, this being still very much a novelty reserved for major events. Young Quinn was favoured, but it would not be easy, and the Australian record in the Final was to be not only respected, but feared.

Previewing the big event for the Trotting Calendar, Ron Bisman wrote "Young Quinn starts on 15m in one of the best fields of pacers to assemble for a race in New Zealand. He came from a similar mark to win in record time at 3200m on Saturday night, but had to work hard to do it and has a shorter distance here. Grand Finals are usually go-stop-go affairs, and the one thing necessary for a backmarker to get around the field to challenge when he wants in such big-time races in the fastest turn of speed. Young Quinn has shown this time and again, and with John Langdon driving very confidently and adroitly, they just have to be first choice. Big bold challenges are expected to come from Victoria's Royal Gaze and NSW star Hondo Grattan after their fine third night form, but just the same the second choice in this quarter will be the brilliant free-legged pace Final Decision."

With Smolenski opting to handle Vanadium over Speedy Guest after returning to top form with wins on the first two nights, he was Bisman's third choice, but also accorded chances of threatening off the front were Hi Foyle, Kotare Legend, Master Dean and Why Bill along with the aforementioned. Just Too Good had lost form during the heats and started rank outsider from 10m for Keith Pike, while Colin Pike's 5-year-old Paleface Adios had lost it altogether and couldn't even make an impression in one of the Consolations.

Nursed away by Langdon to avoid any trouble, Young Quinn still copped several checks and settled all of 80 metres behind the tearaway pacemaker Master Dean and Bob Cameron. His chances of success looked remote with only a couple of stragglers in Bomber Bill and Why Bill behind him in a strung out field with a lap to go, and then Final Decision was checked, broke and came back on him with just 800m to go. But that was also the point where Young Quinn turned on the stuff Champions are made of. Gradually but inexorably moving into contention wide down the back and around th last bend, Langdon brought Young Quinn into line six-wide and he stomped down the centre of the track to in the end win quite comfortably. Hi Foyle found a gap late to come on for second for Henry Skinner and ironically, the first two home were the two horses lured to Perth the previous year by travel subsidies to 'make' that Inter-Dom Series, and performed so dismally.

By everyone was just playing bit parts in the Young Quinn Show. The accolades flowed for 'the Mighty Quinn' and so did the invites. On-hand for the Inter-Dominions was Dr Thomas Siciliano, who had been a partner in Cardigan Bay's US campaigning, but Hunter advised against any lease deals and $100,000 was not enough to buy him. Young Quinn would instead head to Sydney for the $50,000 Miracle Mile and so emphatically dispose of a truly great field there from the dreaded six alley, and while withdrawn from the Lord Mayor's Cup after being checked and hurt in his heat, he had recovered to bolt away with his farewell Down Under race at Alexandra Park in May.

Two days later he was winging his way to America to compete in the rich International Series at Yonkers in New York and Sportsman's Park in Chicago, but that of course is the start of another story.


Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 28Jun06

The Lawlor family and Lunar Chance

1975 NZ CUP

If Southland stayer Lunar Chance was feeling dehydrated three weeks ago it was nothing to the state he left the huge crowd in at Addington on Tuesday.

In a grandstand finish Lunar Chance held off a brilliant late dab from the desperately unlucky northern contender Final Decision to take the 1975 New Zealand Cup by a rapidly diminishing head. for Gore owner-trainer-driver Keith Lawlor, a farmer, it was justification for turning down a $100,000 offer after winning the New Brighton Cup last season.

By far the most lightly raced horse in the field Lunar Chance was having only his 26th start on Tuesday and has now won 14 races, has been second three times and third five times. His stake earnings, including the $700 trophy attached to the Cup, now stand at $60,160. He looks certain to top the $100,000 mark in the very near future.

Lunar Chance posed Lawlor all sorts of problems after failing in the Ashburton Flying Stakes on October 6 but he picked up condition in the few days before the Cup and won it like the true stayer he is. He lost 40 metres at the start when he galloped off the mark but passing the 1600 metres Lawlor sent him forward to take the lead off Speedy Guest at the 1200 metres. Micron gave him no rest in front when he rushed up to dispute the lead at the 700 metres but soon after turning for home Lunar Chance slipped clear and just held off the brilliant late run from Final Decision.

The northern pacer was desperately unlucky. He went away well but left his feet after 300 metres and was giving the leaders at least 80 metres when he settled down. He was still last at the 800 metres when he followed Micron forward and on the home turn was seven lenghts from Lunar Chance in sixth place. He was closing rapidly on Lunar Chance at the post but just failed by a head.

Last year's winner and favourite Robalan had every chance and though he battled on gamely he was only third a length back. He received a good run on the outside and was carried up to a perfect trail on the outer at the 1200 metres as the lead changed. He looked a big danger on the home turn but the effort told a Lunar Chance went on to win in 4:08.6.

Speedy Guest and Vanadium led in the rest a length and a quarter and a neck back. Speedy Guest enjoyed a good run after leading briefly in the middle stages but Vanadium never really got into the clear from the middle on the outer. Deeside was beaten off sixth, six lengths back.

Credit: Tony Williams writing in the NZ Trotguide

True Averil with Clarrie & Mrs Rhodes and driver Doody Townley

1971 NZ TROTTING CUP

Every horse, without exception, looked muscled up and bright for the $30,000 challenge and little time was lost once the 15 runners was in the starter's hands. Rain Again and James failed to begin cleanly, Manaroa was a shade slow but pacing just the same and the others all headed off without further ado.

Sam Tryax, driven by D G Jones, was out fast and took the field through the first quarter in 32.6 sec., from Western Ridge, Intrepid on the fence, Radiant Globe on the outside of Jacquinot Bay, Upper Class, Rauka Lad, Garcon Roux, Robalan, Rain Again, Valencia, True Averil in a gap, Bay Foyle, James and Manaroa.

Western Ridge headed Sam Tryax after half a mile reached in 64, but only briefly, for Upper Class then sought the lead, making the first six furlongs in 1:35.4 and the mile in 2:06.6. At that stage Western Ridge was under cover with Sam Tryax and Radiant Globe further along the fence, then Rauka Lad one out with Jacquinot Bay, Robalan, Garcon Roux, Rain Again and True Averil in close contact. Robalan moved fast racing into the six furlongs, tabbing the watches at 2:36.6 for the mile and a quarter, but soon had the company of Radiant Globe.

Radiant Globe looked to have the others in a spot of bother when he opened up a small gap on passing the half mile in 3:07.4. Even when Radiant Globe increased his lead passing the three furlong mark, it distinctly appeared as though his genial Blenheim owners, Bob White and Jack Hart, were in for the kill, because Townley, who at one stage had been four wide, had touched True Averil with his whip when asking him to race three wide past Robalan and Manaroa.

True Averil never looked likely to catch Radiant Globe outside the furlong; inside it was by no means cut and dried, and on the line, with both horses tuckered out after 4:11 of epic racing. True Averil had proved a better horse on the day by a neck. Intrepid, after being pushed back, ran an excellent third, being no more impressive than Bay Foyle, a solid finisher after being well off the pace. Manaroa battled on in dour style for his fifth without ever looking like winning, and then came Valencia, running on, Sam Tryax, Garcon Roux, Rauka Lad, James, Western Ridge, Upper Class, Rain Again and Jacquinot Bay.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

NZ FREE-FOR-ALL SORTS OUT CHAMPIONS

While we are conditioned by history in New Zealand to regard handicap racing as the ultimate test in both racing and trotting, it is odds on that any American visitors to the Cup carnival are likely to show at least as much interest in Friday's big pace event, the NZ Free-For-All.

The odd average stayer has fluked victory in the Cup on the Tuesday through a combination of circumstances but it very rarely happens that anything other than a pacer right out of the top draw bowls the same field from even marks over the sprint distance on the Friday.

The Free-For-All was first run in 1914 probably to give some chance to the top horses who were often out of major handicaps due to the old 'clock' method of handicapping. In the 60 contests run to date all but a couple have been won by horses who were and are household names. In fact in many ways the FFA is a better indication to the historian on who our great pacers have been than the Cup is, though of course it does not carry the same 'mana' as the two mile classic.

There are plenty of FFA winners who could well have been among the Cup winners. Acron and Great Bingen were two from the 1920's who come to mind while in later years Single Direct, Vedette, Tactician, Caduceus, Robin Dundee and Stella Frost were the tops of their day with the last named of course being first past the post in the 1969 Cup before being disqualified.

Only four horses have thus far won the event three times and all were champions. Author Dillon in the second decade of the century, the wonderful Harold Logan in the 30's, and Caduceus and Lordship in more recent times. Possibly by the time you have read this Robalan will have joined this illustrious group for he has won in the last two years. His win last year in world record time was almost certainly the highlight of the Cup meeting even allowing for his thrilling Cup win four years earlier.

In the days when the event was a standing start Robalan shared the record with Johnny Globe who clocked 2:33.6 away back in 1954 when that little pacer was, at least for those first two days of the Cup meeting, as good a horse as any in the world. In an earlier era Gold Bar set a long standing record with his 2:35. In 1942 and allowing for the difference in track surfaces in those days this was a feat as remarkable as any since.

Back in the 1920's the race was run over a mile for several years. Among the winners being Acron in 2:03.6 (1924) and the tremendously fast but 'rattle headed' horse Native Chief. Several top trainers gave up trying to instil some raceday interest into Native Chief, but his great speed always suggested that he could have been two-minute material.

Robalan looks very likely to make it three in a row this year for though his powers may be on the wane as the years catch up with him he can still give a sharp sprinting lesson to many of his younger rivals as he has already shown this season. With Noodlum out and Lunar Chance at the time of writing being something of an unknown quantity there is nothing in the Young Quinn class to worry Robalan as there was last year. Final Decision might take a special liking to this sort of contest while Micron is a most respectable sprinter and could bob up from behind the mobile start.

History strongly suggests that you forget the 'roughies'in the Free-For-All, the last winner not in the champion class possibly being Chief Command at the extraordinary meeting of 1969. Most of the winning list of this race reads like a who's who of the New Zealand standardbred and it's odds on that traditions will not be broken in 1975.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in the NZ Trotguide 13/11/75