| HORSES |
YEAR: 2004
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| Blossom Lady winning her Cup in 1992 |
For her countless fans around Australasia, an admiration earned mostly by sheer guts and determination, it would have rekindled memories of a truly marvellous racing career, the nature of which we are unlikely to ever see the likes of again.
For the Polly Syndicate's Manager Ralph Kermode it was like the last chapter in a book, but if irony and coincidence play any part in the racing scheme of things, it won't be the end of the story. Because the same day that the fateful news came from Canterbury, Blossom Lady's last foal arrived home at Kermode's Palmerston North property. Thus there was the end of an era, but also a beginning. Finding an appropriate name for a filly by Live Or Die while retaining the 'Bloss' or 'Bloom' theme under such circumstances is the task presently ahead for the Polly Syndicate.
For all the Kermode family's friends in the syndicate - Bob and Barbara Williams, Ian and Jenny Smith, Ross and Adrienne Kennedy and the late Pat Foley and his wife Mary - Blossom Lady was their first standardbred.
Kermode was in a reflective mood last week, recalling the events which led to a horse of a lifetime. "I was interested in a filly by a commercial sire from a nice family, but just being a poor school teacher at the time, couldn't afford to get one at the yearling sales," said Kermode. "So I had advertised for such a weanling in the 'Calendar' and had about fifty phonecalls, mostly from the South Island, and they all reckoned they had the best family in NZ. I arranged to go to about a dozen properties while in Canterbury over a Queen's Birthday weekend, and was at the Ashburton trots on the Monday. When I got home, (wife) Judy said a fellow from Ashburton called Bill Cook had been calling all weekend, and that I had better ring him - Bill was rather gruff. So I did, and when I said who it was he said 'where the hell have you been ?' - that was the first thing Bill ever said to me."
All this led to Kermode buying a filly by El Patron from Lumber Lady, and subsequent "pestering" about her year older half-sister by Farm Timer. "Farm Timer didn't exactly fit my criteria for commercial - I'd hardly heard of him - but Bill wouldn't let it go, so in the end I agreed to lease her and beat him down to a right of purchase of $5500 within six months."
Blossom Lady soon showed sufficient promise and speed for that option to be exercised - more ability than the unraced Paleface Lady anyway - and Kermode knew he had "something" when she began her career as a 3-year-old. "She didn't like to get involved in races - she would just hang around at the back and pace roughly. Then one night at Hutt Park, Stephen (Doody) was at the back at the half and let her go and she went past them in a hundred metres. Then she hit the bend again and she just about finished up in the tide at Petone."
Progress was not rapid however, and it would be another couple of years before there was a realisation that Blossom Lady was a lot more than something. This was at Ashburton during a Queen's Birthday weekend again. "On the first day she finished second to Clancy and on tape you can see Peter (Jones) still trying to pull the ear plugs after the finish. He came back and said 'who put those (bl....) ear plugs in?'" On the second day, Blossom Lady streeted Millie's Brother and company over 3200m in 4:03.8, which bettered Delightful Lady's national record for mares by two seconds.
That was just the start of the highlights and memories of course. From that point, between the ages of six and 11, she would win another 35 races and $1.3m. The New Zealand Cup was special, and her second Hunter Cup was "bloody amazing". That night she served it up to Golden Reign in front and "brained them" - running 3280m from a 30 metre handicap in a staggering 2:00.6 mile rate after being three-wide in the open for much of the race. "Anthony (Butt) came back and said she could have gone round again - she was just unbeatable that night."
Kermode also singled out an Easter Cup where she "took it" to Chokin at the height of his powers before going down fighting, and the Palmerstonian Classic from 90 metres before a big hometown crowd as other memorable moments. The biggest disappointment was the Inter-Dominion at Addington, where she was "carved up" at the 600m mark. A heat of that Championship as a 10-year-old would be her last win, and her first foal would be Mister D G, whose career has followed an amazingly similar path.
There is another 'beginning and end' aspect to all this as well. Since Blossom Lady's foal was fostered at one month, she has been cared for by Ohoka veterinary couple Bruce Taylor and Margaret Evans. Last week, Kermode recounted the story that was told to him during Blossom Lady's career by Jim Dalgety, who stood Farm Timer, the horse to naturally service Lumber Lady. "Apparently Lumber Lady was such a bag that Jim had to used a twitch on both ears as well as her lip, and even then he doubted the horse had got the job done. It was Margaret who would come around and palpate the mares, and Lumber Lady was among them one day. Whe Magaret said that 'there was a nice foal in there', Jim said 'that can't be - she has been too much trouble'."
Dalgety's reaction to this surprise was something to the effect that..."the mare had been that much trouble, that the foal would either be worth nothing and knocking on the head, or a champion." It wasn't the first or the last time Dalgety was right of course, but the essence of the story is the fact that Evans was there in the beginning, and the end.
Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 26May04
YEAR: 1996
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| Derek Jones & Blossom Lady |
There would be few Addington personalities in the last 50 years who have attracted such favour and adulation as Blossom Lady. In this context, Johnny Globe probably reigns supreme, with Blossom Lady a close second, ahead of Lordship and Lord Module.
The retirement at the weekend of New Zealand's greatest racemare is of no surprise: it has been on hold for two and a half years!
Lesser competitors would have given up the battle, but the skills of trainer Derek Jones coupled with an indomitable spirit gave Blossom Lady a long life at the top. On the eve of her 156th start, she was still working as well as ever. But when a leg injury she has tolerated since the Brisbane Inter-Dominions in 1993 made another visit, Jones decided the show was over.
"Derek told us that he would never forgive himself if he had raced her last Saturday night and something had happened to her," said Ralph Kermode, the manager of the Polly Syndicate which raced the million dollar mare. "We have no complaints. It has been something we have anticipated for some time, certainly this season. After she ran the fastest two miles of her career at the Cup meeting and the fastest mile, we thought we might get back to Melbourne, where she won two Hunter Cups. But we have had a fantastic run, with marvellous memories. Derek has done a marvellous job, swimming her a lot, rubbing her leg every day," he said.
Prepared for a start by Stephen Doody, Blossom Lady went on to win 43 races - most of them in the hands of regular driver Anthony Butt - and earn $1,334,800 from 155 starts.
Her major wins were the 1992 NZ Cup and NZ Free-For-All, the 1991 Easter Cup, two Hunter Cups, six Inter-Dominion heats, the Monsanto Free-For-All, three NZ Standardbred Breeders Stakes, an Inter-Dominion consolation race and the Ashburton Cup. 'Bloss' won 35 races in NZ and eight in Australia. Eight of her NZ wins were sub 2:00 - 1:56 (1m), 1:58.9 (2000 mob), 1:58.6 (2400 mob), 1: 59.1, 1:57, 1:57.3, 1:58.7, 1:56.8 and 1:58.9 (all 2000m mobile).
She was much travelled and was renowned for her need to absorb an enormous amount of work. Her racing was characterised by a willingness to look the enemy in the eye whenever there was a softening of the pace.
"She was the sort of horse an owner dreams of having," said Kermode. "She was so honest. She would never run a bad race. She had bad luck, but you'd always know she would perform. In many races, she would take to race to the opposition, although it did not always pay off. The most spine-tingling moment for me was in the Easter Cup that Chokin won when she led for the last mile and took off down the back straight, and my only disappointment was that she didn't meet up more with Franco Ice who had a similar style of racing," he said.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 10Jan96
YEAR: 1992
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| Derek Jones, the Polly Synd & Blossom Lady |
Cheered to the echo by loyal Canterbury fans, Blossom Lady made it a case of "third time lucky" as she stormed to victory over Southland's Giavanetto and the hapless Auckland favourite Christopher Vance in Tuesday's $300,000 DB Draught New Zealand Cup.
Trained by popular Templeton horseman Derek Jones, who in 1980 produced winner Hands Down (driven by son Peter) and driven a treat by Jones' grandson Anthony Butt, Blossom Lady, though owned in the Central Districts, has long been the darling of the Addington fans.
"I am shaking so much. I feel as if I'm going to faint." It was one of those days, temperatures into the 20's, thousands of people in their best costumes, and husband out on the track in those famous maroon and grey stripes. But it was just seconds after the Cup, and Karen Butt had more reason than anyone to feel it was much more than another Cup Day. As members of the Polly Syndicate brushed aside tears of joy waiting for Blossom Lady to return to a huge home crowd reception, Karen said: "I was wondering if it was going to be one of those races for Anthony. I know he is only young, but he has had six or seven goes in it...and she just deserved one of these big ones."
Anthony handled the race and the questions with the professional approach one has come to expect from him. Even his wife had to wait for her celebratory kiss until he had satisfied the media with his commentary on the event. For the first time in the past three years, Anthony did not have the pressure he had been under in previous years when Blossom Lady was one of the favourites. He noticed the change, he said. Two years ago, he has sat back on an easy pace and rattled home late for fifth, and last year when third favourite, she broke at the start and beat only one.
This time, Blossom Lady had been campaigned with what seemed a slightly unorthodox campaign by Templeton trainer Derek Jones, who raced her in Auckland in late winter and then gave her three starts in Queensland. She picked up a virus and returned home. In her four starts since resuming, Blossom Lady has raced well without winning, though Anthony was never despondent. "She has certainly lost some of her quick speed, but I felt she has been getting better and better. I gave her an outside chance beforehand," he said.
Although Anthony termed it a "funny sort of race," it unfolded into his lap. He settled the stable favourite into the midfield on the inner, and angled her off the fence when Its Motor Power herbed to the front passing the 1900m. He was left in clear air briefly until Master Musician gave him cover, and started to fancy his chances when he got cover again, near the 1200m.
"Everything went to plan. I was lucky when Master Musician came round to give me cover, and she came away in the end. It feels terrific...nothing better...a lifetime dream. She is a big favourite with the crowd." And she is a big favourite with Anthony. Before the Cup, Premiership and Blossom Lady had both won him 14 races. 'The Bloss' chose her moment well to edge ahead.
Christopher Vance cantered off from the 15m back mark, and, to the dismay of the multitude who had installed him a $2.50 shot, galloped and added at least another 30m to his handicap. Victorian visitor It's Motor Power was another off stride in the early rush, and he wound up out the back, just ahead of Christopher Vance - but not for very long.
Giovanetto made the early play for Jack Smolenski, who was happy to take a trail when Jim O'Sullivan swept up and around and into the lead with It's Motor Power 1800m from home. Immediately, Barry Purdon sooled Sogo from just off the pace into the lead. Anthony Butt moved Blossom Lady, who had been handy on the inner, out and around, and after being briefly parked she got a perfect 1-1 sit as Master Musician improved to sit parked on Sogo's wheel. Smolenski had now angled Giovanetto out to track Blossom Lady. It's Motor Power held the trail, followed on the rail by Millie's Brother and The Bru Czar, with the last four two Under, Insutcha, Lawn Boy and Christopher Vance.
The first mile had required 2:04.6, and as the speed went on down the back, positions stayed virtually the same. Smolenski was first to make his move - something he said afterward he perhaps should not have done. Blossom Lady went with Giovanetto and the pair sorted themselves out, with the 8-year-old mare, showing the experience of many tough battles, edging ahead of her 4-year-old challenger and beat him to the wire by a length and a quarter.
Christopher Vance, reserved by Tony Herlihy for one run at them from 500m out, powering down the outer for third, a length away. The Bru Czar headed the others, battling on after clearing traffic, followed in by Insutcha, Two Under, Millie's Brother, Master Musician, Lawn Boy, Sogo and It's Motor Power.
With Blossom Lady clocking 4:05 and the leaders covering their final 800m in 58.4, Christopher Vance was timed his last mile in 1:58, 800m in 56.7 and 400 in 27.1.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 12Nov92
YEAR: 2007
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Written off as a pale portrait of the horse he was when he carried all before him last spring, Flashing Red overcame a 15m handicap and 14 others in a punishing, grinding, desparate drive to the finish. He was beaten at the 100m; had seen young star Monkey King go past, and then, briefly his stablemate Tribute. This was as near as Flashing Red was going to get and everyone was proud of him. But old horses just don't go away, not when they're great and have done it before, and not when their name is Flashing Red.
With more determination than most have ever seen, Flashing Red must have sensed that Monkey King hadn't finished with the king-hit he needed. Not even gradually, he closed up again, and 20 metres from the finish he was slowly widening the margin to win a magnificent race.
Was there disbelief? Almost. Was there astonishment? Yes. Was there acknowledgement for the greatest staying effort ever seen in the Cup? Yes, yes.
Flashing Red got there the hard way. He made a fair beginning, passing the breakers Foreal, Awesome Armbro and It's Ella. Changeover had made a fast start, and led until David Butcher gave way to Classic Cullen two laps out. This left Baileys Dream parked out, Roman Gladiator inside him, and Sly Flyin on his back. For the first mile, Anthony Butt sat at the back with Tribute and Monkey King. It was quick enough, so there was no hurry to get moving. Just before the 100m, he knew it was time to go. He rattled up Flashing Red. They set off, and Tribute followed, and Monkey King followed Tribute.
They made good, steady progress, and Flashing Red was as strong of any of them on the corner, outside Baileys Dream and Classic Cullen, who were both spent or getting near it, and look! Monkey King has joined in and looking sharp. Sly Flyin is also in the picture, and so is Changeover but he's in a spot of bother behind the tiring Classic Cullen.
With 25,000 people makng noises of some sorts, Monkey King appeared at the 100m as if he had the race by the collar. Stephen Reid, his driver, must have thought so. Had it been anything other than Flashing Red, he certainly would have got away with it. But no-one tangles with Flashing Red at the end of 3200 metres in a record 3:57.8 and has his nose in front at the end of it. Ask Monkey King. He Knows.
-o0o-
The Cup Flashing Red won as an old horse last year will stay where it is. As an older horse this year, he bucked the odds, silenced the young pretenders, and produced what must be the greatest staying performance seen anywhere, anytime. Could any horse have climbed the harness racing mountain from ground-zero that Flashing Red faced this season, as a 10-year-old? And when his campaign seemed as good as gone, could Tim Butt and Phil Anderson and Anthony Butt then pick him up from the canvas and turn him into the 4:00.3 two-mile mauler he was a year ago? When everything said they couldn't, they did.
His win over Monkey King at Addington last Tuesday was certainly a five-star, must-see wonderment. The old dog-over the hill, a handicap to overcome, no longer the mighty marathon cruiser he used to be; little leg ailments - much to much on his plate really. Tim Butt never dropped his guard that far. He was keener on his stablemate Tribute, never on Foreal, but he kept safe and coy with Flashing Red, saying there might be one big race in him somewhere. He never said it would be the $750,000 2007 Christchurch Casino NZ Cup, and only 50 metres from the finish did he know for sure that it was.
Unlike last year, when Flashing Red was more or less invincible and went into the Cup with three successive wins, this campaign and build-up had never reached any glitzy heights. Tim said it was almost as if there were two different horses. He was thrilled when he started his build-up to the Cup again, pretty much quickly on target with his second in the Avon City Ford Cup to Baileys Dream, but the run took the edge off him. He had three further races, and appeared to slip with each of them. Not only was the prospect of winning a second Cup fading by the week, but there was the daunting challenge after his fading sixth at Ashburton of not knowing for sure what was needed to turn him round, if indeed it could be done.
Butt could see it wasn't the same as what it was the previous year. He knew they had to do something different when it was taking him so long to recover from his races. "He was fit enough, we knew that, so we focused on eliminating anything that might have worried him. We took him to the beach for his training. We'd had a little problem with a front joint, we thought he might have had ulcers. We were really going into unchartered territory with him, but we've always had faith." With a new battle plan underway, and deciding that going into the Cup fresh was the only chance they had, they anxiously monitored his revitalisation programme. "In the last seven days, you could see the change," he said. "And for his last hopple, he worked super. I still thought we might have been coming a week too late."
When he assessed the race, Butt saw a few pluses. "He was off fifteen metres, but that didn't worry me. I thought that two miles might negate that handicap. He has shown before that he rises to the occasion in these big races. And I thought he was old last year at nine, and here he is at ten. I wasn't as confident as I was last year, but I felt he'd still go a cheeky race." Deep down, he suspected Flashing Red might prove him wrong, as he had done before. "I could see Ants was very patient with him over that final mile, and then he had to go when he did. In the end, you've just got to do it. You still know that when they get older, you can't go to the well every week." This was a day in the week when the well was full. "I was yelling for him; I knew Monkey King might come to the end of it."
While Anderson and the Butts will see the end of Flashing Red's NZ racing career on Friday, it will also signal the start of another because there is a plan to return him next season to stand at stud in the South Island. Former trainer and part-owner Stuart Hunter said he would compete next month in the Victoria Cup and other Grand Circuit races in Australia, and his Cup win has already gained him a semi-final start in the new version of the Inter-Dominions
Hunter always enjoys recalling the manner in which he and part-owner Norm Jenkins came by Flashing Red. "He was racing down in Tasmania and bought by Barrie Rattray for $20,000. He was quoted to me at $40,000, which I was told was far too much. Nothing happened for a number of months, but I was still keen and eventually said I was going to go down and if I liked him I'd pay the price. It was an awful day and he was running in mud, but I thought he had some try in him. He always wanted to give you something more. So I paid the $40,000. He can run four twenty-eight quarters, and that can break their hearts." Hunter said he was so much better racing on the bigger tracks in NZ. "He'll race in a fifty-five inch hopple back home, and here he can go in a sixty-one inch. He's exceptional like that, and can stay a lot better."
Jenkins, natually enough, is happy to leave it to those who know best. "They're the experts; I just listen to what they say. I couldn't believe it. I didn't expect him to fight back when he was headed."
Of course, that's exactly what Tim did expect. "He rates right up there with Hands Down and Blossom Lady as the great stayers I've seen. Fortunately I can do what I like without pressure, and that only comes with experience. He was down and out, and he came back."
Back to win another Cup - now that takes a special kind of greatness.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 15Nov07