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NOODLUM

The photo shows Noodlum and Freeman Holmes on Show Day 1974...the day they came off 30m to win the Riccarton Stakes over a top field of 3-year-olds by 14 lengths in 3:21, a national record by almost three seconds.

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The brilliant Noodlum, undoubtedly one of the greatest pacers ever produced in NZ and the wonder colt of his era, has been retired to the stud and will this Spring stand his first season alongside the already successful Adios import Jersey Hanover at part-owner Freeman Holmes' Ellesmere nursery, The Manor.

The decision to terminate the dashing chestnut's racing career was made a fortnight ago by Freeman and champ's other part-owner Mrs Ann Wilson of Christchurch. "There was a risk of him breaking a sesamoid bone in his off hind leg as the ligament running along the cannon bone had moved off the bone," said Freeman who trained the horse and drove him in all bar seven of his races.

The trouble actually stemmed from the eve of the NZ Derby of November 1974 when the precocious colt sprung a curb. A look at his record sheet since then would give the impression that he made a complete recovery but as Freeman takes up the story again, "the peculiar thing is that in his endeavour to save the strained ligaments he placed great pressure elsewhere and that is the reason for his recent injury." All Noodlum's troubles originate from the fact that the great drive possessed in his beautiful pacing action caused strain on his stifles and when soreness occurred in these ligaments it placed greater pressure on the lower areas of his hind legs eventually resulting in injuries.

Noodlum's 2-year-old campaign was nothing short of sensational. He was constantly in the headlines from his first public appearance, when he scurried over 1200 metres in 1:36.4 (last 800 in 1:04.4) on a 'cutting out' grass track to down a field of his age group by more than 150 metres at a Waimate trial meeting late in August 1973 until he was eased up for his first Winter spell, with the greatest juvenile pacing campaign ever witnessed in this part of the world, behind him.

He won his debut, taking the Morrinsville Juvenile Stakes at Cambridge, was unbeaten at his next three attempts, the Ellerslie League Pace at Alexandra Park, NZ Springtime Stakes at Addington and NZ Golden Slipper Stakes at Waimate (deadheating with Astro Blue) before tasting his first defeat, running second to Don Lopez in the New Year Stakes at Addington. At his next appearance he bounced back with a brilliant finishing burst to down Commissioner in the Town Hall Stakes at Addington's Commonwealth Games Meeting but then at his following attempt disaster struck.

Coasting home well clear of the field in the Forbury Juvenile Stakes at Dunedin late in January 1974 Noodlum fell victim to the even human tendency of 'star gazing' and 'having a wee dream' when things are going to easily. He suddenly spotted a head number lying on the track about thirty metres from the line, woke up in a panic (as one does whe rudely disturbed during a pleasant day dream) and tried to jump the obstacle. In an instant Noodlum, driver Holmes and a tangled mass of sulky and gear were on the deck - Noodlum receiving abrasions losing two teeth and requiring a fortnight off work to recover from the nasty incident.

Reappearing in the Second Graduation Stakes at Addington in April, Noodlum, from a ten metre backmark, received a shocking run before finishing fourth to Sly Kiwi, Esteban and Golden Nurse - but that was the last time he would taste defeat for fifteen starts, a NZ record winning sequence not approached before or since. He took the NZ Welcome Stakes by five lengths, the Allanton Stakes at Forbury Park by six lengths, the Gladville Stakes at Addington (from a 20 metre backmark) by ¾ of a length, the Oamaru Juvenile Stakes by four lengths, the Canterbury Park Juvenile Stakes (again from 20 metres) by one and a half lengths, the NZ Sapling Stakes at Ashburton by four and a half lengths and the NZ Juvenile Championship at Auckland by eight lengths.

Noodlum's complete juvenile record sheet reads 15 starts, 12 wins, one second and one fourth and $23,162.50. He set a stakes winning record for one of his age, bettering the previous best (credited to Young Quinn) by $9,947.50, equalled the record performance of Robalan by winning 12 races in a single season (the previous best was 11 credited to Nyallo Scott back in the mid-forties) and set race record mile rates in seven classics or semi-classics - the NZ Juvenile Championship, the NZ Welcome Stakes, NZ Golden Slipper Stakes, NZ Springtime Stakes, Canterbury Park Juvenile Stakes, Morrinsville Juvenile Stakes and Oamaru Juvenile Stakes. He still holds three National 2-year-old marks, 2000 metres standing starts at 2:35.4 (set in the Canterbury Park Juvenile Stakes), 2200 metres standing start at 2:54.4 (Allanton Stakes, Forbury Park) and 2200 metres mobile at 2:49.8 (NZ Juvenile Championship, Alexandra Park). In his final seven victorious juvenile appearances Noodlum was handled by the great Maurice Holmes (uncle of Freeman) then in his last season of race driving. Horse and driver certainly formed a champion team.

Noodlum commenced his 3-year-old campaign with a devasting patch of form which saw him unbeaten over an eight race, four month period, thus extending his winning sequence to the record 15. He opened by taking the Waitaki Hanover Stakes at Kurow (from a 20 metre backmark) by three and a half lengths then preceding to blast similar Semi-Classic fields in the Second Canterbury Stakes at Addington (again of 20 metres) by four lengths, the Fourth Canterbury Stakes (20 metres again) by three lengths, the New Brighton Stakes (this time from 30 metres) by two and a half lengths, the Concord Handicap at Forbury (off 20 metres) by six lengths, the Warrington Handicap at Forbury (again 20 metres) by five and a half lengths and the Second Riccarton Stakes at Addington on Show Day. In the latter event Noodlum came from a 30 metre handicap in the 2600 metre contest, reached the lead 1000 metre out then said goodbye to his field with a 58.6 last half to score by 14 lengths, still a National 3YO mark and then an all-age record. In his earlier New Brighton Stakes victory Noodlum has similarly assaulted the record book, cutting the 2000 metre standing start contest out in 2:32.4, a National mark for a 3-year-old and jointly shared with Hi Foyle as an all-aged record.

Although not at his best, being troubled by his earlier mentioned curb, Noodlum had little trouble in downing a vintage field in the 1974 NZ Derby at his next appearance, being hard held all the way in front but still covering his last 800 metres in 57.8 to make it 15 on end.

After a short let-up Noodlum resumed in the North Canterbury Stakes at Rangiora and it was to become the first occasion the champion colt was to cross the line unplaced (his only other failure to earn a stake at that stage being when he fell at Forbury). Badly checked early from his 20 metre backmark Noodlum found himself some 250 metres from the early leader, yet still managed to finish fifth behind the flying Commissioner. Seconds to Commissioner in the NZ Champion Stakes at Ashburton and Parlez Vous in the E F Mercer Mile at Addington (being parked out in the suicide seat throughout both times) followed then, still suffering from the effects of his affected hock, Noodlum was taken out of fast work and put onto a programme of long, slow jogging for a period.

Four months later he was back again and after a seven length victoty in the Russley Stakes ay Addington and a grand second (from 30 behind) to Ganya in the Queen's Birthday Stakes at Ashburton Noodlum ventured across the Tasman for the first and only time, two out of two at Albion Park, Brisbane. He romped away by 35 metres in his qualifying heat of the 1975 Queensland Derby then a week later displayed to the Australians just what a champion he was by overcoming an early lapse from the mobile which cost him a good 50 metres and saw him settle last in the field of budding top-liners including Wilbur Post, Little William, Chief Eagle and the ill-fated Francis Joseph. From there he was forced to race "round the world" on the tight Albion Park curcuit to reach the lead early in the run home and score by a long neck, the 2510 metre journey being snapped out in 3:15.8.

Noodlum returned home to The Manor for a short winter break, his sophomore season record standing at 15 starts for eleven wins, three seconds and a fifth worth $32,100. He had equalled the National all-age 2000 metre standing start mark of 2:32.4 and created a 2600 metre 3-year-old record of 3:21 - both these marks still standing at the time of writing. But just as startling performances were to come the following season as a 4-year-old.

Noodlum commenced his third season on the track with two successive seconds to Lunar Chance at the 1975 National Meeting, going down by a head in the Louisson Handicap and a neck in the National Handicap. A fortnight later he was back in the birdcage first as a result of one of the most brilliant finishing bursts seen in many a long day. From 10 metres behind in New Brighton's A E Laing Handicap Noodlum found himself back near the tail of the field for most of the journey and with just 400 metres to go was still last equal. Asked the question by driver Holmes the gifted sidewheeler swept up eight wide round the home turn and flew down the outside of the track, grabbing a neck victory over Kawarau Gold just short of the line, in a time of 3:23.1. His last quarter was covered in an electrified 27 seconds.

At his next attempt he failed to run in the money after being left in the suicide seat for most of the contest, and this became only the third time of his career Noodlum had failed to earn a cheque. Noodlum's next appearance, from a 15 metre handicap in the Ashburton Flying Stakes, provided a near carbon copy of his magnificent Laing Handicap victory of two starts previous. Buried back near the rear on the inner of the high-class fourteen horse field Noodlum's chances seemed completely extinguished when the leaders dawdled over the majority of the 2400 metre contest, effectively converting it into an 800 metre dash. Still not sighted and far from the lead at the straight most of the champion's admirers had given up hope for their idol when closer to the outside fence than the running rail, the brilliant chestnut appeared, literally swallowing up his rivals to catch Kawarau Gold right on the line and win by a head, with Why Bill and Speedy Guest right up next. His time for the full journey was 3:17.3 but his last half on the grass surface, far from conducive to fast times, was an amazing 57 seconds. Other stars to finish behind him were Lunar Chance and Vanadium.

A sixth after being all but brought down in a scrimmage on the home turn in the Hannon Memorial (won by Kawarau Gold) at Oamaru and a dashing 2:00.9 victory after a wide early run in the Canterbury Park 4-year-old Mile followed. Then just prior to the 1975 NZ Cup Noodlum became troubled by stifle soreness and was forced to miss the Carnival.

An internal blister was successfully applied to the stifle and Noodlum flew north for the Auckland Cup Meeting where he scored a magificent last-to-first victory over Ripper's Delight, Forto Prontezza, Captain Harcourt, Lunar Chance and company in the National Flying Pace (clocking 2:03.8), ran a sound fifth in the Pezaro Memorial then chased Captain Harcourt and Speedy Guest home in the 1975 Auckland Cup after being parked out for a good bit of the journey.

Next it was down to Wellington's Hutt Park, and the Pacific Handicap was to be the last event to fall to the brilliant chestnut, his winning margin (from a ten metre handicap) over Palestine being a long neck. Noodlum contested his last race in the 1976 Wellington Cup, finishing a good third behind Palestine and Speedy Guest, clocking 3:05 for the 2400 metres.

Although due to his injuries it became increasingly difficult for Noodlum to be produced at his best as a 4-year-old, the magnificent entire still managed five wins, two seconds, two thirds and $21,150 from his twelve appearances. His full career record stands at 42 starts, 28 wins, 6 seconds, 2 thirds and one fourth for $76,412.50 in stakes. He was only unplaced on five occasions, and of those five fell once, was all but brought down on the home turn once and was checked loosing 250 metres at the start once. An incredible record by any standards.

Bred by part-owner Mrs Ann Wilson, Noodlum standing 15.2 hands and boasting a heartscore of 140, is by Jim Dalgety's great, late import and once NZ premier sire Bachelor Hanover, sire of other standouts in Arapaho (p5, 1:58.2), Dwayne (p9, 1:59.8), Jondor Hanover (p6, 2:00), Bachelor Star, Bachelor Tom, Boy Friend, Double Cash, Violetta, Walk Alone, First Batch, Royal Nibble and a host of other good winners. Although his first NZ crop are currently only 10-year-olds Bachelor Hanover is already a two-minute broodmare-sire through the deeds of last year's top 3-year-old pacer Bolton Byrd (p3, 1:59.9) while another of his daughters produced Harvey Wilson, undisputed leader of last years sophomore trotters brigade.

Dam of Noodlum is the former high-class racemare Deft who left earlier winners in Eligo and Canny while her foal immediately following Noodlum was champion filly and leading 2-year-old of her last season Olga Korbut. $15,020 being her first season earnings. The only mare to be acclaimed NZ broodmare of the year more than once (she was so honoured in 1974 and 1975) Deft won ten races including two invitations (the Pope and McDonald Handicaps, both at Hutt Park) for Mrs Wilson from the Wyndham stables of Derek Dynes. Like her brilliant son Deft was also a chestnut, being by the dual two-minute siring Roydon Lodge-import Captain Adios from a real broodmare gem and also high-class racemare Tactics who scored eleven wins including the 1953 New Brighton Cup for Mrs Wilson's husband Andy.

At the stud Tactics produced nine winners, Tactile (p7, 1:59.6 - $189,415 - a champion classic colt, the only horse ever to win five derbies, a highly-successful sire in a short stay in North America and now based at Derek Dynes' Wyndham property where he receives heavy patronage), Adroit (a classic victor and now successful Australian-based sire), Tactus (also a successful sire across the Tasman), Master Proof, Tactena, Tacmae, Greek March and Deft herself while she now ranks as either the grandam or ancestress of such good performers as (besides Deft's brood) Ryal Anne, Tactful, Astute Hanover, Tactless, Yankee Score, Young Charlene and Tact Del.

By another of Roydon Lodge's great imports Light Brigade, Tactics is from yet another class racemare in the nine times successful Nell Grattan, dam also of Mighty Song (eight wins) and grandam of yet another star performer in Coral Donna (p6, 2:00). A daughter of Grattan Loyal, Nell Grattan boasted as her dam the prolific producer First Water whose brood included twelve winners, amongst their numbers being such standouts as Rocks Ahead (16 wins), First Lord (ten wins - now a 2:00 sire) and 1940 Auckland Cup victor Ned Worthy. By Harold Rothschild, First Water was from the Prince Imperial mare Red Diamond, foaled in 1907 and founder of this now nearly two hundred individual winner producing family.

No story on Noodlum would be complete without a tribute to Freeman Holmes who always paraded the horse in the magnificent order, truly befitting a champion. Well worthy of mention too is a big thank you on behalf of the NZ standardbred breeding industry, present and future, to Freeman and Mrs Wilson for resisting many overseas offers, some of the magnitude of $¼ million for their champion and standing by their word in making him available to the nation's broodmare owners now his racing days are over. The high regard Noodlum was held in by the breeding industry can be gauged by the fact that within 48 hours of his retirement being announced he was fully booked for the current season, while there are now only a few vacancies left for his 1977-78 season.

But perhaps the greatest tribute paid to Noodlum came from NZ's maestro of the reins Maurice Holmes who in his half century career drove more classic victors than some harness followers have picked winners. Said Maurice "He's the greatest juvenile pacer I've ever sat behind." Perhaps with that quotation we can remember Noodlum, the crowd drawing, newsmaking racehorse and look forward to Noodlum, the horse with all the credentials to be a supersire of the future.


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Extract from HRWeekly 15 Nov 89

Noodlum, champion New Zealand sire in 1985-86 and 1986-87, collapsed and died after serving a mare on Sunday.
Aged 18, Noodlum was in good health, and had served 20 mares this season.

Noodlum was a son of Bachelor Hanover and the Captain Adios mare, Deft. A chestnut foal of 1971, Noodlum was a grand racehorse, winning 15 consecutive races, 12 of them as a 2-year-old. His most notable wins were the Ashburton Flying Stakes, NZ and Queensland Derbys, NZ Sapling Stakes, NZ Welcome Stakes and the Benson and Hedges Flying Mile.

On retiring, Noodlum stood at The Manor, the Springston stud of his trainer, Freeman Holmes. He sired a marvellous racehorse in Master Mood, who won the 1986 NZ Cup, the Auckland Cup and the Miracle Mile in the same season, and Race Ruler, who was exceptional at three and won both the New Zealand and Great Northern Derbys.

Another gem sired by Noodlum is Tyron Scottie, who is a superb trotter with good prospects of winning the TV3 Dominion Handicap at Addington on Saturday night.

The early Noodlum mares are now producing, and among their progeny are Mark Hanover, Auckland winner Predator, Zippy Jiffy, Lord Stiven, Shuttle Prime Rate and Fraggle Rock.

Credit: Peter Larkin writing in NZ Trotguide 2Sep76

1974 NZ DERBY STAKES

There is little to be said about Noodlum's Derby win, except that is as achieved with a mnimum of effort. In front all the way, Noodlum set a moderate pace and when Freeman Holmes let his head go soon after straightening up, he went on to win by two lengths from Commissioner.

Noodlum's time for the 2600 metres was an unremarkable 3:27, Holmes rightly fulfilling his first obligations to himself and part-owner Mrs Anne Wilson by winning. A minor sprain during the week no doubt influenced Holmes to give Noodlum the easiest possible race in the Derby, rather than seek un-nessary glory by 'killing' the opposition, as he could have done.

Commisioner tracked Noodlum all the way and held second easily by a length and a quarter from the maiden In Or Out, who finished stoutly for third. Steven Stock, who raced without a trail all the way, battled on for fourth two and a half lengths back with a similar margin to Chief Eagle and four lengths to Corona Gold.

Noodlum has now won 20 races from 23 starts and his Derby victory took his winning sequence to 15. His stake earnings now stand at an amazing $39,732.50, $650 of this going to Mrs Wilson as nominator of the Derby winner. He has started eight times this season for as many wins, and his stake-earnings as a three-year-old stand at $16,570, the other $23,162.50 being earned last season.

Credit: 'Lookout' writing in NZ Trotguide

FREEMAN HOLMES

Closure on another chapter in the colourful history of the Holmes family came last week with the passing of Freeman. He was a grandson of 'the Grand Old Man of Trotting' Free Holmes and a son of 'F.G', who won the 1953 NZ Cup with Adorian to emulate the feat of his father.

Old Free's many unique distinctions included riding Manton to win the 1888 NZ Cup at Riccarton and training and driving Trix Pointer to win the 1919 NZ Cup at Addington. A filly he imported a few years earlier after his first trip to America along with Logan Pointer and Bonilene, Trix Pointer is the only Cup winner to become the dam of a Cup winner - her first foal Wrackler.

Freeman did not manage to win the Cup himself, but could so easily have done so had the sensational Noodlum not gone amiss on the eve of the 1975 edition. Troubled by strained ligaments in a leg from midway through his 3-year-old campaign, Noodlum had as a 4-year-old chased eventual Cup winner Lunar Chance home in the Louisson and National Handicaps before brilliantly winning the Laing at Addington after being well back and eight wide turning in. The Ashburton Flying Stakes and Canterbury Park 4yo Flying Mile, from Trevino, In Or Out and Cyclone Lad, followed but a week out from the big event Noodlum broke down at the trials. Blistered and patched up on a limited preparation, Noodlum reappeared five weeks later to win the National Flying Pace over what was the Auckland Cup field. However, thirds in the Auckland and Wellington Cups were not the real Noodlum and with his value at stud assured, he was retired to Holmes' The Manor at Ellersmere to begin another highly successful aspect of his career.

Noodlum, a rich, dark liver chestnut by Bachelor Hanover from the top racemare Deft, had earlier been the focus of much attention from the general public when he went on a tour as a 2-year-old and it became common knowledge that he was named after Rob Muldoon in reverse. He was bred and raced by Mrs Ann Wilson, an ardent admirer of Muldoon who considered the Prime Minister the "most deft person I know."

Noodlum was so precocious that Holmes took him north to win the first juvenile race of the season, the Morrinsville Stakes in September, and by the end of the term he had won a record 12 races fron 15 starts. Along the way he swept the Welcome and Sapling Stakes and NZ Juvenile Championship by eight lengths in record time. There was also the infamous crash when well clear nearing the finish at Forbury Park, where he attempted to jump a head number and lost a few teeth. From that point however, Noodlum strung together a record 15 consecutive wins - his last seven at two and first eight at three - bettering the previous record of 10 held by Cardigan Bay, War Buoy and Young Quinn.

Freeman was also his regular pilot at three following the compulsory retirement of his uncle Maurice that year and Noodlum had qualified for the NZ Cup in August when no other 3-year-old had achieved that feat before the race was run. Tumbling records and wide winning margins were the highlight of that spring and his dominating performance in the NZ Derby from Commissioner on the final night of the Cup Meeting was his eighth win for the season. It as his 23rd career win fron 26 starts.

Then the unthinkable happened when he was out of the money in the North Canterbury Stakes after a shocking passage and beaten by Commissioner in the Champion Stakes at Ashburton and Parlez Vous in the Mercer Mile at Addington. This was the point where his leg condition worsened, but on limited training Holmes had him back later in the season to win the Russley Stakes by seven lengths and a heat and the final of the Queensland Derby, on the latter occasion stunning the locals after conceding a 50m start.

Noodlum went to stud after 28 months of racing in which he raced 42 times for 28 wins, six seconds, two thirds and a fourth. He was well received right from the start when stood for the 'horsemens' fee of $500 and in a 14 year career at stud averaged covering 147 mares a season. In all he produced 1286 live foals for 385 winners (30%), among them two time Horse of the Year Master Mood, Race Ruler, Laser Lad, Miss Clevedon, Speedy Cheval, Young Eden and trotters Tyrone Scottie, Lenin and Cracker. His broodmares have to date produced over 430 winners, notably Lyell Creek, Il Vicolo, Homin Hosed, Mark Hanover, Mark Roy, Fraggle Rock and Sundowner Bay.

Considering his pedigree, it was perhaps surprising that Holmes was not to the fore much earlier than the 1970s. However, he was for many years first and foremost a farmer at Oxford, and had got the commentating bug after being selected as an 11-year-old from many applicants to read a daily junior news bulletin on Christchurch's 3ZB radio station. This led to 25 years of professional race calling at meetings from Oamaru to Wellington, and as a paid official of clubs he was unable to race a horse or hold a licence to train one. However, during this time he bred horses and those that raced were in the name of his wife Peggy and trained by his father after Holmes gave them their early education. Among them were good sorts in Commonwealth, Forward Star, Adulate and Bedazzle.

The transition to horses full time came in 1969 when he bought a property at Ellersmere and set it up as a stud. Named The Manor after a good galloper he raced from John Parsons' stable, Holmes stood the likes of Play Bill, Mark Lobell and Jersey Hanover and ultimately Noodlum. He was also training and driving a small team and not long to appear on the scene was the fine pacer Armbro Free, followed by good trotters in Edis Nova, Wadestown and Picotee, the grandam of Sundowner Bay. The last winner of note he trained was Gavotte, a daughter of Noodlum.

Derek Jones, who delivered the eulogy at the funeral, described Holmes as simply "a great all round horseman and a real good bloke. He did everything well, but everyone who knew him will remember him for his generosity," said Jones. He was a top studmaster, but what really impressed me was his knowledge of breeding in both standardbreds and thoroughbreds. He had an exceptional memory for families and detail." he said.

Those thoughts were reiterated by another longtime friend in Jim Dalgety, who raced a good filly from Noodlum's family in Fancy Wishes. "It was amazing when he was race calling, both trotters and gallopers, how as soon as there was a winner he could tell you all about the family for three or four generations," said Dalgety. "He had a photographic memory for all things actually. He just loved stock in general and took great joy in showing off his black angus cattle. And he got a Diploma in Wool Classing and was into that side of things, as well as growing crops like chaff, oats and barley," he added.

Dalgety also recalled with fondness the day Holmes, who "loved to entertain," pulled out a video which had every Melbourne Cup since 1926. "This went on for hours, but boy did we see some good horses. Freeman didn't have much quality of life in his later years, but no one ever heard him complain."

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 09Oct02

Maurice Holmes 1909-1998

MAURICE HOLMES (OBE) 1909-1998

It was appropriate that Maurice Holmes OBE made headlines when he died last week. He was pictured on the front page of "The Press" in Christchurch with a short story that said goodbye to one of harness racing's all-time greats. A true champion, a driver of supreme ability, honoured by the Queen, twice voted NZ's Racing Personality of the Year, the first harness horseman to drive 1000 winners...a famous Canterbury boy; the tribute was no less than he deserved.

He went, in fact, closer to 2000, with a total of 1666 - a staggering number considering the opportunities when Maurice started out were half what they are now - and his biggest score of 93 came in his very last season, when he was 65, still in peak form and a competitor to fear. He died aged 89, at his Christchurch suburban home where he lived with his wife Elsa, who predeceased him five days earlier, and Paul, his son and loyal companion.

His record in many aspects is beyond compare. He was champion driver on 19 occasions, winning the premiership for the first time when he was 20. Few classics went past his reach, and some of them he won many times. The New Zealand Derby was one of them. He won this blue ribbon feature 12 times, with Wrackler, Arethusa, Circo, Aldershot, Imperial Jade, Scottish Lady, Free Fight, Congo Song, Royal Minstrel, Tobacco Road, Student Prince and Willie Win.

Student Prince was trained by Reg Stockdale, who spent nine years with Holmes when he trained such wonderful horses as Vedette, Chamfer, Globe Direct, Te Maru, Attack, Tactics, Lauder Hall, Walnut Hall, Scottish Hall and First Victory. "He was terrific to work with," said Stockdale. "We never had a cross word, and I didn't take a day off in nine years, only because I didn't want to. He said he learnt everything from his father. Free told him to drive for third. The idea was you would come with the last run and you would end up winning."

Stockdale was still with Holmes when he moved stables, from Russley Road to Yaldhurst, and the great horses continued until the end of the 50s...Lookaway, Dancing Years, Finestra, Robert Dillon, Recruit, Ruth Again, Super Royal, Black Douglas, Loyal Cis and Papatawa. Recalling how meticulous Maurice was, he said: "One day after we had worked the horses, Maurice raked the yard and drive and had it spot on. Then a man came in, driving an old truck, on to Maurice's neat and manicured yard. He said he was selling apples. Well, he went out quicker than he came in, and never sold an apple."

Stockdale who used Holmes to drive his good horses such as Bramble Hall, Jilaire, Blue Prince and Stewart Hanover, said he always drove to save ground and won many races at Addington "sitting on the fence." He could sum up a horse quickly. You would be training one for six months, and he'd drive it once round the track and tell you more than what you would know yourself. "He was a real Professional...never smoked and didn't drink, and no visitors were allowed the night before raceday...that was always an early night."

Stackdale said he knew when to hit a horse and when not to, and was good at pushing out during a race. "I remember being in a race at Ashburton when Maurice looked across at the guy outside him and asked how he was going. The fellow said 'by the time I looked round to tell him I was three wide.'"

Maurice was a modest man, with a dry sense of humour and a quick wit. Stockdale relates this story: "A fellow engaged Maurice to drive a horse he had driven many times himself without running a place. When he brought the horse into the birdcage, he proceeded to tell Maurice how he thought the horse should be driven, and as he walked away, said 'You know Morrie, she has never been hit.' To which Maurice replied, 'Well, she hasn't got long to wait.'" On another occasion, when an owner thanked him for a winning drive, Maurice replied: "We fed our rooster on thanks and it died."

In later years, Maurice raced many horses in partnership with Bernie Wilks. When old age started to finish better, Paul was able to drive his father to work his horses, and take him to trials and race meetings. "I know this was of great comfort to him," said Stockdale.

The other eulogy at his funeral, attended by many harness racing notables including Peter Wolfenden, Roy Purdon and Jim Smith, was given by Derek Jones who with Soangetaha was one of the last overtaken when Maurice brought Vedette wheeling out of the pack, dangerously late, to win the 1951 Inter-Dominion Grand Final. Jones, who said he wouldn't have been surprised to read in the paper one day that Maurice had died and the funeral had been held, thanked the family for giving the racing fraternity the chance to pay their respects. 'You had to be out on the track to appreciate his uncanny ability. He was fearless, he had hands like a BBC pianist and an electric brain. He had a super sense of pace, anticipation beyond description and his stance in the sulky was balanced perfection. "If you gave him the reins he would ask you what the horse does wrong, and say he would find out the rest on the way."

Jones said Maurice was never one for ceremony, and when asked to say a few words after winning a big race would invariably reply: "I think I've done my part. Thanks." "The day he drove his 1000th winner was an exception. He gave a wonderful speech. He could rise to the occasion when it was demanded," said Jones. He also acknowledged his remarkable gift of being able to get horses away safely from a standing start. "This is illustrated by the number of Derbys he won. They were in the old days, over a mile and a half, where the start at Addington was on the bend going out of the front straight. He always managed to get round that corner better than most," he said.

Canterbury trainer Bob Negus was one of many who turned to Maurice when the big money was up. He used him to win the 1955 New Zealand Oaks with Glint. "He gave tremendous advice," said Negus. "I was hard up in those days and I told him I had the chance to sell her. Maurice asked how much. He said to take the money would be the wrong thing to do, best for you to hold on to her. I mean, he could have bought her himself. That advice was worth thousands to me, but then he did that many times," he said. Negus said Maurice approached every drive with the same level of commitment, whether it was a Cup horse or a maiden. "It was so important to him, to get the best out of it. He always made suggestions to improve the performance of a horse in a very kind way. You had to listen very carefully to what he was telling you, and what he said would always be right."

According to Freeman Holmes, Maurice told him many times Vedette was the best horse he handled. "And I would say that his drive to win the Grand Final with Vedette was the best I have seen. He was three or four back on the fence. Soangetaha had gone clear, but Maurice got through that last bit and won. He would say you can't go through gaps if they are not there, but this was a really superb drive. He won seven races with Noodlum in his last season when there looked to be a chance that he could drive 100 winners, and he rated Noodlum the best young horse he drove. The thing with Maurice is that he could be in midfield, or further back, and he would know where everyone was. You never really knew when he would attack," he said.

Morrie was very much 'the maestro' from the time he started. His first win was at Addington in August 1925, riding Bonny Logan to win the one-mile Lightning Handicap, for saddle horses, by three lengths. He was 16, and he was 17 when he won the 1926 Auckland Cup with Talaro. At 20, he was New Zealand's champion driver.

One of eight children - four boys and four girls - Maurice was born into a family of racing blood as pure as it gets. He father Free won the 1888 New Zealand Cup on Manton, turned to harness racing and won the 1919 New Zealand Cup with the American import Trix Pointer, and in 1936, at the age of 65, won the Inter-Dominion Grand Final in Perth with Evicus.

In his first season of driving, the 1925-26 season, Maurice drove five winners, and 30 the first season he topped the premiership. The first of his three New Zealand Cup winners was Wrackler and the same day Maurice won the New Zealand Derby with his stablemate and younger sister, Arethusa. Wrackler was the first foal fron Trix Pointer, and two seasons later won the Dominion Handicap off 60 yards when trained as a trotter by Jack Behrns.

In the 40s, Maurice turned to training, and in the 1949-50 season, topped the premiership. He won the NZ Cup again in 1950 with Chamfer, a horse who had to be covered for one, short, sharp sprint. No-one could do this as well as Maurice. In the same year, Vedette joined the stable. Formerly trained by Jack Litten, Vedette was especially prepared for the Addington Inter-Dominions, and earned favouritism with a handsome win in his third heat, over two miles. From all accounts, the Final was a cracker, and Maurice had to be the great architect he was during the race to find space with a horse in hand. His third NZ Cup came in 1957 with Lookaway, a 4-year-old bred and raced by his brother-in-law, Clarry Rhodes.

Besides the Cup and the Derby, Maurice won the Auckland Cup (Talaro and Robin Dundee), the Great Northern Derby (Wrackler, Chamfer, Tutta Tryax), Rowe Cup (Recruit -twice, Ordeal), New Zealand Oaks (Glint, Petro Star, Earl Marie), Dominion Handicap (Recruit, Wrackler, Fair Isle), NZ Free-For-All (Harold Logan, Vedette, Lookaway, Robin Dundee), NZ Trotting Stakes (Acclamation, Alight, Court Out, Winterlight, Spark Gap), NZ Golden Slipper Stakes (Adroit, Rossini, Fidelio), Miracle Mile (Wag), and Sapling Stakes (Arethusa, Slavonic, Tobacco Road).

His last day at the office was at Alexandra Park on July 20, 1974. From eight drives, he won four of them, including his final one with the trotter Transmitter Sound. The Club marked the occasion by taking Maurice on a lap of the track in an open tourer, and drivers gave him a whips-held-high guard of honour.

In retirement, at an age when many had flagged it away, Maurice still maintained an active interest in harness racing, training his last winner when he was 80, and he had Apollo at the races when he was 86.

He was associated with wonderful horses that many of us did not see. He may well have had his last headline in the paper, but in old photographs, on the list of past winners, in the gallery of fame, Maurice Holmes will be a name that will last forever.

We thank you Morrie. As a horseman, you were someone special.

-o0o-

NZ Trotguide 25Jul74

A man who has been at the top of his profession over a span of 44 years has had his last drive. He is Maurice Holmes whose accomplishments as a horseman have made him a household name in NZ.

Holmes is by far the most successful reinsman in the history of trotting in this country dating back to the 1860s. He has driven 1666 winners and amassed $2,054,555 in stake money over the last 49 years. His skill has earned him the title 'Maestro' - a word usually reserved for an eminent conductor, composer or teacher of music. Maurice Holmes is considered to be in a class of his own.

Holmes has topped the national drivers' premiership 17 times and he is currently leading the list with a record number of wins before he retires from race driving under the Rules of Trotting. He has driven 93 winners since August, 1973 bettering his record total of last season. Holmes set the previous single season records of 67(1954/5) and 52(1949/50). His 52 wins in the 1949/50 season eclipsed the record set 16 years previously by the late Fred Smith who drove 51 winners in the 1933/34 season. Holmes also drove 67 winners in the 1959/60 season.

Holmes has driven the winners of practically every major race in NZ and trained winners of two Inter-Dominion Grand Finals, the premier light harness event in Australia & NZ. He trained and drove Pot Luck to win the Inter-Dominion Final at Addington in 1938 and was also successful at the Christchurch course with Vedette in the 1951 final. Oldtimers still rave about Holmes extracting Vedette from a seemingly hopeless position a furlong (200 metres) short of the winning post. It was described by one trotting fan: "Vedette, by some freak of fortune, virtually threaded his way through the eye of a needle and them sprouted wings."

Holmes has driven the winner of NZ's top handicap harness race, the NZ Cup on three occasions. The first was with Wrackler in 1930 at the age of 21. He also trained his two other winners, Chamfer(1950) and Lookaway(1957). Holmes has established a record without parallel in a single race in NZ by driving 12 winners of the NZ Derby - Wrackler(1928), Arethusa(1930), Ciro(1931), Aldershot(1938), Imperial Jade(1939), Scottish Lady(1942), Free Fight(1946), Congo Song(1947), Royal Minstrel(1954), Tobacco Road(1957), Student Prince(1960) and Willie Win(1972). He also trained Aldershot, Imperial Jade, Scottish Lady, Free Fight and Tobacco Road.

Holmes has also been in the top bracket as a trainer, heading the national premiership in the 1949/50 season with 30 wins. Other important wins for him as a trainer included the NZ Free-For-All with Vedette and Lookaway, NZ Sapling Stakes with Arethusa and Tobacco Road and NZ Golden Slipper Stakes with Adroit, Rossini and Fidelio. He bred and raced the last two in partnership. Holmes has also had success in Australia as a trainer-driver with Tobacco Road as a 3-year-old.

The announcement that Holmes will drive a horse immediately invites special attention from trotting fans and in many cases sends them rushing to bet on that particular horse. Holmes's ability as a reinsman was summed up by the noted trotting writer Karl Scott (now retired) in the November, 1960 edition of the NZ Trotting Calendar: "Maurice Holmes is an 'out and out' natural" and his knack of anticipating the moves of other drivers and horses in races borders on the uncanny. Horses race kindly for him, even notoriously hard pullers. Holmes is not keen on the use of hand grips on reins and this is sufficient testimony to his ability to handle the hardest puller with confidence. It is noticeable that if horses are inclined to want to make their own rules by tear-away tactics, Maurice is ofter seen allowing them to have their own way for a short while but they generally finish nicely tucked in behind something else and racing the way they should."
He is also a master at educating and gaiting young horses and invariably has a 2-year-old to the fore in the early part of the season.

The name Holmes has been associated with Trotting on a highly successful basis since the early days of the sport in NZ. Maurice is son of Free, affectionately known as the "Grand Old Man" of trotting. Free rode gallopers on the flat, over hurdles and steeples and was a trainer and owner of thoroughbreds. Free rode his first winner at Ashburton at the age of 12 about 1883 as a five-stone lad. His wins as a jockey included the 1888 NZ Cup on Manton; 1894 Grand National Hurdles on Liberator and a Great Northern Steeple on the same horse. His training successes including an Auckland Cup and he had Vascoe, leading stake earner in the 1903/4 season. Free had great success in the sister sport. He trained and drove Evicus, the grand champion at the inaugral Inter-Dominion at Perth in 1936, drove the 1919 NZ Cup winner, Trix Pointer and won the 1935 Auckland Cup with Graham Direct.

Maurice is the second son of Free, who also had four daughters, one of whom is married to Mr C L Rhodes, who has major holdings in the standardbred industry. Maurice's brothers, Freeman (eldest), and Allan also made their marks as horsemen while another, Walter was the right-hand man for his father. Freeman figured as the owner-trainer-driver of the 1953 NZ Cup winner, Adorian and trained Graham Direct for his 1935 Auckland Cup win. He trained and drove two NZ Derby winners - Bonny Bridge(1943) and Daphne de Oro(1927) and four NZ Sapling Stake winners - Richore(1926), Sonoma Child(1928), Captain Morant(1942) and Forward(1951).

Allan Holmes is best remembered for Gold Bar, who put up great exhibitions of speed and ran his rivals off their feet in the 1945 NZ Cup. He also drove Harold Logan in his second NZ Cup win from 60 yards in 1932. Today a third generation of Holmes's is continuing the family tradition for top horsemanship with Freeman L, Graham, Kevin and Colin, nephews of Maurice. Graham has driven the classic winner, Buccaneer(1953 NZ Sapling Stakes) and developed the Cup class pacer Co Pilot. Kevin, who also drove a NZ Derby winner Leroy(1968), is a prominent trainer at Cambridge and Colin has also had success. Freeman L figures as the trainer and part-owner of this year's star 2-year-old Noodlum and the fine 4-year-old trotter Edis Nova.

Maurice Holmes attended Riccarton Primary School. He began driving work at the age of 11 and was full time in the stable at high school age. Maurice was soon licenced as a reinsman but for a short time had his licence revoked on the grounds that he was too young. He had his first engagement in a race at Ashburton on Boxing Day, 1923. The horse Energetic, fell so it could be said that he started his career at ground level. Holmes maintained his association with Energetic's trainer G H Murfitt of Rangiora. Murfitt, the oldest licenced trainer in NZ was on hand when a presentation was made to Holmes by the Ashburton Club last month to mark his retirement. Holmes drove Life Bouy for Mr Murfitt that day but was unplaced.

Holmes had his first placing behind Wonder Why who finished third from 60 yards in the Governor's Handicap at Addington on November 14, 1924. He had his first win on Bonny Logan in a saddle event at Addington on August 17, 1925 at the age of 16. A description of the race in a Christchurch newspaper the following day read: "The winner was well and patiently handled by the young horseman, Maurice Holmes, whose first win it was. With the good judgement and coolness he showed, he will be heard of later." Maurice was considered a top rider whe saddle races were in vogue. His first win in a sulky event was behind Talaro at Auckland on December 23, 1926. Five days later he gained his first 'big' win with Talaro in the Auckland Cup. A free-lance driver in the early days of his career, Holmes first topped the drivers' premiership in the 1930/31 season with 35 wins and repeated the feat the following season.

He took up training in the depression years of the early 30s. It was a case of making a living with driving fees dropping from £3 to £1 and the chance of only five drives a week. Holmes retired from public training in 1959 though he still prepares a few horses for himself. He trained Strauss, a winner at Addington earlier this season and has about 450 wins on his record as a trainer.

Holmes achieved the $1 million mark in stake earnings when he reined Damian to success in the Le Lievre Handicap at the NZ Metropolitan meeting on November 21, 1959. He achieved $2 million when Waipounamu ran second in the Spreydon Handicap at Addington on March 30, 1974. Holmes hoisted his 1000th winning drive behind Rustic Lad, in the Final Handicap, last race of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's Cup Day programme on November 8, 1960. His reply at the presentation to the thousands of fans who had been on tenderhooks: "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. It would have suited me much better five races ago." He was referring to the NZ Cup in which he was beaten into third place with Lookaway. Holmes gained win number 1500 at Oamaru on October 23, 1972, when Macamba won the Cecil Hore Memorial Handicap.

Holmes cut down on travelling much further afield than Canterbury in the late 1960s after topping the drivers premiership for five consecutive seasons between 1961/2 and 1965/66 with totals of 54-50-60-45-48. Consequently his tallies dropped away though he still remained high on the national list each season. Last season(1972/73), urged on by his wife, Elsa, and 17-year-old son, Paul, Maurice revisited some of his old haunts in quest of the record. His brilliance as a reinsman did the rest. He drove a winner on 54 of the 62 days or nights he had an engagement and piloted at least one winner on 24 consecutive days or nights between December 23, 1972 and March 24, 1973.

To emphasise his skill he landed five winners - Wag, Robin's Sister, Armbro Jodie, Strauss and Great Time at the NZ Metropolitan meeting on March 7, 1973. Holmes had twice previously driven five winners on one programme at Forbury Park. He was successful with Jenny Dillon, Walnut Jimmy, Te Maru (twice) and Lady Inchape on October 13, 1951 when he also gained seconds with First Victor and Scottish Nurse. The other occasion was on February 5, 1955, when he piloted Recruit, Trueco, Belle Renarde, Sure Phoebe and Secure.

At the presentation to Holmes when he drove his 68th winner for 1972/3 - Grizzly Bear at Addington on April 7, 1973 - thus eclipsing his old record of 67, NZ Trotting Conference President, Dick Rolfe, said: "The Holmes family have shaped the destinies of NZ trotting and 1973 will go down as Maurice Holmes' finest year."

Another feat for Holmes was to train and drive the winners of both divisions of a race. The event was the Waiwera Handicap won by County Clare and Valola at the Banks Peninsula Racing Club's meeting on March 2, 1946. Holmes won the only other light harness event on that programme with County Clare.

Maurice has a remarkably clean record as race driver. He had his first suspension for 18 years when given a one day penalty for causing interference at the Morrinsville meeting an April 2, 1974. The previous time he was outed for a month when found guilty of causing interference as the driver of Super Royal which finished second to Loyal Cis in the Author Dillon Handicap at Addington on November 8, 1956.

Among his big wins in 1972/3 were the $16,500 Stars Travel Miracle Mile with Wag (who set a national record of 1:57 2-5); NZ Derby (Willie Win); Champagne Mile Final (Tonton Macoute); Bridgens Memorial and Stewards Free-For-All (Jason McCord).

It is fitting that Maurice should be associated this season with Noodlum (trained by his nephew, Freeman) as the colt rewrote the record book for a 2-year-old by winning 12 races and $23,162.50. Freeman drove Noodlum to win five of his first eight starts then offered the drive to Maurice to help in his quest to top the drivers' premiership in his last season. Maurice obliged by piloting Noodlum to seven straight wins including the triple crown of 2-year-old racing - the NZ Sapling Stakes, Juvenile Championship and Welcome Stakes.

Maurice has had his share of spills; enough to rule him out when he volunteered for the Second World War. At 65 years of age, Holmes is driving with the acumen of men many years his junior. His nerve has never wavered. Another remarkable feat he has achieved in his final season, is driving a winner at 18 of the 20 tracks where he has attended his last meeting. This he proved at Alexandra Park last Saturday in his final day of driving when he drove four winners, two seconds and a third. It was a remarkable achievement and showed him to be the 'Maestro' to the end.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 15Jul98

ANNE WILSON

Anne Wilson, who bred and raced some of NZ's greatest horses, died last Friday. She was 91. Mrs Wilson was the wife of the late Andy Wilson, a former secretary of the Wyndham Harness Racing Club.

Freeman Holmes, now retired from a notable career as a leading Canterbury studmaster and trainer, recalls Mrs Wilson as "a highly respected person, whom I had a lovely association with." Holmes found her modesty while racing the great pacer Noodlum together as one of her personality strengths.

Many years earlier her husband had been given the fine pacer Nell Grattan, who had been trained by Stan Edwards to win nine races. From Nell Grattan, they bred Tactics, a top racemare who won the New Brighton Cup and 10 other races from the stable of Maurice Holmes and after being sold left to Hal Tryax the outstanding young pacer, Tactile. Tactics also left Deft, a daughter of Captain Adios who produced Noodlum to Bachelor Hanover.

After an illustrious career on the track, in which he won 28 races, Noodlum was twice leading sire in New Zealand and for the past two seasons has been leading broodmare sire.

A keen and very capable golfer, Mrs Wilson bred Adroit, winner of the Golden Slipper Stakes, and won the Oamaru Juvenile Stakes with Petite.

She is survived by a son, Brian.

Credit: NZ HRWeekly 23Aug95

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

A A (ANDY) WILSON

Mr Andy Wilson, a well known figure to most NZ trotting followers, first as secretary of the Wyndham Trotting Club for many years, and then through his association with such outstanding racehorses as Tactics, Cannelle, Adroit, Noodlum and Olga Korbut, died in Christchurch, last week at the age of 75.

As secretary of the Wyndham Trotting Club from 1934 to 1965, Mr Wilson was responsible for several major innovations in trotting. Most noteworthy perhaps was the withdrawal system, used to this day, which Mr Wilson's Club sponsored at the 1938 Annual Conference in Hamilton. Mr Wilson served as the Wyndham TC's delegate to Conference on several occasions, and another notable remit he passed for his club was one calling for more extensive control by Stipeniary Stewards. This was passed at the 1946 Conference in Wellington.

Another remit initiated by his club was to introduce qualifying trials, but in spite of support from the Southland Trotting Owners, Trainers and Breeders Association, this remit failed at the time. When sponsored by th NZ Trotting Conference, a couple of years later, this remit was passed.

During his years as secretary of the Wyndham TC, Mr Wilson and the club gave considerable thought to using the mobile starting barrier, and he corresponded with the Smith-Stanley Gate Syndicate in America as far back as 1943. The Wyndham TC was to be the first to use the mobile barrier in Southland, on February 30, 1968. The Wyndham Club was also the first outside Canterbury to stage a regular 2-year-old event, the NZ Kindergarten Stakes. That race is still one of the major juvenile events on the trotting calendar.

Mr Wilson's interest in breeding began in 1945 when he bought the 14-year-old Grattan Loyal mare, Nell Grattan. Her second foal for Mr Wilson was Tactics, a highly performed Light Brigade mare. From her, he bred Adroit, Guile, Astute and Deft, who was to later leave one of NZ's all time great pacers in Noodlum, and the outstanding filly Olga Korbut. Mr Wilson, who bred standardbreds in partnership with his wife, Ann, was one of the most respected men in trotting, and his efforts on behalf of the sport were many.

He was also the secretary of the Wyndham Racing Club, and in his capacity as a company secretary and accountant, served in many other fields. He served a period as town clerk in Wyndham, where he was born, was secretary of four rabbit boards and four dairy factories and was deputy chairman of the Wyndham Town Council. Mr Wilson saw home service with the Air Force during the Second World War and was a member of the Masonic Lodge.

An active sportsman, he played rugby, bowls, cricket and golf and was president of the Burnside Bowling Club in Christchurch in 1969. He was a foundation member of the Southland Owners, Trainers and Breeders' Association and served as president on that body. He also served on the Executive of the Canterbury OTB Association following his move to Christchurch in 1965 following his retirement.

Credit: NZ Totting Calendar 19Sep78

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

RON CARTER

Mr Ron Carter, one of the best known and respected trotting officials in Canterbury, died at his Prebbleton home on Wednesday. He was 73.

Mr Carter became an assistant to the starter, Mr Bert Hastings, in the late 1930s and he succeeded to the senior position in 1959. He was the starter at Addington Raceway for 21 years until his retirement in 1980 and also acted for clubs throughout Canterbury as well as in Otago, on the West Coast and at Hutt Park.

Before he shifted to Prebbleton about ten years ago Mr Carter operated a contracting business, founded by his father, from a property in Centaurus Road, much of his work being done in the Horotane Valley and on the slopes of the Cashmere Hills where his horse-drawn equipment was used to cultivate areas where motorised vehicles were unusable.

For years he broke-in and gaited standardbred horses and until fairly recent times he usually had up to six horses in his care in various stages of their early education. Mr Carter took great pride in the fact that Orbiter and Noodlum were among the many horses he handled which went on to show fine form on the race track.

He often recalled that in the cases of Orbiter and Noodlum they had much greater intelligence than the average horse. Right from the time he started handling them he found that he only had to show them what was required once or twice and they accepted the instruction, whereas with others many hours had to be spent achieving the same results.

Mr Carter is survived by his wife, Rose.

Credit: The Press 24 Oct 1986

ADDINGTON'S GREATEST DAY

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 New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's Cup Meeting last Friday.

In a day marked by many outstanding performances, Robalan's world record time in the 2000-metre New Zealand Free-For-All must rank as the greatest most racegoers have been privileged to see. As if to set the seal on his brilliant New Zealand Cup win of three days previously, Robalan shattered any previous best time over 2000 metres, or it's 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 3-5 in 1962, but Robalan's time of 2:26 3-5 for 2000 metres is well inside this. Irin 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 New Zealand 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 for as trotting enthusiasts are concerned is the New Brighton Trotting Club's $26,500 Star's Travel Miracle Mile at Addington on December 7. In view of Denis Nyhan's statement after Robalan's win last Friday that his free-legged star could have gone even faster, his next race over a mile must surely be a landmark 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 effort 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.

Noodlum, as expected, made the Second Riccarton Stakes a procession once he hit the front with 1000 metres to run, winning on his ear by 14 lengths in the New Zealand record time for 2600 metres for a three-year-old of 3:21. Noodlum was never at top in turning in another world-class time for one of his age, taking his record of 19 wins (14 of these in succession), one second, one fourth and one fall from 22 starts. His stake earnings stand at $30,632.50 a record he should substantially improve in the Derby on Saturday night.

On any other day, the performances of Easton Light in winning the Dominion Handicap and Game Lad in taking the Smithson would have grabbed the headlines, yet on Friday, they were somewhat over-shadowed by Robalan and Noodlum.

Easton Light toyed with the opposition in winning his second Dominion Handicap by four and a half lengths from Darky Forbes, Edis Nova and last year's winner Philemon. Easton Light's time of 4:13.1 from the 30-metre mark was a New Zealand record for the distance, and the 10-year-old East Tamaki owned and trained gelding also became the greatest stake-winning trotter in ths county.

He took his earnings to $72,605 from 24 wins and 51 placings. The previous record was held by Johnny Gee with $67,580 from 28 wins and 53 placings. Easton Light is trained by Mr E W Running who races him in partnership with his wife, and he was driven as usual by their son Bruce.

In adding the Smithson to his first day Canterbury Free-For-All win, Game Lad went within one tenth of Robalan's track record for 2600 metres. Game Lad, from the 20-metre mark, was left in the open from the 1400 metres but still held on after taking the lead at the 400 metres. He won by nearly two lengths in 3:20.5 and showed his great staying qualities in doing so.

Credit: NZ Trotguide 21 Nov 1974