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Armalight (Bob Negus) parading after winning the 1981 NZ Cup

ARMALIGHT

Take a young filly, gifted from one brother to another, and a young man whose ambition is to own a bit of land where one day he can keep that filly and her foals, and the end result is Armalight and her owner, Brent Smith.

Armalight's rapid rise from 'just another maiden at Westport on Boxing Day' to he position as the best 3-year-old in the country is unusual in that her owner-trainer admits to "just learning about training as I go along." But the learning started a long time ago for 27-year-old Brent, back in the days when he helped his father, the late Howie Smith, with the training of Armalight's dam, Ar Miss.

Ar Miss, a daughter of Armbro Del and the Grattan Loyal mare Trixie Milne, proved an outstanding filly under Howie Smith's care, winning the NZ Sapling Stakes at only her second start when still a maiden, then going on to take the NZ Oaks later that same year. The Sapling-Oaks double was nothing new to Howie Smith at that time, for, nearly a quarter of a century before, he had trained Mr Andy Todd's outstanding filly Perpetua to win both classics.

Ar Miss was raced by Brent's older brother Vic, who was given her by his uncle, the late Ossie Smith. "Ossie gave her to Vic, and I guess he was sort of grateful at getting his start that way, so when Ar Miss started breeding, he promised me the first filly," Brent said when explaining how he came by Amalight. "The first foal by Nevele Romeo died, so we had this free return to Nevele R Stud. At that time Dad had a lot of time for Timely Knight. He really liked him, so Ar Miss was sent back there. I was just lucky that the resultant foal was a filly, her." he said.

That early experience gained with his father influenced young Brent to try his hand at training Armalight himself, a big gamble for a young man with a very valuable filly. "I sent her to Ron Carter to break in, thinking I had better do everything right, rather than risk mucking her up myself. Then after a couple of runs at the trials as a 2-year-old, there was the temptation to go for the Sapling Stakes. Eventually I decided no. Take it easy and do it right."

The experience he gained with his father has proved invaluable to Brent, even though he is the first to admit he still has a great deal to learn. "I always enjoyed the practical side of it with Dad, and I can only go by what I learned working with him. The rest I have just had to find out from others. Bob Negus (the man who drove Armalight in her early racing) and Jack Carmichael have been a great help. I suppose they must get sick of me asking all these questions, but all I can do is learn from them until they have had enough," Brent said.

Bob Negus came into the Armalight story at the same time she opened her racing career. "I had her entered for the Champion Stakes at Ashburton on Boxing Day and a maiden race at Westport the same day. I gave a bit of thought and decided the Champion Stakes might be a bit tough, so I had to find a driver for her at Westport. I knew Bob a little, I was best man for one of his sons, and he was going to Westport with Scholar. He agreed to drive her," Brent said.

That Armalight won her first event is now history, but her record since belies her modest start. Two seconds , both at Nelson - beaten narrowly by the talented Regal Guy and Treasurer respectively - at only her second and third outings, caught the eye of the trotting public and Armalight and her young owner were on their way. Immediately after her Nelson second came the offer for Armalight that Brent now has no regrets he could not accept. "At the time, it would have meant $50,000 in my hand," he recalled. That bit of land was in the back of Brent's mind as Armalight underwent the veterinary examination to confirm the sale. But her off-front hoof, which had been slightly deformed since birth, failed to stand up to the searching veterinary examination for such a big deal, and the sale fell through. You couldn't blame the vet for turning her down on it," said Brent. "The wall of the hoof grows forward instead of down and at that stage she had raced only three times and it was impossible to tell if it would worry her later. Now I'm not sorry she did not pass the examination. I have no regrets at all."

That's not surprising in view of Armalight's record since, six wins, including three heats of the DB Flying Fillies Series and the NZ Metropolitan Championship, and a nose defeat by Armbro Wings in the Great Northern Derby. Though she was beaten only a nose in the Great Northern Derby, Brent surprisingly describes the race as a non-event as far as he was concerned. "I was sitting in the trainers' stand, with Alec Milne actually, and at the 600 metres I knew she had no show from where she was. I thought she had finished fifth, then Alec (who had produced Armbro Wings to win) was shaking my hand saying 'I've done it, I've won'. I started to walk down to the birdcage and somebody came up and said I was fourth. Ten yards further on somebody said I was third, then in the birdcage somebody came up and said I was second, beaten a nose. I thought 'this is good, another ten yards and I'll have won it', but it wasn't really such a nervous time as I would have thought."

Nerves are something Brent has found out about in the past few months, and he admitted not sleeping very well sometimes. The pressure which goes with training such an outstanding filly is something he didn't really think about until he walked Armalight into the birdcage at Timaru for a DB Fillies' heat. "It wasn't until I heard an announcement over the course speaker that she was paying $1.60 to win and 60 cents for a place that it really hit me. I thought 'hello' and it was only then that I realised that there were more people than just myself involved." Until that time, Brent only had the worry of wondering whether he was doing everything possible for the filly, and doing it the right way. He still has that worry, plus the added burden of knowing that Armalight, and to a lesser extent himself, are public property.

Initially, Brent worried mainly about his own abilities. "All I could do, and really still can, is get her as fit as I can, then it's up to her and her driver." But the pressure builds up as each big race approaches, and it can't be an easy thing for a young man with his first horse to handle. The interview was conducted nine days prior to Armalight contesting last Friday's NZ Oaks, and since her win in the NZ Metropolitan 3-year-old Championship at Easter, Armalight had caused her young trainer more than average concern. "I didn't really think she could win that one. I honestly thought she wasn't in the race. I thought I hadn't made one of the payments, but when I got back from Auckland, there she was in the field. I had given her four days off after Auckland so I thought she would be a bit short of work for it." Short of work or not, Armalight proved her complete class by beating a strong field of colts and geldings in record time of 3:23.1 for the 2600 metres, and she did it without being pressured.

Then the trouble started. After she cooled out following that win, Brent discovered Armalight was lame in her near foreleg. "She was as lame as anything when I went to put her on the float and take her home. The next morning, thankfully, it proved to be a stone bruise coming out, nothing as serious as I first thought. I was going to give her four days off anyway, so it did not affect her preparation too much." But before the stone bruise came out, Brent's real worry was that the injury to her near foreleg was caused by her exerting too much pressure on it because of her problem off foreleg.

So far, thankfully, the off front hoof has not caused her any worries, other than making he walk with a peculiar 'roll'. Once travelling at speed, she shows no sign of it. Brent gives all the credit for overcoming her hoof problem to farrier Ron Gibbons. "He spent a lot of time with her and we tried a lot of ways of shoeing her before we got it right. She has a pad under the shoe to build her hoof up to the correct height on that side, and it's thanks to Ron she's had no problems." Ron Gibbons' patience with Armalight has, or will have it's reward though, in the form of a new pair of boots. "I promised Ron that if she won the Metropolitan Stakes I would buy him a new pair of boots. He is always complaining about his footwear, so I made the promise and now I'll have to go out and buy them."

Tom Ryder, who boards Armalight at his Wigram Road property, also comes in for a lot of thanks from Brent. "It's good of Tom to let me keep her there, and he has done a lot to help too," he said. Latest in the list of Brent's 'advisers' is Templeton horseman Jack Carmichael, who drove Armalight for the first time in the Metropolitan Stakes. Brent has been taking Armalight to Carmichael's for fast work in recent weeks. It was because of his association with Ar Miss that Carmichael was offered the drive on Armalight in the Oaks, Bob Negus having to turn down the drive because of having his own filly, Elfin, engaged. "Jack drove Ar miss to win the Oaks for Dad, so he seemed a suitable choice to drive her when Bob advised me to get somebody else," Brent said. Brent gives Bob the credit for Armalight's rapid improvement from the time she started racing. "Bob was really good, teaching her about racing at every start and not knocking her about. She was just another maiden at Westport, but thanks to him she has kept on improving at every start since."

To Brent and his wife Carol, Armalight is more than just a champion filly, of for that matter a ticket to a new house. Brent's affection for the filly has been there since he took possession of her "as a fluffy little thing only that high". Carol's liking for the filly is something that has grown. "Carol was scared of her even when she was only a little thing. Now, she's as proud of her as I am. She treats her like a pet. Carol's had a fair bit to put up with, living in a flat the five years we've been married. We could have been in our own home a while back, but that really took second place to Armalight." Now, thanks to Armalight, Brent and Carol are that much closer to having their home, plus the land Brent wants to keep Armalight and her foals on when he starts breeding from her. And how far away is that day? "I'll race her as a 4-year-old, provided she comes up well, then she'll go to stud. She is too valuable to risk over-racing her," Brent said.

Brent is not worried at the prospect of Armalight ending the season with an open company assessment if she happened to win her three remining engagements this season. "No, I'm not worried about that if it happens. I can't really see her winning all three races, but even if she did, she would only be aimed at 4-year-old events like the Messenger next season." At the time of this interview, Armalight's own personal 'triple crown' was the NZ Oaks, the Great Northern Oaks, and the final of the DB Flying Fillies' Stakes. "I would like her to win the Oaks. Her dam did, but the DB Flying Fillies' would also be a nice one to win. She's won three of the heats and to win the final would really be good."

Armalight proved unbeatable in each of the three DB heats she contested, winning the first at Addington comfortably in 2:03.4, the second at Timaru in 2:02, then becoming the first filly to pace the mile in under 2:00 when she won her Auckland heat by eight lengths in a brilliant 1:59.1 without being pushed. But even these brilliant efforts don't rate with Brent as her best. He names the Celebrity Stakes at Addington between her first two DB heats as her best effort. That night, Armalight outclassed a strong field of colts and geldings over a mile in 2:00.5.

Because of her ability on the racetrack, even Brent has to forgive her little foilbles at home. Her favourite trick, until they fashioned a special frame to stop her was to turn on the tap over the water trough. "Tom Ryder kept blaming me for leaving the tap on, until we found out it was her," Brent said. "Even after we put the frame round the tap, it only took her a month to figure out how to get round that, so we had to put a bar across the top. That stopped her, but now I can hardly get my hand in to turn the tap on." Armalight also has a habit of rubbing her mane against the fence rails, and not even sacks round the rails stops her. "This makes her mane ragged and annoys Carol, who likes to have her looking her best," Brent said.

But believe it or not, It's one of Armalight's little tricks that helps Brent know when she's fit. "If I tickle her under the tummy and she tries to kick the daylights out of me, then she's fit. If she doesn't kick, then it's time to start worrying."


Credit: Tony Williams writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 29Apr80

A jubilant Brent Smith and his wife Carol with Met President Murray Taylor and his wife Rana

1981 NZ TROTTING CUP

A few weeks ago, Brent Smith confessed he had one ambition: to win the New Zealand Cup with Armalight to prove he owned the best horse in the country. No, he wasn't worried that she might be up against the likes of Delightful Lady or Bonnie's Chance or, at that stage, Hands Down. His mare would match any of them. And so, last Tuesday, it proved. Delightful Lady wasn't there but the others were.... and they weren't just beaten. They were thrashed.

Armalight won the $100,000 New Zealand Cup by an ever widening seven lengths after siting in the open outside the pacemaker for all the journey. Apart, that is, from the last 800 metres when Bob Negus sprinted her into the lead and sailed home to greet the judge in a 57 second last section, a phenomenal effort.

"That just proves it," the young Christchurch owner-trainer said as he waited for his mare to come back to scale. "She's a real champion." You couldn't really argue with that. To win the country's most presitious two mile test on only a three-race build-up, and to be a mare in season at the same time, takes a talent a little out of the ordinary.

Nineteen starts now she's had, counting the Cup, and she's won thirteen and been placed in five for stakes of close to $140,000. She was a champion three-year-old...and now at five, it looks as though she'll further cement her claim to the "champion" tag.

Armalight, by Timely Knight out of a Sapling Stakes and Oaks winner in Ar Miss, was off the racing scene from May 1980 until only a few weeks ago. She was badly frightened after training one day, took off and was lucky to escape injuries serious enough to permanently end her career on the track. It's been a long road back. But the patience and perseverence have paid off. She's been in work again since March for Smith - she's the only horse he trains - and she's been to the trials probably half a dozen times this season. Not a racing build-up, one would have thought, to fit a horse to become the first mare since Loyal Nurse away back in 1949. But Smith, an amateur trainer when he is not working in the load-out dock at the City Abattoir, obviously knew what he was doing.

He said after the event he knew she "would go a big race. But you can't be too confident in the New Zealand Cup, especially after seeing what Hands Down did to us from 25 metres behind at Kaikoura," he confessed.

A few minutes later he held the shimmering gold trophy aloft to the cheers of the 19,000 Addington crowd and told them his pride and joy had come into season only the day before. "I could have sent her to the stud tomorrow," he said. That probably depended on whether she'd won or lost. Instead, though, he'd line her up on the later days of the meeting.

With Smith on the victory platform was his wife Carol who a few minutes earlier had, in spite of the tension and joy of her moment of victory, told reporters "she's a great mare. She always tries." That Armalight tries all the time was substantiated by Bob Negus, probably as happy a man as there was on course. Now fifty, Negus has been driving horses for 27 years and never before has he taken part in the Cup. "I've been waiting for a drive in the Cup, but it's been a case of having to wait," he said. And then the wry confession: "I couldn't have driven the horse worse, parked out like that. Being in front wouldn't have been much better but I couldn't get there. Alec Milne wouldn't let me. Still, she's a top mare and she takes her racing and training very seriously...like a good pupil at school. You've got to hand it to Brent. He's made a great job of her. He's done everything he can to make sure everything's right."

It was Negus who drove Armalight to her first win two seasons ago at Westport, and he's driven her in most of her races since. He, too, came in for his share of the public praise from Smith for all his help in making Armalight the champion she is. "I'm just an amateur in all ways," he said. "I've got to thank Bob for all he's done to help me."

It's raceday history now that Armalight won the Cup with a superb 4:08.7 run, a mile rate of just a tick over 2:05. And it's history, too, that Bonnie's Chance and odds-on favourite Hands Down were her closest rivals, a neck apart, at the line. Their drivers, Richard Brosnan and Peter Jones, had no excuses. Bonnie's Chance was in the trail behind Watbro only to be pushed back to last when that horse packed it in at the 400 metres. With the other nine in front of him, and Armalight lengths clear, Brosnan had to take his mare way out to the middle of the track to get a run, but it was all too late. "Another round and we might have caught her," he said. "Still, second is better than third ... and a lot better than sixth. Maybe next year ..." Brosnan said Bonnie's Chance had begun well to settle in the trail. He thought Watbro might have stuck on a little longer but instead he just plodded on while the others improved round him.

Hands Down, on the other hand, was, as usual, content to sit at the back on the outer of the bunch until the 1200 metres. Jones took him forward from there with a big run to be three wide outside Glen Moria with 400 metres to go. They headed the chase after Armalight in the straight but "just wasn't good enough on the day" to make it two Cups in a row. "Kaikoura proved he was fit enough, but today Armalight was too good," Jones said.

Idolmite, three back on the outer most of the way, stuck on for fourth ahead of the Aussie, Gammalite. The winner of 40 of his 71 starts before crossing the Tasmen for the Cup meeting, Gammalite didn't get much of a chance to show his true worth. He and northern hope John Tudor broke at the start, "and I just can't explain that at all," driver Bruce Clarke said later. "He's always reliable from a stand." And then, when he went to improve from the back with 1100 metres to go, the gap wasn't there between El Regale and John Tudor and he momentarily locked wheels with John Noble's drive. Once clear he too was up wide for the rest of the trip and battled away to collect the $3,000 fifth stake. "It was a good run. I'm not complaining," Clarke said. The other five were well beaten. There could have been no excuses.

On the day, it was Armalight all the way. It was her day.

Credit: Graham Ingram writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

1981 BENSON & HEDGES NZ FREE-FOR-ALL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



Credit: Graham Ingram writing in the NZ Trotting Calendar

1980 NZ OAKS

Armalight, daughter of 1971 NZ Oaks winner Ar Miss, followed in mum's footsteps when she won the 1980 renewal of the fillies' Classic, but not before she had to call on her vast reserves of courage.

The brilliant Timely Knight filly had caused young owner Brent Smith all sorts of problems in the ten days leading up to the Oaks, a cold, a low blood count and the odd leg problem thrown in to boot. But Armalight showed her tremendous heart by overcoming all these handicaps to capitalise on a perfect drive by Jack Carmichael and down the equally game Armbro Play by half a head.

Her time for the 2600 metres was 3:23.9, not quite as fast as her winning run in the NZ Metropolitan Three-Year-Old Stakes at Easter, but still a race record.

Armalight settled three back on the fence behind Regal Cheval and Armbro Play and it was only approaching the home turn that Jack Carmichael angled her out from behind Armbro Play. Regal Cheval was still in front turning for home in front of Armbro Play and Chantilly Belle, who had improved sharply on the turn, with Armalight in behind. Carmichael started to aim Armalight outside Chantilly Belle to make her bid, then switched direction back between her and Armbro Play. Armbro Play quickly dashed past Regal Cheval, then settled down to a dour battle with Armalight. With Carmichael flicking the whip at her, Armalight stuck her head down and kept coming at Armbro Play for a half-head victory.

These two were three and a half lengths clear of Royal Decision, who would have undoubtedly have finished closer, but for racing very greenly in the straight. Regal Cheval, Royal Decision's stablemate, wilted to fourth a length and a half back, with three lengths to the maiden Frosty Lopez, who made up a lot of ground. Another maiden, Royal Parade, paced a good race for sixth a further length back with Bonnie Lass, in contention on the turn, the next home ahead of the weakening Chantilly Belle.

Armalight is to contest the Fillies' Triple Crown, a race for which she will be an even more dominating favourite than she was in the Oaks. Then, it will be off north for the DB Flying Fillies' Stakes Final and the North Island Oaks. Victory in two of these events will give Armalight the singular honour of reaching open company in five months, a unique achievment for a three-year-old, and a particularly noteworthy one for a filly.

Credit: Tony Williams writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

NZ CUP MARES AND PROGENY

Do you know the name of the only mare to win a NZ Cup and produce a winner of the NZ Cup??

Hint : amazing as it may seem and almost certainly never likely to happen again, her foal also won the Dominion Trotting Handicap. Look it up and if still unsure, see the answer and story in next week’s article.

Sixteen mares (Reta Peter, Haughty both twice) have won the NZ Cup on eighteen occasions (up to 2016) with ten mares that started in the NZ Cup having left NZ Cup runners. They are :



Free Advice (1924 Blue Mountain King/Intaglio), 2:09.6, £5,903½; family of Pride Of Lincoln (N1).

NZ Cup progeny : Horsepower (1940, 1944); Pacing Power (1943, 1944)

Free Advice was the winner of a NZ Cup (qualifying division) before running third for Bill Tomkinson to Harold Logan in the 1931 NZ Cup, also finishing third to Harold Logan in the NZFFA run later the same week. Earlier the same year she had won the Easter Hcp (now Easter Cup) at Addington and held the NZ mares record for 1¼ miles at 2:41 1/5. Unplaced in the Cups of 1932 and 1933 and later becoming an outstanding broodmare, one of only two to have more than one of their progeny start in NZ Cup (other being Tactics). The dam of Horsepower, a GN Derby winner, unplaced in the Cups of 1940 and 1944 before moving to Western Australia where he won the 1945 Stratton Cup and full brother Pacing Power, winner of NZ Derby and NZFFA at Addington as well as placing third in both the 1943 and 1944 NZ Cups.

Free Advice is the grand dam of Auckland Cup winner Thelma Globe (fourth 1955 NZ Cup); third dam of the equal third oldest NZ Cup winner Invicta, eleven years old when winning in 1961; fourth dam of Australian speedster Rip Van Winkle (QLD/NSW Derbies, Aust Pacing Championship); fifth dam of Interdominion Pacing champion Welcome Advice (VIC Derby), GN Derby winners Bolton Byrd (Auckland Cup) and Melton Monarch (Messenger), and foundation matron to many other fine horses.

Rocks Ahead (1929 Happy Voyage/First Water), 2:08.4, £3,311; family of Red Diamond (N3).

NZ Cup progeny : Navigate (1947, 1948, 1950)

Rocks Ahead was bred by Derek Jones from the Southland foundation mare First Water. Unplaced in both the 1938 and 1939 NZ Cups while holding the Southland mile record of 2:06 1/5 set at Winton. Rocks Ahead left Barrier Reef, winner of the 1951 Dominion Hcp and an ID Trotters heat in 1951 at Addington; Navigate her NZ Cup progeny was unplaced in the Cups of 1947, 1948 and 1950 (Hannon Memorial, Ollivier FFA) and Rendezvous, grand dam of the 1971 gelding Rondel who won the 1979 Pacing Grand Final at Addington. Rondel’s other major successes included the 1977 Franklin/Thames Cups and a 1979 ID Pacing heat. Rendezvous’ filly Dismiss (grand dam Rocks Ahead) was the foundation mare for Chin Bing Foon (Luk and Onn Chin’s father) from whom a considerable number of successful horses have been bred and raced by the Chin family over the past 60 years. Dismiss left Dispense (ID Trotters heat) and Disband (ID Pacers heat and third to dead heaters Jay Ar/Robin Dundee in 1965 Grand Final).



Parisienne (1933 Rey De Oro/Yenot), 2:07.8, £6.766; family of Bessie B (N2).

NZ Cup progeny : La Mignon (1957, 1958)

Parisienne was bred by George McMillan, Remuera being the winner of sixteen races, 2:07.8; $13,532; including NZ/GN Derbies, 1938 Interdominion Pacing Champion (on points and winner of three heats). Competing in three Cups with fifth in Lucky Jack’s second Cup in 1939 her best return, eighth in 1938 and not in the first ten home in 1940.

Parisienne the dam of ten foals for six winners, one of her foals was a NZ Cup runner, La Mignon, third in 1957 to Lookaway for Doug Mangos and sixth in 1958. As a broodmare La Mignon left brilliant pacer Garcon Roux (GN/NSW Derbies, Auckland Cup), being the second three-year-old to qualify for NZ Cup after Tactile. The grandson of Parisienne’s first Cup run in 1969 resulted in his being part of an incident in which he fell. One horse was pulled up and two others lost their drivers (first past post Stella Frost being disqualified as a result of this incident). Garcon Roux finished eighth in both 1970 and 1971.

Another of Parisienne’s foals was the unraced Mary Wootton, dam of Scottish Command (third in 1961 NZ Cup, winner of Auckland Cup; sire of NZ Cup winners Sole Command 1977 and Trusty Scot 1978; Scottish Charm second 1972 to Globe Bay and eighth 1973, Trevira third 1979 to Lord Module and eighth 1980, Bellas Command and Hundred Pipers both unplaced in 1972). Mary Wootton was the third dam of Roydon Glen (GN Derby, Messenger, Auckland Cup, Pan Am Mile, Harness Horse of Year, sire of champion trotter Lyell Creek) who finished third to outsider Borana in 1985 NZ Cup and Roydon Scott (Wellington Cup) unplaced in 1980.

Molly Direct (1933 Jack Potts/Real Girl), 2:09.9, £2,585; family of Jessie B (N9). NZ Cup progeny : Globe Direct (1949, 1950) Molly Direct had the one start in the 1941 NZ Cup won by Josedale Grattan finishing eighth, having won ten races for Bill Lowe. Globe Direct was her best performed foal, winning a heat of Interdominions at Melbourne in 1950 and finishing a head behind Captain Sandy in the Grand Final. His two NZ Cup starts were in 1949 finishing fourth to Loyal Nurse and pulled up in the 1950 edition while he held the NZ record for 1½ miles of 3:09 2/5.

Molly Direct was grand dam of Ted Lowe’s first NZ Cup winner Cairnbrae in 1964 (second was Humphrey in 1968) among a considerable number of worthwhile family members descending from her – Sir Alba, Cosmic Under Fire, Cosmic Ice, West Street, Wing Commander, Firm Offer and Dundas were among them.



Haughty (1935 Nelson Derby/Regal Voyage), 1:59.6TT, £13,105½; family of Miss Kate (N12).

NZ Cup progeny : Brahman (1957)



Haughty’s 1942 NZ Cup

Haughty shares the mares record for the number of NZ Cup starts with Blossom Lady – six in total for a record two victories (record shared with Reta Peter), a third and unplaced on three occasions. Haughty’s two wins came at her first two Cup starts in 1942 (front, defeating Loyal Rey) in a world record 4:13.8 and 1943 (36yds, defeating Countless in another record time of 4:13.6) when 4/3 in betting both years. She ran fifth in 1944, pulled up in 1945 after suffering interference on the home turn, third to Integrity in 1946 and last in Highland Fling’s first Cup victory in 1947, all off long marks (36 – 60 yards behind).



Haughty’s 1943 NZ Cup

Haughty became the first mare in Australasia to pace a mile in under two minutes, achieved during the Cup meeting of 1944 recording a time of 1:59 3/5, just the third time the two minute barrier had been beaten in the Southern Hemisphere – Lawn Derby 1938 (1:59 2/5), Gold Bar 1942 (1:59 3/5), all of them being time trials.



Haughty’s TT

Haughty finished with eighteen victories and twenty four placings from 74 starts, £13,105½. In addition to her two NZ Cup victories, she won major races in NZFFA, dead heating with Turco (also second to Gold Bar) and Easter Hcp. Haughty and Gold Bar staged a match race at the Patriotic meeting at Addington in March 1943 with the mare winning in a then NZ record mares time of 2:00 2/5 for the mile. These two great adversaries produced the first mating between two minute performers in the Southern Hemisphere when Gold Bar sired and Haughty was the dam of Brahman (sire of 110 winners) and fifth dam of two million dollar winner Shakamaker (ten Group Ones including Interdominion Pacing Final). Brahman was Haughty’s NZ Cup runner but he finished last in Lookaway’s 1957 NZ Cup victory.

Shadow Maid (1937 Red Shadow/Homelass), 2:07.4, £7,156; family of Homelass (N208).

NZ Cup progeny : Gay Robin (1965)

Shadow Maid started on three occasions in the NZ Cups of 1943, 1944 and 1945. She finished last in 1943 and sixth in Bronze Eagle’s 1944 Cup victory. As an eight year old, she was prepared for her 1945 Cup run by Ces Devine and went into the race having been unplaced in her previous 27 starts (20 for Devine) since finishing second in 1943/44 season. Shadow Maid ran third in Gold Bar’s 1945 NZ Cup admittedly thirteen lengths behind the winner but ten lengths ahead of fourth placed Countless. She was the rank outsider of the field (12/12).

Shadow Maid has earlier won the 1943 Auckland Cup (tr : Scotty Bryce, dr : Jimmy Bryce) which assisted her in being second behind Haughty in the stakes won list for 1942/3 season (£2,410).



Shadow Maid AK Cup

Her best foal Gay Robin (ID heat, Ashburton Flying Stakes) finished fourth to Garry Dillon in the 1964 NZ Cup. Shadow Maid was also grand dam of good trotter Hal Good (Dominion Hcp) and Gay Rose (Rangiora Cup).



Tactics

Tactics (1946 Light Brigade/Nell Grattan), 2:07.6, £6,427½; family of Red Diamond (N3).

NZ Cup progeny : Deft (1964), Tactile (1965)

Tactics ran in Adorian’s 1953 NZ Cup finishing last after starting third favourite for Maurice Holmes. Bracketed with Vedette (Stan Edwards) who finished fifth, Tactics broke at the start and collided with Johnny Globe costing him 60 yards (started off 24 yds) and Johnny Globe was only beaten a length by Adorian. Tactics was the winner of 11 races including a New Brighton Cup.



Tactile, Robert Cameron, Melbourne ID’s 1964, third night

Tactics is one of only two mares to have had two different progeny run in NZ Cups – Free Advice being the other mare (other mares had same progeny run in two or three Cups e.g. Rocks Ahead with Navigate). First, Deft finished eighth in Cairnbrae’s 1964 NZ Cup win. Secondly, Derby king Tactile (GN/NZ/NSW/VIC/SA) ran tenth to Gary Dillon in 1965 NZ Cup, before being a winner in North America and later sire in NZ of top class performers in Norton, Ryal Pont and WA Derby winner Tac Warrior.



Jim Dynes, Tactile, Robert Cameron

Tactics was a very productive broodmare and other family members descending from her include Blacks A Fake (6th dam), Burrell, Fancy Wishes, Just Ella, Its Ella, Tact Boyden to name just a few,



Queen Ngaio

Queen Ngaio (1954 Light Brigade/Heather Globe), 2:06.0, £7,980; family of Moonbeam (N36).

NZ Cup progeny : Trio (1980, 1981)

Queen Ngaio competed in 1961 NZ Cup won by Invicta, finishing in sixth position. She won races at open class pacing level prior to her breeding exploits where Trio was her star performer. Trio finished second last to Hands Down in 1980 and sixth in Armalight’s 1981 NZ Cup success. Trio won the NZ Two Year Old Championship, paced 1:55.2US and earned stakes of $265,707. Queen Ngaio also left Waratah, sire of ID third place getter Miss Pert and Reassurance third dam of All Hart (1:52.0US, $435,328, NZ Two Year Old Championship, GN Derby).



Blossom Lady 1992 NZ Cup

Blossom Lady (1984 Farm Timer/Lumber Lady), 1:56.0, $1,334,808; family of Fashion Queen (N69). NZ Cup progeny : Mister DG (2003, 2004) Blossom Lady, bred by Ashburton mates Bob Davison and Bill Cook was raced by the twelve strong Polly Syndicate headed by former HRNZ Chairman Ralph Kermode. Blossom Lady was the fifth NZ millionaire and first mare among the first ten millionaires in Australasia. Her 131 NZ starts NZ produced 36 victories (six for Stephen Doody, 30 for Derek Jones), 29 placings for earnings of $879,605. Her six Australian campaigns produced seven victories and nine placings from 24 starts. Career stats were : 155 : 43 – 20 – 18, $1,334,808, 1:56.0 with Anthony Butt driving her to twenty seven victories in NZ, seven in Australia with others to record wins being Stephen Doody (5), Derek Jones and son Peter two each.



Derek Jones, Bloss, Anthony Butt

She held national records for a mare at 1 mile mobile 1:56.0 (1:56.5 AUS), 2000m stand 2:33.5, 2400m mobile 2:57.0, 2600m stand 3:15.8/3:14.9 (also overall national record), 3200m stand 4:03.3.

Her six NZ Group One’s were all at Addington (NZ Cup/FFA, Easter Cup, 3 NZ Standardbred Breeders Stakes) with a further two at Moonee Valley (two Hunter Cups). Eleven of her twenty two Group race wins were at Addington (above plus three Premier Mares Championships, Interdominion heat, Alan Matson (Monsanto) FFA). Her remaining group race wins being Hannon Memorial (twice), Ashburton Flying Stakes, Interdominion Consolation (Alexandra Park), Interdominion heats (two Moonee Valley/Harold Park, Alexandra Park).

Blossom Lady’s signature NZ victory came in the 1992 NZ Cup defeating Giovanetto and Christopher Vance by 1¼l and 1 length in a time of 4:05.0/2:03.1. She also ran in NZ Cups of 1990 (fifth), 1991 (thirteenth), 1993 (fourth), 1994 (fifth) and 1995 (sixth). She recorded seven victories at the extreme distance of 3200m (three at Addington – NZ Cup, Easter Cup, DB Draught Hcp), Ashburton Cup/DB Draught Hcp and two Hunter Cups.

Blossom Lady’s first foal, son Mister DG (Camtastic), won twenty races (14 NZ/6 AUS), $795,749, 1:55.9 (Cambridge Classic, SBS/Heller FFA, Popular Arm FFA, Hunter/Cranbourne Cups, Hannon Memorial, Nobilio, Casey Classic, ID’s [two heats, Consolation], Waikato Flying Mile) and he was Blossom Lady’s lone starter in NZ Cup‘s won by Just An Excuse in 2003 (eleventh) and 2004 (fourth).

An inductee into both NZ Trotting Hall of Fame and Addington Harness Hall of Fame, Blossom Lady died on 18 May 2004.

Other mares that have started in NZ Cups and who influenced future NZ Cups and Cup winners include :

Norice (1898 Charles Derby/Naulahka), 2:20.0, $1,852; family of Dairy Maid (U30). Second to Monte Carlo in the inaugural NZ Cup (1904), dam of Nelson Derby, sire of Haughty (Norice’s granddaughter) who won two NZ Cups (1942, 1943) and was the first mare in Australasia under two minutes (see earlier). Norice’s other direct descendants have included Cup winners in Camelot (1984, fifth dam), Iraklis (1997, eighth dam) and dual winner Monkey King (2009, 2010, eighth dam). In addition, she is third dam of 1929 NZ Cup heat winner Kingcraft (started in NZ Cups of 1929, 1931 second to Harold Logan, 1932, 1933); seventh dam of Starship, second to Neroship in 1990 NZ Cup (1989, eighth; 1991, ninth); Giovanetto, second to Blossom Lady in 1992 NZ Cup and third to Chokin (1993); Holmes DG, second to Homin Hosed 1999 NZ Cup, fourth to Kyms Girl (2001), fourth to Gracious Knight (2002), tenth (2000), thirteenth (2003); eighth dam of Ermis, twelfth in 1995 NZ Cup, Anvils Star, second to Il Vicolo in 1996 NZ Cup (eighth 1996; eleventh 1998), Brabham, fourth to Christian Cullen in 1998 NZ Cup (fourth 1995, fifth 1997).

Imperial Polly (1900 Prince Imperial/Polly (Hood), 2:44.4, $2,093; family of Hoods Polly (N8). She started unsuccessfully on three occasions in NZ Cups of 1909, 1910 and 1911. A couple of NZ Cup winners trace back to Imperial Polly starting with Gold Bar in 1945 (third dam, fourth in 1942 and 1943; unplaced 1941, 1944 [sire of Cup runners Brahman, Congo Song, Bartender] and Lord Module winner in 1979 (fifth dam, fifth in 1978, unplaced in 1980) while 1989 winner Inky Lord (unplaced 1990) is a member of Hoods Polly family.



Lady Clare 1911 NZ Cup winner

Lady Clare (1904 Lady Clare/unknown), 2:19.0, $2,940; family of Lady Clare (N41). Lady Clare was the second female winner of the NZ Cup in 1911 (Marian 1907 first), owned by WE Clinton, trained by James Tasker and driven by Jack Brankin, she had earlier raced in the 1910 edition. The Cup was the last of Lady Clare’s seven victories spread over eight seasons. Her direct descendants both won NZ Cup’s in millionaires Luxury Liner (1988, fifth dam) and Christopher Vance (1991, sixth dam) representing two of the finest pacers seen in NZ, both trained from the Roy and Barry Purdon stables.

Win Soon (1908 King Child/Topsy (thor), 2:15.5, $3,486; family of Topsy (N7). The winner of the 1914 NZ Cup Win Soon was owned by Stevenson and McMath, trained and driven by Andy Pringle. Like the two earlier mares to win the NZ Cup, she led from start to finish. Win Soon was grand dam of Lady Averil, third in 1949 and fourth in 1950 NZ Cups. NZ Cup winners True Averil (1971, grand dam Lady Averil) and Lunar Chance (1975) both boast Win Soon as their fourth dam.

Country Belle (1908 Wildmoor/Bonnie Belle), 2:07.2TT, $7,404; family of Bonnie Belle (N5). The winner of 1915 NZ Cup and second in 1914 to Win Soon, was by Wildmoor (Wildwood) from Bonnie Belle, by Lincoln Yet (half-brother to Thelma) out of an Arab mare. Her breeder/owner was Bill Morland of Rakaia, she was trained and driven by Albert Hendricksen who had won 1912 NZ Cup with Albert H. Country Belle was grand dam of Fallacy, sire of one of three triple NZ Cup winners in False Step (1958, 1958, 1960) and Chamfer, winner of 1950 NZ Cup (unplaced 1951). Country Belle’s three-quarter sister Curfew Belle was dam of Belle Logan, dam of Logan Derby, the sire of Johnny Globe, NZ Cup winner in 1954.

Van Glory (1968 Van Dieman/Malabella); 1:59.6, $37,050; family of Krinas dam (N30). Van Glory ran eighth in Robalan’s 1974 Cup and is the grand dam of glamour mare Under Cover Lover (1:51.4US, $864,923), winner in NZ, Australia and North America. Under Cover Lover ran in two NZ Cups finishing eighth to Homin Hosed in 1999 and fourth to Yulestar in 2000.



Armalight

Armalight (1976 Timely Knight/Ar Miss), 1:55.4, $279,560); family of Lady Antrim (N31). The impressive winner of 1981 NZ Cup and second to Bonnies Chance in 1982, she is the fifth dam of Ohoka Punter who ran seventh to Arden Rooney in 2015 NZ Cup.

Kates First (1993 Holmes Hanover/Pleasant Franco), 1:57.2, $624,023; family of Pride Of Lincoln (N1). An Auckland Cup winner, Kates First ran fifth to her half-brother millionaire Christian Cullen in 1998 Cup and fourth to Homin Hosed in 1999.

Christian Cullen sired 2005 NZ Cup winner Mainland Banner, only four year old mare to have won the Cup, whose half brother Titan Banner finished third to Lazarus in the 2016 NZ Cup.

Have you ascertained who is the only mare to win a NZ Cup and produce a winner of the NZ Cup?? If not and to confirm your answer, see details in next week’s article.

Peter Craig

6 November 2017

Credit: Peter Craig