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LOOKAWAY

From post to post in a mile and a quarter race at Addington in 1960 Lookaway was privately timed to run 2.29 4/5, better than a two-minute rate for the 10 furlongs. That was a truly amazing performance, stamping Lookaway as a pacer well in world class.

And every sportsman in this country will wish Mr C L Rhodes the success he richly deserves with Lookaway on his American trip. Mr Rhodes is the type of breeder and owner the sport in this country cannot exist without. He has built a model training establishment in 'Peterson Lodge', he has bred dozens and dozens of horses, and invested many thousands of pounds buying the best of blood, both for his racing and breeding establishments.

'Clarrie' has also been an indefatigable executive in owners and breeders' associations, he has been forthright in his criticism of unwarranted stake reductions, dubious building plans on racecourses, the increased burdens placed upon owners, etc. In effect, he has never been a seeker of popularity, but his candid criticisms have almost invariably been constructive and practical, and trotting is in dire need of more men like him at this very moment. For these reasons - and others - the Calendar wishes to join in the widespread good wishes that will accompany Mr Rhodes and Lookaway on their American venture.

Lookaway has had 21 wins and 18 placings for £20,967 5s in stakes. He has shown great brilliance over all distances on grass or clay tracks. He has taken records of 2.01 3/5 for one mile, 2.33 3/5 for one mile and a quarter, 2.53 4/5 for one mile and three furlongs, 3.12 1/5 for one mile and a half, 3.22 3/5 for one mile and five furlongs, and 4.12 1/5 for two miles, the last time being recorded at Addington in November 1960, when he finished third to False Step and Sun Chief in the NZ Cup.

Lookaway showed brilliant handicap form as a 3-year-old when trained by M Holmes and the following season he became the first 4-year-old to win the NZ Cup, beating Thunder by five lengths, with La Mignon and False Step next after recording 4.14 4/5 for the distance. He also won the NZ Free-For-All at the same age.

Lookaway failed in the 1958 NZ Cup and some months later his form fell away. Late in 1959 he was sent to Invercargill where he was prepared by C H G Irvine, a prominent veterinary surgeon. He soon struck form and at his last start in that season he recorded one of the most brilliant sprint efforts ever seen at Addington. Driven by Irvine, he was almost last into the straight and so far back that his chances looked hopeless. He was switched almost to the outside fence and he unwound a tremendous burst of speed which carried him past Guiseppe short of the post and enabled him to win by two lengths.

Lookaway that day was off 48yds and he paced the mile and a quarter in 2.33 3/5, one of the fastest times recorded in NZ. Actually, for the mile and a quarter from the limit starting point to the finish he was privately timed at 2.29 4/5, or under a two-minute clip! Lookaway later contested the Inter-Dominion Championship series at Addington when trained by Irvine. He failed to qualify for the Grand Final, but paid expenses at the meeting with a slashing win in a comsolation race.

Lookaway then returned to Templeton and rejoined L C Roper's team. He gained one win and one placing for Roper. He paced an outstanding race to finish fourth to Invicta, Patchwork and Scottish Command in the NZ Cup, and a few days later he beat Aldora most convincingly in the Ollivier Handicap after starting from 36yds. He paced the mile and five furlongs that day in the outstanding time of 3.22 3/5.

Lookaway raced brilliantly at the Festival Cup meeting at Forbury Park, but he failed to reach a place. However, he paced some sound races and on the first night when he rushed to the lead in the middle stages of his race, he impressed officials from Yonker Raceway by pacing his first mile in 2.03 2/5. Luck was against him later at the meeting.

Lookaway is an 8-year-old gelding by Light Brigade from the U Scott mare Raceway, who traces back to the imported mare, Bonilene, founder of a highly-successful winning family, including another NZ Cup winner in Adorian.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calandar 9May62

CLARRIE RHODES

Horsepower has dominated the life of Clarence Leslie (Clarrie) Rhodes. From as early as 1914, horses were introduced to his life. Not trotters or gallopers, but those animals used to pull the hansom cab operated by his father. The four-legged mode of transport was pushed to the back of Clarrie's mind in the early 1920s when he took over a Buick car agency in Ashburton.

The ability to sell 13 cars in nine weeks, a territory record for the vehicle in those years, and one which many car dealers today would envy, gave Clarrie the opporunity to visit America. Working for General Motors and living in an apartment at 99 Street and Third Avenue, Clarrie sold cars for $US600 each. For every vehicle sold he received $US28. Those years he spent in America were during the prohibition, the era of Al Capone, days when it was best to mind your own business if you knew what was good for you.

In 1926 Clarrie Rhodes returned to NZ. He came from America by boat and it was a trip that was to change his life. "I was feeling homesick," said Clarrie. "On the same boat was Free Holmes. He had been in America to buy a stallion, Grattan Loyal, and was returning to NZ."

Clarrie struck up a good relationship with Free Holmes and on their return to NZ he was a regular visitor to the Holmes' homstead. So regular that three years after returning from America he married Free Holmes' daughter, Daphne. Inseparable since, the couple have been married for 54 years. It was that meeting with Free Holmes and the marriage that rekindled the old feeling for horses. Not that cars were completely forgotten. The C L Rhodes Motors Company was formed, and, along with that and a rental car and truck business, it is still thriving some 50 year later. A momento that Clarrie cherishes, his drivers licence for petrol driven vehicles, is still in his wallet. The date of licensing - 1921.

Clarrie made an inauspicious start to the light-harness industry. His father-in-law gave him the Sonoma Hanover gelding Harvest Child in 1933. Then eight, Harvest Child had been extensively raced with a good deal of success. After gaining no return from the horse for some time, he leased him to Mr L A Maidens. Harvest Child went on to win three further races and this success stimulated Clarrie's interest. It is an interest that has not let up.

The first horse to race in Clarrie's name and colours was Worthy Need. A son of Frank Worthy and Necessity, Worthy Need was leased out in his early life. The horse was so small as a foal that he looked no bigger than a dog. However, under the guidance of J J Kennerley, Worthy Need developed into a promising two-year-old. Kennerley, who trained at Addington, had another promising juvenile in his stable, Southern Chief. Both horses were destined to have their first attempts on raceday in the Timaru Futurity Stakes in March of 1935. The two worked a mile in good time leading up to the race, but Worthy Need got out of his yard just before raceday and met with an accident that set him back more than a season. Southern Chief went on to score an easy two length win in the race. Raced on lease till the middle of his 5-year-old season, Worthy Need was taken over by Clarrie and placed with Free Holmes. The horse raced on till a 9-year-old and won seven races and gained 37 placings for stakes of £3126, good money in the late 30s and early 40s.

In the next ten years, Clarrie accumulated several horses, mares like Safety Pin, Bel Hamed, Escapade, Golden Pointer, Pauline Dillon, Ivy Peterson, Betty Ducrow, Suspense and Diversion. Diversion was the second foal of Escapade. She was secured by Clarrie towards the end of the 1939-40 season. When retired, Jack Litten, who had owned and trained her to win early in the 1939/40 season, joined Clarrie in a breeding arrangement with the mare. Diversion had the bloodlines to be a top class breeding proposition. Her dam Escapade was a half sister to Rustic Maid. She was the dam of Chamfer (NZ Cup and Great Northern Derby), Free Fight (NZ Derby), Slavonic (NZ Sapling Stakes), Scottish Lady (NZ Derby and dam of Scottish Brigade, Great Northern Derby) and Little Taff (dam of Student Prince, NZ Derby).

Diversion's first foal was the Grattan Loyal filly Sapience. She was unraced but left the Australian winners Pastime, Wise Leader, Wise Admiral and Crompton. An unregistered colt by Josedale Dictator followed in 1945. The mare was not served in 1942 and missed in 1943. His Majesty was the third foal produced. He won for Clarrie before being put to stud in Australia. In 1948 it was Jack Litten's turn to breed from Diversion. He had a sire selected to send the mare to but, after gentle prodding from Clarrie, elected to send the mare back to Light Brigade, the sire of His Majesty. The resultant foal was a colt named Fallacy.

Fallacy left his mark in no uncertain terms. As a 3-year-old he was a racing sensation. In his first six weeks he won five races, including the NZ Derby in NZ record time. Later the same season he won the NZ Champion Stakes and NZ Futurity Stakes. During his career on the racetrack, Fallacy won seven races. At stud he left a record that many sires will never repeat. False Step, winner of three successive NZ Cups, was Fallacy's first progeny to win. In all, Fallacy sired 240 individual winners.

The early 30s, when Clarrie started to build up his racing and breeding stock, saw him purchase the Rey de Oro mare Ivy Peterson. She was the second foal of a non-standardbred mare Lady Peterson and was bred by Peter Todd of Lincoln. Clarrie raced Ivy Peterson for four seasons and the mare won four races and gained seven placings for £572. Sent to stud in 1940, she founded the "Peterson" family which has won numerous races for the Rhodes family over the years. Ivy Peterson was the dam of ten foals. Nine raced and seven won. Lord Peterson was the first. By Grattan Loyal, he won four and was placed ten times for £1022/10/-. Sir Peterson followed with seven wins and over £2800. Admiral Peterson scored six wins and 19 placings worth £4095 while Jack Peterson (1949 NZ Futurity Stakes) won eight and was placed 13 times for £4866. Colonel Peterson and Princess Peterson were the poor relations of the first strain of Peterson blood. Neither won, Colonel Peterson managing four placings and Princess Peterson three. Overall, from the purchase of Ivy Peterson, Clarrie not only had the start of a very successful standardbred family, but a line that in its first generation won 41 races and £17,321, a great deal of money some 40 years ago. And money which was quickly put back into racing with the purchase of Peterson Lodge, a 150 acre farm at Templeton (formerly the late Roy Berry's training establishment).

Though success came in abundance in the early years, Clarrie also had many more horses than most owners during those years. Not all, though, were of great ability and many never saw a racetrack. Like all owners, Clarrie had to wait a good while before the glory of a classic winner came his way. It was 13 years after Harvest Child was given to him that On Approval scored a half head win over Darkie Grattan in the 1946 NZ Sapling Stakes. On Approval had been bought by Clarrie as a yearling from a Mrs Frost of Cust. He paid £50 for the colt and a similar contingency. But the glory of seeing the win was not there. Clarrie was tucked up in bed at home when the Sapling Stakes was run, recovering from a bout of pneumonia. However, he did hear the race. The Sapling Stakes was the first race to be broadcast in NZ and Clarrie had the added honour of owning the winner. He says that his doctor could not believe the remarkable recovery he made after the late Dave Clarkson confirmed On Approval as the winner. The day after, Clarrie was sitting up in bed like a new man.

The dream of all owners is to have your horse win a NZ Cup. That, too, was Clarrie's dream. In November of 1957 that dream came true. Lookaway, the only 4-year-old in the race, created NZ history when he became the first of his age to win the Cup in its 53 year history. Trained and driven by Maurice Holmes, Lookaway came right away from a talented field, that included False Step and Caduceus, to win by five lengths. Clarrie rates Lookaway's win in that Cup as his most prized of all. However, the Cup never came his way. At the presentation it was not a cup that was given as a trophy but a silver tray. Lookaway holds a special place in Clarrie's memory. Lookaway's dam, Raceaway, was bought from Mrs C E Hunt of Burwood. Raceaway won three races for Clarrie before being put to stud. Her first foal was Lookaway. Two starts as a 2-year-old brought little reward for Lookaway but as a three and four-year-old he notched 16 wins. Nine came at three, his first at Greymouth in October of 1956 with Leicester Roper driving. Lookaway's last win at three came in the NZ Futurity Stakes, winning by five lengths from Gentry. His nine wins that year were scored by margins ranging from one to nine lengths. At four Lookaway was the top earner for the season. His bankroll of £10,285 was £2000 more than his closest rival, Highland Air.

Wins in the National Handicap, NZ Cup and NZ Free-For-All were topped with what Clarrie thinks was the horse's best performance. In the first mobile mile on the grass at New Brighton, Lookaway came from lengths off the pacemakers, Caduceus and False Step, on the turn to win by two lengths in 2:01.6. Along with Caduceus and False Step, Don Hall, Light Nurse, Our Kentucky, Ricochet and Tactician were among the beaten runners. More wins followed. At five Lookaway won the Hannon Memorial. At six, when Clarrie was in Australia, he received a phone call from a close friend Cliff Irvine. Irvine said Lookaway was at his best and he wanted to take the horse to Auckland. Being thousands of miles away, Clarrie was uncertain about the trip. However, a suggestion by Irvine that he lease the horse for a month was accepted by Clarrie. The horse duly won and on his return from Australia, when the horse was back in his ownership, Lookaway won the Au Revoir Handicap at Auckland for him. Au Revoir was another top horse that Clarrie raced. He won 13 races for him with the National Handicap and consolation of Tactician's 1955 Auckland Inter-Dominion being his best wins. The following year Lookaway himself scored a win in a consolation of an Inter-Dominion. This was at Addington in 1961 when Massacre won the final and four races later Lookaway won one of the consolations. Lookaway won another race in his final season at eight. The Ollivier Handicap fell his way with a youthful Bobby Nyhan driving and Leicester Roper training. In seven seasons of racing, Lookaway won 21 races for Clarrie. Added to the wins were 13 placings for total stakes of £20,976.

It was around the time of Lookaway's retirement that Clarrie struck up a good relationship with Martin Tananbaum, president of Yonkers Raceway in New York. In 1956 the control and operation of Yonkers was placed in the hands of Tananbaum and two of his brothers, Alfred and Stanley. Four years after taking control at Yonkers, Martin Tananbaum made his initial trip to NZ and Australia in search of the best pacers from 'down under.' It was during this trip that Clarrie and Tananbaum met. This is how the International Pace, one of the richest challenge races between American, Canadian and Australasian horses came about.

NZ's first entrant in the event, back in 1960, was Caduceus, trained by Clarrie's life-long friend Jack Litten. Tananbaum and Clarrie Rhodes organised horses to represent NZ and Australia and exported them to America. They would race in their NZ interests (owners). The owner and wife, trainer and wife and driver would all travel to America free of charge. Caduceus was NZ's only entrant for the first series in 1960 and deadheated with Champ Volo in the first of the three-race series. However, bad luck struck when he was relagated to fourth. There were also teething troubles for Clarrie and Marty over transporting the horses to America. They were unable to gain rights to fly the horses direct to America. Instead they had to ship the horses by sea from either Bluff or Lyttleton to Sydney and then fly from there to America. It was a costly operation and one that went for several years. Orbiter, who was the Kiwi representative in the 1966 International series, was one of the last horses to be transported to America in this way. Orbiter was one of a 20-horse flight of NZ and Australian pacers to America in February of 1966. The flight, originating from Sydney, was hailed as the largest airlift in equine racing industry. This has since been bettered in the now modern age of air travel. Some time after this, air rights were given to Clarrie and Marty Tananbaum and direct flights started from NZ.

The purchase by Tananbaum of a 440-odd acre property at Rochester, some 400 miles from New York, sparked the start of an exodus of NZ horses to America by Clarrie and Marty. Called the White Devon Farm, the property was managed by Harry Moss. Clarrie and Marty would buy horses in NZ, mainly mares, transport them to America and race them. Once retired they would breed the mares to top American stallions then return the subsequent foals to NZ. This operation went smoothly. At the same time, Clarrie would send four of his staff at a time to White Devon Farm to help out Marty Tananbaum and for the lads to gain experience. Each of the staff members spent a maximum of two years in America.

The tragic death of Martin Tananbaum some years ago was a blow to Clarrie Rhodes. In one of the largest private sale transactions ever, Clarrie purchased the whole White Devon Stud contingent following the death of Martin. Among the contingent was a stallion named Lumber Dream, who had been imported to NZ in 1964. It seemed appropriate that the horse was now Clarrie's property as Lumber Dream's dam sire, Dominion Grattan, was a grandson of Grattan Royal, sire of Grattan Loyal, imported by his father-in-law so many years ago.

With the success of his operations in America, Clarrie's Australian business was also well in operation. Horses he has leased or owned outright have to this day won 198 races across the Tasman. Kiwi Peterson and Garrison started the ball rolling, Garrison winning 30 odd races before going to America and Kiwi Peterson taking a lifetime mark of 2:06.1 and winning over $68,000.

American stallions imported to Australia, like Truant Hanover and Typhoon Hanover have also found their way to NZ, along with Canny Scot and Emory Hanover. Another stallion that Clarrie has a place for in his heart is the Fallacy entire True Averil. True Averil gave Clarrie his second win in the NZ Cup 14 years to the month after Lookaway. Driven by Doody Townley, True Averil got home by a neck from Radiant Globe after being four wide for the last half. The winning drive by Townley was in some way compensation. Townley, the regular pilot of Stella Frost, had lost the services of the mare for the Cup after she had been taken to America to race in the International Pace. So in some way Clarrie Rhodes paid Townley back by giving him the drive on True Averil. True Averil stood in NZ for some time before being exported to Australia. Clarrie recently bought the horse back to NZ and he is to resume stud duties from this season.

With over 43 years of experience in the light-harness industry, Clarrie Rhodes has plenty to offer younger trainers by way of advice, but the now veteran of over 500 wins as a breeder and owner is not as outspoken as in his earlier years.

-o0o-

Article in NZ Trotting Calendar 24Jun86

When Clarrie Rhodes died last week at the age of 80, NZ lost one of her most successful breeder/owners of standardbreds. Clarrie died early last Thursday after several years of heart problems.

It is difficult to do justice to a gentleman, and he was in the true sense of the word, whose involvement with standardbreds spanned all of 50 years. Clarrie did not confine his interests to NZ, being represented by over 200 winners in Australia and also having close ties with harness racing in North America since 1960.

He had his first success as an owner almost 50 years ago when Bill Grattan won at the New Brighton Trotting Club's Spring meeting in September of 1937 for trainer/driver Free Holmes. Fittingly, Clarrie's last win in NZ came in great style, Free's Best accounting for the NZ Oaks in national record time last month. Best Dream, exported to California but still owned by Clarrie, was his last winner, scoring at Fairplex Park in Pomona a few weeks ago. There were well over 500 wins, mostly in Clarrie's familiar colours of a black jacket, red sleeves and cap, between Bill Grattan and Best Dream.

The highlights of Clarrie's involvement with standardbreds was undoubtedly Lookaway's runaway win in the 1957 NZ Cup. Trained and driven for him by his brother-in-law Maurice Holmes, Lookaway became the first 4-year-old to win NZ's most prestigious harness race when he crossed the line five lengths clear of Thunder, La Mignon and False Step. For most, winning a NZ Cup is just a dream, but Clarrie had the added thrill when he won the event again in 1971 with True Averil. Clarrie not only bred and owned the entire, but trained him as well. Doddy Townley was the driver.

There was also an added thrill when Clarrie won his first major classic race, On Approval narrowly winning the NZ Sapling Stakes at Ashburton in 1946. Clarrie did not see the youngster win by half a head, he was stuck in bed at home with a bout of pneumonia, but he heard Dave Clarkson's commentary in what was the first radio broadcast in NZ.

Horses, and horsepower, have always dominated Clarrie's life. Among his earliest memories is the cab operated by his father and the horses which pulled it. Clarrie made his name selling motor vehicles in the 1920s, initially in Ashburton and later in North America. He remained a motor vehicle dealer for most of his life. On his first trip home from North America in 1926, Clarrie struck up a friendship with the legendary horseman Free Holmes, who had just purchased what was to be an outstanding sire in Grattan Loyal. Clarrie and Holmes' daughter Daphne married a few years later.

Clarrie's first love over the years was always the breeding industry, and much of his success can be attributed to his knowledge. Clarrie owned dozens of stallions throughout Australasia notably Lumber Dream here and Hondo Hanover in Australia.

Lady luck was not always on Clarrie's side. In the late 1940s he entered into a breeding arrangement with a life long friend in Jack Litten over a mare called Diversion. Clarrie bred Diversion to Light Brigade and got a useful winner in His Majesty. The following year, Litten bred Diversion to the same sire and got Fallacy, a brilliant racehorse who later sired over 240 winners. Fallacy sired triple NZ Cup winner False Step from his first crop, while he later left True Averil for Clarrie.

Clarrie's other good winners included Jack Peterson (1949 NZ Futurity Stakes), Gerfalcon (1942 NZ Trotting Championship), Au Revoir (Cup class), Safe Return (1961 Kaikoura Cup), Best Bet (1977 NZ Trotting Stakes), Alec Peterson (1979 Methven Cup), Bel Hamed and, more recently, the likes of Hondo's Dream, Best Dream, Chataway and the trotters Armbro Almont, Bossy Boy and Quick March, the latter a top mare in New South Wales. No doubt, there were many stories behind every winner for Clarrie and many, many other stories he could have shared. Sadly, a part of trotting's heritage passed away with him.

Clarrie is survived by his wife Daphne, sons Alan, Freeman, Gerald and Peter, and daughter Mary.


Credit: Brian Carson writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 27Sep83

Start of the New Brighton Flying Mile 7 Dec 57

FIRST MOBILE START AT NEW BRIGHTON

Nothing short of a sensational performance was returned by Lookaway to win the New Brighton Flying Mile.

At the half mile Caduceus had a substantial break on his nearest rival and Lookaway at this stage was at the rear, and was experiencing difficulty getting clear. His task of getting anywhere near Caduceus looked hopeless when his driver, M Holmes, pulled him back to get a run as the three furlong peg was reached.

Once clear Lookaway unwound a brilliant run and was rapidly closing on the flying leader, Caduceus, turning for home. Halfway down the straight it became apparent that he had the measure of Caduceus, and Lookaway actually won going away by two lengths. Lookaway's performance was even more remarkable when it is realised that the first half mile was run in 58secs.

A grand start was made behind the mobile barrier, the horses all being in perfect line. When the starting point was reached the gate was a trifle slow in moving away, and one or two horses near the outside appeared to be inconvenienced as they were all ready to move off at top. It appeared as though Lookaway had to be restrained a little with the result that he was slow to get going.

From the middle of the field, Caduceus made a brilliant beginning and he was in front leaving the straight. He was followed by Light Nurse, Ricochet, Our Kentucky and Don Hall with False Step next, then came Lookaway and Tactician. Racing to the six furlongs, Caduceus was two lengths clear of Ricochet with another length and a half to Light Nurse and a similar distance to False Step, with Our Kentucky, Tactician and Lookaway following. At the six furlongs Lookaway was experiencing anything but a happy run and Caduceus had increased his lead to five lengths. Once Lookaway worked clear he set out to bridge the gap, and the manner in which he did so brought unstinted praise from the crowd. He was given a fine ovation on his return to the birdcage.

Form worked out well as Caduceus, False Step and Don Hall, who finished in that order behind Lookaway were first, second and third in the New Zealand Flying Stakes at Addington. No excuses could be made for the beaten division but Caduceus was not disgraced in having to be content with second place. He set out to assure a solid pace and this told at the finish. Only a horse of the calibre of Lookaway could have beaten Caduceus on the day. False Step ran his usual honest race and the same could be said of Don Hall but the remainder were outclassed.

Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 11Dec57

Lookaway, the first 4yo to win the Cup

1957 NZ TROTTING CUP

Records are made to be broken and Lookaway broke one last Tuesday when he romped home at the head of the field for the 1957 New Zealand Trotting Cup. He became the first four-year-old ever to win the race and a great horse and a great reinsman combined to achieve an outstanding performance.

Lookaway has had a meteoric rise to Cup company and on Tuesday he lived right up to the high opinion formed of him by his many admirers. Lookaway had gone from success to success, culminating in his clear cut win in the Dominion's premier two-mile race. His win gave M Holmes his third driving success in the race. He drove Wrackler to win in 1930 and trained and drove Chamfer to win in 1950.

The race was truly run from start to finish and the backmarkers were working hard from the time the barriers were released, and Holmes drove his own race. He waited for nobody, a habit Holmes has. The first half mile was run in 64 1-5secs, the mile in 2:08 4-5, the mile and a quarter in 2:41 2-5, the mile and a half in 3:12, the mile and five furlongs in 3:43 3-5 and the full journey in 4:14 4-5.

Once Lookaway became balanced he was taken up to sit in behind the pacemaker, General Sandy, and when that horse began to weaken just after passing the half mile, Lookaway streaked away into the lead and turned for home with a winning break on the rest. From that stage to the winning post it was only a matter of keeping him up to his work to win by the official margin of five lengths from last year's Cup winner Thunder. M Holmes must be given full credit for the manner in which he has developed Lookaway and he drove another masterly race on Tuesday.

Brahman was the only one to really break at the start but Thelma Globe was slow and Caduceus was also a little slow to get into his stride. Passing the stands for the first time, General Sandy was setting a solid pace from Roy Grattan with two lengths to La Mignon, Trueco and Lookaway, almost together. Then followed four lengths back, Worthy Chief, Tactician, Thunder, Laureldale, and Caduceus with a gap to Adorian. At the mile post Lookaway had moved up to trail General Sandy and M Holmes had settled down in his characteristic attitude. At this stage the two leaders were clear of Trueco, Highland Air, False Step, La Mignon, Thunder, Worthy Chief and Caduceus.

Passing the half mile Lookaway raced into the lead and reached the three furlongs with a handy break on Trueco who was closely followed by General Sandy, Highland Air and Thunder. Lookaway continued his fine run to reach the post a clear-cut winner from Thunder with La Mignon in third place and False Step fourth. Then came Caduceus, Highland Air, General Sandy, Worthy Chief, Trueco and Tactician, with the rest beaten off.

It is safe to say that there would be no more happy man on the course than Mr C L Rhodes, owner of the Cup winner. Mr Rhodes bred and did the early training of Lookaway and no owner is more deserving of success in the light-harness sport in the Dominion than Mr Rhodes. Lookaway is the first foal of Raceaway, who was a useful winner herself and took a record of 3:41 4-5 for one mile and five furlongs. Raceaway was got by U Scott from Loyal Bonny, by Grattan Loyal-Bon Rey, by Rey de Oro-Bonilene (imp) by the Bondsman. This is one of the most successful families in the NZ Trotting Stud Book.

For more than twenty years Mr Rhodes has raced pacers and trotters and he has won much more money with his horses than most people, and he has owned more horses than most people. They have not all been winners - some have not even got to the races - but this has never daunted Mr Rhodes. He has kept on pressing on regardless and no one would get a greater thrill out of Lookaway's fine win than his owner-breeder and one-time trainer.

Mr Rhodes made an inauspicious start in the light-harness game. His father-in-law, Mr Free Holmes, gave him a Sonoma Harvester gelding called Harvest Child in 1933. Harvest Child was then eight years old. He had been raced extensively, and with a good deal of success, before becoming the property of Mr Rhodes. Harvest Child made no return for some time and then Mr Rhodes leased him to L A Maidens who then trained at Winchmore. Maidens won three further races with Harvest Child and these successes stimulated Mr Rhodes's interest in the sport. He has never let up since.

Mr Rhodes has been in the limelight in recent years through the deeds of the 'Peterson' family. Mr Rhodes has put much of the money his horses have won back into his training establishment, 'Peterson Lodge' at Templeton. His 150 acre farm, and ideal training quarters and track (formerlythe late R B Berry's establishment) are praised by every visitor. Horses raced by Mr Rhodes have won over £60,000. Lookaway's latest success brought his record to 14 wins and £12,711 5s in stakes, a grand record for a four-year-old.

In presenting the Cup to Mr Rhodes, the Governor General, Lord Cobham, paid tribute to a fine horse and an expert driver and congratulated Mr Rhodes on his fine win. Mr Rhodes replied. Lord Cobham stated that he had seen trotting several years ago in Perth when he visited that city with the MCC cricket team.

This year's New Zealand Cup created widespread interest weeks before the big event, and there appeared to be a new spirit in the large crowd which turned up at Addington on Tuesday. The weather was threatening in the morning but had improved by the time the Cup came up for decision. The new spirit was reflected in the totalisator investments on the race which showed an increase over those of last year. The on course total on the race was £25,395 compared with £22,096 10s last year and the off course total was £24,137 as against £23,329 last year.

Attendances and totalisator figures for Cup Day showed a sharp increase over the figures for the previous year. The crowd was officially estimated at 21,000 compared with 18,000 twelve months ago. The crowd tested the capacity of the totalisator and many hundreds were shut out on the outside enclosure on several races. There was not the same congestion on the inside. On-course totalisator investments amounted to £191,118 5s, including £17,965 15s on the duoble, compared with £165,908 5s last year. Off-course investments also showed a substantial increase, amounting to £151,052, compared with £128,443 10s last year. The meeting was held in fine weather, but a cool southerly wind made conditions unpleasant early in the day. The track was in good order.

Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 13Nov57

1957 NZ FREE-FOR-ALL

Lookaway added further to his already grand record when he beat a field of high class sprinters pointlessly in the NZ Free-For-All. He was slow in the early rush for positions and was eighth, a good way from the leader, Suzendy, at the end of a furlong. Racing to the five furlongs he was given his head and had little difficulty in reaching the lead. From that stage the result was never in doubt and he coasted home an easy winner by four lengths.

Lookaway has now won 15 races for £13,491 5s in stakes.

The surprise of the race was the fine showing made by Suzendy. She has always been regarded as a sprinter of more than average worth, and she raced right up to the opinion held of her in this department by her connections. She should not be difficult to place to further advantage in sprint and middle distances in the immediate future.

PHOTO - Lookaway followed up his brilliant NZ Trotting Cup victory with a fine win in the NZ Free-Fir-All over a mile and a quarter. Driven by trainer M Holmes Lookaway was slow away but quickly settled into his stride to draw out and win by four lengths from Tactician(M McTigue), Suzendy and the favourite Caduceus(middle of the track). Don Hall(inner) was fifth followed by Trueco and Adorian(outer). Caduceus broke at the start but made a good recovery.

Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 20Nov57

CLIFF IRVINE

It seems odd that one honoured with such a long list of degrees and awards for outstanding work in several fields of equine medicine as Professor Cliff Irvine should rate his proudest thrill as winning the 1986 Dominion Handicap at Addington with Tussle. But it sums up the complxity of a rare personality - someone able to discuss the most involved aspects of equine reproduction at any university forum in the world, and yet just as happy chatting about training his horses with people who never went to secodary school.

Irvine died recently, soon after his 90th birthday. He was Emeritus Professor of Veterinary Science at Lincoln University, a Doctor of Science (Otago) - the highest award in his field in New Zealand - and had honorary doctorates from Massey and Sydney universities among a host of other national and international awards, including the Bledisloe Medal from Lincoln University. He had an insatiable appetite for research but he never lived in an ivory tower.

Born in Dunedin in 1920, Clifford Hugh Greenfield Irvine, never one to bow to authority, left Otago Boys' High School at 15 after a dispute over the justification for a punishment he received. He later had similar problems in a brief Army stint. He started several unlikely careers from journalist to night porter, before going to Otago University to qualify for a veterinary surgeon course then available only in Sydney. He played for the champion Otago senior rugby team, Southern, on the wing.

Irvine used proceeds from training horses both in Dunedin and Sydney to finance his university days and his first winner, Carnavon, was in 1940. He set up a veterinary practise in Invercargill, catering for large and small animals at seperate surgeries, a novelty then. The biggest challenges were operating on badly gored pig dogs. He used a novel operational technique to save the career of the subsequent Grand National Steeplechase winner, Capet, for Bill Hazlett.

He married Fay Curtis, whose father Ross, was a racing trainer. The couple had a son, Guy, later killed in a road accident, and a daughter, Penny. An illness he contracted from working with cows caused Irvine to be hospitalised for six months, during which he taught himself several new skills including knitting.

A highly competent practical 'vet', Irvine nonetheless always had an affinity for research and he was appointed as a lecturer to the then Lincoln College in 1966. He had already made his mark as a trainer and driver. Light Mood, for which he paid a substantial sum (over £500) as a youngster won nine races, two of them at New Zealand Cup meetings, but he had as much satisfaction with his success with 1957 New Zealand Cup winner Lookaway, which had not won for 16 months when Irvine took him over. At that time he was heavily involved in research into the effect of the thyroid gland on horses, research which was to lead to major advances in treating racehorses. Lookaway restored to form was one example.

Irvine's research into reproductive endocrinology was world class, though he liked to recall that his first boss at Lincoln, Dr Bob Burns, would not allow him to experiment with horses at Lincoln until after a visit by Queen Elizabeth in 1977. She discussed the problems of getting some mares in foal with Irvine and later at lunch with Burns mentioned his obvious need for horses to work with. They were soon permitted and he ended up with 25, including two stallions. One of the mares was Kimmer, by his former star, Light Mood.

In 1977 he was invited to lecture at Texas A and M University and returned with his second wife Sue Alexander, a student at the college at the time and who was to prove a close professional associate and devoted nurse. For many years Irvine was the consultant for both Harness Racing New Zealand and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing. He defused the bicarbonate controversy which threatened to tear harness racing apart in thw 1990s as large doses of "milkshakes" turned mice into lions on the track.

After much trial and error, Irvine developed the world's first accurate bicarbonate test and set permissable levels of use. His approach in drug cases was always purely scientific. He allowed the use of heptaminol when it was banned elsewhere and held strong, and at times contrary, views on the effects of cattle steriods and EPO under race conditions. He was an international expert in several areas of drugs and their influence on racing horses. His research into reproduction, however, was a greater boon on the local industry front.

In the 1980s the Irvine name became famous in another arena. The trotting mare, Tussle, which he had bred from Kimmer and which showed little early promise, blossomed into one of the best mares produced in New Zealand and became the first to win the Rowe Cup, Dominion Handicap and the Interdominion Trotting Final, the three biggest trotting races in Australasia - a feat subsequently equalled only by Lyell Creek.

Typically, Irvine gave a lot of the creditfor identifying an emerging star to one of his laboratory assistants, Leone Gason, who later married Tussle's regular driver, Peter Jones. It was a remarkable story. Tussle, small, weedy and testy, was bound for a career in the Lincoln experimental band until Gason, then her only fan, got her going as a five-year-old. Various trainers had success with her when her owner was otherwise engaged but she won most of her big races for the Irvine stable, Sally Marks succeeding Gason as the mare's minder. Tussle won 38 races.

When she won the Rowe Cup she was the first horseIrvine had raced in Auckland since Lookaway had won there in 1960. As a 12-year-old Tussle beat Tyrone Scotty and other stars in the Quinns Fashion Free-For-All at Addington on Cup Day in national record time. Tussle died in 2007 aged 34. In 2002 her daughter, Bristle, becam Irvine's 100th winner as an owner.

Cliff Irvine was dcritically injured in a car accident in 2000, suffering a broken pelvis, serious head injuries and a fractured breast bone and knee. He was little more than semi-conscious for three months and in hospital for five. He set himself the seemingly impossible goal of getting back in the sulky with one of his trotters and just managed to achieve it. But the days of the highly competitive tennis matches at his Halswell home (opponents claimed cracks in the court surface were never repaired because the host knew exactly how to hit into them in tight situations) and some aspects of his work were ended.

However, he developed a strong interest in the effect of heavy use of soy bean preparations in infants which had been promoted as preventing later illness. When his contrary view caused a severe international reaction among proponents his conclusions were unaffected.

The ONZM award in 2000 for services to veterinary science was a thrill which came close to equalling the Dominion Handicap and also served as a stimulus to recover sufficiently from his injuries to travel for the presentation.

Irvine never believed in wasting time and urged a similar attitude to family members and his many successful students, some of whom, notably Margaret Evans, have gained international prominence of their own in the veterinary research field. "Television and some other things we like doing were wasting time. But he was never an angry person. I cannot remember ever seeing him lose his temper even in the most difficult situation," Panny Irvine recalled.

Sue Irvine remembers a man of great determination who "never gave up", even when recovering from his critical injuries, but accepted reverses with aplomb. "He set very high standards in his research, as you would expect, and you worked hard with him. But he was never flustered when things went wrong or one of us did something wrong. He had the true scientific gifts of concentrating on the main focus."



Credit: David McCarthy writing in The Press July 2010

DAVID McCARTHY INTERVIEWS BOBBY NYHAN

Q. How did you get the drive behind Cardy?
A. Actually I really don't know. I knew Wolfie from Wellington a bit but we were not friends or anything. He rang out of the blue and asked if I would take a horse over to Addington to keep Cardy company and then drive him in the Flying Stakes at Ashburton.

Q. And?
A. Merv Deans (husband of owner Audrey) was the only stable rep there. He insisted I go to the front. I was off 36 yards and it wasn't going to be as easy as he thought. When I went Jack Litten called out to the others and they all took off. I was annoyed because I looked bad but I had no option.

Q. You kept the drive?
A. At Forbury Park I told them I was going to do it my way. As it happened Robin Dundee who was on the way up then, beat us. Peter came down for the Hannon Memorial. I drove Gildirect who was past his best then but we were fifth and beat Cardy home. Peter said to me either the horse wasn't right or he needed a lot more work and we didn't have much time to find out. His work was stepped up dramatically. He thrived on it. Went through the Cup meeting unbeaten.

Q. You started with your father, Tom?
A. For a while but his team was never big. My first winner (1955) was Bypass at Omoto, trained by Johnny Crofts who lived next door. He predicted he would give me my first winner. It rained all day and the mist was so low you could hardly see where you were going. Dad then loaned me to Jack Litten for a few days to help out and I was there for four years.

Q. What made him special as a trainer?
A. He was just a great horseman, the best I worked with. I can't say enough about the man. They were the happiest days of my life really. When Mum said I looked tired soon after I started I said "When Jack says run, I run" and he rather liked that when he heard it. You didn't just learn about horses. You killed and dressed chickens, raised turkeys and lambs, tended pigs, handled stallions, the whole bit. Jack loved animals of all sorts. He was years ahead of most with young horses and the best of that was he didn't just pressure cook them like some. We each had a group to educate and when I paraded mine one year I pointed to one as clearly ahead of the rest. Jack looked at what seemed a potential 2-year-old star to me and said he thought he would put him aside until later. That was Happy Ending, a cup class stayer. Not many trainers would have done that. He did almost cost me the drive on Lookaway in the Cup though.

Q. How?
A. Leicester Roper was training him for Clarrie Rhodes then. Cliff Irvine had got him right but he was always a bit suspect. I had driven Lookaway in a trial and was to drive him in another one at Ashburton otherwise he would never be ready for the Cup. Jack suddenly told Clarrie I was needed at home. In the end Clarrie agreed to pick me up in his new Super Snipe close to the trial and bring me straight back afterward. I had never been so fast in a car. Even the fellows working on the train tracks dropped their tools to stare. I think there was something between Clarrie and Jack which sparked that. Lookaway had a nice run in the Cup but he just ran out of condition in the last 100m (4th from 24yds). He was the most brilliant horse I have ever driven. With one run at them he was unbeatable. But we didn't have a happy ending.

Q. In that?
A. He won the Allan Matson and Clarrie was desperate to start him in the Free-For-All later in the day when they had two races for the best horses. The horse just wasn't going to be able to cope with that in his condition but Clarrie overruled us. He felt awful in his preliminary and I pulled him out of the race.

Q. When you moved to Belfast with Cecil Donald it was quite different?
A. Cecil wasn't so much into young horses but he had a lot of older ones and sometimes it was a challenge just to get them worked especially in the winter. His track was good in the summer but the ground was heavy in winter and the sand track became a quagmire. Cecil was also very patient setting a horse for a race under the handicapping system then. Sometimes you didn't look too good driving to instructions.

Q. There was a heap of open class horses in the stable then. Did one stand out?
A. Probably Indecision even though he didn't have the best record and people knocked him because he was a dissappointment at stud. But he had enormous heart, a great will to win. He hardly had a sound day in his life - ligament problems mostly - and perhaps because of that he was vicious. I was the only one who could handle him at one stage. When he got to the races though, especially over two miles he tried his heart out and beat some top fields in races like the Ashburton Cup, Rangiora Cup, those sort of events. The open horses would always line up in those races then. He was certainly the most underrated.

Q. Rauka Lad was one of the best horses you were associated with?
A. He should have won Globe Bay's Cup (1972). It was the biggest disappointment of my career. I know it is an old story but he was spot on that day (favourite on both totes) and his was the run of the race. There was not much pace on early and he was never at his best when he didn't have room. He got a shove and galloped. Went a huge race afterward.

Q. Where did he come from?
A. We were at Oamaru one day and Cecil (Donald) told me to drive the float to Eddie Forsyth's (Waimate) on the way home because he was going to buy a horse off him. The horse was Dreamy Morn but Eddie wouldn't sell. Finally he pointed to Rauka Lad which had had a few starts and said "Buy him instead. You won races with his half-brother and you will with him." So he came home with us. Jack Hall bought him for £1500. He had won a race but he had fallen twice and was considered a problem. Cecil let his hopples out from 55 inches to 59 and he won nine of his next 11 start. But he was never foolproof and it caught up with him that day.

Q. Chief Command was another?
A. A brother to Indecision but quite different. He had a great nature. He won the NZ Free-For-All in front and they said Holy Hal was unlucky but nothing was going to beat him the way the race went. He was probably Peter Van Der Looy's first good horse and he trained his own later.

Q. Commissioner was a smart one?
A. Commissioner was the most unusual top horse I drove. He had one speed - flat out. I have never known a horse who could pull so hard for so long and still win big staying races like the New Brighton Cup was then. You really wanted to be in front though!

Q. Chaman was another?
A. He was the first horse to pay three figures to win after dollars and cents came in ($112) and I think it might have only been beaten once still. He was by Brahman and hit a knee bad which held him back. The old trainers had their tricks and one used with Chaman saw him just bolt in one day. A tough horse.

Q. Trotter?
A. My favourite was Front Line which the Baxters who had Battle Cry raced and Jack Litten trained. He had a twisted front leg and was often sore. He was very tricky to get going early. I thought he was a wonderful trotter when you considered that. I drove Mighty Chief for Trevor Mounce when he paid $84 at Addington. Never looked like getting beaten. He kept coming back disn't he?

Q. After Cecil's death you seemed to drop out of the limelight. What happened?
A. The estate was complicated. I had a small team at Bill Pearson's Arizona Lodge near the Rangiora track and working on the works. Trio was there for a while and I had Game Way and Joy Boy. Game Way had the smallest testicles you would ever see but he was a really good trotter and he sired good winners. I thought Joy Boy was too good to go to Westport but the owners didn't agree. He won there and I lost him soon afterward. I had an option to buy the property but my wife was not keen. My biggest disappointment was that I was offered a top free-lance driving job in the North Island with a leading stable about that time but for personal reasons I could not take it up. I would have loved to have done that.

Q. You seemed to fade off the scene for a while?
A. I had a few run ins with (stipe) Neil Escott and didn't think I got a good deal (we have settled our differences long since) and I copped a big fine I thought was tough and gave it up. We ran a restaurant in Rangiora for a while and I helped (son) Mark get started with gallopers. David Butt got me back to help him out when he started at Woodend quite a few years later. His mother Jackie (daughter of Jack Litten) and I had been friends for a long time and she playrd a part in getting me back.

Q. Your most rewarding time since?
A. Helping establish the inside track at Rangiora and winning the first totalisator race on it with Hard Cash was a highlight. A team worked at improving the training track and then (stipe) Les Purvis inspected it and said it was good enough for qualifying trials so we started workouts there and it just kept improving. Brian Ritchie played a big role and Russell De Gana was another key player. When we started workouts we would take the noms over the phone, Brian would print them on a Gestetner and I'd go home and we would ring every trainer with a horse in. In some ways that old enthusiasm has gone now.

Q. You drove Cardy but what other horses stick in your mind?
A. The day Johnny Globe won the Cup (1954) will always be with me. I was just a kid but people were jumping over fences trying to get a hair of his tail. I have never seen an outpouring of emotion for a horse in my time like that day. I don't think we will ever see that again. Then there was Lordship - and not just because I am a Nyhan! He was a great horse by any measure especially the injuries he survived and still won with.



Credit: David McCarthy writing in HRWeekly 16May & 2June2012