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TACTICIAN

The 12-year-old Tactician gave further evidence that he is a hard-wearing veteran when he scored his fourth win under free-for-all conditions in the Forbury Handicap on the opening day of the Forbury Park Club's summer meeting. Leading all the way, he was not asked to over-exert himself - he averaged a 2.09 mile rate - and he was not in serious danger in the run in. In spite of his years, Tactician continues to be produced in great heart by his owner-trainer, M C McTigue, and the manner in which he scored his latest success indicates that he will hold his own under free-for-all conditions for some time yet.

Tactician is one of the greatest winners to have raced in the Dominion, and has now won £25,765 in stakes, the result of 19 wins and 28 placings (including 14 seconds) in 93 starts in his nine seasons of racing. The Springfield Globe gelding had perhaps lacked the personality to become an idol of racegoers like some pacers, but he has proved a grand performer, and has beaten all the best pacers of his time - and decisively at times, too. He seems to have specialised in upsetting the champions when it was least expected. A late start in racing - he did not have his first race until well on in his 4-year-old season, in March 1950 - probably accounts for him being able to turn in winning efforts in free-for-alls at the age of 12.

Tactician scored his greatest triumph at Auckland three years ago when he won the £10,000 Inter-Dominion Grand Final. But he has not proved a really genuine two miler when the pace has been on all the way, and he had Lady Luck on his side when he won the Inter-Dominion, for Johnny Globe was badly checked by a breaking horse with five furlongs to run, and then came with a paralysing finishing run, failing by only a head to get up.
Tactician has contested 6 NZ Cups, his best effort being at his first attempt in 1952 when he finished second to Mobile Globe on a track which did not suit him. His best effort over two miles was at the Easter meeting at Addington four years ago, when he beat Maori Home in the Rattray Handicap in 4.14 3/5.

At the Easter meeting in 1954 he won the free-for-all Electric Stakes by two lengths from Johnny Globe and Soangetaha, and followed this up by beating Johnny Globe, to whom he conceded six yards, in the Au Revoir Handicap on the final day, running the mile and a quarter in the then NZ record time of 2.34 1/5. Early in the 1954-55 season Tactician egualled the NZ record of 2.52 1/4 for a mile and three furlongs in running second to Caduceus from the 60 yard mark in the All-aged Stakes at Ashburton. He also ran some grand races at the NZ Cup meeting a little later. He set the scorching pace which enabled Johnny Globe to hoist the new world figures of 4.07 3/5 in his NZ Cup win; he ran Rupee to half a length in the Ollivier Free-for-all recording 3.07 2/5 for the mile and a half; and finishing fourth to Ribands, Rupee and Johnny Globe in the NZ Pacing Championship. His time fot the mile and five furlongs was 3.23 2/5.

Three months later he won the Inter-Dominion Final at Auckland, first qualifing with a brilliant win over Laureldale and Caduceus in a mile and five furlong heat. He wound up a highly successful season by running Rupee to a neck in the free-for-all Electric Stakes at Addington in 2.36. His winnings of £8655 placed him second to Johnny Globe (£10,105) on the leading stakes winner's list for the season.

Tactician scored only one win in the 1955-56 season, and it came in typical style when he raced right away to beat Johnny Globe by four lengths over a mile and a quarter in the NZ Free-For-All on the second day of the Cup meeting at Addington. On the third he finished fourth in 3.06 to Caduceus, Rupee and Johnny Globe in the record-breaking Ollivier Free-for-all, and on the final day he ran third to Johnny Globe and Rupee in the NZ Pacing Championship in 3.25 1/5. He had only one other start at Easter at Addington that season, when Johnny Globe beat him under free-for-all conditions.

Tactician scored two brilliant wins next season, the first being at Oamaru in October when he beat Johnny Globe and Our Roger in the Hannon Memorial Handicap. He marked another highlight in his career at Addington at Easter when he downed False Step and Local Light in the Rattray Stakes, recording 1.59 4/5 for the mile from a flying start to become the first pacer outside America to break two minutes under race conditions. On the second day of the meeting he was runner-up to False Step in the Electric Stakes, a race in which he had recorded one win and three seconds in the past four years.

The veteran had not won this season before his success at Forbury Park, but he was runner-up to Lookaway in the NZ Free-For-All at the NZ Cup meeting, and finished third behind Caduceus and False Step in the NZ Pacing Championship. A glance at Tactician's time record over all distances gives some idea of his greatness - 1m, 1.59 4/5; 1¼m 2.34 1/5; 1m 3f, 2.52 1/5; 1½m, 3.06; 1m 5f, 3.23 2/5; 2m 4.14 3/5.

Tactician has been a great money-spinner for M C McTigue, who has had a long association with the light-harness sport. Not only does he own, train and drive the veteran Springfield Globe gelding, but he also bred his dam, Berengaria, who is the dam also of Impresario. Berengaria, who was foaled in 1938, was by Jack Potts from Waress, by Man O' War from Ivy Mac, by General Mac from the Wildwood mare, Manuka, a sister to Ribbonwood. Waress, who was also bred by McTigue, was a particularly smart 3-year-old, winning five races at that age. She also won four times as a 4-year-old. At the stud she proved a great success, leaving several winners, all by Jack Potts. Plunder Bar (winner of 12 races and £16,554, and twice runner-up in the NZ Cup), Indigo (winner of eight races and £6436 10s), Vimy Ridge (winner of five races and £2378) and West Point were four fully related to Berengaria which McTigue raced with notable success.

Credit: 'Stopwatch' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 5Feb58

MAURICE McTIGUE

Maurice McTigue, who died at Ashburton aged 85, was, in his heyday, NZ trotting's leading owner-trainer, with a remarkable strike-rate for a one-man band.

An electrician early in life, McTigue in the early 1930s bred Waress, a filly by dual Auckland Cup winner Man o' War from Ivy Mac, a little mare whose dam Manuka (a straightout trotter) was a sister to champion pacer of the turn of the century, Ribbonwood. A staying type, Waress won five races, and, with her and other good performers in Fine Art, Morello and the dual-gaited Dark Hazard, McTigue burst into trotting's headlines in the '30s. Morello in 1938 gave McTigue a winning debut in the NZ Cup.

Waress produced a line of winners for McTigue, all by Jack Potts. The best of these, Plunder Bar, won 12 races and was twice second in the NZ Cup. Other good performers from Waress were Indigo and Vimy Ridge. Putting unraced Jack Potts mare Berengaria, the first foal of Waress, to Springfield Globe, McTigue bred Tactician.

Racing until he was 13, Tactician won 20 races, highlighted by his victory over Johnny Globe in the 1955 Inter-Dominion Final in Auckland. In beating False Step and Local Light in the Rattray Stakes at Addington in 1957 in 1:59 4/5, Tactician recorded the first sub-2:00 race mile outside America.

The first president of the Mid-Canterbury OTB Association and a past-president of the Methven Trotting Club, McTigue was survived by five children, including National Government Minister Maurice McTigue.

-1993 TAB Harness Racing Annual-

-o0o-

M C(Maurice)McTigue, a prominent Methven harness racing identity, the first President of the Mid-Canterbury OTB Association, and a past President of the Methven Trotting Club, died last week, aged 85.

Mr McTigue, a former electrician and the father of the present Minister of State-owned Enterprises, gained his biggest triumph in 1955 when he won the Inter-Dominion Grand Final with Tactician. He bred Tactician from Springfield Globe, winner of the 1939 Inter-Dominion Grand Final and Berengaria, the first foal from his good Man O'War mare, Waress (9 wins).

Tactician did not race until he was four, and won his first two, at Hawera. Mr McTigue was against racing horses at two, after he saw Plunder Bar beaten on a heavy track in the Sapling Stakes at Ashburton. Plunder Bar, which he bred from Waress, later became a top horse and won 12 races, but it took him 12 months before he was properly right again.

Long before Tactician came along, Mr McTigue had struck in the big races, winning the 1938 NZ Cup driving Morello. Tactician raced until he was 13, won 20 races, became the first outside the US to better 2:00 for a mile in a race and earned more than £25,000.

Among the other fine horses he raced were Loyal Rey (12wins), Great Divide (11), Precious Metal, Maharaj, Black Surprise, Indigo (8), King's Play, Messala, Kubla Khan (8), Golden Fleece (9), Grand Canal, Genghis Khan, Fine Art (14), Dark Hazard (11), Play On, West Point, Peter Polo, Royal Worthy and Loyal Friend.

Always active around his farm, Mr McTigue enjoyed a game of billiards and a beer at the 'local' until a year ago when he was hurt in a car accident.

Credit: NZ HRWeekly 2Sep92

FAMOUS FLYING MILE RACES

There have been fairly regular mile races from a flying start almost from the inception of trotting in the Dominion. The Wildwood v Prince Imperial, and Ribbonwood v Fritz matches long since became history to most living light-harness enthusiasts.

Not so the sensational Free-For-All at the NZ Cup meeting of 1924. In that flying start mile race Acron, in beating Realm by a length, with Logan Chief two lengths back, registered 2:03 3/5, which shattered the existing mile record against time of 2:04 1/5, held by Happy Voyage. In that free-for-all the minor placefillers clocked 2:03 4/5 and 2:04 2/5 respectively.

Another memorable flying mile, many years later, was the match between the champion mare Haughty, and the 'scorched earth' entire, Gold Bar, at an Addington matinee meeting in 1943 - the winner was Haughty, narrowly, in the brilliant time of 2:00 2/5 which stands as the match race record (between two horses) to this day.

Tactician became the first horse in the Southern Hemisphere to fracture two minutes in a race when he won the flying mile Rattary Stakes at the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's Easter meeting in 1957. His time was 1:59 4/5, which stood as the NZ race record for many a day. Only a nose separated Tactician and False Step, who went 2:00, third was Local Light in 2:00 1/5, and fourth Merval in 2:00 3/5. It was a wonderful contest.

Up till then the starts of these races were on a moving-up basis 'in the open' and one of the most capable officials in this capacity was Mr A J Hastings. The mobile barrier was still a long way off.

Lordship won a mobile mile race at a Northland TC meeting at Alexandra Park in 1967 in 1:58 2/5, which is the existing NZ record. He won by five lengths from Tobias(1:59 4/5) and Elegant Hanover(2:00). Another searing mobile mile at Addington of recent vintage was the New Year Free-For-All at the Canterbury Park meeting in January, 1970. The winner was True Averil, by four lengths, in 1:58 4/5. The second horse, Spry, registered 1:59 2/5, and Stella Frost third in 1:59 3/5.

The trotters too, have put up some excellent times in flying mile races. In 1969 Stylish Major won one of these events in 2:02 2/5, which was a new record for this type of contest; and the following year Johnny Gee lowered the record to 2:01 1/5 in winning the Stewards' Trotting Free-For-All at the Canterbury Park New Year meeting.

Credit: Óldtimer' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 1Dec71

Tactician & Maurice McTigue

1955 NZ FREE-FOR-ALL

Tactician who was not disgraced in finishing sixth in the New Zealand Cup, after breaking at the start and covering a lot of extra ground, came into his own in the NZ Free-For-All.

After enjoying the run of the race, he came away in the straight to beat Johnny Globe by four lengths. Merval, Thelma Globe, Our Kentucky, Au Revoir, Caduceus, Rupee and Excelsa were all slow to move, and Johnny Globe took up the running. When the field settled down the order was Johnny Globe, Tactician, Denbry and Our Roger, Soangetaha and Laureldale, Petite Yvonne and Excelsa, Single Direct and Rupee, Au Revoir, Thelma Globe, Merval and Caduceus, and at the rear, Our Kentucky.

There was not much change in this order before reaching the top turn, and Johnny Globe straightened up for the run in clear of Excelsa, with Tactician awkwardly placed in the trailing position. Our Roger was following Tactician, and outside him were Denbry, Rupee, and Thelma Globe. Caduceus, Laureldale and Soangetaha were next, with Our Kentucky, Petite Yvonne and Merval following.

Tactician worked clear soon after straightening, and challenged Johnny Globe at the furlong. Johnny Globe fought back momentarily, but Tactician had far too much in reserve. Our Roger, who had also worked clear early in the run in, finished on down the outside, and was only a nose from Johnny Globe in third place. Laureldale made up a lot of ground along the rails for a close fourth, two lengths clear of Rupee, who was running on but well beaten. It was the first occasion on which Rupee has failed to earn some portion of a stake. Two lengths further back, Our Kentucky finished on for sixth, clear of Petite Yvonne, Excelsa, Thelma Globe, Caduceus, Soangetaha, Single Direct, Denbry, Au Revoir and last of all, Merval.

One of the fastest sprinters ever produced in the Dominion, 10-year-old Tactician has now won 16 races and gained 19 minor placings for £22,165. He is a credit to his Methven owner-trainer-driver, M C McTigue.

Credit: Ron Bisman writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

1957 RATTRAY STAKES

A New Zealand record was created in the Rattray Stakes when Tactician prevailed in a tight finish. His time for the flying mile was 1:59 4/5.

Driven by M C McTigue, Tactician was always well placed and he finished strongly on the outer to take the decision from False Step(J D Litten)2, whose time was 2:00. Local Light (T Webster) was almost in line in third place.

The Rattray Stakes, with its flying start and free-for-all conditions was a popular event with punters and owners alike and Tactician was given a fine reception when his time was announced.



Credit: NZ Hoof Beats Apr 1957

AUCKLAND - TACTICIAN
Maurice McTigue was a 20 year old electrician in Ashburton when he decided to become involved in trotting. It was a move which launched him into success as an owner, breeder, trainer and driver. He was to sensationally beat Johnny Globe in the 1955 Grand Final with Tactician by a head.

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

Cecil Devine, Mrs Boyle and owner Erick Rutherford

1956 NZ TROTTING CUP

Thunder loitered with the New Zealand Trotting Cup field in a convivial sort of way for a mile and three-quarters and then went hot-foot for probably the easiest win ever seen in the race.

Call him clumsy, ungainly, or be even so uncharitable as to tag him carty, he is still the complete answer to any question of the fastest passage between any two given trotting or pacing points! Thunder is not by a long chalk, as smooth a pacer as Indianapolis was; but, barring accidents, he is the one horse racing at the present time who is capable of equalling that giant's supreme feat of winning the Cup three years in succession. It is a big errand, but Thunder is geared for the job. Big in physique, big in heart and gigantic in stride and staying power, we can still only have a faint suspicion of how good he really is, because on Tuesday he annihilated some of the best pacers in this or any other country, including two world record holders in Caduceus and Thelma Globe. A field of novices having their first outing at a matinee meeting could scarcely have been so utterly vanquished as the 10 good and true racehorses who struggled along in Thunder's wake. Such is the acid stamp of class.

The track, slushy on top to start with, had dried out remarkably well by the time the Cup - the third race - was due to be run, and a couple of feet out from the rails the going was firm all the way round. It was a pity the pace was allowed to slacken so deplorably in the middle stages. The sectional times reveal how close the field came to a "walk" in the second half-mile, which occupied 1:09.8! The first quarter was run in 35.6 sec, half in 1:06.4, six furlongs in 2:46, mile and a half 3:17.6 and the full journey 4:21.8. From the mile post to the mile and a quarter post the tramped like champions are expected to - this section was left behind in 29.8 sec. Thunder paced the last mile in 2:05.6, but the extent to which to which he was enabled to ease off at the end is shown by his last half-mile in 1:04.2.

His official winning margin was six lengths, and he was slakening pace towards the close. "Although the slow pace early did not suit Thunder, he was always going like a winner," said C C Devine, "over the last half-mile in particular I felt very confident. He was a little sore before the race, but he soon got over that. The way he nods when he is going gives the impression of lameness, but that is just his style."

Cecil Devine won the 1951 New Zealand Cup with his own horse, Van Dieman, another accomplished stayer. Devine, a native of Tasmania, came to New Zealand about 20 years ago. The road to the top for Devine was not an easy one from the depth of the depression when he was glad to be a stropper to a good pacer of those "seldom" days in Evicus. Devine first came into prominence as owner and trainer of the useful little trotter, Teddy Greg. He had the bad luck to lose a promising colt named Viceroy, but he was compensated soon afterwards by some driving success behind the trotter Flying Scott. In the 1949-50 season Devine trained and drove the sensational filly Vivanti, whose mile and a quarter in 2:41.2 still stands as the New Zealand and Australian two-year-old record for a mile and a quarter. Van Dieman was well on the harness stage by then too, and he won the Royal Metropolitan Cup in January 1954, as well as the 1951 New Zealand Cup and a number of free-for-alls. Thunder's meteoric rise from maiden class to the top of the tree has been accomplished in the short space of 19 months. The New Zealand Cup win was worth £4975 (including the silver salver valued at £100) and brought his total stake-winnings to £12,097.

Excelsa was the only one of the field to make a bad break at the start, and Dancing Years showed the way out to Thunder, Roy Grattan and Caduceus, who made one of the best beginnings of his career. There was no inclination on the part of anything to "turn on the heat," and Thunder was in front with two furlongs covered. A furlong further on Caduceus took charge, and it was Worthy Chief's turn to lead by the time the first half-mile had been covered. They were closely packed by now, with Tactician bringing up the rear. Worthy Chief still lead at the mile, with Te Koi just shading him at the end of another two furlongs. Caduceus was third at that stage, and Thunder had drifted back to seventh. Down the back they sprinted, and by the time the three furlongs was passed Caduceus and Thunder were in charge. Two furlongs to go, and Thunder had ranged up on the outside of Caduceus. It was all over at the straight entrance: Thunder left Caduceus standing and he was all by himself at the winning post. Caduceus just failed to hold off Laureldale, who made a suprisingly fine showing for second, and Roy Grattan and Dancing Years were at the head of the remainder.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar