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FANTOM

The death is reported of Fantom, a champion trotter a few years ago. Fantom, on his retirement, was given by Sir John McKenzie to Mr T Goodyer, of Otago, where the old horse had a good home.

Fantom, who was bred by the late S W Kelly, was bought at auction by Sir John for 750gns and he won £12,645 in stakes. Among his 13 wins were the NZ Trotting Stakes, for 3-years-olds, Dominion Handicap, Avon Free-For-All, Rowe Memorial Cup (twice), Ashburton Cup, a Qualifying Heat of the Inter-Dominion Championships, Metropolitan High-Class Trotting Stakes (free-for-all), and the Steward's Trotting Stakes (free-for-all). Fantom also won over two miles against good class pacers at Auckland.

For his early races Fantom was trained by the late R B Berry and he later developed champion form under G B Noble. Fantom held the two mile trotting record at 4:16 for some years. He was by U Scott (imp) from Fantine (imp), both his sire and dam coming from America.

G B Noble, private trainer to Sir John McKenzie, in a note to the Calendar on Fantom states: "The old fellow had wintered well but took ill last week, and though a vet and medical aid were sought, he went the way of all horses, good and bad. Apart from being a great trotter, I shall always remember him for his remarkable courage."

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 26Aug53

1945 DOMINION TROTTING HANDICAP

For a trotter of his age - he is only six - Fantom has performed marvellously well. It is doubtful if in the history of trotting in the Dominion any horse of the same age has been a dual Rowe Cup winner, a Dominion Handicap winner, and a Free-For-All winner in record time.

As a lover of the true-gaited horse, Mr J R McKenzie has probably derived more satisfaction from the performances of Fantom than from the track deeds of any of his pacers. Fantom was fashioned in classic mould from the time he was switched over from the pacing to the trotting gait as an early three-year-old.

His imposing list of successes after he beat a field of trotters of all ages as a three-year-old at Wellington includes the NZ Trotting Stakes, the National Four-year-old Trotting Stakes, the Rowe Memorial Handicap at Auckland two years running, as a four-year-old and a five-year-old, and now his outstanding exploits at Addington this month.

He was trained for his first two successes by R B Berry. On the death of his owner-breeder, the late S W Kelly, he was bought at auction by Mr J R McKenzie for £750 and, trained by G B Noble, he has won £3710 in stakes. His grand total in just over three years is £4225.

Full Result

1st: J R McKenzie's FANTOM. Trained & Driven by G B Noble of Yaldhurst, started off 36yds.

2nd: F A Bridgen's FOREWARNED. Driven by F J Smith, started off 48yds.

3rd: J Wilson's ORDNANCE. Driven by the owner, started off 60yds.

4th: J Shelly's WILLIE WINKIE. Driven by R Stevens, started off scratch.

The winner won by four lengths, with four lengths back to third.

Also started: Castigate scr, Fire Water scr, Mae Wynne scr, Punctual scr, Sea Gem scr, Teddy Greg scr, Echoist 12, Modest Maid 12, Gentleman Joe 12, Steel King 48 and Range Finder 108 bracketed, Sure Lady 60, Will Cary 108, Sea Max 120,

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 7Nov45

1948 DOMINION HANDICAP

Full Result

First: J T Taylor's GREAT VENTURE. Trained by the owner and driven by S A Edwards, started off 12yds.

Second: L F Berkett's TOUSHAY. Driven by the owner, started off 24yds.

Third: J R McKenzie's FANTOM. Driven by G B Noble, started off 60yds

Fourth: Bruce Bros' ACCLAIMATION. Driven by M Holmes, started off Scratch.

The winner won by five lengths, with three lengths back to third.

Also started (in finishing order): Medical Student, Rerewaka, Belmoral, Pardon Me and Ariel Scott.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 17Nov48

1946 DOMINION HANDICAP

Back in 1930 Tod Lonzia, a two-year-old, trotted a mile against time in 2:22 2-5. Sixteen years later the pacemaker in the Dominion Handicap, a £2000 race holding pride of place in the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's Show Day programme, took round about the same time to trot the first mile of this two-mile contest.

A great deal hung upon this race - the general welfare of the trotter, his status on future Metropolitan programmes, his eventual right to equal opportunities with the pacer. It must be confessed that as a spectacle the Dominion Handicap was a complete let-down for those ardent supporters of the trotter who have been pleading his case.

The fact that the principal two-mile events for pacers were run in much the same way is no excuse - this was the trotter's opportunity to step into the breach and put on a real show. But everyone was content to allow Steel King to slow the field to a jog for more than a mile. Many of the field broke because they were only scratching along.

Casabianca had the run of the race and would probably have won in any circumstances, but that does not exonerate any member of the field from a charge of tedious loitering. They will have to do much better than that.

Full Result:

1st: S T Webster's CASABIANCA. Trained by the owner and driven by J B Pringle, started from scratch.

2nd: W H Roche's MAE WYNNE. Driven by W R Butt, started from scratch.

3rd: V A Barker's MEDICAL STUDENT. Driven by A Holmes, started off 12yds.

4th: J R McKenzie's FANTOM. Driven by G B Noble, started off 24yds.

The winner won by four lengths, with five lengths to the third horse.

Also started: Hidden Note, Ordnance, Steel King, Sure Lady, Forewarned, Will Cary, Sea Max, Douglas McElwyn & Royal Worthy.

Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 13Nov46

SIR JOHN McKENZIE

Sir John McKenzie, who died in London last Friday at the age of 79, will long be remembered in trotting cicles as a sportsman who assisted in no small measure the remarkable growth and progress of the standardbred sport in the Dominion. He was a leading owner, breeder and administrator, and his foresight in importing many American-bred standardbreds to this country over the last 25 years has proved, and will continue to prove, of great beneit to all concerned in the breeding of pacers and trotters.

Born in Victoria, Sir John McKenzie spent 52 years of his life in NZ. He swiftly became famous as a businessman, and it was in the early 1920's that he became actively interested in the breeding and racing of standardbreds, his entry into this field being ostensibly as a hobby - a means of escape from business pressure and worry.

In 1927 Sir John McKenzie established his Roydon Lodge stud, on the Yaldhurst property formerly occupied by Archdeacon Wilson, and then known as Broomfield. The Roydon Lodge stud quickly became established as one of the most important in the country. Sir John McKenzie made a number of trips to the United States, where he bought mares and stallions, many of whom belonged to the most successful winning families there.

The two greatest stallions he imported were U Scott and Light Brigade, both of whom are still at the stud. U Scott is NZ leading sire at the moment and one of the greatest sires ever to come to the Dominion. He has been at or near the top of the sires' list for many years now. Light Brigade has also been high on the sires' list for many years, and he has twice been the leading sire of straight-out trotters. Other sires imported by Sir John incude Gallant Knight, Silk Thread, Llewellyn, Spencer Volo, Peter Chenault, Winthrop, Worthy Belwin and Arion Axworthy.

Airflow, the dam of winner of about £40,000 was probably the most successful mare imported by Sir John. Her winners include Slipstream, Red Emperor, Flight Commander and Ariel Scott. Belle Keller, the grandam of Certissimus, Slapfast, the grandam of Johnny Globe, Fair Warning, Miss Worth, Flora Volo, Volo Maid, Real The Great, Widow Volo, New Fancy, Taka Chance, Spangled Maiden, Dolores and Addie Guy were other mares he imported from the United States.

Great Bingen was probably the greatest pacer ever owned by Sir John. Great Bingen won £14,120 in stakes, a record which stood for 17 years. He was the first pacer outside the United States to pace two miles in better than 4.20. Great Bingen finished second in two NZ Trotting Cups and won six free-for-alls. He was later a fairly successful sire.

Among the many important successes of horses owned by Sir John were: NZ Derby Stakes (Royal Minstrel, Acron, Taxpayer, Double Great), Ashburton Trotting Cup (Fantom), NZ Sapling Stakes (La Mignon, Taxpayer), NZ Champion Stakes (Gallant Chief), NZ Futurity Stakes (Scottish Emperor), Great Northern Stakes (Highland Scott), Great Northern Derby (Acron), Rowe Cup (Fantom - twice), Canterbury Park Juvenile Stakes (La Mignon), Dunedin Cup (Great Bingen, Nyallo Scott), NZ Free-For-All (Acron - twice, Great Bingen), National Cup (Commander Scott - twice), Dominion Trotting Handicap (Fantom), Timaru Nursery Stakes (Hightland Scott), Oamaru Juvenile Stakes (Scottish Emperor, Royal Minstrel). Other useful winners in recent years include Air Command, Ohio, Scotch Paree, Black Wings, Wha' Hae, Bobby Burns and Risingholme.

Noble Scott, who Sir John sold to a Victorian studmaster, has developed into one of the leading sires in Australia. Sir John also raced several gallopers, but met with only moderate success. The horses he owned in recent years included Flying Control, Rustler and Bowling Green.

A fine tribute to Sir John's work for trotting was paid by a writer for 'The Times,' London, who stated that "by importing first-class stallions and brood-mares Sir John McKenzie probably did more for trotting than any other man in NZ, and by his example of honesty and impartiality, kept the pastime clean and above board."

A motion of sympathy with Lady McKenzie and Mr R A McKenzie in the death of Sir John was passed at a meeting of the committee and stewards of the NZ Metropolitan trotting Club at Addington on Saturday. The meeting was held after the first race. Flags on the main stands were flown at half-mast as a mark of respect.

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NZ Trotting Calendar 16Dec53

Through the reconstruction of certain trusts, further substantial sums are to be made available by Sir John and Lady McKenzie and their family for charitable, educational and benevolent purposes throughout NZ.

Discussions have been taking place for some time between Sir John McKenzie's legal representatives and the Government so that legislation can be introduced at an early date to give effect to the purposes chosen by the donors. It is anticipated that investments to be set aside will be valued at approximately £1,000,000.

"On behalf of the Government, and also as a Christchurch citizen, I wish to express publicly to Sir John McKenzie and Lady McKenzie and their family the thanks of the people of NZ for their extraordinarily generous action in making this gift to posterity," said the Prime Minister (Mr Holland). "Sir John McKenzie and his family have been generous benefactors to innumerable charitable and other bodies for many years, and this latest public-spirited action is the culmination of a long list of gifts, many of which have been made without publicity or a desire for it. Posterity will be grateful to Sir John McKenzie and Lady McKenzie and thousands of needy and deserving people will benefit from their generosity in creating this new trust."

Sir John said it gave him and his wife the greatest pleasure to be able to make this announcement in Coronation year, "and in particular that it should synchronise with the impending visit of our gracious Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh."

Founder and manager of a NZ-wide chain of department stores, Sir John is well known for his generous philanthropy and his wide interest in trotting. He was born in Victoria, and educated in Melbourne, where he started in business. He served in the South African War with the 3rd Victorian Bushmen's Contingent. Later he came to NZ to start the chain of stores which have become department stores. Sir John is the founder of the J R McKenzie Charitable Trust for the benefit of ailing children, NZ soldiers, sailors, airmen, and the Plunket Society, and is also founder of the well-known Rotary J R McKenzie Youth Education Fund. He also helped to establish the Risingholme Community Centre.

For many years Sir John has been a strong supporter of trotting in Canterbury. Some of NZ's best-known trotters and pacers have raced in his colours, and Roydon Lodge Stud is the leading light-harness nursery in the Dominion.

Before her marriage in 1914, Lady McKenzie was Miss A M Wrigley. Sir John and Lady McKenzie have one son, Roy. Their other son Don was lost while serving with the Royal New Zealand Air Force during the war.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 31Aug55