| HORSES |
YEAR: 1965
VANDERFORD
The news of the tragic death of Vanderford would come as a great shock to admirers of a good horse - or any horse for that matter
Vanderford may not have reached the heights of Cardigan Bay and the other champions in the Dominion, but he could always be relied on to give his followers a good run for their money, and his consistent record over recent seasons speaks for itself.
Vanderford was a most reliable pacer with no serious chinks in his armour. His reliability would have no doubt stood him in good stead in the United States and his career there was being looked forward to by light harness enthusiasts in the country of Vanderford's birth.
Vanderford made one of those meteoric rises to NZ Cup company that paralleled the careers of Lordship, Lookaway and Johnny Globe. Vanderford won eight of his nine starts - he finished fourth at his other appearance after having little in his favour - leading up to his appearance in the Dominion's premier two-miler. Brilliant finishing runs characterised all of his performances. To that stage of his career - and later - he did nothing wrong in his races.
When trained in the North by D N Hayes, Vanderford showed fine promise as a 3-year-old, and for that trainer he won two races and was placed seven times in 15 starts. One of Vanderford's best performances that season was his second placing to Tactile in the record-run NZ Derby Stakes. Tactile paced the journey in 3.10 2-5, a fresh NZ record for a 3-year-old. Vanderford recorded 3.10 2-5. Towards the end of that term, Vanderford was transferred to A J Bourne at Woolston, and under him Vanderford went from strength to strength, culminating in his grand slam of a quality field of sprinters at Oamaru.
According to Mr W D Barnes, in whose interest Vanderford raced, Vanderford gave him his greatest thrill when he won the Ashburton Flying Stakes, in which Robin Dundee and Cardigan Bay finished second and third respectively. It was a performance which capped seven wins in succession. Mr Barnes sold Vanderford to United International Stables in Toronto with an option to repurchase him in three years. He would not say how much he had been paid for Vanderford, but admitted it ran into five figures. "I was going to bring him back to NZ for stud services," he said. "That was part of the agreement." Mr Barnes leased Vanderford with an option to purchase him when he was 12 months old. He started racing as a 2-year-old in the 1961-62 season.
Vanderford had 15 wins and 39 placings for £15,910 in stakes. He was a 5-year-old bay horse by Great Evander from Milford Girl, who was got by Dillon Hall from Sister Polly, by Wrack-Our Nurse, by Wildwood Junior-Imperial Polly, by Prince Imperial.
Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 12May65
YEAR: 1991
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The death occurred at the weekend of the successful trainer and sportsman, Alf Bourne.
Widely known as 'Ginger', Bourne was a jockey, boxer and footballer. He was in his prime in the 1930s, playing breakaway for the Canterbury rugby team, and in 1933 he beat Bill Pascoe to take the NZ heavyweight boxing title. He was a loyal Merivale man, coaching the senior team and later became a life member.
He spent more than 50 years training horses, including many that reached top class. Waitaki Hanover, who won the Hunter Cup in Melbourne, the Auckland Cup, the Rotorua Cup, the Flying Handicap and the Summer Cup in Sydney, was one of the best. He had a soft spot for Mister Chips because he used to get homesick and cheer up as soon as he returned home, and with the ill-fated Vanderford he won 11.
After winning four races for Don Hayes, Vanderford joined Bourne's stable, and won six in succession at the start of his 4-year-old campaign, notably the Methven Cup off 48yds, the Laing Handicap from Rustic Lad and Flying Blue, the Flying Stakes at Ashburton from Robin Dundee and Cardigan Bay, and the Hannon Memorial. He was the beaten favourite in the NZ Cup won by Cardigan Bay. He was never so good at five, where his only win was at Forbury Park.
Vantage, Larnie Scott, Doctor Scott and the speedy trotter Al Mundy were among other good horses he trained.
Aged 81 at the time of his death, Bourne continued to follow sport, especially rugby which he loved so much, during his retirement.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 9Oct91