CLICK HERE TO GO BACK

Millionaire Luxury Liner & co-trainer Barry Purdon

1988 DB DRAUGHT NZ TROTTING CUP

The Year Book and the papers of the time will faithfully detail the 4:00.4 world record set by Luxury Liner in the 1988 DB Draught NZ Cup at Addington.

Unfortunately, they will not be able to reproduce the magnificent picture of Maestro emerging from the pack to put great pressure on Luxury Liner. Nor will they be able to describe the crescendo of noise and excitement once they realised that this was going to be Luxury Liner's day after all.

"Yes, you could say Addington owed one to Luxury," said driver Tony Herlihy after the race. This comment referred to the fact that Luxury Liner had finished second in two previous Cups and second in the Inter-Dominion Grand Final.

Herlihy, refreshingly modest in the glow of crushing victory, said he had "hoped to be there by the half. Everything was looking for a bit of a breather when we went. I didn't know what time we would go, though I knew he was capable of 4:02. I remember they were talking of going four minutes when Preux Chevalier came out for the Cup, but they only went 4:11. All I knew this time is that they'd gone hard." The scene till then had been one frantic whirl of attacks and counter attacks, no respites, no time to take hold and have a breather.

Skipper Dale showed out, but the lead then swapped; Gina Rosa taking them through the 2500 metres; Lord Lenny the 2200 metres; Elmer Gantry at the 1800 metres, and then the battleships came round - Luxury Liner and Master Mood. All the time Vin Knight sat with Maestro, watched, waiting like a black cat, ready to pounce. Speedy Cheval was up ahead, perfectly placed by young Peter Ryder, and Jack Smolenski had Gina Rosa in the third line.

Near the 600 metres, Knight flew out of his corner with Maestro, rushing with stinging speed at Luxury Liner and Master Mood. The momento of his sprint carried him quickly to Luxury Liner and past; so convincingly that one nearly weakened, put the glasses down and declared..."another Aussie win".

But Luxury Liner had no mind to surrender to the Australian-trained, New Zealand export; he became a stern peak in the way of the invader. As Maestro found the heat of the fight too strong, Luxury Liner made 'Rally' the cry to lift the Cup, salvage NZ pride, and join the millionaire club - with Bonecrusher, Empire Rose, Poetic Prince and Cardigan Bay.

Behind Maestro and Speedy Cheval came Gina Rosa and the dead-heaters Gaelic Skipper and Frangelico, who being last at the 1000 metres, really had no right to finish as close as she did. Asked if he was worried about second berth when Maestro came past, Herlihy said: "I hadn't gone for him. He's a tremendous stayer and you've got to wind him up."

Other comments:
Vinny Knight (Maestro): "He went a bit too quick when he went. He put a good length on Luxury Liner, then came back to me. My horse stopped. He had a couple of hard runs before he came over and then had a 14-hour trip. He didn't feel all that good in his prelim...he felt like an old cow."
Peter Ryder (Speedy Cheval): "He went to the best of his ability and had every chanc. He was flat round the corner but kept coming back at them."
Pat O'Reilly Jnr (Skipper Dale): "It was too much for him, the speed they were going."


Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HR Weekly

GREAT RACES: LUXURY LINER WAS ALL HEART - LITERALLY

The 1988 NZ Cup could not boast the depth of quality which most others could, but as a 'two-horse war' it was second to none and it showcased and splendidly capped the illustrious career of the greatest stayer of modern times.

The season had started out promising much, but one by one the likes of open class pacers in Ben, Bionic Chance, Emcee, Freightman, Metal Mickey, Rolls Hanover, Rostreiver Hanover, Sir Alba and Sossy dropped out of the picture for one reason or another.

The brilliant Bionic Chance was the one that hurt the most, being very much a Cup winning prospect but a 'last minute' defection - she fractured a pastern during her last workout two days prior to the race. She had won the Hannon that year and would attempt comebacks, but not win another race. And when the dust had settled, 1986 Cup winner Master Mood or Skipper Dale, third in the previous two years, had not raced up to their best form either.

The Cup in 1988 was in fact a sign of things to come, that is the price that would be paid at the 'other end' for poring money into juvenile racing. Billbob, Trident, Bionic Chance, Tuapeka Knight, Hammer and Honkin Vision had been Sires' Stakes 2yo Final winners at that point, while Slugger, Nardinski, Alba's Reign, Race Ruler, Godfrey, Tight Connection and Honkin Vision were winners of the Juvenile Championship within the same timeframe.

Of those fine young performers, only Bionic Chance and Tight Connection made any impression at all on the open class ranks, and even then they were sporadic and fleeting glimpses, and not a lot has changed either. People are drawn to racing and the track by horses they grow to admire, or 'champions.' The promise of a fast buck might entice a bit of investment in the breeding sector, but it does not pull people through the turnstiles, or generate turnover, which is horse racing's lifeblood. People will talk for days about Bonecrusher, Grey Way or Show Gate, or Lord Module and Lyell Creek, but how many could name a Magic Millions winner.

Anyway, Luxury Liner was one of those horses we grew to admire and November 8, 1988, would be his day. He had been runner-up the previous two years, running into one on the day that was just a bit faster (Master Mood) or tougher (Lightning Blue), but one thing would be for sure this time - he would not be a run short.

Luxury Liner had won the previous season's NZ Free-For-All, Auckland Cup (by five lengths), Easter Cup and Inter-Island Challenge Stakes along with an Inter-Dominion heat in Sydney. The four Group 1s and $585,234 in stakes that season saw him voted Horse of the Year, and his form in the spring of his 7-year-old season had also been exemplary, with a Cambridge track record for 2600m mobile of 3:13.5 (MR 1:59.7) indicating he was as good if not better than ever.

Standing in his way was a 10m handicap - the previous Cup winner from any mark had been Humphrey from six yards two decades earlier - and another Vin Knight special in (Our) Maestro, who had won that year's Inter-Dominion at Harold Park as a 4-year-old, but got in off the front as mobiles didn't count for handicaps at that point. Maestro had won 27 of 35 races and was coming off a win in the Maryborough Cup, where he started from 30 metres in downing Quite Famous, Jim O'Sullivan's 'second string' 8-year-old Cup contender when a 6-year-old (My) Lightning Blue was in a bit of a form slump.

Gina Rosa was a 6-year-old and the best mare around at the time, and she was favoured to place at least after a stout third behind Master Mood in the Ashburton Flying Stakes, while a 5-year-old Speedy Cheval was also at the top of his game, having beaten Skipper Dale and Master Mood at Forbury Park and been second at Kaikoura for new trainer Peter Ryder and owner Ron Annear. Outside the aforementioned, the only other starter given a chance was Lord Lenny, who was in good form that season for Owen Purdon with two wins at Alexandra Park over Luxury Liner.

Despite flight delays which saw the Vitorian pair arrive on the Monday morning prior to Tuesday's Cup, Knight and O'Sullivan were both "brimming with confidence." Knight had worked Maestro prior to the Kilmore Cup at that track over two miles in a 2:00 mile rate, last mile in 1:57 and half in 56, and the 5-year-old son of Gaines Minbar, bought as an unraced 2-year-old from Bryce Buchanan in Southland, had already been handed a Miracle Mile invitation. Quite Famous had also won over $500,000 and his 40 wins had included a Consolation of the 1987 Inter-Dominions at Addington after not being right in the heats. He had gone on a winning spree in the interim and O'Sullivan was sure he was "better than ever." Quite Famous was a good horse, but he was not up to being driven on a big track like Lightning Blue, a distinction he was far from alone in of course.

THE RACE
Several lead changes through the first mile meant that this Cup was not going to be one for the faint-hearted. Skipper Dale showed out first before Gina Rosa, Lord Lenny and Elmer Gantry took over in quick succession, and then the 'battleships' Luxury Liner and Master Mood arrived to ensure there would be no breathers during the remaining mile either. All the while Knight sat in midfield on the outer like a black cat - about to pounce. No sooner had Luxury Liner found the front with Master Mood in close attendance a lap out, than Quite Famous attacked three-wide.

Lord Lenny was the first to feel this relentless pressure in the backstraight, allowing a by now struggling Master Mood to drop onto the fence. At precisely the same point at the 600m, Knight unleashed Maestro and he whistled by Quite Famous four-wide and at such speed that his momentum carried him to a length lead over Luxury Liner turning for home. But Knight had gone for the doctor 200 metres too soon and just as Maestro started to battle at the furlong, an unflustered Tony Herlihy went for Luxury Liner. "When Maestro went past me I was still confident," said Herlihy later. "I had not hit him and didn't think it would be hard to win - just tougher. He is a tremendous stayer and you have got to wind him up."

Luxury Liner came clear to win by almost two lengths in the end, and as if the spectacle had not been enough, an applauding crowd was stunned into silence when the time was posted. Luxury Liner had recorded 4:00.4 when the previous race record had been Lightning Blue's 4:05.1 and the National record 4:04.8, set by Luxury Liner in winning the Thames Cup from 30 metres two years earlier. Four minutes for two miles from a stand was just not heard of, it had not even been contemplated as possible, even on a fine, still Christchurch day with $375,000 at stake ($400,000 for the first time from 1989).

Luxury Liner was a top horse at any time for several seasons, but over the extreme distance he 'grew another leg' and became a great horse, and pretty much unbeatable on his day. When he won a second Auckland Cup seven weeks later, from 15 metres in 4:03.8, it took his 3200m record to 10 starts for seven wins and three seconds - those defeats coming in two NZ Cups and a Franklin Cup from 30m.

The NZ Cup had made Luxury Liner the first millionaire racing in NZ alone, joining Cardigan Bay along with Bonecrusher, Empire Rose and Poetic Prince as millionaire racehorses bred in New Zealand. When retired after one start as a spring 9-year-old, Luxury Liner had won 37 of 86 races and $1,721,984, when Master Mood was the next highest stake-winning NZ-bred standardbred in Australasia with $806,925.

In the aftermath, Knight blamed the journey over for his horse being beaten, rather than conceding his drive and a better horse may have had more to do with it. "He went a bit too quick when he went. He put a good length on Luxury Liner, then came back to me. My horse stopped. He had a couple of hard runs before he came over and then had a fourteen-hour trip. He didn't feel all that good in his prelim...he felt like an old cow." Skipper Dale's driver Pat O'Reilly jnr summed up the thoughts of the remaining drivers when he said..."It was too much for him - the speed they were going."

For 30-year-old Herlihy, previously unplaced twice with Comedy Lad and second the year before - Brent Mangos was Luxury Liner's regular pilot until the start of his 6-year-old season - Luxury Liner was the first of three NZ Cups within six years. He would also score with the Purdon-trained millionaires in Christopher Vance(91) and Chokin(93), while his seven Auckland Cups to date is one more than Peter Wolfenden.

Luxury Liner was by Mercedes, one of the first sons of Meadow Skipper imported Down Under, and from the Meadow Al (Adios) mare Miranda Belle, whose fourth dam was the 1911 NZ Cup winner Lady Clare. Mercedes was not a commercial success, but his good progeny were renowned for their toughness. Gaelic Skipper, who finished in a dead-heat for fifth with Frangelico behind Luxury Liner in the '88 Cup after both were at the rear inside the last lap, was the next best pacer sired by Mercedes and also a grand stayer, as was his trotter Idle Scott. The latter won races from age four until 13, 45 and $573,081 in all, including a Rowe Cup and the NZ Trotting FFA in race record time a few days after Luxury Liner's Cup success.

That Luxury Liner had a great heart was never in doubt, but when tested he set another record of sorts. Dr Cliff Irvine pioneered heart scores in the 50s, and when he tested Light Brigade aged 23 in 1960, his score of 146 remained the standard until Luxury Liner came along with his 148.


Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 26Jul06

Luxury Liner (outer) prevails in a blanket finish

1987 AIR NEW ZEALAND NZ FREE-FOR-ALL

Some magnificent racing at Addington on Show Day was capped by the breathtaking finish in which New Zealand Cup runner-up Luxury Liner turned the tables on his victor Lightning Blue in the $100,000 Air New Zealand NZ Free-For-All.

This time honoured race has seldom failed to provide an exciting spectacle; Friday's had the crowd up on its toes and roaring as a dozen crack pacers bore down to the wire in a group that could in the end have been covered by a tarpaulin. The gutsy Lightning Blue had again worked early and sat parked, and this time he had to contend with the spriting abilities of Happy Sunrise, who zoomed around to replace Master Mood in front 1400 metres out. Jim O'Sullivan, Victorian trainer-driver of Lightning Blue, aware of Happy Sunrise's reputation, decided he couldn't let that rival his own way and that he had to apply pressure. When Happy Sunrise shook him off momentarily straightening, it appeared that the Methven wonder - whose sale to Queensland at a reputedly huge but undisclosed price was clinched on the eve of the race - was going to embellish his outstanding local record with another win. But somehow Lightning Blue, under hard driving from O'Sullivan, delivered up more. Nearing the finish it was Lightning Blue in charge again, with Happy Sunrise dying in the hole.

Then, from the centre of the pack, Luxury Liner, who had been three back on the rail most of the way and then all over the place in the run home as Tony Herlihy searched for a split for him, exploded to the wire to take a photo decision by a nose. O'Sullivan couldn't believe it. "You must have caught me in the very last stride," he said to Herlihy as they returned to greet the judge. "I didn't even see you; I thought I had won." Thrilled with the way Luxury Liner had performed, Herlihy said that it was well inside the last 100 yards that he had secured an opening to shoot for. It capped a great week for the Reids, of Waiuku, owners of Luxury Liner and of Fay Richwhite Sires' Stakes runner-up Top Vance.

Only half-head from Lightning Blue, Frangelico, who had been fairly handy throughout, fought strongly for third, with another half-head to Levendi, who finished boldly along the rail. Unused to the angle, Levendi's driver Glen Wolfenden thought he may even have won.

After the first mile of the race had been cut out in a remarkable 1:56 the pressure was kept on. The last 800m required 58.1 and the final 400m in 28.3, with the total time for the mobile 2000m 2:26.4 - a 1:57.8 rate.


Credit: Ron Bisman writing in HR Weekly

Tax Credit (outer) beats Luxury Liner to win the FFA

1988 AIR NEW ZEALAND NZ FREE-FOR-ALL

Tax Credit, originally balloted out in the New Zealand Cup, then wiped out at the start after getting back into the field, silenced his knockers by brilliantly nosing out his illustrious stablemate Luxury Liner in the $100,000 Air New Zealand Free-For-All.

The son of the Scotland-line American stallion Sir Dalrae started at 56-to-1 - false odds considering there was an excuse for the only real lapse in his lead-up form. Sir Dalrae was also responsible for the 50-to-1 winner on Cup Day - the Waikouaiti trotter, Francis Dalrae. Coincidentally, Tax Credit is raced by Colin and Mrs Pat Harvey, of Dunedin, and Francis Dalrae was formerly trained and is regularly driven by another Dunedinite, Alec Hastie, from whom Harvey took over his current bread delivery contract.

First leasing and then purchasing Tax Credit from Otama breeder Colin Baynes, Harvey trained him for his first six wins and then entrusted him to the Purdons. Right through, the big gelding's form has been solid, and his win on Friday took his career record to 13 victories, four seconds and four thirds from 36 starts for $198,515.

The Cup Day disaster began when, just prior to the start, he had to have his sulky changed. It stirred him up, and when the tapes were released he swung sideways and ruined whatever chance he had, finishing last. Before and after that episode Tax Credit worked brilliantly, and after Mark Purdon speared him into the early lead he was able to enjoy a perfect trail from the point where Luxury Liner moved past him to take over ending the first 600m. Tony Herlihy dictated the play from there, turning a solid pace into a torrid 56.6 sprint from the 800m. It was too much for thr opposition - except Tax Credit, who came off his back to grab him on the line.

Speedy Cheval followed his Cup third with another fine effort for a similar berth, a short length back, after being awkwardly placed five back on the rails until working out 600m from home. Maestro, who from his bad draw passed the stands with a round to go with only one behind him, was forced to race very wide outside Speedy Cheval's wheel to make his ground. Although two and a quarter lengths from third he again showed his class. An agitated Vin Knight insisted that had Maestro been given a fair go he would have won.

Colin Baynes, who was quick to congratulate the Harveys after the Free-For-All, is breeding from Tax Credit's dam, a Dancer George mare Taxi Dancer, who was injured as a youngster. Baynes who makes no secret of the fact that he let Tax Credit go to the Harveys "because we had too many three-year-olds and he was the worst mannered and wanted some individual attention," has a two-year-old brother by Surmo Hanover to Tax Credit named Star Credit and a yearling by Del Cavallo from the mare, who is in foal again.


Credit: Ron Bisman writing in HR Weekly

GOOD CHASE

Successful racehorse and sire Good Chase was humanely put down the Thursday before last at Rosewood Stud, Annat, age having finally caught up with him. "He was rising 29," said Dennis Watson, who drove the good son of Light Brigade, owned and trained by his father, the late Oscar Watson, to his 9 NZ wins. "He served a couple of mares this past year and got one of them in foal, but just recently he had been having difficulty breathing and getting up on his feet."

From a prolific winner-producing line nurtured over the years by the Watsons and widely recognised as the "Rosewood family", Good Chase was from the unraced U Scott-Rosewood mare Torlesse. Like Rosewood before her, Torlesse left a string of winners.

Rosewood, by the Jack Potts horse Gamble (winner of the 1934 NZ Derby and second to Lucky Jack in the 1937 NZ Cup), was unraced. She was one of only two filly foals bred by Oscar Watson from Peggywood, an unraced non-standardbred daughter of 1909 and 1910 NZ Cups winner Wildwood Junior. Lady Ngaio, Rosewood's full-sister, was trained at Yaldhurst by Basil Lynskey for Oscar Watson to win six races in the 1940s, but died before she could be bred from.

Oscar offered Good Chase as a yearling in the 1964 National Sale. The Reid brothers, Leo and Robert, of Waiuku, were about to buy him on the recommendation of the late Jack Shaw - a renowned judge of horseflesh - but shied off when Shaw detected a filling in one of the colts legs. The Reids instead paid 1000 guineas for the Garrison Hanover-Miranda Scott filly, which, as Miranda Bay, founded them an outstanding line of winners headed by Luxury Liner ($1.7m) and Christopher Vance ($1.5m).

When bidding ceased at 950 guineas on Good Chase, Watson, who wanted at least 1000 guineas for him, took him home. Good Chase became the top youngster of his day, winning eight races at two and three, including the Welcome Stakes and NZ Derby, then one of two starts at four, the National Handicap. At this point, with earnings of $13,330, Good Chase was secured in a lease arrangement by prominent American breeder-owner Allan Leavitt.

In America, Good Chase measured up to the best. He was placed in all three races of the 1970 International Pace Series at Yonkers Raceway, while his victories included the Provincial Cup in Canada and Dan Patch Aged Pace in New York. An injury to a leg, that necessitated an operation, forced Good Chase's retirement, and - with a career record of 37 starts for 25 wins, five seconds and two thirds - he returned to NZ to stand for Dennis and brother John with a full book in 1973.

Before he had left NZ for the States, Good Chase had served 20 odd mares, from which there were 11 winners. These include Willie Win (NZ Derby), Hardcraft (Welcome Stakes)and other excellent performers in Big Chase (Cambridge Gold Cup), Free Chase (placed third in the NZ Derby)and James Hadley (a big winner in America). Not able to duplicate that initial success with his first small crop, Good Chase quickly fell from favour, and over the past decade served very few mares. His daughters have bred on, among them being Millie's Choice, dam of the outstanding duo Smooth Millie and Millie's Brother.

"Good Chase was like a Rolls Royce to drive," recalls Dennis. "He actually died on the anniversary of Dad's death, which we did not realise until after he was put down. It's as if the old fellow might have him back again."

Credit: Ron Bisman writing in HRWeekly 26May93

Stable Foreman Hamish Molloy with Inky Lord

1989 DB DRAUGHT NZ TROTTING CUP

A small handful of grit might have been the key to Inky Lord's dynamite performance to win the $400,000 DB Draught NZ Cup at Addington Raceway on Tuesday. Driver Ricky May arranged for a starters assistant to place the tiny stones in Inky Lord's mouth just before the start. He thought the grit would be a distraction while he was at the barrier and could make the difference between a good start and a poor one. "I've got Jimmy Curtin to thank for that wee secret," said May later.

It was national news on Friday that Inky Lord had failed to begin cleanly at the pre-cup trials on Thursday and any show Inky Lord had in the Cup depended on a safe start. This information was enough to put the breeze up the best of Inky Lord's admirers.

Curtin and May are good friends and as they walked around before the start of the first race on Cup Day, Curtin said to his mate: "Put some grit in his mouth just before the start. Nine out of ten have gone away when I've used it." May had tried the bribe on other horses, but had never before thought of using it with Inky Lord. "It gave him something to do at the barrier, but he was so settled and relaxed that I'm sure he would have begun well in any case. Brian spent about two hours with him on Saturday; he was just such a relaxed horse this time," he said.

May confessed that he was still in two minds after his Hannon Memorial success whether it was right to start such a young horse in the Cup, but he was also aware the horse was improving so much with each race.

At a "rough count", May puts his number of wins at 260. He has driven Inky Lord in every trial and every race - bar one, and that was in the Sapling Stakes when Kerry O'Reilly stood in during a term of suspension.

Had it not been for a dreadful check 450 metres from the finish, Inky Lord may not have won the Cup. Buried back in the pack, 12 lengths away from pacemaker Kylie's Hero, Inky Lord appeared to lose all chance when Debbie's Boy broke ahead of him after interference, and drifted back. Driver Ricky May saw the benefit of a brilliant beginning and a chance of winning the Cup fall apart. The situation appeared hopeless. "It just took me out of the race. I didn't have a dog's show when that happened," he said.

To Inky Lord's advantage, the gaps ahead had opened, but it was a matter of whether the little black grenade would have time to muster his usual explosive finish. Moving to the outside of the track, following the bold challenges being made by Bold Shavid and Dillon Dean, Inky Lord used speed and competitive spirit to join in the chase after Kylie's Hero.

By this stage, the second favourite was finding the last 50 metres uncomfortable, and Bold Sharvid passed him bravely. Dillon Dean, driven a treat by Colin De Filippi, then took over. But Inky Lord was still in full cry and five metres from the finish, the four-year-old had his head in front.

"When I started to catch Luxury Liner I thought there might be some of the money in it for us. And, then as we got closer to the finish I knew there was a chance we just might get up. It was a phenomenal sprint. I really thought Colin had it until those last 10 metres," said May.

Tony Herlihy, who drove the favourite Luxury Liner, said the backmarker went good and tried hard. "He just couldn't get a breather at any part."

"I thought to myself 'where'd the black fellow come from',"said James Stormont, who drove the third placegetter Bold Sharvid.

"I was confident he would see it out and he fought well. It was only in the last stride or two that he lost it, said Colin De Filippi, the driver of Dillon Dean. "I was pretty confident I had everything covered. I had forgotten about Inky Lord, because I knew he was behind me, and I didn't think anything would come from behind Dillon Dean and beat him."

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HR Weekly

Jubilant part-owner Alan Hunter displays the Cup

1987 TOYOTA NZ TROTTING CUP

Melbourne businessman Alan Hunter, 52 year old co-owner of Inter-Dominion titleholder and yesterday's $300,000 Toyota NZ Trotting Cup winner Lightning Blue, has raced horses since he was 23.

"I bought my first horse, a Van Derby pacer named Great Effort, for a thousand pounds," he recalled. "I had to borrow money to do it, and I didn't know how to tell my father about it. He won a good few races for me, and I thought: 'This is easy.' I later found it wasn't so easy, but it hooked me on trotting. I have a few gallopers, including a jumper called Mister Mint, who could win our next Grand National Steeplechase; but I much prefer trotting and football to galloping."

Hunter estimates that he has won about 700 races with his horses. The bulk of this success has come since his profitable business involving cleaning chemicals and detergents has enabled him to spend up large since 1981. "I've had 78 winners at Moonee Valley since then," he said.

"My first NZ horse was Hubert Campbell, who won me 14 races and about $60,000. He was my favourite and a real top-liner. Since then, I've bought, through John Devlin, Paul Davies and other agents, at least a dozen Kiwi horses including My Surdon, One Happy Fella, Kilrush (who cost me $100,000, broke a pedal bone and didn't win me a race), Conga's Pride and That's Incredible. I tried to buy the NZ-bred Jay Bee's Fella, who has done so well in Western Australia, but the deal fell through; and he was beaten at the weekend so I might have been a bit lucky, as it was big bikkies involved. I pay a lot of money for good horses, but I would be ahead of it. It's a wonderful game, with wonderful people in it. Jim (O'Sullivan) is a super man with a horse, and a super man to know."

Hunter was obviously thrilled to be on hand to see Lghtning Blue's Cup win. "I went back to Melbourne at Inter-Dominion time, thinking I wasn't going to have a horse in the Final and opting to see a two-year-old race at Moonee Valley. As it turned out My Lightning Blue won the Final, my other horse here then, Quite Famous, won one of the consolations, and my youngster won at Mooney Valley all on the same night."

Yesterday, Hunter's partners in the horse, (Nes Conidi and Tony Prochilo) who had watched him win his Inter-Dominion Final, were both home in Melbourne.

Nothing made quite the smart start in the Cup as Skipper Dale. And this was rather unusual because Skipper Dale was off the second line and was fortunate to dash through a gap left by Sossy and Metal Mickey after only 70m. At the same time, Frangelico was being held up a place further out, Happy Sunrise broke briefly and Master Mood didn't make marvellous acceleration.

Tony Herlihy wisely sent Luxury Liner forward after 600 metres, and with two laps to run he was in front, ahead of Gaelic Skipper, Lightning Blue, Skipper Dale and Sossy. Four hundred metres later, Rum Brydon swept round, running hard, and he made the front near the 2000 metres. Jim O'Sullivan had Lightning Blue out of the trail at the same time, to sit in the 'death', outside Luxury Liner, and ahead of Gaelic Skipper.

The pace slackened near the mile and remained that way until near the 900 metres. Master Mood and Happy Sunrise were the last pair and facing an awfully difficult task, with the pace by now right on and Lightning Blue, Luxury Liner and Skipper Dale many lenghts in front of them.

On the corner, O'Sullivan had made his move passing Rum Brydon and receiving very generous response from Lightning Blue.

Herlihy, with more hope than confidence, sent Luxury Liner into the attack, Patrick O'Reilly joined in with Skipper Dale and Sossy came too. But Lightning Blue, showing the same extraordinary strength and courage of eight months ago, was quite supreme in the end, winning by a length and a quarter, with a short neck and three-quarters of a length between the others.

Rolls Hanover made progress strongly near the end which was commendable allowing for the fact he pulled a punctured tyre for the last 1400 metres.

The time of the race was 4:05.13. Lightning Blue ran his last 2400m in 3:00.7, and his last 1600m in 2:00. The first 800m of that 1600m took an easy 1:03.4, and the last 800m followed in 56.6, the last 400m in 28.5.

Credit: Ron Bisman writing in HR Weekly

Master Mood scores easily in the FFA

1986 BENSON & HEDGES NZ FREE-FOR-ALL

Part-owner, trainer and driver Kevin Williams confirmed a start in the Miracle Mile at Harold Park after Master Moods dazzling New Zealand Free-For-All win. But before he crosses the Tasman, the "pocket battleship" from Prebbleton will attempt to become only the fifth pacer to capture the big three at the New Zealand Cup carnival - the New Zealand Cup, New Zealand Free-For-All and Travelodge (formerly Allan Matson) Free-For-All.

After his breath-taking Cup success, Addington fans sent Master Mood out a warm favourite for the Free-For-All, despite his tricky draw from the outside of the front line. Williams knew what he was going to do, and as the mobile sped away from the 2000 metre mark, the Christchurch milkman eased his nuggety entire to the tail of the field.

Luxury Liner sizzled past stablemate Comedy Lad to take the lead before the first turn. But entering the straight the first time, Luxury Liner shied at a discarded ticket lying on the track and galloped wildly, checking Borana, Skipper Dale and Our Mana. Rocketing past the 800m pole, Master Mood, after sidestepping the tangling Luxury Liner, surged up three wide to take over from Freightman, Comedy Lad and Our Mana, who sat three wide outside Placid Victor. Rounding the turn, Williams stoked "The Master's" bottomless boiler, and the little stallion scurried away to a winning break, leaving his 12 humbled rivals struggling behind. And no wonder, after scorching over the 2000m in 2:28.15, a mile rate of 1:59.2, his last mile in 1:57.6 and the last 800m in 57.7. Our Mana boxed on bravely for second, shading Borana, Comedy Lad and the fast-finishing Placid Victor.

After the race, Williams said, for once in his life, he was thankful of being three-wide early in the event. "The only reason Luxury Liner missed us was because we were three-wide at the time - it's the only time I've liked being three-wide," he said. Williams said the trip to Sydney for their premier mile shouldn't harm his minute masterpiece too much. "Fortunately he hasn't had too much racing, and a trip wouldn't do him too much harm," he said. "But it's a hard trip for a horse. Hopefully we'll be able to go over and get back and freshen for the Auckland Cup."

Beaten Northern drivers Tony Herlihy and Maurice McKendry were both pleased with their efforts for fourth and fifth. Herlihy said Comedy Lad lost his chance of finishing closer when he angled him off the rails at the top of the straight. "He just didn't feel as good this way round," he said. "When I hooked him off on the turn, he just did not want to go, but once he was balanced he came home quite well." McKendry said Placid Victor was a better horse than he showed on Cup Day, but the strong entire still paced roughly around the top bend. "That cost us vital lengths and you can't afford to do that," he said. "But having the speed on all the way today helped him."

Credit: Paul Biel writing in HR Weekly

Master Mood, Frank & Stephen Wong & the Williams family.

1986 TOYOTA NZ TROTTING CUP

A chance meeting in a Dunedin fruit shop 12 years ago came to an unbelievable conclusion when Master Mood romped away with the $275,000 Toyota NZ Cup. For it was there the Wong family first met the Williams family and sparked an association which led to their partnership in the pocket battleship from Pebbleton.

After seizing the initiative with a courageous front-running drive and streeting his Cup rivals, part-owner and trainer Kevin Williams told the NZHRW about the random rendezvous back in 1974.

"Dad (former trainer Laurie Williams) was campaigning a mare called Lily Chase down in Dunedin, and went into a fruit shop to buy some carrots for her. He got talking to the guy behind the counter, who was keen on harness racing and wanted to find out what horse he had. He said he'd always wanted to race a horse of his own and it went from there." The man behind the counter was Frank Wong, and the merger between the two families was born.

From humble beginnings - Kevin Williams and Frank Wong won a race with a smart pacer called Avenge later that year before unsoundness claimed his promising career - the partnership blossomed into a deep friendship which has been crowned with their success with Master Mood.

They bought his dam, the Lordship mare Moods, for a paltry $3000 in the late 1970's, and a mating with the then unheralded colonial sire Noodlum produced Master Mood in 1981. And with Kevin's wife Bonnie and Frank's son Stephen in on the action with quarter shares, they've had some great times: the first juvenile to break 2:00 in a race in Australasia, the winner of nine straight races and the Horse of the Year title last season and now his prestigious NZ Cup success. "It's every owners dream to win a New Zealand Cup, but I honestly thought he'd be a race short," an overcome Stephen Wong said. Frank Wong spontaneously expressed his delight by hugging Kevin Williams upon his return to the birdcage.

The race was a personal triumph for Williams, who defended his horse after several ordinary performances in Cup preludes, and maintained throughout he had the horsepower to win the gruelling two-miler. "Although his preparation lacked racing, it was a good preparation, and I thought he was as good or better than anything in the race. He's a great little stayer, he just grinds and grinds, and he's a horse that races really well in front." So when Williams found himself challenging for the lead two laps from home, he didn't hesitate. "He's that sort of horse - he's a mug drivers' horse in that can't drive him pretty. He loves doing it tough in front, rather than trailing in behind."

The future months for the compact little stallion look exciting, and lucrative races here and in Australia will give him the opportunity to exceed $500,000 in stakes. Master Mood's four length Cup win hoisted his lifetime earnings to more than $350,000, and he'll have the chance to add to that later in the Addington spring carnival before possibly winging to Sydney for a crack at the $A140,000 Miracle Mile on December 5. "A guy rang me from Sydney three weeks ago and made a tentative approach, and there's a reasonable possibility he may go," Williams said.

Master Mood already has a dazzling mile time on Australian soil to his credit - a 1:56 Inter-Dominion heat win in Brisbane earlier this year.

In winning the Cup Master Mood went within a tick of matching Steel Jaws 3200m race and national record. Aggressively driven he thundered over the extreme distance in 4:05.56 - little outside Steel Jaw's mark of 4:05.3.

Williams didn't premeditate any tactics for the Cup, but once he had Master Mood pacing kindly in front with 2400m to travel, he was determined no horse would get past. So when fearless Southland stayer Malaz and his trainer-driver ranged up in search of the lead at the bell, they were out of luck. "Hamish tried to talk me into giving the front away, but I was having none of that," Williams said. "Master Mood races really well in front and I didn't want to get stuck on the fence. He's a horse that has to be in front rolling along and he loves doing it tough in front rather than trailing in behind. It's a funny thing, but the Cup is nearly always won by a horse that is cherry-ripe on the day, the horse that's peaking."

Few punters who saw Master Mood's impressive Cup trial last Thursday - he sat back before moving off the fence a lap from home to face the breeze and drew clear in the stretch - took heed and the 1986 Harness Horse of the Year went to the post a 16-1 chance.

Williams had no qualms about forcing such a strong clip in front, despite the calibre of some of his rivals. "I felt, whether he'd won it or not, it was a race run true and everybody had a shot." But most of Master Mood's opposition fired blanks when the speed cracked on at the 800m peg, after an opening mile in 2:04.4 and 2400m in 3:08.2.

Freightman, a determined stayer with a reputation for never flinching, couldn't keep up in the trail. Neither could favoured northerner Placid Victor, who enjoyed a perfect trip three back on the outer but couldn't sprint when the speed came. And any horse futher back than midfield faced an insurmountable deficit as Master Mood tore into a 57.4 last 800m.

"There was no way I could have beaten Master Mood when he ran a half like that," Skipper Dale's trainer-driver Patrick O'Reilly Jnr said. The Cup favourite, who led out then took a trail three back on the fence, slipped off the rails when Placid Victor began to pace roughly around the final turn. And Skipper Dale stretched out gamely in the straight, running home strongly for third, just a long head from runner-up Luxury Liner.

"At the 400m I thought he might win it, but the other horse was just too good," Luxury Liner's handler Brent Mangos said. "He went a great race and tried hard all the way down the straight." Luxury Liner followed Malaz one out in fourth spot from the 2400m pole, made all the right moves but couldn't cover Master Mood's explosive acceleration in the stretch.

Apart from the winner, the eye-catching performance came from Malaz, a typically gutsy effort which Hunter described simply and succinctly: "he's got awesome courage and stands up like a soldier." Malaz sat on the leader's wheel two laps from home, attempted tp forge past Master Mood at the winning post with a round left, and was still fighting proudly down the stretch. At the post Malaz was less than a half-length from second, and his raw courage was a talking point with the huge crowd afterwards.

Freightman battled hard for fifth, but didn't seem to enjoy the race, and Spry Joker defied his odds of 70-1 with a solid sixth after making up several lengths in the straight.

Leading reinsman Maurice McKendry didn't recognise the Placid Victor he sat behind during the $275,000 Cup. "He didn't feel himself today, and he had to pick today to do it. When they quickened up front he was battling to come home." The handsome son of Vance Hanover landed the worst marble in tomorrow's $75,000 Benson & Hedges Free-For-All (2000m mobile), and regardless of how he performs he'll fly back to Auckland on the weekend for the $50,000 BASF Franklin Cup (3200m) on Saturday week.

Master Mood drew the outside of the front line in the Free-For-All, but Williams expects the rugged little entire to emulate his Cup form. If he should complete a double for the meeting, Master Mood will join such top pacers as Robalan, Lord Module, Hands Down, Armalight and Bonnie's Chance, all of which bagged the two classics in the same year.


Credit: Matt Conway writing in HR Weekly

WILLIAM CLINTON

A court case involving a New Zealand Trotting Cup winner, a leading trainer and a well-known Canterbury owner was guaranteed to be a headliner.

The 1911 New Zealand Cup winner, Lady Clare, raced by Darfield farmer, William F Clinton, and trained at Addington by Jim Tasker was the centre of a suit for £600 damages (about half the stake of a NZ Cup in those days) against Clinton, money Tasker considered he had been denied in stake earnings by the owner's drastic actions.

Clinton had paid a hefty 165 quineas to buy Lady Clare at an Ashburton sale only a year before her Cup win. She had ability but had only won a few races. Tasker agreed to train her for 10 shillings a week (for race expenses and shoeing) the stakes evenly divided. He had trained and driven Marian to become the first mare to win the NZ Cup in 1907 and make his wife, Sarah, the first female owner though that seems a well kept secret. Tasker also bred and sold Sal Tasker, named after his daughter, an Australasian champion mare.

He imported the stallion Galindo and others from America. Tasker drove the fancied stablemate Aberfeldy in the 1911 Cup and Ashburton's Jack Brankin handled Lady Clare. She led most of the way landing big bets for Clinton. In court Tasker took exception to Clinton's lawyer Oscar Alpers claiming that he had driven Aberfeldy "on a tight rein". Justice Dennison reminded Alpers that it was not a trial for fraud. Aberfeldy started in four Cups from the stable.

Set all year for a 1912 repeat Lady Clare suffered a minor knock on a leg in October. Tasker wrote to Clinton saying he would aim at supporting features and withdraw from the Cup. Clinton, who had backed the mare heavily for the Cup threw Tasker's letter in the fire, rang the club and scratched her from all her engagements in Cup week. Tasker was furious and sued. The mare had recovered well and the club's vet passed her fit to race. Another, Dr Charlton, praised Tasker's professional approach to the mare's injury at the hearing.

The colourful Clinton was the star of the courtroom drama but destroyed his own case along the way. Described as "a bewhiskered and somewhat rustic looking figure" he confided to the judge that "of course I had had a whiskey by then" when Tasker's lawyer questioned his refusal to discuss the mare's programme with Tasker after the latter made a special trip to Tattersalls hotel to meet him. "Are you sure it was not a double?" the normally humourless Justice Dennison asked.

Clinton, one of the most successful farmers in Canterbury whose stock sales attracted buyers from all over the province, claimed the right to scratch even though the agreement with Tasker was registered. He then whispered loudly to the judge that as there were no ladies in the court he could say the words Tasker had used telling Clinton what he could do with the mare if he did not accept the terms. "That would be rather a large undertaking" Dennison dryly commented on hearing them, telling the typist to replace them with a row of stars. Clinton then made the damaging admission to the judge that the cost of his actions to Tasker was "no more than he had cost me by scratching from the Cup" - referring to his Cup bets. "Such a statement made the reason for the action of Clinton very plain indeed" the Judge told the jury in the summing up.

Tasker's lawyer Mr Stringer, questioned Clinton about incidents caused by drinking on past visits to the city in his Cadillac and whether this was another example. Clinton had appeared unsteady making his way to the witness box.
Clinton: "That is a personal question and I refuse to answer"
Stringer: "Haven't you in fact had a glass too much this morning?"
Cliton: "That is a very personal question and I won't answer"

At the end of the show the jury absolved Tasker of any Blame ans awarded him £350 in damages. Another sensation passed into history.

Jim Tasker is still the only trainer to win NZ Cups with two different mares. In a bizarre coincidence the 1944 winner, Bronze Eagle from a family Tasker had had for 40 years, was bred, owned and trained by his son, Cliff, until a few months before the race. Tasker lost possession of the horse in a marriage settlement. His former wife gave it to her son, William Suttie, of Springston, the official owner. In another coincidence George Noble, like Brankin, only got the drive because trainer Roy Berry opted for inform stablemate, Pacing Power. Bronze Eagle had several Cup starts and sired the near champion filly, Vivanti, an early star for Cecil Devine.

Tasker retained Bronze Eagle's half-brother, Sir Michael, which won the NZ Free-For-All and NZ Derby for him some years later. The Tasker maternal line starting with Mavourneen were shy breeders and the Group 1 winners were Lady Bridget's only foals over many years.

William Clinton, whose family remains prominent in West Canterbury, died suddenly in 1915 triggering the biggest farming sale in Canterbury for years. He had also bought and raced the high class little roan trotter Muricata, good enough to be nominated for a NZ Cup against the pacers. Adding insult to injury she was run down late in the 1913 Dominion Handicap by the Tasker-owned Michael Galindo. Sold in 1917 Muricata left the dual NZ Cup winner, Ahuriri, and another top class pacer, the pony roan Taraire, later winner of the Pacing Championship in Perth which preceded the Inter-Dominion.

The NZ Cup association did not end there. Luxury Liner the record breaking 1987 winner had as his fifth dam none other than William Francis Clinton's fine staying mare, Lady Clare.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in HRWeekly 26Jun1911