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Wildwood Junior , with owner Bill Kerr

1909 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

Wildwood Junior, having his first and only race of the season, gave the other contenders a pacing lesson in the 1909 New Zealand Cup. By the time the post was reached, Bill Kerr's brilliant but unsound pacer was 40 yards ahead, winning in 4:39. The margin remains the most decisive in the history of the race.

In 1895 Kerr bought the three-year-old colt Wildwood for £500 on one of his trips to the United States. Two years later he bought the mare Thelma from her breeder, J Todd, of Lincoln, for £50. She turned out to be a great New Zealand-bred foundation mare. Wildwood Junior was the second foal of their mating. A five-year-old black stallion, Wildwood Junior was the eigth favourite of the 10 starters, mainly because he had not raced that season.

On the same day, Willowood, Wildwood Junior's full-brother and the result of the first mating of Wildwood and Thelma, won the Au Revoir Handicap after losing several lengths at the start. Unlike the Cup winner, whose victory was unexpected, Willowood went out favourite. He was retired unbeaten in three starts, recording a win in each of the 1907-08, 1908-09 and 1909-10 seasons.

The 1909 Cup was raced at a time when the country was divided on the gambling issue. The 1908 Gambling Act, passed by Sir Joseph Ward's Government still had bitter opponents. A day or so before the Cup, more than 100 people waited on the Prime Minister in Wellington, protesting at the increase "almost beyond belief" of the gambling evil. Sir Joseph Ward, from all accounts, gave them a sympathetic hearing, but it did not prevent him attending the Show Day racing. Certainly, as the momentum of Cup week gathered in Chrischurch , the country had its agitators seeking a change in the legislation to reduce racing permits.

That enormous strides had been made in harness racing in Canterbury was evidenced by the opening day of the meeting. The Metropolitan Club offered stakes of 5502 sovereigns. The Cup stake, increased to 700 sovereigns, was the richest offered for a harness race in New Zealand or Australia. The Cup card was regarded as the best offered by a harness club with the qualifying time of the race tightened to 4:45. For the first time the race carried a restricted handicap, which was set at 10 seconds and designed to give the backmarkers a better chance of victory. The Cup was raced on the first day, Tuesday, setting a pattern that existed for many years.

An exciting newcomer, King Cole, a son of Ribbonwood from the Rothschild mare Kola Nut, was the favourite, but, along with Durbar, he boke at the start and was out of the race. Albertorious, bracketed with Revenue (driven by Manny Edwards), was the next-best supported, but for the third time he let down his backers, finishing well back.

For a lap John M, Verax, Imperial Polly and Master Poole formed the leading group. Further on, Wildwood Junior got within striking distance of the leaders and, with a mile behind him, burst into the lead. From that point the outcome was never in doubt. The further they went the greater the lead became for Wildwood's speedy five-year-old son. There was a great contest for second, with Terra Nova finishing half-a-length ahead of Lord Elmo, a duplication of their 1908 placings. Then followed Revenue, Imperial Polly and Master Poole. Imperial Polly, unsuccessful in the Cup on three occasions - 1909,1910 and 1911 - was by Prince Imperial. Later, at stud, when mated with Logan Pointer, she produced Imperial Pointer, who to Rey de Oro produced Imperial Gold, dam of tha amazing Gold Bar. Lord Module, the star of the 1979-80 season, traces back to Imperial Polly.

Bill Kerr's association with harness racing stretched back into the previous century. In 1887 he bought a block of 50 acres on Wainoni Road, halfway to New Brighton, and established his stud, later appropriately named Wildwood, and private training establishment. He and his brother Charles trained numerous horses there. Later, the brothers dissolved their partnership, Charles setting up as a public trainer and Bill concentrating on breeding and training his own horses.

Wildwood Junior first raced as a three-year-old in the 1907-08 season and soon worked his way into the best circles. As a green colt he won the Progressive Handicap at Addington in 4:50.8 and later, as a four-year-old, the Courtenay Handicap in 4:41. He eclipsed those times in his first Cup victory, clocking 4:39.

Wildwood Junior, standing an impressive 16.1 hands, was described as a commanding and perfectly-shaped stallion. However, his racing days were restricted because he had unsound legs. His only races in the 1909-10 and 1910-11 seasons were the New Zealand Cups, an both times he was successful. In the latter season he was the top money-winner, solely from his 700-sovereign share of the 1000-sovereign Cup prize. As a two-year-old, Wildwood Junior served two mares, and the matings produced two good performers in Calm and Goldie, both of whom won their first three races. Calm was favourite for the 1913 Cup, but finished third.

With earnings of £1656, Wildwood Junior was retired to Kerr's stud as a seven-year-old, but not before he had become the first double-winner or the New Zealand Cup.

Prince Albert won the main race on the Thursday, the Christchurch Handicap, from King Cole and Lord Elmo. On the Friday, Al Franz, a speedy four-year-old, won the Courtenay Handicap from Albertorious and Aberfeldy.

A total of 27 bookmakers operated each day, yet despite that opposition the totalisator took a record £45,018. The £3072 invested on the New Zealand Cup was only £86 short of the 1907 record.



Credit: Bernie Wood writing in The Cup

1910 NZ TROTTING CUP

The race of 1910 will be long remembered for the series of mishaps associated with it. Just after the field had been sent on its two mile journey Walnut swerved across the track and collided with Manderene, both horses losing their drivers. Then King Cole ran into El Franz, whose driver was thrown out of the sulky. In the meantime, Manderene had practically taken charge of the track. Careering around at a mad gallop he forced the other competitors to get out of the way as best they could. One of the few to escape trouble was the previous year's winner, Wildwood Junior. Cleverly driven by his owner-trainer, William Kerr, the handsome son of Wildwood got an almost uninterrupted passage and had no difficulty in defeating Bright and Ribbons.

Of all those early winners, Wildwood Junior stood out in a class by himself. Either he or another of Wildwood's progeny in the sensational Ribbonwood, would have equalled the performances of some subsequent winners had the track conditions and training methods under which they raced been equal to what they are nowdays.

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NZ Trotting Calendar 31 October 1945

In 1909 and the following year Wildwood Junior won the NZ Cup. Many experienced horsemen who sa Wildwood Junior's performances, and every Cup winner since, are still of the opinion that Wildwood Junior ranks with the greatest winners of the race. His dam was the Kentucky mare Thelma. Thelma is one of the gems of the Stud Book. Not a great deal is known about her ancestry, as the Stud Book states she was from the thoroughbred mare Pride Of Lincoln, by Touchstone, second dam Sally (imp), but if anything can be written regarding her progeny it must be acknowledged that, despite the fact of inability to prove many tabulated ancestors, her breeding could hardly have been anything but aristocratic. To further enlarge on the influence of Thelma's progeny, it need only be mentioned that her daughter Authoress was the dam of Author Dillon, who won the Cup in 1918, and he in turn was the sire of Auditress, who was the dam of Marlene, the 1940 Cup winner; further, Wildwood Junior was the sire of the dam of Lucky Jack, also a dual Cup winner.

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Bernie Wood writing in The Cup

Wildwood Junior set an Australasian record for two miles when he easily won his second NZ Cup. His time of 4.33 beat the record set by Ribbonwood seven years earlier. The Cup was again the only race Wildwood Junior contested during season. If he had stayed sound he might have been the country's second champion pacer, after Ribbonwood. The free-going son of Wildwood received a great ovation from the large crowd when he and owner-trainer-driver Bill Kerr returned to the enclosure.

His record run was remarkable because he had had to race through a disorganised field of 15, with a strong easterly wind and dust frm the front-runners hampering his progress. The stake for the Cup reached four figures for the first time and the club offered 6000 sovereigns over the three days. The time limit for the Cup was tightened to 4:44, and a capacity field of 16 made that mark, most of them pacers, though a few trotters were still able to make the top field.

Wildwood Junior was handicapped eight seconds behind the front line. Trackwork before the race suggested that Wildwood Junior, Al Franz, Manderene, Walnut (an Otago representative who came north with a big reputation), Ribbons and Aberfeldy would dispute the finish. The three-horse bracket of Manderene, Dick Fly and Albertorious, from the stable of Manny Edwards, were the favourites, with Albertorious the least popular of the three. Wildwood Junior, Walnut and Al Franz were the next-best supported.

Unfortunately, the race was a poor spectacle, spoiled by a series of mishaps. At the start Walnut swerved across the track and collided with Manderene, both horses losing their drivers, Robert Logan and Manny Edwards respectively. King Cole played up and ran into Al Franz, who dumped Charles Kerr on the track. Several others suffered interference, while Durbar refused to leave the mark. It was the second year in succession that King Cole and Durbar had failed to start.

Verax went to the front for Claude Piper and led from Bright, Fusee and Ribbons. For much of the race the driverless Manderene hampered the leaders. At the halfway stage Wildwood Junior got near and, passing the stands for the last time, Bill Kerr worked him in behind the leader, Verax. Once into the back straight Wildwood Junior went to the front and won by four lengths from the pony Bright, who ran an exceptional race for Tom Frost. Bright paid £21 15s for secod, a place dividend that has not been exceeded in the Cup's history. Ribbons (Free Holmes) was third 10 lengths back, then at considerable intervals came Aberfeldy, Terra Nova and Lady Clare.

A total of 29 bookmakers operated on Cup Day and brought the club £560 in fees. Totalisator investments were £17,036, of which the Cup attracted £4205. The three-day turnover reached a record £50,889. A new grandstand, with a seting capacity of 2500 and reported to be the finest in New Zealand, was in use for the first time. The outside patrons were given the use of the old grandstand, so altogether 6000 could be seated at Addington. After the second race the New Zealand Trotting Conference president, Phineas Selig, officially opened the new stand.

The weather on the second day was again perfect. Of great significance was the appearance on the programme of the Dominion Handicap, later to become major race for trotters. However, in 1910 the race was open to maiden performers assessed at 5:10 or faster. Two Australian records were broken on the third day. Redchild recorded 4:40 for two miles, the fastest ever in saddle; and Dillon Bell, a three-year-old, ran 4:41.4, a time never previously recorded by one of his age, when he beat Terra Nova, Aberfeldy and the other top-class horses in the Christchurch Handicap.

Credit: 'Veteran' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 13Nov63

WILLIAM KERR

The death occurred last week of Mr Wm. Kerr, famous in earlier days of trotting as a trainer and studmaster at 'Wildwood Farm,' New Brighton.

Wildwood Junior, winner of the NZ Cup in 1909 and 1910, Admiral Wood, Thelma, Calm, President Wilson, Goldie and others won numerous races for Wm. Kerr and his brother, C Kerr. At one time Wm. Kerr was the outstanding trainer in Canterbury.

'Wildwood Farm' was named after the great imported trotter Wildwood, who was brought from America as a 2-year-old by Mr H Richardson in 1894 and was subsequently purchased by Wm. and C Kerr. Wildwood proved a great trotter in a limited racing career in this country and during his 10 or 11 seasons at the stud he sired some great horses, notably the champions Ribbonwood and Wildwood Junior.

Writing of 'Wildwood Farm' many years ago, Mr F C Thomas, now living in retirement at Riccarton had the following comments: "The writer well remembers his first introduction to Wildwood, soon after the black son of Good Gift arrived in Chistchurch. Though still showing traces of his journey from San Francisco to Christchurch, he filled the eye as quite the best looking young horse ever brought to these shores. He was then rising three, and after a few week's spell was put into light work at Kerr's track. It was two seasons later, however, that he first faced a racecourse crowd, and though of practically unknown quality, he was backed for the Record Reign Handicap at the Showgrounds as if the race was all over bar shouting. Despite his opponents including much better-performed horses such as General Tracey, Albert Victor, Little Willie, Sam Slick and Viking, he was required to give them starts ranging from 4 to 10 secs in two miles. In the field also was a little fancied candidate hailing from Ashburton, Prince Imperial, owned by Mr A G Holmes, and driven by Newton Price. After going a fine race Wildwood just failed to concede Prince Imperial the required 4sec start, though he managed to account for all the others.

"It was this race that led up to the famous match between Wildwood and Prince Imperial at New Brighton, over which big sums of money changed hands. Dave Price drove Prince Imperial, and Willie Kerr, through the indisposition of his brother, held the reins over the black trotter. Wildwood won in two straight heats. Subsequently he showed his worth in races at the Showgrounds, New Brighton and Plumpton Park.

"On retiring to the stud Wildwood was not long in establishing his speed-begetting ability, as a sire of both pacers and trotters. On of the earliest to bring him fame was Ribbonwood, who defeated the Australian champion Fritz in the greatest match ever held in NZ. Another of Wildwood's sons, Wildwood Junior, must take rank as among the greatest racehorses of modern times. In their home trials there was little to choose between Wildwood Junior and his son Admiral Wood. Whereas the latter gained Blue Ribbon distinction, the 'black demon,' who did his racing before Derbies were instituted, won the NZ Trotting Cup in 1909 and 1910.

"Before both these Cups Wildwood Junior had done everything asked of him at his home track, one of his trials being two miles in 4.31, coming home the last mile in 2.10½. He was also a success at stud, tieing for first place on the sires' list for the number of races won, with Logan Pointer, in the 1921-22 season."

Wildwood Junior mares and their innumerable descendants also made their mark, and his blood courses through the veins of such great horses as Highland Fling, Lucky Jack and a host of others. From Wildwood Junior's dam Thelma, Wm. Kerr bred a great line of additional winners, successful sires and producing mares, and this great foundation mare has become the most famous of all Colonial-bred matrons. Winners in NZ and Australia descended from her in the direct maternal line are now close to the century mark.

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F C Thomas & 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 21Feb51

Long before light-harness racing had been established on recognised courses in the Dominion, meetings were held by a few enthusiasts on the New Brighton beach. They were rough-and-ready affairs. Few of the competitors had had any training outside their daily routine between the shafts of tradesmen's carts. Most of the races had small sweepstakes attached to them, while the prizes were frequently of the utility order, such as a set of harness, a saddle or even a whip.

At one of the early meetings William Kerr made his first public appearance, and the finished manner in which he handled Queen B and Maud S was an augury of his later development into one of the greatest reinsmen ever associated with trotting in the Dominion. Some years later he and his brother Charles set up a training establishment at Wainoni, about half-way to New Brighton, which, in the course of time, became famous for the number of winners it turned out, besides being the foaling place of several champions. The establishment is still there, its homestead and tall macrocarpa hedges being a reminder of it's past glory.

When William and Charles Kerr set up as public trainers at Wainoni their abilty soon became recognised, and their stable was generally full. At every meeting, whether at New Brighton, Plumpton Park or Lower Heathcote, their colours were always to the fore, and frequently half the days programme came their way. When Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club was formed, much better stakes than usual were given on the opening day, and William Kerr won a £400 race with Blue Mountain. Up to this time the majority of horses passing through the Kerr Bros' hands were of the utility order. Those that showed more than average merit were gone on with, but the majority returned to their original sphere of usefulness.

As related in last week's issue, in 1894 Mr H S Richardson, of New Plymouth, imported two sires, Wildwood and Ha Ha; also two broodmares - Alice Azmoor and Norbell; a quartet that played a very important part in helping to build up the Dominion's light-harness industry. Mr Richardson had intended his collection as the nucleus of a North Island stud, but through the agency of the late Mr Joseph Chadwick, a well-known sporting journalist of his time, it was agreed to sell the lot to the brothers Kerr.

Wildwood was a handsome black son of Good Gift, by Electioneer, from Amlet, by Fallis (son of Electioneer; second dam Almeda, by Langford (thoroughbred); third dam Lady Bell by Williamson's Belmont; fourth dam Puss, by American Eclipse. It was an unusual pedigree, for Wildwood was a grandson of Electioneer on the sire's side, while his dam was a great grand-daughter of the same horse. Another feature of the pedigree was the unusally strong infusion of thoroughbred strains. There was four of these in Good Gift's veins, and a like number in those of Amlet.

Wildwood, as a 4-year-old, was put into work by William Kerr and soon showed form of an outstanding order. A number of races came his way, and his appearance at any meeting was an attraction, for most of the local 'sports' had as yet not seen a Yankee trotter in action. About this time Dave Price had in his stable a 4-year-old pacer known as Prince Imperial, a son of Hambletonian Bell Boy and his old favourite Princess, a champion pacing mare - a real sensation of her day. From his first appearance on the tracks Prince Imperial was hailed as a coming champion as he had carried all before him in his public trials. Discussion as to the merits of the two horses became general, the outcome being a match of £500 a side, best two of three one-mile heats.

Excitment reached fever heat when the two champions took the track at New Brighton. But, like so many contests of a similar nature, the match failed to live up to expectations. In the first heat Wildwood quickly raced past his opponent, and from this out the issue was never in doubt. Nor did Prince Imperial fare any better in the second heat. Again the American horse soon drew clear, and though Prince Imperial struggled on gamely, it was soon evident that he was outclassed. Wildwood soon afterwards was retired to the stud. He found a ready affinity with Thelma, who subsequently made good her claim to rank as the greatest producer and foundation mare of all Dominion-bred matrons.

Hearing that Mr John Todd, of Lincoln, had a useful sort of gelding for sale on his farm, William Kerr took a run out to inspect the juvenile. It did not come up to the would-be purchaser's expectations, but he was greatly taken with Thelma, who became his for the sum of £30. And what a great investment it turned out to be!

Thelma, who won several races, including the Champion's Plate, was seven when she retired. She produced 16 foals from 1902 to 1917 and died in 1922. He first foal was Willowwood (by Wildwood), who retired with an unbeaten record: he started only three times, once each season in 1907-08, 1908-09 and 1909-10 and led the field home on each occasion. He must have been a horse of some class, because in one case his winning margin was 10 lengths in a mile and a half race and in another it was 12 lengths in a mile race. His best time was 2.24.

Full relatives to Willowwood were Thelma's foals for the next three years - Wildwood Junior, 4.33, Marie Corelli, 2.17, and Authoress. Wildwood Junior was a champion stayer but unsound. Proof of his calibre is given by the fact that his two NZ Cup victories, in 1909 and 1910, were his only races during those seasons. Wildwood Junior became a very successful sire, and tied with Logan Pointer for first place for the number of races won in the 1921-22 season. Wildwood Junior sired more than 100 individual winners and his daughters bred on very successfully their progeny including Lucky Jack (dual NZ Cup winner), Olive Nelson (one of the best trotters of her day), Zincali (one-time mile and a half record holder), Bingen Palm, Zingarrie, Ronald Logan, Mute, Sure, Wild Guy, Midshipmaid, Probationer, Trenand, Belle Lorimer, Ambition, Real Girl and Dundas Boy. All told, Wildwood Junior mares produced more than 140 individual winners. Wildwood Junior also basked in great reflected glory when the claim was authenticated that the fourth dam of Highland Fling, 1.57 4/5, was an un-named mare by the Wildwood - Thelma horse.

Adonis, by Harold Dillon, as his name implies, was a handsome little chap. He was also a fine racehorse, winning in saddle and harness and was good on top of the ground or in the mud. He made a specialty of two-mile saddle races, and his numerous winning performances in harness included the Metropolitan Courtenay Handicap, Forbury Handicap, Metropolitan Parliamentary Handicap, Forbury Park Kitchener Handicap, all two-mile races, and the Metropolitan International Handicap, a leading mile and a quarter event in those days. Adonis also twice finished second in the National Cup. He had not been long at the stud in NZ when he was sold to the New South Wales studmaster Mr A R Tewksbury and became a very successful sire at the Delavan Stud. Adonis sired in the Dominion Queen's Own and Away, both Cup horses.

Waverley, by Galindo, was a good racehorse from three years of age. That season he won a mile harness event in his only start. At four years he made only two appearances and won over two miles in one of these by a wide margin. At five years he was again a decisive winner over two miles at Otahuhu. As a 6-year-old he finished second to Steel Bell in the Auckland Cup and won the President's Handicap, two miles, at the same meeting. At seven years he won a mile harness race in heavy going and the Australasian Handicap, two miles, in 4.35, both at Auckland. Waverley did most of his stud duty at the 'Willowbank' Stud, Southland, and got many winners, including Willow Wave (Auckland Cup), Master Roy, Lynwood, Play Wave, and Jolly Drive.

Of the other sons of Thelma, Neil Denis and The Pointer were the best racehorses. Neil Denis won three races and The Pointer six races. Azelzion also won races, and he and Neil Denis sired an odd winner or two. Aristos, another son of Thelma, did not race. The Pointer was gelded.

Daughters of Thelma who were excellent racehorses were Marie Corelli, 2.17, by Wildwood, Lady Sybil, 2.18 2/5, by Rothschild, and Cameos, 2.15 1/5, by Galindo. Lady Sybil as a 3-year-old was a winner over two miles in harness; at four she won three races, in saddle and harness; and at five she won twice, taking her best record of 2.18 3/5, a good effort in her day. In a restricted career Marie Corelli won two races and took a record of 2.17. She possessed great speed. Cameos, in her only start as a 3-year-old, won the Stewards Handicap, a mile and a half harness event at Forbury Park by half a dozen lengths. At four she won three races, including one over two miles in saddle by a dozen lengths. She won two more races the following season and also divided two great mares in Adelaide Direct and Emmeline in an important sprint at Forbury Park. Authoress did not race.

After Wildwood Junior, the next member of the tribe to carve a niche for himself on the rock of ages was a grandson of Thelma, Author Dillon, winner of the NZ Derby, NZ Cup - and the November Free-For-All three years in succession.

Onyx, who for some years held the NZ mile and a half record of 3.13 against time, and won numerous races before finally finishing second in the NZ Cup, was a famous grand-daughter of Thelma. She won £10,747 in stakes at a time when prize-money was less than half of what it is today. Onyx did not live long at the stud and her only foals were Princess Onyx, whose 3.39 1/5 for a mile and a half still stands as the 2-year-old trotting record, and Baron Chenault.

Free Advice, a great-grand-daughter of Thelma, was a splendid all-rounder who at one time held the mile and a quarter record for a mare. Her crowning achievement in an era of giants - Harold Logan, Wrackler, Kingcraft, Roi l'Or, Logan Park, Logan Chief, Peter Bingen and Lindbergh were among her contemporaries - was to win the second qualifying division of the 1931 NZ Cup from Wrackler, Kingcraft and Harold Logan and finish third to Harold Logan and Kingcraft in the final. A celebrity of the trotting gait who came through the Lady Sybil branch of the Thelma family was Pilot Peter, winner of the Dominion Handicap, 1938.

Classic winners of more recent years tracing to Thelma are Moana Tama (NZ Sapling Stakes); Nelson Eddy (NZ Champion Stakes); Horsepower (Great Northern Stakes, NZ Champion Stakes, NZ Futurity Stakes and Great Northern Derby); Pacing Power (Timaru Nursery Stakes, NZ Sapling Stakes, Oamaru Juvenile Stakes, NZ Derby and NZ Futurity Stakes); Free Again (Great Northern Stakes), and Perpetua (NZ Sapling Stakes and New Brighton Oaks).

Another mare that proved very prolific to the Wildwood strain was Gertie, a daughter of Knight Errant. She was imported from America to Sydney in 1890 by Messrs Trestrail and Burns, who subsequently passed her on to William Kerr. At the Wainoni establishment her first foal by Wildwood was the speedy Storm, followed by Stormlet and Stormless. In 1907 she was mated with Wildwood Junior, and the result was a bay colt called Calm, who did his breeder good service on the tracks. On one occasion Calm ran third in the NZ Trotting Cup, a race that Kerr always maintained should have been his. In his trials, Calm was the equal of Wildwood Junior, but was not nearly as genuine. Gertie's later foals, all by Wildwood Junior, were Gertiewood, Breeze, Calmly, Peaceful, Leewood and Taunekaha; a truly notable collection.

No mention of Wildwood would be complete without reference to his greatest son, the sensational Ribbonwood. This speed merchant was bred by Mr G H McHaffie, of New Brighton. Though he never had his name inscribed on the list of NZ Cup winners, he won many important events and made history by his easy defeat of Fritz in the never-to-be-forgotten match at Addington. Ribbonwood was phenominal for his day, he was the first horse in the Southern Hemisphere to break 2.10 for a mile.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 14Feb51

FRED JOHNSTON

Mr Fred Johnston, who died in Christchurch last week, at the age of 86, shod horses for 54 years. He was one of the best known farriers in the Dominion and was the official farrier at Addington meetings for about 25 years.

Among the great horses he put shoes on were Author Dillon, Red Child, Kentucky, Thelma, Bellflower, Durbar, Marian, Aberfeldy, Dan Patch and Wildwood Junior.

Fred Johnston, who was still attending meetings at Addington and New Brighton up till the close of last season, saw all the champions from Fritz and Ribbonwood down to the present time, and he declared right up till the end that Wildwood Junior was the best horse he ever shod. Wildwood Junior won the NZ Cup twice, and Fred was convinced he would have won the race a third time if he had not broken down. Wildwood Junior was one of the finest specimens of the standard breed seen on Dominion tracks up to his day - and later. Fred Johnston, in an interview with the writer some years ago said of Wildwood Junior: "He was a treat to put shoes on. His four shoes weighed only 13ozs in all. We had made some progress even in those days, as you see," said Johnston.

Wildwood Junior, a pacer, won the NZ Cup in the years 1909 and 1910. "But," he continued, "what a headache the early trotters used to give us! They were nearly all speedy cutters, and the pacers were mostly cross-firers, and I used to lie awake at night trying to puzzle out ways and means of improving their gait. You see, in the early days the breed wasn't there. The farrier was expected to make trotters out of cart horses. Today, they are so well bred they are gaited, so to speak, as soon as they are foaled."

Johnston thought knee-knockers were at their worst about 40 years ago. In later years knee-knockers, in his view, were not worth going on with. It would always remain a hard defect to cure. He recalled that when Peter Riddle, a very successful Australian trainer, first came to NZ with a team of horses, he had had the pleasure of shoeing Riddle's horses. Riddle remarked to Johnston: "If you can't get a horse that doesn't knock its knees , don't have one at all." That is what Riddle thought of knee-knockers. Other authorities, Gus Milsom and Bob McMillan, were of the same opinion.

"But in the early days we had no option. There were few good-gaited horses about. Round about 1897 a man named Bob Day came to Sydenham with a team of horses, among them Gazelle, a trotter, and the first to break five minutes for two miles at Lancaster Park. I mention this mare in particular because she was easy to shoe, wearing only a 4oz shoe on each foot," said Johnston, who often referred to the axiom: "No foot, no horse!" "That's as true today as ever it was," he said. The foot was the one essential thing about a horse; a defect in any other part may not make it useless, but a bad foot could make it unsuitable for anything except breeding.

Fred Johnston's passing emphasises the acute depletion of the ranks of the Dominion's farriers. At the last meeting of the NZ Trotting Conference, in Christchurch, the Ashburton delegate, Mr A J McNicoll, drew the attention of delegates to the plight of the horse-shoeing trade. "Farriers are a dying race," he said. There is not a single farrier in Ashburton. The nearest one was in Tinwald, and he was an elderly man. He urged Conference to promote some scheme for the training of young men as farriers. "In a short time, if nothing is done about it, it will be practically impossible to get a horse shod," warned Mr Nicoll.

Mr W G Clark (Winton) said it was a very live question. There was little incentive for a 'young fellow' to become a farrier and the authorities were apparently apathetic to their interests. After Mr A L Matson (President) had spoken, Mr Nicoll agreed that the matter be left to the incoming Executive with a recommendation that everything possible should be done to encourage young men to become farriers.


Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 13Aug52

WILDWOOD

Mention of the influence of the Wildwood strain in the pedigree of the NZ Cup winner Cairnbrae - and the innumerable winning descendants of Tairene - has prompted a Calendar reader to draw our attention to an article by the late F C Thomas which appeared in a Christchurch weekly paper more than 40 years ago.

Here is Mr Thomas's article:

The writer well remembers his first introduction to Wildwood, soon after the black son of Good Gift arrived in Christchurch. Though still showing traces of his journey from San Francisco, he filled the eye as quite the best-looking young horse ever brought to these shores. He was then rising three, and after a few week's spell he was put into light work at William Kerr's New Brighton track.

It was not until two seasons later, however, that he first faced a racecourse crowd, and though of practically unknown quality, he was backed for the Record Reign Handicap at the Showgrounds as if the race was all over, bar shouting. Despite his opponents including much better-performed horses such as General Tracey, Albert Victor, Little Willie, Sam Slick and Viking, he was required to give them starts ranging from 4 to ten seconds in two miles. In the field also was a little-fancied candidate hailing from Ashburton, Prince Imperial, owned by Mr A G Holmes, and driven by Newton Price. After going a fine race Wildwood just failed to concede Prince Imperial the required four-second start, though he managed to account for all the others.

It was this race that led up to the famous match race between Wildwood and Prince Imperial at New Brighton, over which big sums of money changed hands. Dave Price drove Prince Imperial, and Willie Kerr, through the indisposition of his brother, Charlie, held the reins over the black trotter. Wildwood won in two straight heats. Subsequently he showed his worth in races at the Showgrounds, New Brighton and Plumpton Park.

On retiring to the stud Wildwood was not long in establishing his speed-begetting ability, as a sire of both pacers and trotters. One of the earliest to bring him fame was Ribbonwood, who defeated the Australian champion Fritz in the greatest match ever held in NZ. Another of Wildwood's sons, Wildwood Junior, must rank against the greatest racehorses of modern times. In their home trials there was little to choose between Wildwood Junior and his son Admiral Wood. Whereas the latter gained Blue Ribbon distinction, the "black demon," who did his racing before Derbies were instituted, won the NZ Trotting Cup in 1909 and 1910.

Before both these Cups Wildwood Junior had done everthing asked of him at his home track, one of his trials being two miles in 4.31, coming home the last mile in 2.10½. He was also a success at the stud, tieing for first place on the sires' list for the number of races won, with Logan Pointer, in the 1921-22 season.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 13Jan65

FINAL MEETING AT NEW BRIGHTON

The New Brighton course would now become Queen Elizabeth II Park and in 20 years time or so it could develop into the Hagley Park of the seaside suburb, said the Deputy Mayor of Christchurch (Councillor H P Smith) who was speaking at the closing ceremony of the club at its final meeting on its own course on Saturday. Cr. Smith said the New Brighton Club's gesture in offering the property to the City Council at much below the sub-divisional value was a magnificent one. The 'City Fathers' would be 'just as jealous of every square yard of it' as they were of Hagley Park, he continued. People would be able to enjoy recreation on the new park "for time immemorial".

The crowd of nearly 10,000 which attended on Saturday far exceeded expectations, and the £104,625 handled by the totalisator on-course was £32,000 more than last year. The main event, the A E Laing Handicap, carried a £50 trophy presented by Mr Laing, a former president who has been in hospital for some weeks. Five other presidents are still active officers of the club and races were named after them on Saturday's programme. They are Messrs W E Desmond, O Hutchinson, A G Jamieson, A McDonald and S J Moore.

Mr W F Stark, the president, in introducing the Deputy Mayor, thanked the public for their generous support in the past and extended to all a warm welcome to the club's future meetings at Addington. Queen Elizabeth II Park would be "real value for posterity" he said , and he was thankful that sub-division of such a fine place had been avoided. Officers of the club gathered in the birdcage for the ceremony, at which 'Now Is The Hour' and 'Auld Lang Syne' were sung.

A long list of champions, notable among them Wildwood Junior, Reta Peter, Adelaide Direct, Willie Lincoln, Agathos, Onyx, Peter Bingen, Great Bingen, Harold Logan and Josedale Grattan, were trained, at one time or another, on the New Brighton track. Between 25 to 40 years ago New Brighton was one of the busiest training centres in NZ, and trackwork was covered by the Christchurch daily papers - particularly when there were two morning and two evening papers - just as fully and prominently as the training activities at Addington.

Back in the late 1920s J N (Jim) Clarke trained a large team from Brooklyn Lodge (now occupied by George Cameron), and Peter Bingen, Great Bingen and Willie Lincoln were among the horses who occupied stalls in his stable. Contemporaries of Jim Clarke who come readily to mind included A J (Alf) Wilson, who trained and drove Reta Peter, twice winner of the NZ Cup; W (Bill) Warren, N L (Nelson) Price, J D (Doug) Smith, H (Harry) Frost, H(Harry) Aker, G (George) Robinson, A E (Arthur) Bussell and E R (Ernie) Husband.

Much earlier, the brothers W (Bill) and C (Charlie) Kerr, won renown with Wildwood Junior, Admiral Wood and others; M (Manny) Edwards took Adelaide Direct to the top; C Channing's Agathos was among the top flight of pacers in the early 1920s and Onyx, trained by J (Jack) Messervy, was the champion mare of the Dominion about the same period. Much later Pot Luck, trained by his owner H (Bert) Stafford, was a headline pacer trained at New Brighton, and F J ('Wizard') Smith used to quarter his team there on his regular visits to Christchurch meetings - Josedale Grattan and Nell Volo were among his great ones who had their final trials ay Brighton before important wins at Addington. W ('Tiger') Barron, was a prominent seaside trainer of over 30 years ago with horses owned by Mr D Rodgers.

There were others, many of them: the Jardens, the younger Kerrs and Smiths and Messervys, R (Dick) Motz and his son Arnold, E F C (Ernie) Hinds, D (Dan) Mahoney, E (Ernie) Hawtin, T H (Tom) Gleeson, G L (George) Mitchell, L C (Lester) Frost, F R (Fred) May, L (Lester) Davidson; and coming right down to the present day G (George) Cameron and A (Alf) Rhodes are among those still holding the fort along with A Richards, A Kendall, G Tisch, A L Mugford, W Ireland and a few others.

New Brighton at one time was as fast as any track in the country - Happy Voyage's 2.04 1/5, which stood as the NZ and Australian mile record for a season, was established on the track in 1923. In 1925 the champion mare Onyx, a lovely piece of horseflesh, went 3.13 against time for a mile and a half, which stood as a NZ and Australian record for a number of years. And on more than one occasion the peerless Harold Logan broke records from long handicap marks there - his 2.36 3/5 in winning the mile and a quarter Avon Handicap from away back on 84 yards (then a 'world's winning race record') will live on in the writer's memory as one of the greatest displays of good manners, brilliance and courage ever seen anywhere.

According to the late F C Thomas, a well-informed trotting historian of the early days, New Brighton is one of the oldest courses in NZ used solely for trotting meetings, and it is now more than 90 years since the first trotting event was held in the district. The New Brighton Club did not exist in those early days and was not formed until about 1890. For some time before that the New Brighton Racing Club held trotting meetings and mixed galloping and trotting meetings on the course. The New Brighton Trotting Club did not hold it's first meeting until 1895, when £190 was paid in stakes and totalisator turnover amounted to £1648.

Anyone prepared to dispute this statement is referred to the NZ Turf Register, 1894-95, which details the "New Brighton TC Inaugural" meeting, Saturday, March 16, 1895, "weather fine, going rough". The first race was won by J Gallagher's Swinton by "300 yards" in 6.01 for two miles. The mile Dash Handicap and the two miles Avon Handicap went to T Walker's Mistake in 2.54 and 5.54 1/2 respectively. The New Brighton Handicap, run over two miles in saddle, was won by H Mace's FB in 5.34. Other winners were J P Martin's Toby II(two races) J Barrett's Lily, and W Kerr's Felix.

The property was at that time owned by Mr Henry Mace, who with the club's first president (Mr H McIlwraith) and secretary (Mr A I Rattray) first gained Government recognition of trotting through the old NZ Trotting Association, which had been formed in Christchurch in 1888. On the death of Mr Mace in 1902, the course became the property of Mr H Button, who had a stud and trained thoroughbreds from the Brooklyn Lodge stables. The club continued to prosper and bought about half the present block containing the track from Mr Button in 1909, the same year in which the club's first course superintendent (Mr R Davidson) was appointed. Mr Davidson's son, L Davidson, has trained horses on the New Brighton course until recent months.

The course was very rough in the early days, but it gradually improved under Mr Davidson's care until he retired in 1924. He was succeeded by Mr W Stevenson, whose son, Mr T Stevenson took over in 1936. Mr T Stevenson will complete 27 years as course superintendent on September 27, and will remain on the course when the Christchurch City Council takes over on October 1.

The club did not secure the remainder of the property until the early 1930s.

-o0o-

Vanderford had to be good to win the A E Laing Handicap. He made his usual fast beginning and was quickly up near the leaders. Vanderford followed Kingsdown Patch, one out, till rounding the turn into the straight. At that stage Kingsdown Patch could do no better, and it appeared as though Vanderford's driver, M Holmes, was forced to make a forward move earlier than he would have liked. Vanderford had to race very wide turning for home, but shaken up a little, he soon collared the leaders, and once he did the result was in safe keeping. Vanderford won going away by a length, to record his fifth success on end, and his fourth for the season. He now requires only one distance win to become eligible for the NZ Cup. Rustic Lad was second, Flying Blue third and Avante fourth.

-o0o-

To the consistent Master Alan went the honour of winning the last race on the New Brighton course, and his success was a popular one. Earlier in the season Master Alan had been runner-up to Cardigan Bay at Hutt Park and second to Doctor Dan at New Brighton a fortnight ago. Master Alan raced in about the middle of the field until the turn and joined the leaders about the furlong. Master Alan responded in grand style to record 2.08 4/5, the last half being run by the leaders in 1.02 4/5, the final quarter in 31 2/5 secs, on a track which was not fast. Junior Royal paced a little roughly early in the race and was doing his best work in the concluding stages. Robin Dundee paced a sound race and made up ground for third. Doctor Dan was next, followed by Lordship, who had every chance. He is obviouslt not at his best.


Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 25Sep63

Fred Johnston & Zingarrie

FRED JOHNSTON

Fred Johnston has been shoeing horses for 54 years. He is the official farrier at Addington meetings.

This maestro of the anvil chorus opened a blacksmith shop in Sydenham in 1890, and down through the years, under his "spreading chestnut tree" have stood such celebrities as Red Child, Kentucky, Thelma, Bellflower, Durbar, Marian, Aberfeldy, Dan Patch, Author Dillon, Admiral Wood, Wildwood Junior and hundreds more. And Fred is still on the job. When I looked him up on Saturday he was deftly rasping away at a nimble foot belonging to Zingarrie.

Fred paused in his rasping to answer my question: "Wildwood Junior was the best horse I ever shod," he replied. "He won two Cups, and his third would have been easy if he hadn't gone wrong. The black horse's shoes weighed only 13oz in all. We had made some progress even in those days, as you see," added Johnston, "but what a headache the early trotters used to give us! They were nearly all speedy-cutters, and the pacers were mostly cross-firers, and I used to lie awake night after night trying to puzzle out ways and means of improving their gait. You see, in the early days the breed wasn't there. The farrier was expected to make trotters out of cart horses. Today, they are so well bred they are gaited, so to speak, as soon as they are foaled."

Fred Johnston mopped his brow. He had just been all through the throes and anxieties of levelling up the footwork of a particularly bad knee-knocker he had to deal with 40 years ago. The mere recital of it made him feel like the village smithy of old, and honest sweat glistened in beads on his brow.

"Knee-knockers!" he exclaimed, while continuing the mopping. "They were at their worst 40 years ago. Today few knee-knockers are worth going on with. It was always a hard defect to attempt to cure. When Peter Riddle first came to this country with a team of horses, I had the pleasure of doing his shoeing. He said: 'If you can't get a horse that doesn't knock its knees, don't have one at all.' That's what he thought of knee-knockers. Gus Milsom was of the same opinion: so was the late Bob McMillan," added Johnston. "But in the early days we had no option," continued our worthy smith. "There were few good-gaited horses about."

Johnston went into some detail to explain what a scalper is, and instanced the case of a great trotter named Red Child, who raced about 50 years ago. Red Child scalped very badly. It was impossible to race him without scalping boots on the hind feet to protect him from striking himself with his front feet. Many a headache he gave me before I got him right," said Johnston.

"But I had a worse case than that. It was McKinley, a horse I owned myself, and the worst cross-firer I ever had. I could have slept in peace if I had had the knowledge in the year 1902 I gained in later years. McKinley pulled so many front shoes off he nearly had me in the asylum. But when I did get him to rights he was a good horse."

"What do you regard as your greatest shoeing triumph?" I asked the man of the forge.

Without a moment's hesitation Fred answered: "A trotter called Impatient." He went on to relate how Randall McDonnell had a horse of that name, and wanted to race him at Addington. "I asked Randall if the horse had any defects, and he answered: 'Yes; he paddles in front and dwells behind.' That wasn't so simple; but I took his shoes off and weighed them, and asked Randall what weight he wanted on the horse. His reply was; 'He's in your hands; do what you think best.' I decided to lower the heels of his front feet a quarter of an inch, but that made a longer toe on his front feet. I put three ounces more weight on him than he had before, and made his hind shoes three ounces lighter. Then I put good caulks on the heels, and rolled the toes of the hind shoes. Randall worked him next day, went to the races, and won a three-mile race with him. He did not put a foot wrong. I still consider that was my master-piece," said Johnston reflectively.

"Round about 1897 Bob Day came to Sydenham with a team of horses, among them Gazelle, a trotter, and the first to break five minutes for two miles at Lancaster Park. I mention this mare in particular because she was easy to shoe, wearing only a 4oz shoe on each foot. Bob Day, incidentally, is still hale and hearty, and was at the last matinee meeting at Brighton," added Johnston.

"No foot, no horse! That axiom is as true today as ever it was," said Johnston. The foot was the one essential thing about a horse; a defect in any other part may not make it useless, but a bad foot could make it unsuitable for anything except breeding. "If all horses were straight-legged and sound in bones and hooves, the task of the trainer would be greatly simplified," said our farrier, "and there would be no headaches for us."

Nature however plays her little pranks with horseflesh just as she does with humans, and the horse is prone to the same freakish twists and deformities that beset the human race. What science, veterinary skill and balancing have done to correct these deficiences with the aid of modern shoeing methods forms a fascinating study. Much of the improvement in pacing and trotting speed is due to the particular genius of men like Fred Johnston. His life-long struggle for balance in gait has led him to explore many avenues in equine chiropody; in fact, the trotting footwear specialist is one of the most important units in the game.

Although horse-shoes have been made for many centuries, and their general design has not changed, and presumably never will, there have been many refinements. Fifty years ago, Fred Johnston will tell you, it was no uncommon thing for harness horses to wear shoes each weighing a pound or more, but today shoes are made as light as possible, commensurate with proper protection.

Fred was always sending to America for shoeing data in the early days, and he attributes some of his success to the information he was able to get from a shoers journal published by the late Wm. Russell, an expert in the craft. The Americans have naturally always been in the forefront in the shoeing of the trotting horse, because there the standard-bred as we know it today originated. And what a story the history of American shoeing tells us! Weight has been gradually decreased from the terrific load of two pounds on each foot to less than a pound on the whole four!

Some of the early colt trotters carried excessive weight, and Belle Nara, 2.08¾, who in 1888 lowered the world's record for yearlings in a race, to 2.38, carried almost two pounds in shoe and toe-weight, on each foot. Even 10 years later the amount of weight carried by the cracks resembled, in many instances, the old-timers rather than the modern colt. A conspicuous instance was Peter The Great. It took a lot of iron to balance him, but few were aware just how much. The statement appears that he won the Kentucky Futurity of 1898, carrying a 12oz shoe and 5oz toe-weight on each foot. Five years later, when Lou Dillon made the two-minute trotter a reality, she wore shes that weighed 4½oz each in front, and 3½oz each behind. She wore no toe-weights.

Brittle-footed horses are always a problem. Indianapolis was one of the worst cases ever experienced in this country. His feet were very dry and brittle, and before he won his first NZ Cup one of the front hooves split from top to bottom, and the blood was oozing out. A clever riveting operation by the late E Archer, another celebrated man of the anvil, enabled the big pacer to carry on and win three Cups; but if the delicate operation to his foot had been out so much as a hair's breadth, he would never have raced again.

Even in the early days of man attention had been drawn to the brittle nature of the horses hoof, for in Judg. v22 we find it stated: "Then were the horse-hoofs broken by the means of their prancings." In ancient Greek and Roman journals also it is found that armies had to be disbanded in consequence of the horses' hoofs breaking and wearing. The exact time, however, when shoes were allpied to horses feet is not known, but the Persians get the credit of being the first to use them. In the year 1653 an iron shoe was found in the tomb of Childeric, King of France, who died AD 481, and William the Conqueror is credited with having introduced the art of horse-shoeing into England.

Horse-shoeing is "Science With Practice." For the shoer to have a knowledge of the different forms or kinds of feet, to shape the various kinds of shoes and attach them properly, and then give a reason for his work, is one of the finest samples of "science with practice." The doctor's patient can tell him where it hurts. A veterinary surgeon or a farrier has to find out for himself.



Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 11 Oct 44

Author Dillon & Ben Jarden in the winner's circle

1918 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

Author Dillon had only just escaped the fire at trainer Ben Jarden's stables a year before with a singed tail, but on this occasion was far too quick for 10 rivals on Cup day.

A son of leading imported sire Harold Dillon and Authoress, a sister of Wildwood Junior, Author Dillon was the champion of the time and was so superior on this day, despite giving away starts of up to seven seconds, that he had the race in safe keeping half a mile from home.

Handicapped on the benchmark of nine seconds and out of the next two Cups, Author Dillon won three consequtive NZ FFA's, comfortably having the better of Cathedral Chimes off level marks, and went on to a successful stud career despite limited opportunities.

His credits in that respect included the dam of 1940 Cup winner Marlene.

**NZ HRWeekly 1Oct 2003**

The 1918 New Zealand Cup was billed as a match race between the two outstanding horses, Author Dillon and Cathedral Chimes, the former handicapped at 4:27 and Cathedral Chimes at 4:24 in the 11 horse field. Cathedral Chimes, bracketed with Matchlight and Sherwood, Author Dillon, bracketed with John Dillon, and Randle McDonnell's Emilius carried three-quarters of the £11,158 10s invested on the race. Agathos and Admiral Wood, both of whom had lost all form, had little support. From the front, Sungod had a 10-second start from Cathedral Chimes and seven seconds from Author Dillon. But that huge advantage was not enough.

Sungod, driven by 19-year-old F G Holmes - having his first drive in the race - and Moneymaker (Andy Pringle) made the early pace, but failed to stay the distance, finishing third and fourth. Second favourite Author Dillon paced a splendid race, being patiently handled an well driven by Ben Jarden. Itwas obvious four furlongs from the winning post the Author Dillon had the race in safe keeping and he won by four lengths from Matchlight (Albert Hendricksen), who finished a game second and rescued the James Bryce trio.

Emilius broke at the start and lost a lot of ground. He made several attempts during the race to get closer by following Author Dillon, but faded and finished fifth. Adelaide Direct failed to show any dash, while Agathos, Admiral Wood, John Dillon and Sherwood were never prominent. The biggest disappointment, however, was Cathedral Chimes, who began slowly and toiled in th rear, finishing a long last.

Author Dillon's time of 4:26.4 was a national race-winning record and, when retuned to the birdcage, he and Jarden received a great reception. Cheering broke out again when the club president, Charles Louisson, presented the silver cup to Jarden. Author Dillon was hailed a champion and his subsequent form confirmed his standing as th country's best-performed pacer to that time. Two days later he won the first of his three consecutive New Zealand Free-For-Alls, beating Adelaide Direct by two lengths, with six lengths to Cathedral Chimes, and the only other starter, Admiral Wood, beaten off. Author Dillon's New Zealand Cup - Free-For-All double at the same meeting has been repeated 25 times.

Willie Lincoln, by Lord Elmo, who was second behind Matchlight in the Courtenay Handicap, won the third-day Christchurch Handicap. However, Author Dillon provided th sensation. He started 12 seconds behind the winner and was beaten by only a half-length. He paced a world-record 4:24.6. The £2000 won by Author Dillon was the largest sum won at a harness racing meeting in New Zealand. Ben Jarden raced three horses at this meeting, John Dillon and Huon Patch being the other two. All were in the money, netting Jarden £2405. Author Dillon was the season's top earner with £2350.

Cup Day racing was marred by a fall in the fourth race, the Riccarton Handicap, in which James Bryce broke his leg. No other driver was hurtand no horses suffered injuries. While the fall sidelined Bryce for a considerable time, the family name was not absent from the tracks, because James Bryce junior made his appearance at the age of 16 and won the third-day Australasian Handicap with Joan of Arc.

Author Dillon started in two further New Zeand Cups, pacing a world race record of 4:21.6 in 1920 when finishing third. Over seven seasons he was the top earner only once, though in 1920-21 he was runner-up to Willie Lincoln. He eventually went into retirement aged nine, having raced 58 times, for 18 wins and 14 minor placings. His lifetime earnings reached £7760, won during a period when stakes were very low by today's standards. He paid for his brilliant performances with increasing handicaps and from early on was starting from near-impossible marks. At the time of his retirement, Author Dillon had lowered his mile time to 2:06.4. In addition, he held the two-mile(4:21.6) and one-mile-and-a-quarter(2:41.4)records, sharing the latter with Our Thorpe who, just before the 1918 Cup, set a mile record of 2:06.2 against time at Addington. Sungod, third in the 1918 Cup, eventually went to stud in Southland, where he was the leading sire for many years.

Ben Jarden raced a big team. He later moved from Islington to Yaldhurst, where he set up his Irvington Stud and in 1940 he moved to Lower Hutt and trained a small team at Hutt Park. The Jarden name was kept to the forefront in the 1950's through the deeds of Ben Jarden's son, Ron, who became one of New Zealand's greatest rugby stars. For a time Ben Jarden stood Author Dillon at his Irvington Stud, and later Sir John McKenzie stood him at Roydon Lodge. Author Dillon proved a successful sire. He produced two Cup-class offspring (Author Jinks and Lindbergh) and a Dominion Handicap winner in Writer. His daughters produced several good winners, among them Marlene(1940 New Zealand Cup winner), Knave Of Diamonds(placed in the 1947 Cup) and Indian Clipper.

Author Dillon's sire, Harold Dillon, was an outstanding producer who took over from Rothschild as the leading sire in New Zealand. He was at the head of the list for six seasons, from 1916-17 until 1921-22. He was foaled in California in 1903 and imported to New Zealand bt Etienne Le Lievre as a yearling. The American horseman Robert McMillan stood Harold Dillon at his Santa Rosa Stud, at Halswell, with outstanding success. Author Dillon was certainly his best offspring, but others who made Cup class were Paul Default, Dolly Dillon, Oinako, Lord Dillon, Sungod, Waitaki Girl and Adonis. Harold Dillon mares also produced nemerous winners, the best being the great race and broodmare Parisienne, dam of La Mignon and Mary Wootton, La Mignon ran third in the 1957 New Zealand Cup and later produced the brilliant Garcon Roux. Mary Wootton, to U Scott, produced Scottish Command, who also recorded a third in the New Zealand Cup, in 1961. Scottish Command left his mark at stud, producing Sole Command, who won the NZ Cup in 1977, and the Auckland Cup in February 1978, and Trusty Scot, winner of the 1978 NZ Cup. Scottish Command became the third New Zealand-bred sire, after Johnny Globe and Young Charles, to break the stranglehold that the imported sires held on the New Zealand breeding scene. He finished top sire in the 1977-78 season.

**Bernie Wood writing in The Cup**

Credit: NZ HRWeekly 1Oct03

Albert H & A Hendriksen

1912 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

The influence of Rothschild in the early part of the century was never more evident than in the outcome of the 1912 New Zealand Cup, an in the composition of the field that went to the post.

The first three placed horses - Albert H, Ravenschild and Glendolough - were all by Rothschild. this outstanding achievement was later equalled by Light Brigade in 1957, when his progeny - Lookaway, Thunder and La Mignon - were the first three past the post. With the exception of Quincey, who was by Vancleve, all the other 15 acceptors in 1912 were descendants of either Rothschild or Prince Imperial. The latter had four representatives, while Rothschild had seven of his own, three by his sons and one by a grandson.

Albert H, a seven-year-old bay horse, was Rothschild's second New Zealand Cup winner, the first being Belmont M, in 1906. Driven a patient race by his trainer Albert Hendriksen, having his first Cup experience, Albert H came with a determined run in the final stages to win going away by two lengths. Ravenschild (Free Holmes)took second, with four lengths to Glendalough. Albert H paced the two miles in 4:48.8. Emmeline stood alone at the back on handicap, with her nearest rivals, St Swithin and Aberfeldy, five seconds away. The front-runners Medallion, Manderene, Ravenschild and Piecework started from nine seconds. Albert H was one of seven who started from eight seconds.

Albert H was the season's leading money-winner with £881. He was started only twice in the 1911-12 season - at the Canterbury Park meeting the previous June - and had won on both occasions in heavy ground. In August of the current season he was second in the King George Handicap, and the same afternoon won the International Handicap, over a mile-and-a-quarter. Despite this form he started seventh favourite in the Cup.

His dam, Jessie M, was by a thoroughbred horse, Son Of A Gun, who had placed second in the 1888 New Zealand Galloping Cup. Originally 18 horses had been accepted for the 1912 Cup, but Silver Princess and Lady Clare were withdrawn. Altogether 128 runners were accepted for the first day's racing, providing eight capacity fields.

St Swithin was made Cup favourite, Auckland pacer Manderene was second Choice, and Redchild, a trotter, was the next-best supported. However, all three failed to pay a dividend. The start was a shambles. Harry McNae's Gold Bell broke and collided with St Swithin, who dislodged his driver, Andy Pringle. Manderene also broke badly at the start. Bright stumbled after half-a-mile and was pulled up, and Medallion became another casualtywhen he broke and was pulled up near the mile post. So, again, the race was not a good one, with many horses not performing up to their handicaps, and the field was well spread over most of journey.

Showers on the second day made the track heavy. in the main race Adonis (Free Holmes), by Harold Dillon from Thelma, thereby a half-brother to Wildwood Junior, beat Sparkling Kola and Quincey. One of the two trotters who had contested the Cup, Quincey improved on his run when he beat the pacers on the third day, in the Courtenay Handicap. The Vancleve stallion ran an excellent 4:38, 10 seconds faster than the Cup time of Albert H. Master Raymond won the Dominion from Muricata and Kelso, taking 4:52.2 to trot the two miles.

The early indications were that the 1912 meeting would be a successful one, and so it proved. Totalisator returns on Cup Day smashed all records. Betting reached £32,969, with £7053 invested on the Cup. The turnover for the three days was £99,177, well within reach of the club's next milestone, £100,000.

Two alterations greeted patrons when they arrived at Addington for this meeting. The club had put up a large board, visible from all parts of the ground, on which were the names of the riders or drivers. Because of the growing importance of vehicular traffic, the club had bought more land and built a special roadway and entrance for all vehicles.

Harry Nicoll was the top owner for the third consecutive season with £987, well down on the £1547 and £1222 he had won in the previous two seasons.

Credit: Bernie Wood writing in The Cup

Lady Clare and driver Jack Brankin

1911 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

Lady Clare, the second mare to win the New Zealand Cup, was a six-year-old by Prince Imperial from Clare, who was by Lincoln Yet, the sire of Monte Carlo.

Her trainer, James Tasker, who had been successful with Marian in 1907, took the drive behind her more favoured bracketmate Aberfeldy, and entrusted the drive behind Lady Clare to Jack Brankin. The Cup field was not a strong one, with Wildwood Junior out of the way. Also missing from nominations was King Cole, the star of the August meeting. King Cole, winner of the King George Handicap from Bribery and Dick Fly, and the National Cup from Havoc and Bright, had been temporarily retired to stud. The club received 14 nominations, but the early favourite, St Swithin, was injured and withdrawn. Sal Tasker, who had not raced for four years, and Manderene were two other defections. The front starter, Imperial Polly, received five seconds from the back marker, Bright. Al Franz, because of some outstanding trials, was race favourite, with the bracketed pair of Dick Fly and Redchild, from the stable of Manny Edwards, also well supported. Redchild was the only trotter entered.

The field did not get away at the first attempt because Free Holmes, the driver of Bribery, jumped the start. Medallion stood on the mark and took no place in the race, while Bribery went only one lap and then pulled up lame. Lady Clare led from the start and at the halfway stage was still in front, followed by Al Franz, Dick Fly, Imperial Polly, Aberfeldy, Havoc and Redchild. The mare held on to the lead to win by a length, in 4:38, from Dick Fly, with necks to Al Franz and Redchild. Then came Aberfeldy, Bright and Havoc.

The Cup victory was the last of Lady Clare's seven career wins, but she showed her durability by racing over eight seasons. Indirectly, she featured again in the Cup in 1988, when Luxury Liner turned the clock back 77 years. Lady Clare was the firth dam of Luxury Liner. Lady Clare's £700 from the Cup stake of 1000 sovereigns was the only money she won during the season. Emmeline, an outstanding mare by Rothschild from Imperialism, a Prince Imperial mare, won £949 and was the season's top earner. Rothschild and Prince Imperial were both still standing at stud in the Canterbury area. Rothschild was at Durbar Lodge, in Ashburton, available at a fee of 10 guineas. Prince Imperial and his son, Advance, stood at James McDonnell's Seafield Road farm, also in Ashburton. Prince Imperial's fee was also set at 10 guineas, but Advance was available at half that rate. Franz, the sire of Al Franz (third in the Cup), stood at Claude Piper's stud at Upper Riccarton, at 10 guineas. Franz was a full-brother to Fritz, by Vancleve from Fraulein.

A new surname at that time, but a very familiar on now, Dan Nyhan, introduced another great harness racing family to Addington. Nyhan trained at Hutt Park and ha won the 1909 Auckland Cup with Havoc. He was the father of Don Nyhan, later to train the winners of three New Zealand Cups with his legendary pair of Johnny Globe and Lordship, and grandfather of Denis Nyhan, who drove Lordship (twice) and trained and drove Robalan to win the Cup.

Of all the stallions in Canterbury, Wildwood Junior commanded the biggest fee, 12 guineas, but he held that honour only until 1914, when Robert McMillan, an expatriate American horseman, stood his American imports Nelson Bingen and Brent Locanda at fees of 15 guineas at his Santa Rosa stud at Halswell. He also had Harold Dillon and Petereta on his property. Harold Dillon, sire of the champion Author Dillon, was the top sire for six seasons, from 1916-17 until 1921-22, while Petereta gained some fame by siring the double New Zealand Cup winner Reta Reter.

The outstanding feature of the 1911 Cup meeting was the introduction of races restricted to trotters, particularly the Dominion Handicap. The move, prompted by the Metropolitan Club, came at an appropriate time to save horses of this gait from extinction in New Zealand racing. In the 1880s and 1890s there were two trotters for every pacer in New Zealand, but by 1911 the reverse ratio applied. With the advent of the sulky and harness from the United States, trainer in the 1890s found pacers easier to gait and easier to train, and learned that they came to speed in less time, so many trotters were converted to the pacing gait. Generally, the trotter could not match the pacer on the track.

Coiner won the Middleton Handicap on the first day, in saddle, and raced over two miles in 4:52. Quincey, who had been successful against the pacers on several occasions, got up in the last stride to dead-heat with Clive in the Dominion Handicap, with Muricata, a promising five-year-old, third. Muricata became the dam of double New Zealand Cup winner Ahuriri. The Dominion Handicap carried a stake of 235 sovereigns and was raced in harness for 5:05 class performers. Quincey's time was 4:37.4 slightly faster than Lady Clare recorded in the Cup on the Tuesday. Another of the 13 trotters in this race was the Australian-bred Verax, who started in the New Zealand Cup six times.

The meeting ended with some high-class racing on Show Day. In the Enfield Handicap, in saddle, Aberfeldy, from scratch, beat 14 rivals in 2:12.6, a New Zealand race-winning record for one mile. St Swithin, who had to miss the Cup, won the Christchurch Handicap from Emmeline and Little Tib. The Andy Pringle-trained pacer confirmed how unfortunate it was for his connections that injury denied him a Cup start.

Further improvements had been made at Addington, with a large new 10-shilling totalisator housebeing used for the first time. With bookmakers outlawed, the totalisator turned over a record £27,418 on Cup Day, and betting on the Cup of £6096 10s was a single-race record. The total for the three days of the carnival of £68,329 was an increase of £17,440 over the previous year.


Credit: Bernie Wood writing in The Cup