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J J KENNERLEY

It is with regret that we record the death of J J Kennerley, formerly of Christchurch, and later living in retirement in Auckland.

J J Kennerley, contrary to a general idea, was not an Australian. He was born in the Waikato, but at a early age he went to Australia with his parents.

It was in 1911 that Kennerley trained and drove his first winner, Lively Bells. Kennerley later won a Sydney Thousand with Hardy Wilkes, whom authorities still regard as one of the greatest trotters seen in Australia and NZ.

In 1914 Kennerley came to NZ, and won a race with Eminent at Addington. He returned to Australia but in 1921 he came back to NZ, and settled here. He soon became a leading trainer and at one time he had probably the best team of horses under his charge ever sheltered by the one stable in the Dominion. At that time he was private trainer to Mr J R McKenzie, who owned Great Bingen and Acron and many other good ones.

Other champions and near-champions trained by Kennerley about the same time were Peter Bingen, Native Chief, Logan Chief and Pedro Pronto.

Kennerley twice won the NZ Cup with Peter Bingen, and trained winners of five Free-For-Alls in Logan Chief, Acron (twice), Native Chief and Peter Bingen.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 12Aug42

1954 NZ DERBY STAKES

For the first time in the history of the race, which dates back to 1914, the New Zealand Derby Stakes at Addington on Saturday resulted in a dead-heat: Royal Minstrel's spectacular dash through from a seemingly hopeless position with half a furlong to go saw him divide the honours with Single Medoro, who took over the lead from Malabella at the end of two furlongs and set all the pace.

Count Renaldo, Celestial, Eden Bridge, Don Hall and Light Nurse broke at the start. Single Medoro set a brisk pace, and the time, 3:15, against a strong wind, was very good indeed. He reached the quarter in 34sec, half mile in 65 2-5sec, mile in 2:14 3-5, and a mile and a quarter in 2:43 4-5.

M Holmes, driver of Royal Minstrel, has now driven nine Derby winners - he had his first success with Wrackler in 1928, in 1930 he drove Arethusa, and in 1931 Ciro. All three were owned by Mr H F Nicoll, who was for 25 years president of the NZ Trotting Conference. Holmes's next winning drive was on Aldershot in 1935. Aldershot was owned by Mr H F Nicoll's son, Mr A J Nicoll. Holmes's other winning drives were on Imperial Jade in 1939, Scottish Lady in 1942, Free Fight in 1946, Congo Song in 1947 and Royal Minstrel this year.

Sir John McKenzie, breeder and owner of Royal Minstrel, had previously won the Derby in 1923 with Acron, in 1932 with Taxpayer, and in 1935 with Double Great. Sir John said during the decoration of the winners in the birdcage by Mrs Hoy that Royal Minstrel's win had been a pleasant surprise: he had not given the horse much of a chance. He paid a tribute to M Holmes's ingenuity in getting Royal Minstrel out of a pocket when the race, as far as he was concerned, appeared to be practically over. He also acknowledged the good work done by his trainer, G B Noble, who was building a fine record in the preparation of classic winners.

Royal Minstrel is a brown gelding by the leading sire, U Scott, who is also building an imposing record in the Derby - Scottish Lady, the 1942 winner, Burns Night (1949), Caduceus (1953) and Royal Minstrel have won for him. Royal Minstrel is out of Virginia Song, 2:45 4-5, a useful pacer bred and raced by Sir John. She is by Gold Bar, 1:59 3-5, from Virginia Girl, by Great Bingen, 4:19 2-5, champion pacer of his day, and owned by Sir John. Virginia Girl was out of Nyallo, by Great Audubon from Millie C, the dam of Acron who, apart from his Derby successes, was an outstanding winner for Sir John, his victories including the November Free-For-All in 1924 and 1925, the first year in 2:03 3-5, which stood as the mile record for the Dominion and Australia for many years.

Single Medoro's win was a fine advertisment for the young Auckland sire Medoro, a richly-bred trotting stallion imported from Italy by Mr N Simpson. Medoro, who was a racehorse of the highest class, is of all-American blood lines, being by Prince Hall, 2:00 3-4, from Alma Lee, 2:04 3-4, dam of the world's champion trotting mare Rosalind, 1:56 3-4. Single Medoro, winner of a division of the Great Northern Stakes, for two-year-olds last season, is one of Medoro's first New Zealand crop, which includes several other very promising winners in New Zealand and Australia. Medoro seems certain to take high rank as a sire within the next few years.

The dam of Single Medoro is Mae Direct, a mare whose maternal ancestors have been owned by the Kennerley family for more than 30 years. R D Kennerley, trainer-driver of Single Medoro, is a son of the late J J Kennerley, who bought a mare named Rarebell Direct in New South Wales in the early 1920's and brought her to NZ in 1924. She was a winner for Kennerley here and on her retirement to the stud she produced, among other progeny, Loyal Direct (by Grattan Loyal), a useful winner, and who produced a champion in Single Direct, winner of a string of races for another of Kennerley's sons, E N Kennerley, including the Inter-Dominion Championship at Adelaide in 1949, the Auckland Cup, 1946, New Zealand Pacing Free-For-All, 1948, New Zealand Free-For-All, 1948, and the New Zealand Pacing Championship (free-for-all), 1948, besides finishing third in the NZ Cup on two occasions. Single Direct has won more than £30,000 in stakes in New Zealand and Australia, and although now into the veteran stage - he was foaled in 1942 - he is still in training and reported to be working well.

Loyal Direct, who was bred by J J Kennerley, passed to his daughter, Miss Maisie Kennerley on his death. Miss Kennerley married Mr G B Elliot, of Ohaupo, and they bred Single Direct (by Bill B), Mae Direct(by Peter Bingen), and Lawn Direct (by Master Lawn) from her. J J Kennerley declared shortly before his death that "if we can get a colt from Loyal Direct it should be good." His prophesy bore fruit in the performances of Single Direct and now Mae Direct has produced a high class colt in Single Medoro, who is raced in partnership by Mrs Elliot and a third son of J J Kennerley, Mr E J Kennerley. Mrs Elliot and her brother also own a two-year-old full-sister to Single Medoro, and Mae Direct has at foot a month-old colt by Smokey Hanover. Mae Direct has been returned to Medoro this season.

J J Kennerley, between 25 and 30 years ago, when located at Addington, was one of our leading trainers and drivers, and he set a high standard in the training and conditioning of his horses. In a comparatively short period he trained such outstanding performers as Great Bingen, Native Chief, Logan Chief, Acron, Peter Bingen, Pedro Pronto, Jackis Audubon, Peter Swift and Nelson's Victory, and for a short time he also had Roi l'Or in his stable. With Native Chief he won the first Derby run at Addington in 1925. Prior to that the race was run at New Brighton and decided in the Autumn; in 1925 it was taken over by the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club and run in the spring, so there were two New Zealand Derbies in 1925.

Peter Bingen, sire of Single Medoro's dam, twice won the New Zealand Cup for Kennerley, and also the November Free-For-All in 1928, the year of his first NZ Cup victory. For some years the New Zealand and Australian records for two miles, 4:18 4-5, and mile and a quarter 2:38 4-5, were held by Peter Bingen.

E N Kennerley, who has been the most successful son of J J with the reins and as a trainer, has handled many other winners besides Single Direct, among them a notable youngster in Centennial Hall, holder of the New Zealand and Australian three-year-old record of 3:10 3-5, put up at Harold Park, Sydney, where he beat Ribands in the Sydney Derby.

R D Kennerley had much success with a good trotter named Bessie Parrish in the 1930's and he won an Ashburton Cup with Warplane. Douglas Derby is one of his recent winners.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZTrotting Calendar 24Nov54

PETER BINGEN

"Peter Bingen, who is 32 years old, is running on my farm at Kaipaki, Ohaupo," writes Mr C V Garmonsway in a letter to the Calendar. "He has not done any stud work for three years...has the run of the 125 acres dairy farm, enjoys a good cover every winter, is in perfect health and never fails to do a trial run on his own every day. He looks like going on for quite a few years yet," continues Mt Garmonsway's letter. Mr Garmonsway enclosed the photo of the old horse and himself which appears on this page. It is not the best of reproductions, but it will lose little of its interest; for those of us who saw Peter Bingen race it will recall the handsome dark bay horse's brilliant racetrack record of the late 1920s and the sensations he caused by becoming the first pacer in Australasia to better 4.19 for two miles and 2.40 for a mile in a quarter.

In winning his first NZ Cup in 1928 Peter Bingen registered 4.18 4/5, thereby lowering the previous record of 4.19 2/5 standing to the credit of his famous full-brother, Great Bingen; and then, a few days later, Peter Bingen won the Novenber Free-For-All (at that time the only free-for-all run in the Dominion), he clocked 2.38 4/5 and lowered by a wide margin the standing record for a mile and a quarter, 2.40 1/5, held by Minton Derby.

Peter Bingen, up till the NZ Cup carnival, he had been a fast horse but a moody one, and he was one of the outsiders of the 1928 NZ Cup field. That was one of his most generous patches, however, and he could not be caught after dashing into the lead to the call of his trainer-driver, the late J J Kennerley, with a round to go. The finish was one of the finest in the history of the race - still is. Over the final furlong Great Bingen and then Ahuriri were closing on Peter Bingen at every stride and he lasted just long enough to get the verdict.

Peter Bingen began his racing career as a trotter and, as a 3-year-old, he finished second - 20 lengths away - to Peterwah in the NZ Trotting Stakes at Forbury Park. He was switched to the pacing gait before the end of his 3-year-old season, but he never entirely lost his trotting instinct or ability and he had a beautifully smooth action at either gait. Kennerley used to give him a considerable amount of his training work for big pacing races at the trotting gait. "It helps to humour him," this very able trainer used to say, and Peter Bingen, who had his fair share of what many detractors of the Bingen breed called "fiery temperament" was a shining example of what patience, careful study and understanding will do for such a horse. In less capable hands Peter Bingen could have ended up a nonentity. He liked to trot, and Kennerley derived a lot of satisfaction from letting him step along at the square gait, in the course of his NZ Cup preparations, at a speed that would have won good-class trotters races.

Peter Bingen opened his winning account at Greymouth as a 4-year-old in October, 1924. That season he won four races. At five he won three races, and the following season he was first past the post five times. The 1927-8 season was a lean one for him and he ended up with a pretty poor name. People who had followed the aristocratic bay horse had turned almost as sour towards him as he apparently had to this racing business; he did not win a race that term, although he ran one good race at the NZ Cup meeting to finish second to Native Chief in the Free-For-All.

Came the 1928 Metropolitan August meeting and Peter Bingen was nowhere in the August Handicap, then a race little below NZ Cup class. The same lot was his in the principal event on the second day, the King George Handicap. But then the mood struck him, and he romped home by three lengths in the National Cup on the concluding day. Two months later he was at Greymouth contesting high-class sprint races which in those days were regarded as curtain-raisers to the NZ Cup. He was not impressive, being unplaced behind Cardinal Logan, Great Bingen, Ahuriri and Talaro on the first day, and a poor fourth to Cardinal Logan, Bonny Logan and Golden Devon on the second day. In extenuation of Peter Bingen's failures there, it is only fair to mention that Cardinal Logan was then the Dominion's most agile pacer on that small track; Peter Bingen was not.

But the public were sick of 'Peter' once more. He was too 'in and out' for the ten-bob punter, the army of small speculators who make horses favourites or consign them to the category of rank outsiders. They did not go quite so far as pushing Peter Bingen down among the depths in the 1928 NZ Cup, but it was a close shave: in a field of 14 totalisator chances, Peter Bingen was 10th in order of favouritism. It was a powerful field by any standards, past or present. In fact, there have been one or two Cup fields of the last few years that would have been hard pressed to go with the array of giants who met on that warm, sunny day, Tuesday, November 6, 1928, to do battle for the then rich stake of £3000. From the North Island, with a reputation that sent him out favourite, came Padlock. Second in demand was Ahuriri (winner of two previous NZ Cups), bracketed with Imprint; third favourite was the handsome Terence Dillon from Oamaru, next in preference was the old champion Great Bingen, followed by Prince Pointer, the trotter Peterwah, Jack Potts, Talaro and Queen's Own and then Peter Bingen. Others in the field were Black Admiral, Machine Gun, Dalnahine, Kohara, and Waitaki Girl - all names to conjure with at one time or another.

How Peter Bingen slipped the field with a round to go and refused to come back to the sizzling final thrusts of Great Bingen and Ahuriri lived on for many a day as one of the burning topics of light-harness conversation. The unkind thought in many trotting folks' minds - 'fluke' - did not survive above a couple of days, because the following Thursday he inflicted similar defeat on the Free-For-All field and broke his second Australasian record in as many starts - a mile and a quarter in 2.38 4/5 in the Free-For-All, in which Kennerley adopted the same tactics as in the NZ Cup: he took 'Peter' to the front a long way from home and was not caught, although his winning margin over the flying Prince Pointer was only a head, and Jewel Pointer and Great Bingen were not far away. The only other starter was Native Chief.

Peter Bingen was now enjoying the 'green years' of his somewhat chequered career: he came back the following year as good as ever and after finishing second to Kingcraft in his qualifying heat (an innovation that was soon dropped), he won the NZ Cup Final very easily from 36yds. The field was not quite as strong in 1929, the minor placings going to Logan Park, Dundas Boy and Imprint, with the hot favourite Kingcraft, who stood on the mark, unplaced. Peter Bingen put up the same time as the previous year. He finished second to Padlock in the Free-For-All, and the same season put up another great effort to finish second in the Auckland Cup from 84yds to Gold Jacket. The track was soft.

After having a complete season off, Peter Bingen returned to racing in 1931-2. He failed in the NZ Cup, in which he was still the backmarker, finished second to the new champion Harold Logan in the Free-For-All, and at his final appearance in public he finished third in the Champion Handicap, of a mile and a quarter, at Auckland. Peter Bingen won £8629 in stakes at a time when prize-money was less than half of what it is today. He is by Nelson Bingen, an American sire who was a stylish winner at the trotting gait in the Dominion and who made a big name as a sire of trotters and pacers. He sired 219 individual winners of £191,000 in stakes (in round figures).

Bertha Bell, the dam of Peter Bingen, was an outstanding producer. This bloodlike-looking mare was foaled in America in 1909, a daughter of Peter The Great, 2.07 1/4, and Corana Mac, by Wilkes Boy, who earned immortality by siring Grattan and so founding one of the greatest Canadian families of trotters and pacers. Another point of interest in Bertha Bell's pedigree is that her third dam was Lady Thorpe Junior, a mare whose blood played a prominent part in fashioning the pedigree of Lou Dillon, 1.58 1/2, the world's first two-minute trotter. Bertha Bell found a ready affinity with Nelson Bingen, for to him she left Great Bingen, Worthy Bingen, Peter Bingen, Bessie Bingen, Bertha Bingen, Great Peter, Baron Bingen and Great Nelson all winners. To other sires she left Great Parrish and Corona Bell (by Guy Parrish) and Ringtrue (by Travis Axworthy). Bertha Bell's progeny won £34,535 in stakes.

At the stud her sons sired numerous winners. Worthy Bingen sired Worthy Queen, whose mile record of 2.03 3/5 has stood as the trotting main since 1934, and more than 30 other winners. Great Bingen sired more than 40 winners, including classic winners in Taxpayer, Double Great, Refund and Great News; Great Parrish has sired close to 40 winners, and Ringtrue more than 30.

Peter Bingen has perhaps the best siring record of all the sons of Bertha Bell, for his progeny include Peter Smith (placed in a NZ Cup, and a free-for-all winner), Double Peter (who reached Cup class), Peter's Find (a classic winner); and a high-class pacer in King's Play was by Peter Bingen or Blue Mountain King. Peter Bingen sired close on 40 winners in all. At no stage was he extensively patronised, and most of the mares he did get were not of the choicest. In effect, like many of his great racetrack contemporaries, he was virtually wasted as a sire because of the prejudice against Colonial-bred stallions.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 20Aug52

1922 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

After three earlier attempts, perseverance paid off for a previously unruly sort in Agathos in his 100th career start.

He showed the way from the start and held off the grand mare Onyx (24 yards) and favourite Vilo, who carried more money than the Sherwood-Trix Pointer bracket.

The race was probably most notable however for the introduction of a distance handicapping system, rather than the messy method of using a stopwatch.

**NZ HRWeekly 1Oct 2003**

The 1922-23 season was notable for the re-introduction at Addington of the now-familiar distance system of starting from a stand, and the disappearance of the time method. The Metropolitan Club made the change at its August meeting and, because it had proved successful, the Cup meeting followed suit. The New Zealand Cup has been started the same way ever since, despite some agitation, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s, for a mobile start.

A big crowd, a fast track and perseverance prevailed when the 11-year-old Agathos ran the race of his life for victory. Only Monte Carlo (14 years, 1904), Durbar (12 years, 1908) and Invicta (11 years, 1961) can match or better Agathos as the oldest winners in the country's premier event.

It was Agathos' fourth attempt to win the race, after he was unsuccessful in 1917, 1918 and 1919. Despite being fifth favourite in the 13-horse field, he was a popular winner for his listed owner, "C M Channing", who in fact was Cecil Ollivier, a prominent member of the Metropolitan Club. Agathos was the first horse he owned. Ollivier was a committee member and steward of the club for many years and vice-president, under Jim Williams, from 1925 to 1935. The prestigious Ollivier Handicap, later renamed the Ollivier free-For-All and raced on the club's November programme in more recent times, was named in his honour. His son, Walter Ollivier, was president from 1956 to 1960.

Agathos' form after a comeback had been good. After a second placing in the International Handicap, he won the National Cup at the August meeting. He was described as a good, but moody pacer, unreliable at the start. He was by the defunct American sire O.Y.M. from an unraced mare by HaHa. His winning time of 4:33.4 was the slowest since 1915, owing, it is thought, to a strong wind blowing down the track.

Agathos had a varied racing career, passing through a number of trainers before being taken into Nelson Price's Sockburn stable, where his barrier manners were improved. He first raced as a four-year-old, winning at Canterbury Park and recording one placing. His best season came at five years, when he won five races. At six he was placed seven times, but he raced 11 times unplaced as a seven-year-old, before winning at Ashburton. He had three wins as an eight-year-old, but just one the following season. The Cup race was his 100th start, from which he had recorded 13 wins, 10 seconds and four thirds, for earnings of £6699. He had been unplaced 73 times.

The Cup stake remained at 3000 sovereigns, but the qualifying mark was restricted to horses capable of running 4:31 or faster. Originally 18 horses had been nominated, but five - Reta Peter, Gleaming, Realm, Albert Cling and Dean Dillon - were withdrawn. Reta Peter had come to hand well for Alf Wilson and her trackwork had been closely watched, but four days before the race she broke down. Her presence in the field would have given the trotters an unprecedented representation of three, with Gold Boy, Auckland's top trotter, and Whispering Willie both starting.

Artie Butterfield had Agathos first out from the 12-yard mark. The front four - Moneymaker, Vice-Admiral, General Link and Gold Boy - were either slow away or broke. Agathos led all the way and in the back straight the last time was followed by Vilo, Vice-Admiral, Tatsy Dillon, General Link, Onyx, Sherwood and Trix Pointer. Onyx made a big run to follow Agathos into the straight, but was still a length behind the winner at the post. Vilo was two lengths back in third, followed by General Link, Vice-Admiral, Trix Pointer, Tatsy Dillon, Gold Boy, Sherwood, Whispering Willie and Moneymaker. Box Seat(James Bryce) and Locanda Dillon (Ben Jarden) failed to finish. The Logan Pointer-Cameos mare Onyx, the youngest horse in the race at six years, showed plenty of speed in the final lap and Vilo, always handy, was a good third. The Waimate-trained Vilo, the race favourite, carried 500 units more than the Free Holmes bracket of Trix Pointer and Sherwood.

The two Cup favourites fared much better on the second day, when Trix Pointer won the Free-For-All from Onyx and Tatsy Dillon, while Vilo, never far from the leaders, stayed on best in the Courtenay Handicap to win from General Link and Gold Boy. However, the outstanding performance of ther day came from John McKenzie's three-year-old colt, Acron. The Logan Pointer-Millie C colt, who had shown great form the previous August, started a firm favorite to win the Metropolitan Handicap, but he lost 100 yards at the start, recovered, and just missed a place. Acron demonstrated that he was a colt of the highest order, and was to develop into one of the best of his era. But for tardy beginnings, he might have been a champion. McKenzie, always known simply as J R, made an everlasting contribution to the harness racing scene in New Zealand. He had his first Cup representative, Vice-Admiral (then past his best), placed fifth.

The 1922 carnival also marked the appearance of two Australians, Bill Tomkinson and Jack Kennerley, both of whom became outstanding horsemen in New Zealand. Kennerley produced Peter Bingen, a dual Cup winner and for a time the two-mile world record-holder. Tomkinson produced many top class pacers and trotters, but a New Zealand Cup win eluded him. Tomkinson, while still a public trainer in Sydney in 1922, moved to Addington with a team that included Realm, Happy Voyage and Snowshoe. Realm, by Ribbonwood, broke down on the eve of the Cup and was withdrawn. Tomkinson then took the drive behind General Link, but his bad luck did not end with Realm. Happy Voyage reared during training the day before Cup Day, dislodged Tomkinson, and bolted. The horse, the son of Direct Voyage and Honest Meg, escaped serious injury but was unable to race at the meeting.

It was an unfortunate start for Tomkinson and without his stars he was unable to produce a winner at the meeting. Happy Voyage proved how good he was the following year by lowering the Australasian mile record. Assisted by two galloping pacemakers , he sped over a mile on the grass at New Brighton in 2:04.2. Later, at stud, Happy Voyage left Regal Voyage, who, when mated with Nelson Derby, left the great mare Haughty, a dual Cup winner.

Kennerley had better luck than Tomkinson in 1922 and produced four winners at the meeting.

Free Holmes trained the most winners in the season(19). James Bryce managed 17, and next on the list were Tomkinson and Kennerley. The expatriate Australians also figured prominently on the reinsman's list, which Bryce topped with 23 wins. Then came John McLennan and Dave Bennett with 20, followed by Kennerley and Tomkinson. Taraire, from the Bryce stable, was the season's top money-winner with £2700.


**Bernie Wood wrtiting in The Cup**

ACRON - Enigma

Few horses in the nearly 100 years since have had careers hitting the highs and lows of Acron. When he was handed over by his breeder to trainer Ben Jarden as an early juvenile, he drove him a few times and was so dazzled he went and found a wealthy Australian partner to help buy him. Before he turned three J R McKenzie paid a sensational £2000($4000) for him, TWICE the price of any previous Standardbred sale in New Zealand. By comparison he bought his best horse Great Bingen, the stakes winning record holder in NZ for over 20 years, when he was up and running for just £400($800).

When he was a 3yo Acron won both Derby classics. When he was a 4yo he should have been the first of that age to win a NZ Cup(1923) instead of running second, though to be fair driver Jack Kennerley had to take some of the blame for getting trapped on the fence. The nexy year he won the one mile NZ Free-For-All in 2:03.6 which was still standing as an Australasian record when the horse died in 1935. Nobody of that era ever doubted that Acron could have been our first minute pacer.

But Acron was also one of the most infuriating horses to ever step on a track. In the end he wore out his welcome. Two years before his death, having failed as a sire, he went through a Christchurch sale ring for 20 guineas(about $50) to a South Canterbury home.

Acron could be ornery. He broke hopelessly when the favourite for the 1924 Cup but won the Free-For-All(a move up start) brilliantly. In the 1925 Cup, after some brilliant trials he missed away and was a distant third even though they tried to outthink him by putting Artie Butterfield in the cart. But then he beat reigning champion Great Bingen with ease over a mile in the Free-For-All.

In the 1926 Cup they slipped Bill Tomkinson in the cart hoping to outthink the horse but without a result. In 1927, after being transferred to the James Bryce stable in the hope of finally winning a Cup for Roydon Lodge, he tutned in two terrible races at Greymouth beforehand, produced a blistering final Cup trial and then failed completely on the day.

That was Acron, one of the few horses to defeat the famous trainer Jack Kennerley. The owner and the stewards haunted Kennerley over form reversals always seeking an explanation for what Kennerley knew there was no rational reason. The only one to know when Acron was going to turn it on was Acron.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed July 2016

Joan Williams presents the Cup to Etienne Le Lievre

1928 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

The 1928 Cup was remembered as not only the finest race seen at Addington up to that time, but also the most controversial.

Peter Bingen along the fence and Great Bingen and Ahuriri in the middle of the track hit the line together, and without the aid of a photo finish the result was in doubt until the numbers went up. The judge was not in line with the post however and those that were, remained adamant to their last breath that Great Bingen had got up, and Peter Bingen was actually third. Officially, the 8-year-old Peter Bingen is recorded as a half-length winner however, in a two mile record of 4:22 1/5.

With the qualifying time being further tightened to 4:26, Great Bingen moved up to a backmark of 48 yards and for all intents and purposes was 'gifted' the Cup in his fourth attempt. He remains one of the greatest horses not to win the Cup.

Peter Bingen, a year younger brother to Great Bingen and the second foal of the imported Berthabell, had been bred by Akaroa's Etienne Le Lievre after he also imported his sire Nelson Bingen. He began life as a trotter for trainer/driver Jack Kennerley, who raced him on lease, and his form in the spring had been the subject of a judicial enquiry.

There was no questioning his repeat win the next year when Peter Bingen won easily from 36 yards in another record of 4:18 4/5, although just eight starters and five ahead of him at the start no doubt helped. The reduced field was due to the introduction of a qualifying heats and final format, which only lasted a few years.

-o0o-

'The Toff' writing in NZ Truth 8 Nov 1928

Peter Bingen's dash in the back stretch the last time round won him the New Zealand Cup, though he was all through a hundred yards from the judge. JJ. Kennerley sat as still as a lamb over the last bit until he reached the post half a length in front of his famous brother, Great Bingen.

When Starter Hastings gave them the word, Black Admiral hopped into his work quick and busy and carried the would-be stake-earners to the quarter pole in 36 4/5 sec. Peter Bingen trailed Edwards' black, with Padlock, Talaro, Dalnahine, Kohara, Queen's Own, Imprint, Prince Pointer and Ahuriri racing in that order. They flashed past the mile peg in two-twelve and a fraction, young Edwards still piloting the bunch. There were no material changes as they swept into the straight with a round to go.

The field pounded past the crowded stands all in order, but the strain was beginning to tell. As they turned the corner from the outside stand, Padlock compounded and Imprint cried enough. The great little trotter Peterwah made a break going into the back circuit, and Black Admiral commenced to drift back on the field. It was at this crucial point that Jack Kennerley realized it was a case of home for the doctor or no feed for a while. He gave Peter a tap and the brown, still with something in reserve, responded to the urge. Five lengths he opened out on the rest of the field, and Jack knew, that the big rake-off of the purse was his could Peter but stay in front.

He drove the speedy pacer skilfully past the mile and a half peg in 3.18 4/5. Then they came at him. All down the back stretch, Queen's Own, Prince Pointer, Great Bingen, Ahuriri and Jack Potts tore into it like express trains. But Kennerley had done the trick. The gap was too much to bridge. But was it all over?! No. As they wheeled for home the public idol, Great Bingen, came at Peter Bingen, followed by Ahuriri, Prince Pointer and Jack Potts. Roar upon roar came from the stands as they approached the winning-post, Peter Bingen yard by yard losing his leading margin. Peter Bingen was dying in Jack Kennerley's hands and the driver did the only thing under the circumstances he sat tight and never moved.

Peter flashed past the post half a length in front of his famous rival, while Great Bingen in turn was only a neck in front of Ahuriri. Prince Pointer and Jack Potts were close up behind the placed horses. Peter Bingen did his last half-mile in 1.3 2/5 sec. and the total distance in 4.22 1/5 sec.

Great Bingen's wonderful effort in 4.19 and a fraction points to success in the Free-for-All. Both he and the winner were bred by E. E. Lelievre, of Akaroa.

Waitaki Girl was the only candidate which failed to leave the mark. And, so another New Zealand Cup is finished.


Credit: New Zealand HRWeekly 8Oct03

NATIVE CHIEF - Enigma

Let me tell you how fast the Winton-bred Native Chief was. When word was out that Jack Kennerley was going to give him a fast workout at Addington large crowds gathered in the early morning to watch. A beautifully actioned, longstriding Native Chief could reel off 900m in 58 any time he was asked which was sensational then. One morning he worked on his own in 2:02which was more than a second inside the Australasian record.

Retained by his breeder, James Duffy, he was raced on lease for much of his career by Kennerley. There was no doubt Native Chief could have paced two minutes. But he had no manners. If he could break at the start he would and if he started to pull there was no stopping him.

In 1928 he took part in a match race with Great Bingen over a mile which attracted the biggest interest in such an event since the Ribbonwood-Fitz sensation nearly 30 years before. Native Chief won it but there were more than a few boos for him on the return to scale from the very large crowd after five false starts ruined the contest through Native Chief breaking in the run up. When they did go, he had tangled just before the start and Withers had taken a hold on Great Bingen, a public idol then, expecting another false start. Instead Native Chief recovered quickly and was never headed, beating a genuine champion by three lengths.

It all ended in tears. Kennerley wanted to send him against time to break the mile record.But the Duffy's(James Duffy had passed on) weren't having it for some reason. They sent him to the James Bryce stable for a spell and a new campaign and Kennerley "agreed" to end his lease.

Native Chief had just one start in the NZ Cup. He broke early and then pulled his way out of contention. . Story of his life. But oh that two minute speed! Sensational.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed July 2016

PETER JONES - HANDS DOWN 1960

Young drivers were unusual in the Cup in earlier decades but many produced their best drive in the race first time of asking. None did better than 25-year-old Peter Jones behind Hands Down in 1980. Peter had the faith of his selfless father Derek, who heavily promoted youth at his own expense but was an amazing natural talent.

Hands Down went into the Cup a much discussed enigma, ending up only 6th favourite. Slow as usual, Peter bowled him along until the 1600m. He lapped the field, burned off Wee Win in a fast quarter down the back and headed for home. Too Soon? Some thought so as Delightful Lady loomed at the turn. As if.

The mare got half a length lead. Mike Stormont took a quick peek to his right to check for any outside challengers. He looked the wrong way. The danger was the young man carved in stone inside him. Waiting, waiting, waiting... When the last question was asked close to the post the big horse responded, it was one of the most exciting of modern Cups.

Peter's two Cup wins were an unusual replica of Jack Kennerley's, his first was waiting in front and in his second, the bombshell of Borana in 1984, he was near last at the 700m and still got home. As great drivers do.

TRIVIA FACT: Trainer Derek Jones actually only drove Hands Down once in a race before the 1980 Cup. He ran fifth in a maiden at an on-course only meeting at Blenheim. Within 13 months he was to win a New Zealand Cup, possibly the most incredible progression of any pacer in modern times.

Credit: Davic McCarthy writing in Harnessed 2016