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1904 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP HANDICAP

The inaugural running of the NZ Trotting Cup was for a stake of £310, the greatest amount offered for a harness race in NZ to that time, the winner Mote Carlo, the 'hero of a hundred stubbornly-contested races,' received a wonderful ovation from the hundreds of admirers of the ever-green favourite. The record amount of £2637 was put through the totalisator on the race and the Met was delighted with it's record day's turnover of £13,468.

Norice (dam of Nelson Derby, Nelson Fame and Native King) was driven by D J Price into second place, and Durbar (A Pringle) was third. Monte Carlo's time was 4:44 3-5.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting

NORICE

There is an Indian legend that the spirit of a brave chief is permitted to return to the scene of his triumphs in time of peril or rejoicing and mingle with the young warriors, inspiring them with his daring or eloquence when reciting their deeds on the warpath. This was the red man's tribute to those who were gone, or, as Longfellow sets it to poetry in the "Psalm of Life.":

Lives of great men all remind us,
We can make our live sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us,
Footprints in the sands of time.

The wraith of Norice must have hovered many times over Addington, the Dominion's leading convincing ground, because here the great mare herself, her sons and their sons and daughters, and their legions of descendants of both gaits have, over a period of more than 40 years, left some imperishable imprints in the sands.

And these legions of Norice's descendants have only followed in the footsteps of their illustrious forebear, who proved head and shoulders above most of the best pacers and trotters that could have assembled in the Dominion from 1903 to 1906. Very quickly her reputation became such that she started a short-priced favourite in any event she contested, no matter what the distance or how severe the handicap.

She began racing as a six-year-old in the 1903-04 season, and scored five wins and a second in her first seven starts. Her first win was recorded in the Trial Handicap, of a mile and a half, at the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's meeting at Addington in November, 1903. The time on a heavy track was 3.57. The following day, which was "very wet" she won the Hornby Handicap, of two miles, in 5.03 4-5.

Already she had climbed the heights, for her next win was in the High-Class Handicap, of two miles, at Tahuna Park. At her next start she won the Leap Year Handicap, of two miles, at the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's Easter Meeting, in 4.54 and rounded off the season by romping home in the Champion Handicap, of two miles, at the same meeting in 4.46 2-5, those behind he including Vickery, The Needle, Blackchild, Boldrewood, St Simon, Monte Carlo, Vasco and Harold C.

The following season she ran three times unplaced and then ran second in the first NZ Trotting Cup to Monte Carlo. The favourite, Durbar, was third. At her next start she won the New Year Handicap, of two miles, at Plumpton Park, in 4.46 2-5. Her other win that season was in the Grand Free-For-All, of a mile and a quarter, at the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club's Easter meeting, her time being 2.52 2-5, with Vickery and Monte Carlo in the minor placings. She won very easily.

The 1905-06 season saw the last of her on the racetrack, and she must have been well on towards the foaling stage when she was retired in April, 1906, because in the same year she produced her first foal, a filly by Rothschild, later known as Lady Derby. In August, 1905, she had won the Free-For-All Stakes, of a mile and a quarter. This event was run in two heats and a final, and she won both her heat and the final with ease. Norice was a champion, so good, in fact, that but for being unsound she probably would never have left America. This view was held by the late Dave Price , who was associated with the Charles Derby mare in all her races.

The Charles Derby strain has been notably successful in this country and Australia. It is probable that if the potency of this line in the Antipodes were brought to the notice of an American authority of the standing of John Hervey, he would be able to offer some tangible explanation of its speed-producing qualities. Because Norice was a daughter of Charles Derby; because the great Australian progenitor Globe Derby descended in the direct male line from Charles Derby, and because another champion mare in Trix Pointer is by Demonio, a son of Charles Derby, my curiosity was naturally aroused, and, on consulting Wallace's Year Book, I found that Charles Derby, like many other horses of his day, was inbred to Hambletonian 10, being by Steinway, by Strathmore, a son of Hambletonian 10, from Katie G, by Electioneer, by Hambletonian 10. Charles Derby cut a fairly respectable figure as a sire in the States, as he is credited by Wallace with having sired 48 standard performers, 13 trotters and 35 pacers, among the latter a really good horse in Jim Logan, 2.01¾; but he was by no means an outstanding progenitor, because the standard performers of sires like McKinney, Peter The Great, Bingen and Axworthy could be counted in hundreds. That does not alter the fact that Charles Derby's son Owyhee, established the greatest male line Australia has had by siring Mambrino Derby, the sire of Globe Derby, and that Charles Derby himself begot in Norice probably the greatest mare - racing and producing qualities taken into account - ever to come to the Dominion.

Norice's greatest fame of the moment comes through her son Nelson Derby, one of the most successful Colonial-bred sires of recent years, though he has never been extensively used at the stud and for the past ten years or more has been in private service. As the sire of Haughty, Hardy Oak, Nelson Eddy, Plutus and numerous other winners, Nelson Derby has occupied a prominent place on the sires' list for some seasons past. Nelson Derby was a good racehorse himself, his wins including the Great Northern Derby and Auckland Cup, but he was not a sound horse, otherwise, according to his last trainer, the late W J Tomkinson, he would have taken the highest honours offering in his time.

Native King, a high class trotter, and Nelson Fame, a brilliant pacer with two-minute potentialities, were full brothers to Nelson Derby. Of the pair, Native King was the most successful sire, his progeny including Native Prince, Native Star and Royal Romance. Nelson Fame met a premature death, and left only a few foals, including Lady Fame. Other sons of Norice who left winners were Bingen Boy and Derby Chimes, both of whom went to Australia, and Lord Derby.

One of the greatest lines coming down from the maternal side of Norice is that from her daughter Queen Cole, by King Cole, 2.08 3-5. Among her foals were three fillies, Colene Pointer, by Logan Pointer; Albena, by Rodgewood; and Queen's Treasure, by Rey de Oro.

Colene Pointer, who was a good pacer, won the Timaru Cup, but she broke down badly soon afterwards. It is related that she was so lame that she could not be sent off her owners place, and at that time an old horse called Quincey, who had been a good racehorse in his day, but not a great success as a sire, was one of the few stallions offering in the district. The upshot of this situation was that Colene Pointer was mated with Quincey, and produced Kingcraft, the only pacer of Cup class ever left by Quincey. Kingcraft won a division of the New Zealand Cup and finished second to Harold Logan the following year. He was at one time the most talked-of pacer in the Dominion, and certainly one of the fastest of the time. Colene Pointer produced other good winners in Kilrea and Village Guy; and Poker Face is good but unsound. Colene Parrish and Ping are other good winners left by Colene Pointer.

Albena also won races and is the dam of Albertini, Sterling Pointer, Strummer and Wrackful.

Queen's Treasure promises to become a successful matron of the true Norice pattern, for already her first three foals are winners, namely, a Cup horse in Hardy Oak, and Single Star and Jack's Treasure.

Lady Derby, a daughter of Rothschild and Norice, produced Derby Dillon, Peter Derby, Frances Derby, Lady Pointer, Her Ladyship, Sister Maud, Olatrice, and that fine trotter Sister Beatrice. Francis Derby produced Bingen Derby and Don Derby; Lady Pointer produced Lady Rey; Her Ladyship produced Lady Fame 4.26, and Play Lady; and Sister Maud has produced Sister Rose, Sister Mary, Queen Maud and others. In turn, Play Lady has produced Play Ring; Sister Rose is the dam of Teddy Gregg; and Queen Maud has produced Sports Guide and Royal Volo.

Theda Bara, a daughter of Van Coronado and Norice, produced General Bingen, Una Dillon, Actor Ballin, Tiger Lily and Rose Warton. Van Coronado was a comparetive failure as a sire, but apparently the Norice blood is capable of overcoming all such hindrances, because the Theda Bara branch of the family is also breeding on, her daughter, Rose Warton (by First Fashion) being the dam of Jimmy Wharton, and another daughter Una Dillon (by Harold Dillon) being the dam of Truman, Deanna Durbin and Storeman. Deanna Durbin has gone to the stud, and is the dam of a 1942 filly by Fremont which shows promise.

Daughters of Nelson Derby are producing winners. An unnamed Nelson Derby mare is the dam of Casabianca, Daphne Queen is the dam of Loyal King, and Hughenden Queen is the dam of Huguenot, 3.13 3-5.


Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 27 Sep 1944

1904 NZ TROTTING CUP HANDICAP

Seventy-one years ago the youthful Metropolitan Trotting Club decided to upgrade its main event, the NZ Handicap to the NZ Cup Handicap with the prizemoney rising almost double to the mighty sum of $610.

That first Cup in 1904 has tremendous significance for such a great success was it that the future of the Cup was assured and much of its magic (particularly in Canterbury) stems from the extraordinary events of that sunny November day so long ago.

The first Cup was run on the last day of the traditional Metropolitan meeting and in 1904 it was on what is now Show Day. The field for the inaugural event was not a large one but it had considerable quality by the standards of the day and a crowd of nearly 10,000 turned up to see it run. On a population proportion basis that is equivalent to nearly 50,000 today. Eight races were run and the tote turnover was $37,000 compared with 1974's nearly $800,000, with that much again in TAB investments.

The warm favourite to win was the great imported mare Norice, who has since been a major influence in our breeding scene and was the dam of the outstanding racehorse and sire Nelson Derby. Norice tried to do a 'Gold Bar' in the first Cup, rush to the lead at the start and at one stage being 15 lengths clear of the field in the hands of that colourful adventurer Dave Price. But rounding the last turn, Norice was starting to feel the pinch and the veteran Monte Carlo overtook her and cleared out to win by eight lengths from Norice with Durbar, who was to win in 1908, third and Royalwood next. Royalwood was trained and driven by Lou Robertson who was later a famous racing trainer in Australia, among his wins being the 1937 Melbourne Cup with Marabou.

Monte Carlo, paying $8.80 to win, was given a tremendous reception by the crowd, one that has rarely been matched since. The ladies present showered him with roses and by the time the old gelding reached his stable half of his tail had been plucked by his elated fans. It is not hard to see why Monte Carlo was so popular for he was the veteran to end them all. Depending on your source, he was either 14 or 15 years old the day he won the Cup and had been on the tracks since the 1894 season. By Lincoln Yet, the first foal of the great Pride of Lincoln and an extremely successful sire (he figures in the pedigree of the Rustic Maid family among others), Monte Carlo was originally owned by J Brake and at his only start in 1894 he won a maiden event at the Christchurch Showgrounds by 60 yards.

The next year he had one win from four starts, winning at Lancaster Park by eight lengths after conceding a 22sec start (220m behind today) but failed to win the following season from a handful of starts. Sold to the Greenpark sportsman Tom Yarr, the following season he won once from 20 starts but did better in 1898-99, winning six, including two in succession one a mile and the second over two miles - they certainly made them tough in those days. He gained five wins over the next two years, taking a highly respectable mile time 2:22, and his New Zealand Cup win was his only victory for the 1904 season. Even at that age he was not finished. He raced for two more seasons, being unplaced in 16 attempts in 1905 and gaining one win from nine starts the following year, which was his swan song.

Winning races from 4 to 16 years of age is no small feat but his owner-trainer was a prominent sportsman at that time and he was driven in most of his wins by the great Bert Edwards. Monte Carlo was a straightout trotter and the only one in the first Cup field as pacers were gradually taking over at that time. Only one other trotter has ever won the Cup in the 70 years since Monte Carlo set the ball rolling.

The old trotter was a great favourite with the crowds and though it may be fashionable to look down on some of those old-time champions with their short pedigrees and strange actions, there is no doubt he was a most worthy Cup winner. Perhaps somewhere he is keeping an eye on the 1975 aspirants, quietly chuckling about their strange harness and gear. And if he knew the mana the New Zealand Cup has today, old 'Monte' could justifably say 'I certainly started something there.' He certainly did.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in NZ Trotguide 6Nov75

Trix Pointer & Free Holmes in the winner's circle

1919 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

Trix Pointer, selected and imported from America in 1915 by legendary horseman Free Holmes along with Bonilene and Logan Pointer, furthered the fine record of mares when she outstayed the pacemaking Moneymaker.

Not very big and not particularly pretty either, Trix Pointer is the only mare to win the Cup and leave a Cup winner (Wrackler,1930), and in fact established one of the best families in the Stud Book. She was a grandaughter of Charles Derby, the sire of Norice.

It completed a unique double for Holmes, who had ridden Manton to win the Cup at Riccarton in 1888, and who established a famous family all of his own.

**Credit: NZ HRWeekly 1Oct2003**

On a beautiful day and before a record crowd, the small six-year-old American-bred mare Trix Pointer, in the hands of Free Holmes, won the 1919 Cup in convincing style, by three lengths from Moneymaker (Andy Pringle), with four lengths back to Matchlight (James Bryce). Then followed Sherwood, Erin's Queen and Mintson. The winner, who was fifth favourite, paced 4:30 for the two miles.

Holmes bought Trix Pointer from her Californian breeder for a client of his Upper Riccarton stable, W H Norton, during one of his trips to the United States, and she proved to be a most consistent mare. With her Cup victory, Trix Pointer advanced her New Zealand earnings to £4399 15s from 11 wins, 11 seconds and seven thirds.

Trix Pointer was by Demonio from Bally Pointer. Demonio was by Charles Derby, the sire of Norice, who ran second to Monte Carlo in the inaugural NZ Cup.

After he retired from race driving in 1944, Free Holmes named Trix Pointer the best horse he trained and drove. After her racing days, Trix Pointer made a unique contribution at stud. To the imported Wrack she produced Wrackler, who won the 1930 NZ Cup and the 1932 Dominion Handicap. Of all the fine mares who have won Addington's big race, Trix Pointer is the only one to have later produced a Cup winner. Among the stallions, only Cathedral Chimes (Ahuriri and Kohara), Johnny Globe (Lordship, Spry and Globe Bay) and Lordship (Lord Module and Inky Lord) have produced Cup-winning offspring.

Holmes had Trix Pointer, off her handicap of six seconds, in fourth place from the start and never far away from the tearaway pacemaker Moneymaker, who started from nine seconds. Moneymaker and Erin's Queen were first into the straight followed by Trix Pointer, and under the whip she quickly gathered in the leaders.

Andy Pringle had Moneymaker in front by six lengths passing the stands for the first time and still had that advantage starting the last lap. However, as in so many of his distance races at Addington, Moneymaker failed at the business end. Matchlight, from two seconds, ran the best of the back contingent, finishing well for third. Sherwood ran a solid race for fourth, while Erin's Queen, always well up, ruined her chance for a place by losing her stride at the furlong post.

The disappointment of the race was the favourite, Author Dillon, who finished well back. In a field of 11, Author Dillon was asked to give a nine-second start to those in front. He did not get away well and was never near the leaders. In the back straight the last time he momentarily left his feet as he tried to improve. Before the race his trackwork had been excellent and, in September, when the club held a meeting to honour the visit of Viscount Jellicoe, he paced a record 2:41.4 for the mile-and-a-quarter.

Author Dillon made amends for his weak Cup performance by winning the Free-For-All on the second day. After two false starts in the race, Albert Cling, who failed to get up to the mark, was left when Author Dillon and the only two other starters, Cathedral Chimes and Admiral Wood, moved away from their flying start. Author Dillon, always in front, won by a length from Cathedral Chimes, with the other two coming in at 12-length intervals.

Trix Pointer was the season's top earner with £2635 and her owner, Bill Norton, was the season's leading owner, with £3135. Free Holmes finished the season with 16 winning drives and in fifth place. He had 22 training successes to be runner-up behind James Bryce. Only once in his long career did Free Holmes finish on top of these lists, when he trained 19 winners during the 1922-23 season.

His victory with Trix Pointer created a unique record for Holmes. In 1888, as a successful jockey, he had ridden Manton to victory in the New Zealand Galloping Cup at Riccarton. Before becoming interested in trotting, Holmes had been first a jockey, and then a trainer of thoroughbreds, and he was without doubt one of the great personalities of the racing scene in the last decades of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century. His other successes as a jockey included the Canterbury Cup, Grand National Hurdles and Great Northern Steeplechase. As a trainer, his successes included the New Zealand St Leger and Auckland Cup. Holmes' achievement of winning both New Zealand Cups was later equalled by Roy Berry, who rode Sinapis to victory in the 1913 New Zealand Cup at Riccarton, then trained and drove double winner Lucky Jack (1937 and 1939) and trained Bronze Eagle (1944) to NZ Cup victories.

In 1915 Holmes made his first trip to the United States, seeking new strains of blood, and bought Logan Pointer, Bonilene and Trix Pointer. In 1922 he made another trip and bought Rey de Oro, and in 1930 he returned with Grattan Loyal and Frank Worthy. The impact on these imports on the New Zealand breeding scene has been immeasurable.

Holmes had few peers as a trainer, owner and studmaster. His ability and expertise was obviously passed down to his three sons - F G, Allan and Maurice - all of whom were associated with NZ Cup victories. The family enjoyed seven Cup victories, with Trix Pointer(1919), Wrackler(1930), Harold Logan(1932), Gold Bar(1945), Chamfer(1950), Adorian(1953) and Lookaway(1957). Quite an achievement.

The Metropolitan Club offered record stakes of 11,000 sovereigns for the 1919 meeting. The big crowd on Cup Day wagered a record £76,291, and the amount invested on the Cup race itself, of £16,147 was a record amount for either a harness or galloping race in New Zealand. The 1919 meeting was a staggering success, with Show Day betting reaching £83,684 10s and an unsurpassed £218,723 for the three days.

The meeting had other highlights, with slow class pacer Cappricio and Cello Sydney Wilkes winning half the second-day programme between them. Cappricio won the Metropolitan Handicap over one-mile-and-five-furlongs in harness, and then later in the day won the Railway Handicap in saddle. Eugene McDermott handled him both times.

Cello Sydney Wilkes won the main event, the Courtenay Handicap, and then the Royal Handicap. On the first day he had also won, and on each occasion the Harold Dillon stallion paid generous dividends. When he won the Christchurch Handicap on the third day, Cello Sydney Wilkes and his trainer-driver John McLennan carved their place in Addington's history, the horse becoming the first of only five to win four races at the November carnival. The feat has been equalled since by Red Shadow(1933), Cardigan Bay(1963), trotter Tutira(1969) and Gentle George(1978). John McLennan had an outstanding meeting, driving six winners.

**Credit: Bernie Wood writing in The Cup 2003**

Credit: NZ HRWeekly 1Oct03

Haughty & Ossie Hooper

1942 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

This is the story of the four pillars of Haughty - four mares whose names are cornerstones of trotting history - Princess, Norice, Regal Voyage and Haughty herself. This is the combination of champion mares whose united efforts have culminated in a new World's Champion pacing mare, Haughty, 4:13 4-5.

The first link in this chain of champions was forged long before the NZ Trotting Cup was established. It all started away back in the 80's, because a young jockey found increasing weight forcing him out of the saddle. That young jockey was D J Price, who then turned his attention to trotting. Price related how he noticed a pacing mare showing a turn of speed on the side of a road, how he bought her for £20 and a £20 contingency, and how he called her Princess. She was said to be by Dexter, but there was some doubt about her breeding. However, she developed into an out-and-out champion, by far the greatest pacer seen in New Zealand up to her time, and she was much too good for the Exhibition Cup field at Dunedin.

Later Princess went to Australia, where she produced to Hambletonian Bell Boy that good horse Prince Imperial, who became the sire of a mare that never raced, but which produced, among other winners, Thixendale, Lady Willings, Lough Neagh, Denver City, Glimpse and Logan Princess who, to Happy Voyage, produced Regal Voyage. Here is the second champion mare in the pedigree. Regal Voyage was a fine stayer, quite one of the best mares of her day, and in the Mid-summer Handicap at Addington in 1931 she beat a great field and registered 4:19 4-5 for the two miles, then a world's pacing record for a mare; in third place was Harold Logan, who was forced to do 4:13 2-5. Regal Voyage was bred by Mr B Grice, but she did most of her racing for the late R Wanden, of Blenheim, and was trained by D Withers. At the conclusion of her racing career, Regal Voyage was bought back by Mr Grice, and her first foal, to Nelson Derby, was Haughty.

The remaining link in this chain of celebrated mares is imported Norice, and it is a matter of real interest that the first New Zealand Trotting Cup in 1904, and the latest contest, should be so closely connected. Norice finished second in the first Cup to Monte Carlo, and now her grand-daughter, Haughty, is enthroned as the 1942 winner and the champion two-mile pacing mare of all time. Norice produced a great line of horses, including Nelson Derby, Native King and Nelson Fame. The great store that Mr Grice places upon the potency of Norice is reflected in the number of her descendants he is using at his stud. He decided to breed from Nelson Derby when this fine racehorse was practically in the discard as a sire. That must have required a certain amount of courage, but it turned out to be nice judgement, for he has had several good winners by Nelson Derby, notably Haughty, Hardy Oak and Single Star.

Mr Grice's interesting experiment in putting mares descended from Norice on the dam's side back to a son of Norice has met with happy results in the production of such good pacers as Hardy Oak and Single Star. Call it inbreeding, linebreeding, or what you will, it was done deliberately by a breeder whose great success over a long period places him in the forefront of breeders-owners-trainers. He has made a study of the Nelson Derby breed, refusing to over-race them at a tender age, and that is one of the main reasons, probably, why Haughty is the champion staying mare of today; she was not taken to the races until she was four, and then she was started only twice, when nearly a five-year-old. That was in the 1939-40 season , so she is now only seven. The latest champion is just a plain, ordinary mare; she can make no pretence at look or style, but she can wag her head at the beauties and reflect that handsome is still as handsome does.

There is a limit to speed; the torrid pace set by Gold Bar found out the backmarker, Josedale Grattan, but last year's winner was not disgraced. He was asked to register 4:10 3-5 to win, and it is doubtful if there is a horse in the world today, including Billy Direct and Greyhound, who could do such time on a six-fulong track. Greyhounds 4:06 against time was done from a flying start on a mile track, while Josedale Grattan, in addition to having more turns to contend with on a track two-furlongs shorter, had an additional 36yds to cover from a standing start. All these facts should be given full consideration, because there must eventually be a limit to the speed a horse can carry over any distance in harness.

Time was when certain schools of harness racing thought that the day might arrive when a pacer or trotter would attain the speed of a galloper. That is ridiculous; but it proves this much: the limit of pacing and trotting speed must nearly have been reached. It proves that the trotter and pacer is possibly rapidly attaining its highest peak of perfection. And pacers in this country, racing under entirely different and more difficult conditions than trials against time in the States, have got remarkably close to the best times over the longer distances made in the home of the trotter and pacer. So much for the fact that there may be a limit to pacing speed.

If anyone had suggested that a horse would go 4:14 3-5 off the limit of the Cup and get beaten, he would have received a very poor hearing. Yet it happened to Gold Bar. The official sectional times made Gold Bar go to the first half-mile in 62secs; the mile in 2:04 3-5; the mile and a quarter in 2:35 2-5; the mile and a half in 3:08 2-5. He took 65 1-5secs for the last half-mile, and had to lower his colours to three horses in the run home. It was a sensational performance, drawing unstinted praise from Mr A L Matson (president of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club) at the Cup presentation. He expressed great admiration for Gold Bar's wonderful achievement, and sympathised with the owner in having to accept fourth place after his horse's being almost totally responsible for the establishment of a new two-mile winning record.

Another record was established which is liable to be overlooked. This is Bayard's time of 4:13 2-5 for third, representing a world's pacing record for a stallion. The ponified pacer was beaten for second only in the last couple of strides by Loyal Rey, whose 4:13 1-5 places him next to Harold Logan on the roster of fastest two-mile pacing performers.

The unlucky horse in the Cup was again Peter Smith who had the job of overhauling Gold Bar, and actually gave Haughty the run of the race. Haughty was tucked in behind Peter Smith all the way to the straight, and by that time Peter Smith's desperate chase of Gold Bar naturally found him out. Loyal Rey drifted early, and his run over the last half mile was of a very high standard indeed.

The world's harness record for two miles is held by the trotter Greyhound, who went 4:06 in 1939. The first mile took 2:03 and the second the same. The best pacing time for two miles in America stands to the credit of Dan Patch 4:17, who took his record away back in 1903. It is obvious that Billy Direct, 1:55, would greatly reduce this record, but, until a great American pacer does tackle Dan Patch's record of 39 years' standing, the world's pacing records for two miles stand to the credit of Harold Logan, 4:12 2-5 (for third), and Haughty, 4:13 4-5 (winning).

Investments on the race totalled £18,350/10/- and for the day £99,419/10/-

Full Result

1st: B Grice's HAUGHTY. Trained by the owner, Tinwald and driven by O E Hooper, started off scratch.

2nd: P A Watson's LOYAL REY. Driven by M C McTigue, started off 12yds.

3rd: H E Salter's BAYARD. Driven by C King, started off 12yds.

4th: A Holmes's GOLD BAR. Driven by D C Watts, started off scratch.

The winner won by two lengths, with a neck to third and a length to fourth.

Times: 4:13 4-5, 4:13 1-5, 4:13 2-5, 4:14 3-5.

Also Started: Bronze Eagle scr; Clockwork scr & Ferry Post 12 bracketed with the third horse; Peter Smith scr; Colonal Grattan 12; Fine Art 12 bracketed with the second horse; Great Jewel 12; Josedale Grattan 36


Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

HAUGHTY

Haughty, who still ranks as the only mare to have broken two minutes in the Southern Hemisphere, and the first mare bred in this part of the world to enter this select circle, has died at the age of 27 years.

Haughty won two NZ Cups, was a free-for-all winner and held a number of records. She was an out-and-out champion, and among her notable deeds was the defeat of Gold Bar in a special match race over a mile at Addington in 2.00 2/5. That was in 1943. Haughty's 4.13 3/5 for two miles was a world pacing record for a mare when she retired in 1946, and she was also the biggest stake winning mare up to that time with £13,105 10s.

Haughty's second NZ Cup victory in 1943 was a magnificent feat of stamina. From the time Gold Bar hit the front the record crowd was at a high pitch of excitment, and when Haughty, almost exhausted, passed the post a winner, the crowd on the inside flocked onto the track to surround the mare and her driver and gave them a memorable ovation. But let us go back a mile and more and attempt to regain something of the atmosphere of that light-harness drama of November 6. Will they catch him? That was the question on the lips of thousands as Gold Bar held a commanding lead going into the back stretch the last time. When Springfield Globe wilted in his attempt to bridge the gap with three and a half furlongs to go, it momentarily looked as though Gold Bar's big moment had arrived. Then, from 'out of the blue' streaked Haughty and her skilled driver, O E Hooper. A terrific roar swept through the crowd as Haughty gradually drew up to the now exhausted pacemaker and came on to win by two lengths from Countless, with Pacing Power third and Gold Bar fourth.

It must have been one of the slowest last quarters ever recorded on a fast track at Addington - 36 sec - yet it was a magnificent climax and a glowing testament to the grit and determination of victor and vanquished alike. Gold Bar had run the first mile, from a standing start, in 2.03 4/5, and reached the mile and a quarter in 2.36 2/5.

Haughty's other important successes included the NZ Sprint Championship; her mile against time of 1.59 3/5, and a mile and a quarter placed record of 2.35 2/5, which was still a world race record for a mare when she retired.

In the pedigree of Haughty are tabulated the names of three mares who will always remain cornerstones of trotting history. Her sire, Nelson Derby, was by Nelson Bingen out of Norice, an American-bred mare who finished second to Monte Carlo in the first NZ Trotting Cup. On the dam's side of Haughty's pedigree is a close-up strain of Princess, easily the greatest pacing mare of just on 80 years ago. Princess started on her dazzling career back in the early 80s. One fine afternoon that astute horseman, the late Dave Price, noticed a pacing mare showing a turn of speed on the side of a road. He bought her then and there for £20 and a £20 contingency. She was said to be by Dexter, but there was some doubt about her breeding. However, she developed into an out-and-out champion, by far the greatest pacer seen in NZ up to her time, and she was much too good for the Exhibition Cup field at Dunedin.

Later Princess went to Australia, where she produced to Hambletonian Bell Boy that good horse Prince Imperial, who became the sire of a mare which never raced, but which produced, among other winners, Thixendale, Lady Willings, Lough Neagh, Denver City, Glimpse and Logan Princess. To Happy Voyage, 2.04 1/5, Logan Princess produced Regal Voyage. Princess was probably just as great a pacer of her time as Haughty was 60 years later.

The third great mare in the pedigree is Haughty's dam, Regal Voyage, who reached Cup class. The day she won the Mid-Summer Handicap at Addington in 1931 her time, 4.19 4/5, set a new two-mile record for a mare. In third place that day was the mighty Harold Logan who, from his long mark of 84 yards, was forced to go 4.13 2/5, then a world pacing record.

Haughty was mated with Gold Bar when first retired to the stud and produced Whiz, a brilliant pacer who went blind after winning a few races; then came Jaunty, by Josedale Grattan; then Brahman (by Gold Bar), who created the NZ and Australian 2-year-old record of 2.02 1/5 against time at Addington and won his way to NZ Cup class; followed by Tolerant (by Morano), Insolent (by U Scott) and others.

Haughty was bred, owned and trained by Mr B Grice, who has now been prominently associated with trotting for nearly half a century.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 10Apr63

BEN GRICE

Ben Grice, one of trotting's best-known personalities, died in a training accident on his property on New Year's Day. He was 96. Mr Grice fell from the sulky while jogging a young horse on the track at his Prebbleton property. It was the second horse the veteran owner/trainer/breeder had worked that morning.

With his son Des, Mr Grice ran the well-known Kingcraft Farm, current home of World Skipper, Lopez Hanover and Keystone Mutiny. The stud has produced a host of classic winners over the years. Mr Grice has been active in trotting for more than sixty years, first in Mid-Canterbury and then, for the last thirty, at Prebbleton.

The most notable of the hundreds of winners the Grices have produced was the top racemre Haughty, winner of the NZ Cup two years in a row in 1942 and '43, the second time from 36 yards behind. Among the younger brigade, horses like Buccaneer, Jonboy Star, Glamour and Royal Lopez won the NZ Sapling Stakes, while Petro Star and Ruling Lobell made their mark by beating the fillies in the NZ Oaks for Mr Grice.

-o0o-

Report by Tony Williams writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 19Jan82

Last week, the NZ Trotting Calendar paid a brief tribute to the late Benjamin Thomas 'Grandad' Grice, whose death as a result of a training accident on New Year's Day brought to an end an era in NZ trotting.

But any lifetime spent in trotting as long as Ben's - he was 96 at the time of his death - can not be brushed over in a few paragraphs, particularly when the man in question has made a contribution to the industry which made him a legend in his own lifetime.

Possessed with a delightful sense of humour - particularly when it was sharpened with a few whiskies with his mates - Ben Grice had a host of stories to tell, especially about the early days. But a lot of those stories could never be repeated - they would turn a modern day administrator's hair white - and many of them died with Ben.

Raised in Ashburton, Ben's interest in trotting was stimulated by his father, and it was on his father's property at Willowby that Ben built his first set of loose boxes. Later, on his own property at Winslow, which was formerly part of the old Longbeach estate, Ben converted an old woolshed into boxes and a feed barn, and really set about making a name for himself.

An accomplished horseman who early in his career was not scared to invest a few bob on his horses, he quickly realised you could not train horses up to the stage where they were ready for a bet, then drive them yourself. So over the years some famous horsemen were to don the famous Grice colours, red with cream crossed sashes and cap. Men like Free Holmes, Albert Hendriksen, 'Drum' Withers, Ossie Hooper, Gladdy McKendry, Ron & Ces Donald, Maurice Holmes, Bob Young and, more lately, Jack Carmichael and Denis Nyhan. Ben always believed in employing the best available reinsmen, and that policy paid off as his stable sent forth a string of brilliant pacers.

One of the best of these was Kingcraft, by the little-known stallion Quincey from a fast racemare in Colene Pointer. Colene Pointer, a mare by Logan Pointer from Queen Cole, by King Cole out of the great Norice, was very unsound so Quincey, a locally-based stallion, was walked to the Grice property to serve her. The resulting foal, Kingcraft, was a top performer, and in his first season at three was unbeaten in two starts. The same season, his dam, Colene Pointer, had recovered sufficiently to resume her racing career and won four races, including the Timaru Cup.

Colene Pointer's dam, Queen Cole, was purchased by Ben from Mrs M Duncan of Coldstream Lodge, which stood on the present site of the Fendalton shopping centre in Christchurch. It was not until nearly 60 years later that Ben found out that his expensive mare nearly didn't make it to Ashburton. The late Dave Bennett was working for Mrs Duncan at the time and, along with a mate, was assigned the task of delivering Queen Cole to the shunting yards to be put on board the train to Ashburton. Unfortunately, the mare escaped in the shunting yards and Dave and his friend spent several anxious hours trying to catch the runaway mare. She was finally cornered, loaded aboard the train and delivered to Ben. But Dave Bennett kept the secret of that narrow escape for many years, and it wasn't until a couple of years before his own death that he confided what had happened to Ben.

Queen Cole, and a Prince Imperial mare of unknown history, were the two mares who paved the way for most of the Grice winners, many of them brilliant juveniles who measured up to the best in the two and three-year-old classics. Buccaneer, an outstanding 2-year-old who won three races at two and then went amiss, is rated probably the best of them by Ben's son Des, who, "Went to help dad for a year after the war and I'm still there."

The Grice stable transferred to Prebbleton in 1950 and, naturally enough, Ben Grice named the property Kingcraft Farm, in honour of his old champion. Kingcraft won a division of the 1929 NZ Cup but he was scratched from the final that year. He then finished unplaced in a division of the event in 1930, but in 1931 was beaten a length by Harold Logan in the final after finishing third in a heat on the first day.

A string of grand pacers, dual NZ Cup winner Haughty, her son Brahman who held the 2-year-old mile record for 25 years, Riviera, Petro Star, Tradition, Regal Voyage, Village Guy, Jonboy Star, Courtier, Smokey Lopez, Ruling Lobell, Don Lopez and Avalon (world yearling record holder with a 2:06.8 effort at Washdyke a few seasons back) are but a few of the more famous names associated with Ben Grice.

It was one of Ben Grice's deepest regrets that one of his horses never won the NZ Derby, a classic the veteran horseman dearly wanted to win. He lined up some brilliant pacers in the event, but bad luck always seemed to dog him. He did, however, win the NZ Oaks with Petro Star and Ruling Lobell, the NZ Sapling Stakes four times with Buccaneer, Jonboy Star, Glamour and Royal Lopez and numerous other classics and semi-classics. The Grice horses were always aimed at classic and semi-classic races and, right up until the time of his death, Ben was working with a handful of likely youngsters, one of whom could yet fulfil, even after his death, Ben Grice's greatest ambition - a victory in the NZ Derby.


Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 12Jan82

David Butt, Camelot, Robin Butt & the owner Harry Crofts

1984 NZ TROTTING CUP

"We'll start in everything how except waterjumps." So said a jubilant Dr Harry Crofts after Camelot ran out a three quarter length winner of the NZ Cup at Addington.

Camelot edged past the pacemaking Dillon Dale in the final 100 metres of the $125,000 feature to score a popular win. Dillon Dale lost second in the shadows of the post to Our Mana, while Hands Down headed the remainder some four lengths away.

While all the glory of the win went to Camelot, the Cup was marred to a great extent by a melee with a little under 700 metres to run in which the chances of seven horses were extinguished. George Shand, the driver of Borana, was suspended up to and including December 15 after being found guilty of causing interference to Diamond Moose at the 700 metres. Diamond Moose (Murray Butt) was brought down in the incident, while Double Cove (Jack Smolenski) fell, Enterprise (Peter Shand) fell, Supreme Ruler (Richard Brosnan) fell, Stampede (Gavin Hampton)lost his driver, as did Stortford Lodge (Paul Young). Also hampered badly in the incident was Norton. Peter Shand and Jack Smolenski both needed hospital treatment, Shand dislocating a shoulder while Smolenski broke an ankle. None of the remaining drivers were badly injured, mainly being shaken and bruised. Several horses had skin grazes but none were seriously injured.

Camelot settled back on the outer for Robin Butt. The pre-race and race-day favourite made his move with some 950 metres to run, improving three wide and being followed all the way by Our Mana. Camelot had just joined Diamond Moose at the 700 metres when the melee took place. Dillon Dale, who had broken at the start and lost up to 40 metres, looped the field on the back of Hands Down to lead at the 1500 metres. He still had control as the field swung for home and, despite his early mistake, fought back tenaciously when challenged by Camelot. Camelot edged ahead slowly but surely as the post loomed and had three quarters of a length over Our Mana at the line. The latter fought on well after trailing Camelot up from the 950 metres and coming off his back with 150 metres to run.

For 57-year-old Harry Crofts, the Cup win was a lifetime ambition fulfilled. After running second to Steel Jaw in his record run Cup 12 months previously and then winning the NZ Free-For-All, Camelot bounced back to form with a win from 29 metres in Mid-October. That return to form, plus his effort in the Cup a year earlier, brought Camelot to the forefront of discussions.

Said Harry Crofts at the presentation: "I would have cried if he'd lost...I can cry now that he's won."

Camelot will have further chances to demonstrate his ability before the season is completed. He will leave on November 20 for Sydney where he will contest the Australian Pacing Championship at Harold Park. After that he will be aimed at the Auckland Cup, followed by the Inter-Dominions at Moonee Valley in March. "After that it's off to the Meadowlands for the World Cup," said Harry Crofts. A tilt at that rich world class event will probably depend on his efforts during the next few months.

"I was never really worried," said Robin Butt after the race. "He was a bit slow early, but I gave him time to find his feet." Butt,41, has had Camelot in his care since being broken in by Alec Wright. The horse has had his share of problems in the last 12 months, a virus attack in Auckland last December and a lot of minor setbacks since have not helped the stallion. "He has kept right on improving this spring," said Robin Butt, "and peaked on the right day." While Camelot missed the melee at the 700 metres, he was involved in minor incident on the way to the course," said Harry Crofts. "He took a bit of skin off his rump. It was probably a good thing," he added. "I think it may have woken his ideas up a bit."

Camelot's victory in the Cup was only the third occaion on which Harry Crofts had seen his horse win. "I came over for the Cup meeting last year and saw him win the Free-For-All on Show Day," said Harry. He arrived back in New Zealand last March after spending two years stationed in Saudi Arabia. "I saw him win at the Canterbury Park meeting...and now today."

Harry Crofts has been involved in the trotting industry since 1950. "I bought my first horse when I was 23," he said. "I'd just qualified as a doctor and with my first wage bought a .22 rifle and the second a horse." Whether the gun was later used on other standardbred purchases Harry didn't say, but he added that he had raced "over 40 horses" since that time, "winning the odd race here and there", but that Camelot was by far the best he had had.

Harry Crofts bred Camelot from the Blue mare Blue Brook, a mare he purchased in 1971. "I was busy in my rooms the day Alan Holmes was having a sale and I asked Wayne Francis to buy a mare for me," said Mr Crofts. "I liked Blankets but knew she would fetch too much so I told Wayne to go up to $1500 to buy her three-quarter sister Blue Brook, who was in foal to Fallacy at the time. He only had to go to $1250 to get her then, after having a look at her blood, asked if he could go halves in the mare with me. We couldn't decide on who would take the first foal from her so agreed to let our wives have the first foal and then take alternative foals, with myself starting off." Apart from Camelot, Blue Brook has left minor winners in Timely Jubilee, Cover Story (US 2:02.4) and Brookby Blue. Camelot is the first Cup winner from the Norice family to which he belongs. Norice, herself a top mare, so many years ago, ran second in the 1904 NZ Cup.

While the honours were with Camelot, good runs came from the two other placegetters, Our Mana and Dillon Dale, especially the latter. A little slow early, Our Mana sat back behind Camelot all the way. Colin De Filippi didn't miss a beat when Camelot and Butt improved with 950 metres to run. Like Camelot, Our Mana was particularly lucky to miss any interference from the melee at the 700 metres. He followed Camelot until well into the straight, pulled off his back with 200 metres to run but couldn't bridge the gap. "Every chance," said Colin De Filippi after, "we were beaten by a better horse on the day."

The effort of Dillon Dale in finishing third was a feature of the race. The Takanini-trained seven-year-old galloped away and lost 40 metres before trainer-driver Don Dwyer could settle him into a pace. After catching the body of the field with 2400 metres to run, he improved three wide following Hands Down and took command with 1500 metres to run. With the winner running the 3200 metres in 4:06.4, one would have expected Dillon Dale to be struggling when the pressure was applied, but he fought back tenaciously all the way down the straight and lost second in the last few strides, being only half a neck away from Our Mana.

Fourth, four lengths away, was Hands Down. He began well from ten metres and Peter Jones improved him wide to lead with 1900 metres to run. He took a trail when Dillon Dale swept up and into the lead with 1500 metres to run but was under pressure to hold the trail at the 400 metres. He battled bravely to the wire.

Northern hope Te Puke Expects was fifth. He trailed early then settled back on the fence. He was under pressure a fair way from home and only battled. He comfortably beat Hilarious Guest, who lead from the 2400 metres to the 1900 before trailing. She dropped away from the 600 metres and was clear of the Australian champion Gammalite. He began well from 30 metres but was forced three wide from the 2400 metres. Bruce Clarke improved the gelding to sit without cover with a lap to run but Gammalite was obviously a beaten horse with 400 metres to run.

Only Norton and Borana of the remaining eight runners completed the course. Norton broke at the start and lost 20 metres before settling. He was making a move to follow Camelot and Our Mana round when badly checked in the accident at the 700 metres, his chances being extinguished.


Credit: Brian Carson writing in NZ Trotting Calendar

DUAL GAITED TRAINERS

It seem slightly traitorous to some that high profile harness trainers are casting their eyes over the thoroughbred industry to extent their interests.

The way the gallops are going, you would have to wonder why? But when people of the calibre of Barry Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen announce they are increasing their commitment to the galloping code, and supporting acts like Todd Mitchell and Brian Court have already taken the plunge, it seems a trend in the making. If so, it is one old enough to have grey hairs.

A century ago, one of New Zealand's leading harness trainers was the Palmerston North-based Lou Robertson, a superb horseman though inclined to test the patience of officialdom with some of his adventures. He left New Zealand for Australia when bookmakers were banned here (1910); became a top harness trainer in Melbourne, but switched to gallopers at the request of his owners. He won the 1915 Caulfield Cup (and again as late as 1949) and after that trained several turf stars until the remarkable year of 1935 when he won the Cox Plate, the Melbourne Cup, the VRC Derby and the VRC Oaks in a matter of weeks. Lou was ludicrously superstitious but never regretted his journey to the 'dark side' from harness.

Dave Price of the same era was the man who spied the freak pacing mare Princess on the road to Ashburton in the 1880s and turned her into a goldmine on both sides of the Tasman. When he was disqualified for life for pulling Princess in Australia he toured in a circus with her doing riding tricks. He developed our first genuine Addington superstar, Ribbonwood, and travelled to America to buy the famous foundation mare, Norice.

The banning of bookmakers hastened Price's permanent exit to Australia when he switched to thoroughbreds in Sydney in 1922. His list of top horses would fill this column. He was famous enough to have his racing memoirs published in a series in a top Sydney newspaper - and he had plenty of stories to tell, especially about his New Zealand career.

In the 1920s an Australian trainer, Peter Riddle, set up a trotting stable in Domain Terrace at Addington and soon had remarkable success. He returned home, took up with gallopers, and owned and trained a fabulous horse called Shannon which later set world records in America.

Bill Tomkinson (for his son Jim), Ces Donald, and Jimmy Bryce (for his daughter Rona) were among prominent trainers of the 1930s to have gallopers (at least ones which were supposed to do that), while that remarkable horseman 'Dil' Edwards was winning the best races at Addington and top races at Riccarton at the same time from his Yaldhurst stable.

Jack Shaw was a famous dual-gaited trainer, having the champion trotting mare of the 1930s in Worthy Queen and the champion galloper of the 1950s in Beaumaris. Claude Fairman, who trained the famous pacing mare, Blue Mist, used to help out with Shaw's gallopers. Lately of course, Graeme Rogerson has been trying a similar change in reverse - as Freeman Holmes did more than 100 years ago.

Graeme has found it a challenge, as is any training enterprise, but is a hard man to beat. History suggests Barry, Natalie and company will be well up to the task doing it the other way round.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in HRWeekly 26Jan11

MABEL & NORICE

There have been few more colourful tales of our harness world than that of Norice, arguably the greatest broodmare in its history, and her owner Mabel Duncan.

In the World War One years Norice was the breeding queen of New Zealand and Duncan kept her in suitably palatial surroundings at the country's plushest trotting stud, Coldstream Lodge in Fendalton. The present homestead at the end of Chilcombe St - the property originally fronted Memorial Avenue when it was 59 Burnside Rd - remains the only memorial to what also was the first stud of any code in New Zealand and the place many harness fans angled to get an invite to visit during carnival week in Christchurch.

Coldstream had been established and named by Ernest Jerningham Wakefield on whose motion the Canterbury Jockey Club was formed in 1855. He stood The Peer there (Peer St is still close by) but Ronald and Mabel Duncan would enlarge and transform it at great expense into a showplace hosting four of the most famous standardbreds of their time.

Horse-mad Mabel Duncan, an accomplished show rider in her youth, was the youngest daughter of A J White whose furniture store was Christchurch's largest. Her Husband, an accountant, successful real estate agent and land speculator, was the sixth son of the former Mayor of Christchurch, Andrew Duncan (there were seven in all) and a dashing "man about town" in the land agency business. They had been married in Sydney in 1905, chiefly to avoid embarrassment to family. The Whites were the high profile Catholic family in the city and the Duncans leaders of the Presbyterian church - not a popular quinella at any religious ceremony in those far off times. The doomsayers would have the last laugh.

Ronald Duncan acted as judge, timekeeper and stipendiary steward at several Canterbury racing clubs and later on the executive of the NZ Trotting Association and King Cole (for a time) was the only horse he raced. He added 10 ha to Coldstream and built a luxurious stable complex and trainer's quarters which included, a reporter marvelled, a hot shower. Mabel was loosening the purse strings as well.

She bought Norice, the most famous racemare in the country, for a hefty sum from the popular Bower Hotel (New Brighton) owner, James Pettie, who had imported Norice from California (accompanied on the trip by Dave Price who brought back the first spreaders used here) but was now moving to the outskirts of Gisborne. Mabel also bought the promising King Cole from Nelson Price as well as his dam. Mabel's trainer, Dave Price, had already given her his half share in King Cole as a foal.

King Cole was one of only 17 foals left here by Price's champion, Ribbonwood. 15 raced and 12 won. Another notable and expensive purchase, before her marriage, had been the champion Sal Tasker, the fastest mare in Australasia, with a sensational official time at Addington in 2:20. She was named after Sarah Tasker the wife of her prominent breeder James Tasker - though Nelson Price first raced the mare and landed a betting plunge first up at Sockburn with her before selling.

At the outbreak of World War One Coldstream boasted both the fastest mare and stallion in Australasia (King Cole having broken his sire Ribbonwood's mile record in a special morning trial at Addington) as well as Norice, the most commercial broodmare. Mabel often used Sal Tasker when driving to town (Ronald played a big role in the tramway being extended to Clyde Road later) safe in the knowledge no challenger could possibly beat her down Fendalton Road.

Mabel also sent mares to be bred in Australia to Abbey Bells and horses to race there including Sal Tasker and her son Coldstream Bells, which was cruelly robbed of the biggest prize in Australasia, the Melbourne Thousand, when another driver deliberately crashed into him and Price at the start. Coldstream Bells still ran second and was later a sire of some note. Mabel Duncan seemed jinxed at times with her horses yet Norice was always there to give Coldstream its status. She also had a champion pony stallion which went years without defeat in Christchurch show rings.

Norice had six generations of recorded pedigree when most local mares, Sal Tasker included, rarely had more than two. She was by Charles Derby (ancester of Johnny Globe, Lordship etc) and after she was bought a half-brother became one of the fastest juveniles in America. Black, fast, sometimes erratic, Norice was the leading stake earner of 1904 winning six of her first seven starts here. She would have won the first NZ Cup that year too but she had problems which prevented Price from training her sufficiently for the race. Even so she led clearly most of the way and as she was eased when passed by Monte Carlo in the straight the big margin was misleading. The veteran never beat her in shorter races.

Norice made history again when disqualified from first in a Flying Handicap at Addington for galloping near the finish. In a landmark decision the race was restored to her because the committee had not taken evidence from her driver, Price, which would have established that a hopple had broken. From then on committees could not make decisions without hearing evidence from the drivers. Later in the day she won the Champion Free-For-All. Norice had also caused Pettie some grief because he had to lodge another cheque "under strong protest" with the NZTA before Norice could race here. Her previous owner was apparently in forfeit to the American Trotting Association and that body had just agreed to share it's rulings with this country.

At stud Norice left a series of smart colts who were in strong demand in Australia as sire but her most famous son was Nelson Derby, a striking colt from birth bought from Mabel by George Craw of Palmerston North for a record £750. He won the Great Northern Derby and the Auckland Cup though not sound, according to trainer Bill Tomkinson, and sired Haughty the first mare outside America to break two minutes. Therein lay quite a story.

The racing dream which seemed to belong to Ronald and Mabel Duncan started to fall apart around 1916 when Duncan took the extraordinary step then of suing his wife for £325 through the courts, presumably for Coldstream costs. Coldstream was sold with Mabel retaining the home block. Ronald Duncan bought and moved to the famous homestead block in North Canterbury. He later moved to Australia where he died in 1942 having remarried after Mabel's death.

Mabel had to cut numbers and sell virtually all her young stock. Watching Nelson Derby, the horse she had been aiming to breed for so long walk out the gate must have been heartbreaking. Selling Norice and Sal Tasker (whose descendants are still competitive today) was never an option. She still clung to part of Coldstream when she died in 1936 the once wealthy heiress having been adjudged bankrupt the previous year. Her parents had a strong social conscience and spent much of their wealth on community projects including building and supporting the large St Joseph's orphanage in Halswell. Norice had her last foal in 1931.

Among the horses sold was Queen Cole (King Cole-Norice) to John Grice of Tinwald whose son Ben inherited her first foal Colene Pointer (Methven and Timaru Cups) a fine stayer and dam of Queen's Treasure and Kingcraft. Ben had another foundation mare, Logan Princess, dam of the high class Regal Voyage. When that mare retired, down the road at Walter Gudsell's Pluto Lodge Stud in Tinwald was a poorly patronised Nelson Derby and so history in the form of Haughty was made. Crossing the two families and doubling up on Norice blood through Nelson Derby by Ben Grice to reinforce the family speed factor has ensured the survival of the Norice character through every generation since. Native King was another Norice colt successful at stud. Kingcraft, by the obscure Quincey who also happened to stand locally (Colene Pointer had broken down so badly she could not travel far) was almost a great horse, competing in the NZ Cup after just eight starts, but like his granddam was erratic at times.

Norice's essential qualities of high speed and waywardness combined with soundness problems have suvived to a remarkable extent through almost a century of breeding. At crucial times her tribe produces fast fillies like herself, like Single Star, Riviera and Petro Star for Grice. Perhaps the best example of the potency of the mare was the amazing Mount Eden. He was the essence of her pacing power and like her highly strung yet his performances were so stunning no less a commentator than Ron Bisman claimed he was to him the fastest horse the world had seen.

The Norice line has actually thrived on the superior breeding performance of relatively few mares, and largely just three breeders - Mabel Duncan, Grice and the Cummings family of Tuapeka whose mare Sakuntala has been the springboard of much of the family's recent success. The New Zealand Cup winners Iraklis and Monkey King, both from this source, were noted for extreme acceleration. Their ancestress Hindu Star, dam of Sakuntala, carried a close up (3x3) Norice masterminded by Grice. Holmes D G came from a more obscure branch of the Norice tribe but still had the essential double cross of Nelson Derby.

In earlier eras stars like Nicotine Prince, Chief Command and Indecision; the speedy Maurice Holmes 2yos like Strauss, Violetta and company; Hardy Oak, Single Star, Ardstraw, Canis Minor, Tuapeka Star, Ruling Lobell etc, etc kept the Norice name to the fore. O Baby is her current Horse of the Year poll winner.

The Norice legacy can be character building for those seeking to extend it. Lightning does not strike as consistently as with some families - but when its stars align it sends an electric charge through the pacing world that no other family can match.

Mabel Duncan and Ben Grice knew what they had to work with. Their work was not in vain.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in HRWeekly 10Apr13