| FEATURE RACE COMMENT |
YEAR: 2004
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| The cover of the Weekly says it all ! |
Cup Day was a cocktail of triumph and tragedy for Ollie and Irene Haines at Addington on Tuesday. Minutes after watching Just An Excuse give Elsu a repeat beating in the Canterbury Draught New Zealand Cup, the Haines’s learned their good friend Graham Higgins had died in the stand nearby.
Higgins was a member of the Cambridge Harness Racing Club, President of the club from 1986 to 1989, and was part of the support team behind Just An Excuse. Ollie, visibly shaken by the death of his old friend, took some consolation on hearing that he'd died calling out ‘Go Mitch’.
It was all part of a turbulent ride the Haines’s have had since winning the New Zealand Cup with Just An Excuse last year when he was a warm favourite. Through one reason and another, Just An Excuse had fallen from favour, and Ollie sat on the sidelines as trainer Robert Mitchell used all his professional skills to put the jigsaw back in place.
The time he spent on the horse was unbelievable. “He has virtually lived with the horse for the past six weeks. “Back and forth to vets, tooth men and farriers. “I’m sure if he’d been in a big stable he wouldn’t be here now,” he said. There was a chewing problem that some attention to his teeth fixed. There was a jarring up problem to his club foot that some special cushioning to his sole fixed. And then there was the abortive mission to Ashburton, which nearly unfixed their whole campaign.
“We were gutted after Ashburton,” said Haines. “It didn’t seem fair; we wanted a rewind. “It wasn’t the fact we didn’t win there, but the fact he didn’t take any part in it.” But Haines didn’t lose faith in Mitchell, nor in the horse. He chided the media for doing so. “I don’t know why you fellas wrote him off,” he said.
Ironically, the Haines’s had been associated with the Butcher stable for 13 years, before Mitchell was given the horse after he’d been tried by Cambridge trainer, Brent Donnelly. The Haines’s had dozens of horses at the time, but five years ago Ollie stuck to a principle and culled more than 30. One of those he couldn’t quit was My Excuse, a Smooth Fella mare and her Live Or Die colt foal.
The foal was Just An Excuse and the culling was successful, because only My Excuse and a Camtastic-Another Excuse 3-year-old remains. Ollie still takes time to bless his Addington luck.
“I’ve only raced two horses here, and they’ve won five Group races.
Just An Excuse has won two Cups and the Superstars, and Smooth Performer won the Oaks and the DB Fillies Final,” he said. And while Todd calls Addington his second home, the Haines’s don’t mind the place either. They could, however, do without the emotion and high drama that came with their visit this time.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in the HR Weekly
YEAR: 2003
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| The successful training and driving team |
On Tuesday, Robert Mitchell carried the cup he should have held in 1975. Just An Excuse brought the Canterbury Draught Centennial New Zealand Trotting Cup to him with the stamp of the new enforcer.
Had he been a truly confident man, rather than the restrained man that he is, Mitchell could well have began his trip to the presentation area after 600 metres of the race, because Just An Excuse had the lead from that far out, and a position of power.
He didn’t, of course, but the nail was in the coffin for many of them at that point – and Mitchell probably knew it. If he had anything to worry about, it was the start. But Just An Excuse made a flier and was on the journey quicker than most of them.
“He was the last to come up and stepped away third,” said winning driver, Todd Mitchell. “There was plenty of room outside Elsu, and Mark Purdon (driving Jack Cade) didn’t make it too hard for us to get past him,” he said.
Besides Jack Cade, Falcon Rise, Jagged Account and Elsu all slipped into good positions. Elsu moved again near the 1800m when Young Rufus rolled forward, and the next move came from Anthony Butt, near the 1300m, with Cool Hand Luke, and the last of any note came from Mister D G.
None of them were serious enough to force Todd to click the pacemaker up, and he must have had “this is for you, Dad”, well in his thoughts as he cruised past the 600m and then put the foot down. Cool Hand Luke did his best to level, and may have done so for a few strides.
Elsu then emerged, wider out, on a better run, and Jack Cade gradually closed along the marker line. But as gallant as they were, Just An Excuse always had them covered, and appeared to win with more authority than a long neck, which is how close Elsu got.
There was a moment of panic at the end when the siren went, which coincided by a visit to the stewards’ room by Purdon. It concerned some movement by Just An Excuse into the passing lane, but nothing came of it, and the occasion never lost stride.
There could also have been a slight panic at the start, when a streaker took off down Queen’s Drive, in front of the main stand. His timing was awful because starter Jack Mulcay had them almost in line. Racing Secretary Tony Lye was aware of some mischief, but not knowing what it was, suggested that Mulcay should hold them while it was sorted out. As it happened, it was over in a flash, and the field was sent away.
Purdon said Jack Cade had worked a bit to get the lead early, from Falcon Rise, and then he had the task of running past the pacemaker on a 26 final quarter. “Just An Excuse may have come in a little, but he came straight back out,” he said. Todd admitted that he was surprised to find the lead, certainly as soon as he did.
“I didn’t think we’d settle handy, and it was at the back of my mind to let something go,” he said. Just An Excuse, a first-season son of Nevele R stallion Live Or Die, is raced by Ollie and Irene Haines who bred him from their Smooth Fella mare, My Excuse.
Todd recalled that he did the Haines' a favour when the horse was a late 3-year-old. “Andrew Neal came up and said he was interested in buying him. I said he taps a knee a bit, and it didn’t go any further. It’s the best advice I’ve ever given.”
Todd has now driven in the New Zealand Cup five times for three wins – the others were Homin Hosed and Gracious Knight – and a second. The race took 4.05.7 which was predictably slow once the favourites had control. “Once that happened it was all over for us,” said Peter Ferguson, the driver of Falcon Rise.
“He needed the pace on from the start, and it didn’t go like that.” Was anyone unlucky? Not that we could see, but Sly Flyin did get home well from five-deep on the fence at the 600m, and Jagged Account also ran home smartly.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in the HR Weekly
YEAR: 2003
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| Jack Cade (Mark Purdon) winning the NZFFA |
The Free-For-All always loomed as a two-horse war and a battle of tactics, and it delivered, apart from the small matter of Jagged Account splitting Jack Cade and Elsu after making his own luck at the start to trail.
Jack Cade has always been seen in his best light when allowed to bowl along, as opposed to the sprint home which developed in the Cup, and Purdon made sure he was going to be able to dictate terms by wresting the lead through the swift first quarter as Elsu worked around three-wide with the live cover of Sly Flyin to face a stiff breeze from the 1400m.
After a brief respite in the pace, David Butcher and Elsu turned up the heat, but Jack Cade came home in two quarters of 28.1 to complete the 2000m in a 1:56.6 mile rate to win comfortably in the end. This was well outside the record 1:54.9 speed that it took Yulestar to catch Young Rufus last year, but it was ample consolation after only getting wound up when it was all over in the Cup.
Elsu was two lengths away shading an equally game Sly Flyin; All Hart again performed with credit for fifth and Gracious Knight showed something like his best form by beating the rest in. These included a luckless Young Rufus, who was squeezed and galloped after 400m, and Annie's Boy, who was retired after finishing last.
Credit: Frank Marrion writing in NZHR Weekly
YEAR: 2003
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| Elsu wins the Derby from Light And Sound |
Welcome back, Falcon Seelster. And what better way to acknowledge his return than the success of Elsu in the $100,000 George Calvert Cleaning New Zealand Derby.
The winner of the Sales Series Pace for 3-year-olds last November was back on the same platform after he called the shots over the last lap to beat Light And Sound. At one stage, brief though it may have been, Light And Sound appeared as if he would rally and take the challenge further. And had the race been a month and another race or so later, this may well have been the case. But this is little more than speculation because Elsu was superior on the night, and David Butcher was tactician supreme. He controlled the pace and wasn't worried he had Light And Sound on his back. "The draw was a big thing, but the race pretty much fell together. Considering the racing he's done, Light And Sound has done a huge job," said Butcher. He put trainer Geoff Small in the same category. "Geoff has done a super job. When Elsu came back in after his break, he only trialled fair, but Geoff has got him back to this level,"he said.
Butcher himself was lucky to be his partner. He got "both barrels" from a youngster earlier in the week, and feared he had broken his left leg. He was relieved of such anxieties by his doctor, and has since laboured on in some discomfort and pain.
Small had his own concerns as he tightened Elsu up for the Derby. "He became muscle-sore after he came back in after racing at Auckland. I could see how it happened. He did the damage skidding up to the fences before I brought him back in, and he was sore over the back. Clare McGowan has done a wonderful job using the machines on him, and Dave McGowan has carried on with the massage since we've been down in Christchurch." he said.
It is possible Elsu will campaign next in Australia, with the preludes for the New South Wales Derby on May 9 in mind for him.
Many of the owners of Elsu were on-course to enjoy the occasion, none more so than Joyce Walters, Geoff's aunty, who originally bought him as a yearling for $32,000 and now owns half of him. The rest is owned by the Double Up Syndicate, of eight sharholders, the estate of Dave Hudson and Pat Small, Geoff's mother. "I was a bit hesitant for a start, knowing there'd be eight or nine other people involved who I didn't know. But it's been brilliant. We've all had so much fun,I'd do it again," she said
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in NZHR Weekly
YEAR: 1968
ZENOVER - Classic Winner Producing Mare
ZENOVER (1968 Bachelor Hanover-zenith), NZ family of Reflection; q 2:17.0, $0; 17 foals, 15 to race for 11 winners/ 4 qualifiers. Breeder Dick (RX) Monk. All foals bred by Dick Monk except: Lady Sherwood (RG Jenkins); Nuclear Power, Interchange, Now and Zen, Went Overboard (Meadowlands Breeding Ltd); Motoring Magic, Motoring In Style, Zenagain (Steve and Ann Phillips)
Zenover's sire Bachelor Hanover (1953) was a son of Nibble Hanover from the great mare The Old Maid from Spinster, dam of Light Brigade. The Old Maid's impact was immense leaving dancer Hanover (dam of Albatross), Thorpe Hanover (1957 Fox Stakes), Spinster Hanover (third dam of French Chef). Bachelor Hanover was a leading two- and three-year-old (Fox Stakes, Little Brown Jug Trial) with stake earnings in excess of $200k.
Leading sire 1973/4, among his 245 winners, Bachelor Hanover's best performers included: Arapaho (NZ & AK Cup), Bachelor Star & Sovereign (NZ Derby), Double Cash (NZ Championship at 2), First Batch & Main Star (GN Derby), Noodlum (NZ Championship at 2, NZ & QLD Derbies). Four times (twice equal) leading broodmare sire (winners), is broodmare credits included: Bionic Chance (NZSS 2c, NZ Breeders Stakes), Bolton Byrd (GN Derby, AK Cup), Decision Time (Messenger), Galleons Paradise & Lunar Lass(VIC Trotters Oaks & Derby), Havago(Fremantle & WA Cups), Ima Orphan(VICSS - 3c&4h), Ladys Rule(NZ Oaks), Locarno(Messenger, Miracle & Pan Am Miles), Lord Module (NZ Championship at 2, NZ Cup & FFA, Pan Am Mile, 1:54.9TT), Melton Monarch(GN Derby, Messenger), Motoring Magic(NZSS-2c&3c, NZ Championship at 2), Trebaldi(NSW Oaks), Times Up(GN & NZ Oaks), Zebec(NZ Trotting Stakes)
Dam Zenith was beautifully bred being by U Scott from Roydon Star, a successful broodmare (Light Brigade-Great Burton. Roydon Star's legacy in future generations included descendants Celestial (GN Derby), Susie Maguire (NZSS-2f), Pic Me Pockets(Messenger), Mighty Me(NZ & GN Derby), Pocket Me, Vee Mee, Take Care. Besides Zenover, she left:
. Mighty Tuft (Southland Challenge)
. Froniza, dam of Timely Ace, sire of Fiona Lyn, granddam of A Touch of Flair ($½m, T1:52.3US, VIC Trotters Derby, Dullard Cup twice, AUS Grand Trotting Grand Prix), Son of Flair (VICSS-3T, VIC Trotters Derby).
. 4th dam of Master Triumph (Superstar-4)
From the family of Reflection, Zenith's third dam was the founding mare herself. Reflection's starring foals were fillies Great Burton(Roydon Star; Burt Scott, Dunedin & Easter Cups) and Real Burton(Kaikoura Cup), dam of Real Nugget(Cambridge Hannon Memorial); Young Tony(Wanganui Cup); Real Scott(CF Mark Memorial twice, Adams Memorial, Louisson Hcp, Dunedin Cup).
Zenover had a series of unplaced runs at two and three before her broodmare potential was considered to outweigh her chances of racing success. She has proven to be one of the best producers in the studbook resulting in being named Broodmare of the Year in 1993.
Zenover's male progeny included:
Harvey Wilson, ran fourth in his only 2yo start. At three, he recorded six consecutive victories following three placings in his first four starts. Wins were at Timaru, Hutt Park(2 divisions of Scan Carriers, Addington (NZ Trotting Stakes, now NZ Trotting Derby) and Rosso Antico Stakes(now GN Trotters Derby) at Alexandra Park. Harvey Wilson was named 3yo Trotter of the Year before departing for North America where he was a winner and sire.
Motoring Magic, 10 race winner for Geoff Small, with 6 as a juvenile landing him 2yo Pacer of the Year title(NZSS heat & final, NZ Championship, Te Awamutu and Cambridge Juveniles; second Thames Juvenile, third Burlington Air Express Stakes). At three, his three victories from 6 starts included NZSS and NZYSS. He was sidelined for the remainder of his 3yo season. The Cambridge Classic, his solitary success at four was to be his final win. A couple of placings were Motoring Magic's only return over the next two seasons before recurring suspensory problems brought about his retirement. As a sire, he left 16 winners(9 NZ bred, 7 Australian bred) including Magic Again, 19 wins, 1:53.4US).
Zebec, winner of 10 racing from age two to eleven. His first win was a dead heat with Zigfield in a 2yo non-tote at Addington and he finished third in the NZ Trotting Stakes. Zebec set a NZ Record for 2yo trotters over 1 mile when he time trialled in T2:04.8. Five wins at three, 4 of which were consecutive including NZ Trotting Stakes and seconds in Cambridge Trotting Stakes and the Rosso Antico Trotting Stakes confirmed his standing as the leading 2 and 3yo trotter of his years. Consecutive wins at Addington's New Year meetings were his only wins at four. A solitary win at Alexandra Pack at five(second in ID heat at Mooney Valley to Scotch Notch) and at Northland off 50m at six were his final successes. Zebec continued racing for a further five seasons for a few placings for a variety of trainers.
Zenover's fillies included:
Harvey's Sister, winner of five; four from 18 starts including eight-times runner up at two and only twice out of the money(Rangiora Raceway Stakes, Roydon Lodge Mile as 2yof, USA 1:58.3US), dam of two winners and a couple who have bred on.
Jenover, winner of 5(Addington-3, Wanganui, Hutt Park) dam of 6 trotting winners including Fitxroy Thugs(Hambletonian - 3T, Dunedin Trotting Cup), Stephen Craig (5 wins - 4 at Alexandra Park, 4th NZSS 3T), Lady Sherwood, unraced, 3rd dam of Albert Jaccka(WABotra Cup, Fremantle Members Sprint), Lady Skip(Tamworth Gold Nugget).
Interchange, five race winner(NBC International Classic Series for 2F, Bathurst Gold Tiara heat as a 2f/4th final, 4th Caduceus Club Classic as a 2f), Broodmare of the Year twice, Broodmare Excellence Award, dam of seven winners including:
. Elsu, 1:53.6, $2m, 3,4&5yo Male Pacer of the Year, Pacer of the Year(twice), Grand Circuit Champion, NZ Trotting Hall of Fame inductee - 27 victories including 11 Group Ones(GN, NZ & NSW Derbies, AK Cup twice, City of Auck FFA, Taylor Mile, Messenger, Chariots of Fire, ID Pacing Final, Hunter Cup), 4 Group 2s, 3 Group 3s. Sire of over 400 winners including Group One performers Chilli Palmer(WA FHRC Classic), Outrageous El(TAS Derby).
. Les Payenz Star, dam of Copper Beach(NZ & VIC Oaks, 3f Pacer of the Year); granddam of De Lovely(1:54.0, $½m, Ladyship Stakes, NZ & AUS Oaks, Jewels Diamond 3f, AUS 3yo Breeders Stakes, Queen of Hearts, NZMTC Summer Cup, NZ Breeders Stakes, 3f & 4m Pacer of the Year).
. Mombassa, 2yo SI Sales Graduate.
. Renonez, 2yo NZ Breeders Produce, 2yo NZ Championship, Morrinsville Juvenile, GN Stakes, Redcliffe & VIC Navy Cups, VHRSC Classic; sire of Game Hillray(Gawler Oaks)
Jenny Gee, twice placed, dam of:
. Jennys Comet, 6 wins, dam of SA trotter Comet Soho(10 wins, three-race Gramel series)
. Jennys Rocket, 8 wins(3yo NZ Trotting Stakes slicing 6.5 seconds off Look's 2600m 3yo NZR.3yo filly Trotter of the Year), dam of Emmas Rocket(Akaroa Cup)
Now And Zen, qualified, unplaced in two starts, dam of five winners including:
. Zenola Star, dam of:
1 Zenad, New Brighton Avon City Ford & Tauranga Grass Cups.
2 Zenola Seelster, Otaki & Tauranga Grass Cups, Northern Country Cups Championship.
3 Zenterfold, dam of Tintin in America(1:53.2, $900k, 2 NZSS, Jewels Emerald at 3&4, AUS 3c Breeders Crown, Cambridge Futurity, Messenger, Kumeu Stakes, 2nd AK Cup and NZ Derby, 4yo Male Pacer of the Year)
. Zenorita, dam of My Dusky Sound(Parkes Cup, Smoken Up & Iraklis Championship and 3rd dam of Zenable(1:51.2, Menangle).
Went Overboard, winner, dam of eight winners including:
. Cast Adrift, 2yo NI Sales Graduate.
. EssBee Doubleyou, 1:52.0, 2yop Canberra Sapling.
. Went Motoring, dam of Little Sonny Bill(Bendigo Guineas & Derby.
. Zenorly Survivor, dam of Back On Board(WA 4yo Championship)
Zenagain, four placings, dam of six winners including:
. Royal Tour, dam of:
1 Rocky Pop, Pinjarra 2yo & Classic
2 Truckers Ruffnut, WA 3yo SS & Sales Classic
3 Tuxedo Tour WA 3yo SS.
. Zen Over Again, NSW Jack Adams Memorial
Minor winners from Zenover included: Jacee, three wins; Harveys Brother, winner in USA;Bachelor Sharvid, trotting winner; Motoring in Style, winner in NZ & twice in Australia.
Credit: Peter Craig writing in Harnessed Oct 2015