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Kate's First winning the Nevele R NZ Oaks

1997 NEVELE R NZ OAKS

Kate's First produced a brilliant effort to win the Nevele R NZ Oaks, but it wasn't the only act she put on on the night.

Bucking and kicking when unloaded off the float on arrival at the course, Kate's First continued the bad behaviour prior to her event. "She was a right mole in her preliminary," driver Peter Ferguson said. "She gets a bit smart and tries to run off the track - I was flat getting her around the course while she was warming up."

Although the Holmes Hanover filly proved a handful prior to her $60,000 NZ Oaks bid, Ferguson knew it was a positive sign. "I knew she was back to her old self when she started behaving like that. She played up a little prior to the previous week's win, but that side to her had been missing since she's been crook," he said.

Ferguson's thoughts that Kate's First was back to normal were certainly justified minutes later. Drawn the outside of the second row, Ferguson and Kate's First waited until the right moment to shoot around the field, and levelled up to pacemaking favourite Scuse Me with a lap to travel. In the same spot turning for home, it was obvious soon after that Kate's First had the measure of the leader. She strode clear and then easily held off the late challenges of Bludebird, Strathrowan and Mystic Gold.

The win was a huge effort from a 3-year-old filly, and even more amazing were the last sectionals of 57 and 28.5 respectively, which paved the way for a national record time of 3:13.1 for the 2600m mobile. "I was quite happy sitting parked out, and I wouldn't have handed up to anything over the last lap," Ferguson said. "She's got a bit of speed, and seems to have got quicker as she's had more races," he said.

Austin Williams, who with daughter Karen has looked after Kate's First while she has been in Christchurch, believed the filly falling ill could have been a blessing in disguise. "Travelling up and down the country for major races can take a lot out of horses," he said. Ferguson agreed, saying the opportunity Kate's First had to settle in and acclimatise was a major factor. "Ausin and Karen have done a wonderful job with the horse. She felt terific tonight and I know it is a scary thought but I think she might improve for the Hydroflow Final," he said.

Credit: John Robinson writing in NZHR Weekly

GREAT RACES: 98 NZ CUP

Great races usually involve more than a superlative performance from one horse, and by the time the 1998 NZ Cup rolled around, there were only two horses on everybody's lips - the 'defending champion' Iraklis in the red, white and blue corner and an upstart young challenger in Christian Cullen in the light blue and white one. They had met for the first time in the Ashburton Flying Stakes, where Christian Cullen had delivered a telling blow, but the injury-troubled star still had to make it to the post and there were many rating the great stayer Iraklis just as big a chance, even with a 10m handicap.

Brilliant northerner Agua Caliente, winner of the Taylor Mile/Messenger double the year before, had gone amiss with a breathing issue in mid-October, but the likes of such quality performers in Anvil's Star, Anvil Vance, Brabham, Franco Enforce, Kate's First, Surprise Package and There's A Franco hardly raised a mention, such was the hype around the 'favs'.

Anvil's Star was a 7-year-old and in his last campaign in NZ, having already won over $400,000. He was beaten less than a length when Il Vicolo won his second NZ Cup, and a fourth at Kaikoura where he was beaten a head and two noses showed he was still a force to be reckoned with. Anvil Vance was a year-younger son of Vance Hanover who had also won over $400,000 for trainer Barry Purdon. He had been placed twice in both the Auckland and NZ Cups and won that year's Easter Cup in 4:04 over Happy Asset and Franco Enforce.

Brabham was an 8-year-old winner of over $600,000 and also coming to the end of his career for Mark Purdon. He had been beaten a head by Kate's First in the previous season's Auckland Cup, and a devastating finish to win the North Shore City Stakes by three lengths in a NZ record 3:20.3 (MR1:59.3 for 2700m stand) showed he was in as good a shape as ever. Franco Enforce was a 5-year-old and had won nine of his 16 races starting the season. He had won the Sires Stakes Final by a nose over Franco Hat Trick and Lavros Star in a 1:57.5 mile rate in his third lifetime start, and was beaten a nose in Bogan Fella's NZ Derby before winning the Queensland/Australian Derby double in grand style. Resuming the previous February with three wins at Addington before a third in the Easter Cup, there was little fuss for Franco Enforce to qualify for the Cup with wins at Motukarara and Addington going into Ashburton. A sound fifth there didn't hurt his Cup prospects at all, although the 'OK Bye factor'was soon to rear its ugly head.

Kate's First was also a 5-year-old and the splendid stayer had won the NZ Oaks in 3:13.1 and as a 4-year-old the Auckland Cup in 4:01.2, both records. Surprise Package was starting to get a bit long in the tooth as a 7-year-old, but had won that year's Hunter Cup when 10 of the 14 starters were either NZ-bred or trained, or both, and banked over $700,000. He had only resumed at Kailoura, so was a bit of an unknown package going into the Cup, but class always has and had to be respected.

There's A Franco was a 6-year-old and had won 11 of 24 races starting that season, having missed her 4-year-old term through an injury. She had been placed in four races going into Ashburton, where she was a close and solid sixth, and as one of four mares starting in the Cup that year, also gave them a high card in a strong hand. Holmes D G, the winner of four Derbys the previous season, had been brilliant when resuming in the Kumeu Stakes in late October, but Barry Purdon opted to bypass the Cup and wait for a return bout with Christian Cullen in the FFA.

Thus, while Agua Caliente and Holmes D G were not there to challenge for the north, and there was the usual amount of 'padding' to make up a full field, it can be seen that this was a good Cup field, even without Christian Cullen and Iraklis.

Iraklis had been Horse of the Year as a 4-year-old after blowing away Brabham in the Junior FFA and NZ Free-For-All, where he also dealt to the dual Cup winner Il Vicolo, before winning the Miracle Mile in a race record 1:54.2 and finishing third in the Inter-Dominion at Globe Derby Park. The previous season he had again been unbeatable in the spring, winning twice at Addington, the Hannon and Ashburton Flying Stakes before winning the Cup, although the half-head over rank out-sider Smooth Dominion was a bit scary for those who had made him the odds-on favourite and shortest price winner in the history of the event. On the comeback trail as a 6-year-old after going amiss the previous December, Iraklis had looked just as good again in romping away in good company at Addington and again winning the Hannon inpressively, and a pending first showdown with Christian Cullen loomed at Ashburton.

Iraklis had opened the $2.75 favourite with Fixed Odds for the Cup and Christian Cullen was at $4.75, but a lot was about to change. There was a nagging doubt that the In The Pocket entire would both remain sound and take the next step to Cup class, given that he had already twice gone amiss on the eve of Group 1 assignments.

He had looked a budding superstar from the time he won his first two races as a juvenile - the first such race in the South Island at the Cup meeting in November by five lengths and a 2600m M0 stand in January by six in 3:18.6. The Welcome Stakes and PGG Sales race proved mere formalities, but after getting a knock to a tendon in the week leading up to the latter, a week later he had to be withdrawn from his Sires' Stakes heat and the rest of the season. In the spring he won the Rising Stars, but was beaten in his other four races going into the Sires' Stakes. Christian Cullen was too strong for Holmes D G on that occasion however, and on the final night of the meeting, against mostly open class horses, he convincingly downed Anvil's Star and Brabham in the $100,000 Round Up 1950.

That controversial late withdrawal from the Miracle Mile over a supposedly contaminated swab when Chokin had already found the task as a 3-year-old so overwhelming and an unlucky third in the Great Northern Derby followed, and then Christian Cullen was on the sidelines again when the NZ Derby was run and also won by Holmes D G, who would be 3yo Pacer of the Year by virtue of also accounting for the Victoria and NSW Derbys. Resuming in August with two wins over Good Mate in intermediate company from a handicap and the Superstars from 20 metres, set the stage for Christian Cullen's first clash with Iraklis.

Adding fuel to the fire in the pre-race hype - it was pretty much the Cup field - was the fact that Ricky May had opted off Christian Cullen after winning the Sires' Stakes, in light of the pending clash with Iraklis in the Miracle Mile. The drive went to O'Meara's 25-year-old stable foreman Danny Campbell, who had earlier worked for Cameron and been the regular driver of Iraklis going into the 1996 Cup Meeting, only to be replaced by May. May could hardly be blamed for being faithful to the horse who had won the Miracle Mile and NZ Cup, but now Christian Cullen was coming back to haunt him. There must also have been a nagging doubt in the back of his mind that Christian Cullen would not be around for long at all. In the decade prior, O'Meara had had a host of top pacers including Naval Officer, Really Honkin, Trident, Tuapeka Knight, Bold Sharvid, Tight Connection, Reba Lord, Hey Jude and Spirit of Zeus, and for one reason or another, none had made it to the start of a NZ Cup.

When the dust had settled at Ashburton though, any doubts remaining existed in the minds of Campbell's rival drivers to the effect of 'how on earth are we going to beat this horse?'. May was the first to move and had Iraklis in front passing the winning post the first time, but stalking them were Campbell and Christian Cullen and they smoked past soon after. Campbell stacked them up a bit on the turn and Christian Cullen sprinted them home; try as he might, Iraklis could make no impression at all. Christian Cullen had been timed over his last mile in 1:53.5 (58.4, 55.1) and finished 2/10ths of a second outside Master Musician's national record of 2:57.8, set in winning a Kaikoura Cup from 15 metres. He hadn't raced for seven weeks and O'Meara believed the run would improve him.

And as if that was not enough, Christian Cullen trialled over 2400m at Ashburton a week before the Cup and beat There's A Franco and Iraklis by six lengths in an unbelievable 2:56.8 - a mile rate of 1:58.5 from a stand. The stage was thus set for not just a two-horse race, but a two-horse war.

THE RACE
'Cullen' had firmed in favour dramatically with the 'bookies,' but Cameron and May were not lying down even though Iraklis would have to concede 10 metres - the two miles of the Cup tended to be a great leveller and Iraklis was a great stayer. May was happy with his drive without being overly confident, but O'Meara and Campbell were quite bullish. Anvil Vance, third at Ashburton after following the first two around and never leaving the fence, and Tony Herlihy were the third choice but at double figure odds, ahead of Brabham, Kate's First, Franco Enforce, Anvil's Star, There's A Franco and Surprise Package - the rest were just there to get in the way.

As the big Cup Day crowd began to fill every vantage point in the stands, the growing 'hum' from anticipation and chatter increased exponentially as the race approached, and then before you knew it they were off! Roymark and Franco Enforce showed out early and as they settled, Christian Cullen was well back but Campbell was about to seize a three-wide cart into the race, and Iraklis had only the wayward Aussie visitor Hilarity Lobell behind him.

'Cullen' was in command shortly after the first lap had been covered at the 1900m, and when Campbell then eased the speed a bit, around came Iraklis to sit at his wheel for the last lap - this was what the people had come to see. Seemingly jogging down the back, Christian Cullen dropped Roymark passing the 400m and Iraklis dropped on to his back, hoping for a slingshot late in the piece. Iraklis was travelling well and May briefly entertained the idea of upsetting his nemesis and the $1.90 shot, but Christian Cullen "kicked on" and never really looked in danger of defeat.

Just as at Ashburton, Iraklis could get to Christian Cullen's wheel but no more, and the margin was again a length and a quarter. If there had been a mid-race breather it hadn't been for long - Christian Cullen's 4:00.4 equalling Luxury Liner and Il Vicolo's race and track record. Iraklis had gone terrific and was gallant, being timed post to post around the field in 3:57.5 as they came home in 28, but the 10m and Christian Cullen were the big difference as they finished seven lengths clear of Franco Enforce and There's A Franco.

For Christian Cullen it was his 14th win from 20 starts, and he was of course just just getting started. Soon to follow and fall were the Free-For-All over Holmes D G; that spine-tingling Miracle Mile and a magnificent Auckland Cup performance in 3:59.7 in what was a memorable two months. Christian Cullen would go amiss again that season after winning on the first night of the Auckland Inter-Dominions, but it had been an unbeaten and glorious 12-start campaign and he would be an overwhelming choice for Horse of the Year in a season where Courage Under Fire remained unbeaten in 22 races and won six Derbys.

That year was in fact the beginning of the end of Christian Cullen's racing career, but all that really meant was that it would signal the start of an equally if not more sensational one at stud.


Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 2Aug06

The Maceys with driver Todd Mitchell

1999 DB DRAUGHT NZ TROTTING CUP

A medley of incidents and accidents before the start added spark to the DB Draught NZ Trotting Cup at Addington on Tuesday.

The signs were there but hard to read when Ritchi reared in the birdcage as the horses left for the barrier. Once at the start, and when all was in readiness, Ritchie performed again, this time rearing backwards and buckling his sulky shafts. Driver David Butcher was lucky to be unhurt and he deserved a medal for holding on and saving what might have been a minor disaster. It was bad enough as it was. Club veterinary surgeon Cliff McGrouther was then despatched to the start to see if Ritchie was in the right health to start. He was, though Steven Reid, his co-trainer with Tremain Thorby, thought the prudent course might have been to scratch him considering the drama he'd been through.

The second attempt to line up was better but not good. Happy Asset nearly went through the strand and had to be taken out and put in line again. No sooner had he stood up again, and they were off, but not with Agua Caliente. Under Cover Lover was a clear leader and Ritchie was with her after 300 metres when starter Jack Mulcay whistled them back for a false start. Chief Stipe Neil Escott was soon in contact with Mulcay: "What's happening over there?" "Agua Caliente was side on," reported Mulcay.

Meantime, in the engine room, Racing Manager Tony Lye is reopening the tote, checking the start time of a North Island galloping race, and thinking the delay might mean a bigger handle. Nearly 20 minutes have gone since start time, and the field is still in the starters hands.

HRNZ Executive Member Charlie Hunter, who has seen his fair share of Cups, goes past: "Ever seen anything like this before?" CEO Mike Godber sees some relief in the situation. Sweating in his tails, he is able to remove his top hat and mop the brow. "I won't look. Just tell me if they're all away," he says.

At the third attempt, the field is despatched as one, with Under Cover Lover again leading out from Kate's First and Holmes D G. At this point, Barry Purdon, still thinking he had a lucky break over the false start when Holmes D G made a match-losing gallop, drives the favourite forward to lead. This was predictable. In the last five or six years, the Cup favourites have always led over the last mile and most of them for much more. This is the place for the best horse to be, and Purdon was happy to be there. Agua Caliente was back and Homin Hosed parked. No change, except for a plucky run by Bogan Fella who came up to be second with a lap to run. But still no pressure, and no time to talk of.

The race almost had a fairy-tale look on the corner. 'A driving win for Barry at his ninth attempt ...or was it 10?' 'A very worthy consolation prize for beleagured All Black coach John Hart who arrived home from England at 5am that morning.' 'The favourite delivers in the end.' And the picture developed with some certainty like this from the 400m to the 300m and the 200m, even the 100m where Bogan Fella finally let go. But shapes change and Purdon was somewhat dismayed a few strides later when he saw a head appear outside of Bogan Fella and coming at quite a rattle. "I couldn't see the horse, just a head. I thought it was Denis Wilson's horse," he said. The danger was greater than that. Homin Hosed.

Addington has been good country in the past for Holmes D G. It's also been the land of plenty for Homin Hosed. In two starts, he hasn't been beaten at Addington. At 3200m, his record at Addington is perfect. After looking so convincing for so long up the straight, Holmes D G lingered for just a fraction near the post. Purdon knew it. "I thought there might have been half a head in it," he said. There was a nose, and Homin Hosed still has a perfect record at Addington.

Time is critical but margins win races. 4:04.3 is the official time for Homin Hosed and Holmes D G in the DB Draught NZ Trotting Cup. In the space of less than a tenth of a second, when small fortunes can be won and lost, Homin Hosed nailed the victory in the very last stride. The difference was huge: $209,000 instead of $69,910, honourable mention in the record books, fame and fortune by a nose.

It was a Holmes Hanover quinella in the DB Draught NZ Cup, a North Island 1,2,3,4 with Bogan Fella third and Kate's First fourth - a tight finish after a tame race.

The winners are modest, retiring people. The Maceys, Bryan and his wife Marilyn, are 66 and 65. Instead of doing less at their age, they are doing more; Bryan busy with six horses besides Homin Hosed, Marilyn managing an educational trust. When it came to say thanks for so much to so many at the end of the race, it was Marilyn who took charge. "I don't think Bryan could say anything at the moment." Clutching the Cup, she said:"We've never been here on Cup Day before. It was going to be a wonderful day for us, even without winning," she said. After thanking the club, the sponsors, their driver Todd Mitchell, Marilyn said:"And I must thank the trainer. I am only a part-owner but I must say it's our most memorable moment." Later Bryan did have his say: "I can't really describe how I feel at the moment."

All agree, Homin Hosed has never run a bad race. He won his first race in modest company at Manawatu. "Peter Stephens loaned us Miss Piggy, a Noodlum mare, and one of the chaps from Pyne Gould Guinness said we couldn't go wrong sending her to Holmes Hanover," he recalled. Miss Piggy was from Halter Prize, by Mark Lobell, from the Lucky Hanover mare Lucky Lea, who earlier left the useful winners Hanover Heels and Halter Hal. Previously, she had been to Happy Cat, Slugger and Cheshire, none of which figured in the same commercial street as Holmes.

Macey, a retired vet, put his foot in the water as a trainer in the 80s when he bred an raced Royal Pandora, a mare by Royal Scotchman. "When she won her first start and then her second I thought how good it was. But then she never won another race." Then, he came up with the smart pacer Single Cee, by Crockett and from the same family as Homin Hosed, who won nine before going to the States.

With Homin Hosed, Macey has seldom had much to worry about. He had a little problem with a corn after Kaikoura but it was hardly worth a mention. If there was an issue, it might have been bringing Homin Hosed to the hard racing trim Macey wanted. Working at home, without the choice of companions a big stable can offer, Macey had to take what he could get. "He's a lazy horse at home and needed that run at Kaikoura. He's so tough, and he just relaxes," he said.

Homin Hosed will now embark on assignments equally challenging. He will race in the Miracle Mile if invited - "We will accept an invitation although he's not really a miler" - and then to Melbourne for the Inter-Dominions.

In Macey's care at home are a 2-year-old half-sister to Homin Hosed by Sundon, a yearling half-sister by Il Vicolo, and Miss Piggy is booked to In The Pocket this season.

Thrilled with the support of his local community, Macey acknowledged this by using the colours of Waikato on his pacer's breastplate. He also knows the value of sponsors. One of the first to shake his hand on winning the Cup was George Calvert, who sponsored the Easter Cup Homin Hosed won at Addington on his last trip. "He wrote me a great letter after it. He's one of the best," said Calvert as he congratulated Macey.

Credit: Mike Grainger writing in the HR Weekly

2004 MACH THREE NZ STANDARDBRED BREEDERS STAKES

This time last year, Coburg had only just cleared maiden ranks. The Falcon Seelster mare got 'on the board' with a win at Alexandra Park on January 30, beating Pacing Grace by a nose to end a string of minor placings. Sure, there had been cheques arriving in the mail after all bar one of her first nine starts, but finally the Coburg Syndicate that raced her received one that had a bit of weight about it. And her trainer Mike Berger breathed a sigh of relief.

"When she was racing as a two and 3-year-old I remember telling the syndicate not to lose any sleep," Berger said. "Coburg always felt like she had the goods. And even though she had taken so long to win a race, I thought she was going to be something special one day." Twelve months later, that day is here.

Coburg is now the hottest mare in the country, and last Friday she completed the second leg of the 'double' when she won the $100,000 Mach Three NZ Standardbred Breeders' Stakes at Addington in devasting fashion. It was an even more dominant display than the week before when she had taken out the PGG Premier Mares' Championship, and it stamped her as a lady of real class.

A one and three-quarter length victory that could have been more, a 1:56.8 mile rate for the 1950 metre trip and near record time, and a chegue for almost $62,000... what a difference a year can make. Driver Peter Ferguson said he was 80 per cent confident when he steered Coburg onto the track for her warm-up, and by the time the race was underway and they had passed the 1000 metre mark he was "a hundred and ten percent". "She felt enormous," he said. "After we got a good run through to settle three-back, all I had to do was wait; if they came around, I was going. It wouldn't have mattered where she was in the running."

Ferguson has sat behind his fair share of good mares before, none better than Kate's First. "Coburg and Kate are actually similar types of horses," he said. "I don't like to compare different horses from different eras, and Coburg has got a long way to go to match Kate's deeds because she won an Auckland Cup, but it is their adaptability - they can race anywhere in the field. Coburg gives you a lot of confidence as a driver. If you get caught out wide or have to do a bit of workto get a possie, most horses will tire on you, but with Coburg you know that she will pull you through at the other end."

Ferguson has been in Coburg's sulky for the last six appearances following a suggestion by syndicate member Barry Gordon that he would suit the mare. The move has been well worth it, with four wins, a second and an unlucky eighth the tally for the new partnership so far. Both driver and trainer agree that there is no easy path ahead for Coburg from here, and just what her career entails for the remainder of the season is yet to be decided. "It could be hard work chasing the big 4-year-old races now, but I suppose you have really got to because there is nothing much else for her," Ferguson said. "Yeah, she's going to start running out of opportunities," Berger said. "We might even look at Australia, and see what races there are for her over there. She has probably done enough to secure her broodmare career though."



Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 4Feb04