| PEOPLE |
YEAR: 1995
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Owen Quinlan, who died suddenly aged 75 last week - two days after playing 18 holes of golf - was a low profile trainer who had his share of good horses.
He drove more than 100 winners and trained the outstanding trotting mare Uteena to win 18 races from his Rolleston stable. Quinlan took particular satisfaction in training trotters, and never in his career raced one with a toe-weight or a half-hopple.
Uteena, a daughter of U Scott, was the best he had. Her wins included a heat of the Inter-Dominions at Forbury Park, where she beat Acquit and Tronso but ran unplaced in Poupette's final; she won the Bridgens Free-For-All at Alexandra Park twice, from Scotleigh and Highland Flight, and French Pass and Rannach Lad; she beat Mountain Pride and Mighty Chief in the Reta Peter Handicap on Show Day at Addington, and she ran third to Tronso in the 1966 Dominion Handicap.
He also returned Aronmot - who had not won at six, seven and eight - to winning form as a nine-year-old, his two wins at that age including the Festival Trotters Championship at Forbury Park.
Quinlan came from Greymouth, starting his career with Jack Shaw. His first win was with Loyal Peg on his home track in 1945, and his first at Addington was a year later, in the Canterbury Juvenile Stakes with the Grattan Loyal filly, Darkie Grattan. He rated Zenith, who won eight, among them the Marlborough Centennial Cup; and Antonius, who won six, as his best pacing winners.
Other good winners were Morano mare Monarrg, who beat Royal Ascot and Walk Alone in a heat of the Dunedin Festival Cup; Castleton's Gift(nine), Chatmos(five), Vivace(five), Le Whip(five), Court Verdict, Sir Hall, Aunt Ada, Siki, Toll Call, Rory, Loylan, Fyvie Queen, Composite, Soubrette, Fifth Brigade, Deuce, Lord Springfield, Frozina, Frozen, Sir Leonard and Margaret Logan.
By his own admittance, Quinlan never trained a top horse, but it was something that never affected the pleasure he had for harness racing. On his retirement, he said: "No, I guess I have not had the vital ounce of luck to get a really top horse of my own, but it hasn't made my time in the game any less enjoyable. And I suppose, I have been luckier than some."
He is survived by his wife Francis and son Michael.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 4Oct95
YEAR: 1968
1968 DOMINION TROTTING HANDICAP
Logan Count completed a "double" for the Clark Bros., of Greenpark, when he won the Dominion Handicap at Addington on Show day. Logan Count is owned and trained by E A Clark, and was driven by his brother L R Clark, who owned and trained the 1965 winner, Mighty Chief, who was driven by D J Townley.
Stamina was a feature of Logan Count's success, and he narrowly missed being put right out of the race when Uteena put a foot into Logan Count's sulky in the first furlong. The mishap caused Logan Count to break and lose about 18 yards. Logan Count made up ground to be fifth at the half mile and he led over the last two furlongs, and always appeared to be in control of the situation over the last furlong. He recorded 4:18.2 for the two miles, time which has been bettered only three times previously.
A seven-year-old by Court Martial, Logan Count is out of Marion Mack, who was got by Logan Derby-Swordsman's Lady, by Swordsman-Pansy Wrack, by Wrack from the New Zealand Pansy, who was by St Swithin and tracing back to the foundation mare Verity. Apart from Marion Mack, Swordsman's Lady's progeny included Nagol Derby, Lenvin and Joell's Lad, all winners at the trotting gait.
Court Martial is the most successful NZ bred sire of trotters in recent years. A Light Brigade horse, he has left a string of top trotters including Moon Boy (4:15.8), Reprimand (2:03.4), Rannach Lad (2:54.2, a NZ record for 11 furlongs), Acquit and others including NZ Trotting Stakes winners in Belmartial, Court Out and Ninety Days. Court Martial's sire Light Brigade was NZ's top sire of trotters for some years.
Clark, who has a dairy farm, has been interested in trotters and gallopers over a long period, but Dark Duet has been the only other winner he has had at a trotting meeting. Prince Morocco was probably his most successful galloper. Brother L R developed and has driven Mighty Chief in most of his successes.
Logan Count was bred by Mr E D Johnson, Leeston, and Clark recalls that Logan Count nearly died last March with a severe attack of colic. He just resumed racing this spring
Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar
YEAR: 1966
1966 DOMINION TROTTING HANDICAP
The Dominion Trotting Handicap proved a real test of stamina and Tronso, winner of the Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup earlier in the season, finished on just a little better than her rivals. Tronso was always going well and gave her driver, F E Newfield, his most important success with a trotter. Tronso came from sixth place at a fairly late stage and she was fourth into the straight. From then on Tronso always looked to have the result in safe keeping. The race was run at a solid pace, the first half mile taking 68.6 and the mile 2:13.8. The leaders sprinted their last half mile in 32.4 sec.
Tronso is the first horse C R Berkett has trained since renewing his training licence this season. Berkett races Tronso on lease from Mrs E Jamison. Tronso is an eight-year-old brown mare by Light Brigade from Bettagain, a daughter of Desmond's Pride and a top trotting mare of 20 years ago in Betty Maxegin, who was successful against the pacers. Betty Maxegin also produced Mighty Hanover, Robert Medoro and Rapparee, all bred by Mrs Jamison.
Queen's Cord trotted her best race in several starts to beat all but Tronso. She came from several places back at the home turn but found Tronso just too good on the day. Uteena, who had more or less been out of form for some time, trotted a sound race for third. She came right into the picture over the concluding stages and her effort shows she is far from a spent force. Asia Minor made up ground for fourth in the Dominion without looking a real danger, after being checked in the running. A feature of the race was the failure of the two favourites, Le Chant and Johnny Gee. Le Chant finished last and Johnny Gee was pulled up. Johnny Gee was troubled by the grit being thrown up in his face, according to his owner-trainer, W R Butt.
Credit: 'Irvington' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar