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Doris Nyhan & Lordship in 1962

LORDSHIP

When Don and Doris Nyhan established their stables at Templeton 30 years ago they named it Globe Lodge as a tribute to the immortal sire, Globe Derby.

About this time they raced Johnny Globe, a grandson of Globe Derby, who wrote a colourful chapter into NZ light-harness history through his deeds on the track and as a sire. And now it is a son of former public idol Johnny Globe, Lordship, who is keeping the stud to the fore in a manner which promises to make his chapter longer and more memorable than that of his father.

Globe Lodge the Nyhan property might be, but Lordship is 'Lord of the Manor'. He is currently 'King of the Sires'. At this stage of the season, most trotting folk reflect on the season and look to the statisticians to tell them who is top of what. The sires' table is one of these categories, which has a certain amount of prestige. Lordship has not only headed it this season, he has set a record. And in doing so, he has shown complete contempt for his rival sires. This season his progeny have amassed around $350,000 on the track, which is over $150,000 more than the next sire on the list and well over $100,000 more than the previous record earnings for a season.

In the past, most sires have reached the head of the table through the deeds of one or two major contributors. When these horses' earnings have been subtracted from their sire's totals, the stallion has fallen below the number one spot. This is far from the case with Lordship. If there had never been a Lord Module, Lordship's main winner this season, he would still be a clear leader on the premiership table.

The Lordship story started a long time ago when Mrs Nyhan took pity on a scruffy looking foal and persuaded Don, much against his judgement, to spend the £50 they had caved to buy a fur coat to buy the colt. The colt was Johnny Globe. With his son Lordship, Johnny Globe returned over £200,000, the result of 79 wins, for the sacrificed £50. The Nyhans came upon Lordship almost as fortuitously as his dad. Mrs Nyhan, at the invitation of a friend, leased the mare Ladyship, who was bred in the purple but had shown very little on the track. She put Ladyship to Johnny Globe. The result? Lordship. Ladyship was by U Scott from a fine racemare in Lightning Lady, who was a sister to a brilliant pacer in his day in Emulous, one of a select few who could match strides with the mighty Highland Fling. Lightning Lady was by Jack Potts from Light Wings, a mare imported into this country by Sir John McKenzie.

It didn't take long for Lordship to reveal special talents. "We knew we had something different when he was a yearling. He could work half a mile free-legged in a minute without any difficulty," Don recalled last week. Lordship fulfilled that early promise in his first season. He won six of his nine starts as a 2-year-old, including the 1961 Sapling Stakes. Lordship's regular driver Denis Nyhan, Don's younger son, recalled how Lordship wasn't happy on wet tracks when a juvenile. In many cases it was his class that took him through.

Just a young man at that stage and working at the stables, Denis got the regular drive on Lordship with a stroke of luck. Denis Nyhan tells the story. "On the morning Lordship was due to start in the Welcome Stakes I was following Dad in a workout when his horse cracked a bone in one of his forelegs and fell. I piled over the top of him and Dad was quite badly hurt," Denis said. "I got the drive then and won the Welcome. I was lucky enough to win the following three races with him, so Mum decided to keep me on," Denis said.

Lordship returned the next season and won five races including the NZ Derby by six lengths. However it was later that season that he gave a true testimony to his class. After finishing an unlucky second to Waitaki Hanover in the Great Northern Derby, Lordship took on the open class horses. He finished out of the money in his first few attempts before running third in the 1962 Easter Cup to Patchwork and then winning the Winter Free-For-All at Addington. In that event he decisively beat horses of the calibre of Falehood, Samantha, Blue Prince, Diamond Hanover, Gildirect, King Hal, Master Alan and Queen Ngaio. No 3-year-old before or since has ever done this.

Lordship was quite superb as a 4-year-old winning eight races including the NZ Cup, only the second of his age to do so. But it could have been quite different. Lordship almost never started in the Cup. A torrential downpour on the day prompted the Nyhans to consider scratching him. But officials reminded Don of all those off-course investors who had bet on Lordship and persuaded him to start. Lordship eventually strolled to an easy win for Mrs Nyhan. Denis, in the cart again, was having his first Cup drive. The overseas offers were soon flowing in for the brilliant black. Mrs Nyhan was adamant. Her pride and joy would not go to America. Her decision was to have a profound effect on the record books later.

However, it was the following season, 1963-64, that Lordship developed splint trouble which required daily treatment. But even though handicapped by his legs and lengthy marks, Lordship continued to win many races including his second NZ Cup, and Auckland Cup and two Easter Cups. And so grew a deep affection with the public which saw him become an idol in the mould of his dad.

Don and Denis Nyhan agree that his Auckland Cup win in 1964 was his greatest victory. He had to beat unsoundness, some other top horses and his handicap. "He was sore only a month or so beforehand and was far from being trained for a searching two-mile test," Don recalled. However, he came through with flying colours from his 36 yard back mark, by shading Jay Ar, with Great Adios and Vanderford filling the minor placings. "They went 4:11.4 that night. I'm sure if they had gone faster up front, he would have beaten Johnny's record - 4:07.6 - he was travelling that well throughout," Denis said.

Lordship retired as a 10-year-old with a record unequalled by a horse raced solely in NZ. As the winner of 45 races, including 16 free-for-alls, and $120,660 in stakes, he had eclipsed Johnny Globe's previous records. If he had won the same races today, his stakes winnings would have been anything from $450,00 to half a millon dollars.

And so Lordship went into his stud career with many hoping he could leave somthing as good as himself and perhaps carry on the Globe Derby male line. He has done this in no uncertain terms in the form of Lord Module. However it wasn't an easy road to haul. Lordship's support early on was moderate to say the least and it was only his ability that finally won him full book support. Only now, as a 22-year-old, is he getting the support he deserved in the first place. Don can't explain or understand the attitude of NZ breeders. "It's the same with any NZ-bred horse; it's an uphill battle," Nyhan said. "It was the same with Johnny. He never had a full book in his entire stud career, even when he was four times leading sire. And a lot of his mares were hacks," he said when recalling the support for Johnny Globe, one of the most admired horses ever.

"A mare could go to Johnny Globe and a top-class horse would often result. But send the same mare to U Scott, Light Brigade, Garrison Hanover or any other top sire, and she'd leave nothing," Don said. "Take Raidette, for example. When put to Johnny she left Radiant Globe, who almost won a NZ Cup, but to half a dozen matings with other sires, she left very little," he said. Don was also critical of the many breeders who flock to patronise imported sires in preference to our own champion horses. "A real battler here, who no one would even consider sending a mare to, can go to America and run 1:56 or 1:57, but bring an American-bred stallion here who went 2:00 as a 3-year-old, and they queue up at the back door," Don said. But now, it seems, breeders are only too aware of Lordship's siring prowess.

In the last couple of seasons, about a decade after his first crop hit the tracks, Lordship's book has been practically full and next season he will be one of the few stallions in the country standing at a fee of $1500. His service fee for his first season was a minute $210. Like Johnny Globe, Lordship was a tough and game pacer and he is passing these attributes onto his progeny. Although his good racehorses are too numerous to mention, some of the really top ones include Noble Lord, Jason King (Australia), Micron, Tricky Dick, Regal Light, Relinquish, Lordable, Single Lord, Trio, Tay Bridge and, of course, Lord Module.

At this stage he has left 137 winners. And with the oldest of his progeny only 12, he has already left several mares who have left winners. In fact, the first mare he covered, Lady Moose, left the talented pacer Lord Moose. Other up-and-coming horses to come out of Lordship mares include Captain Knight (1:59), Glen Moria, Jazzman and Poker Night. He is currently fifth on the 2:00 list with 14, including the fastest horse bred outside America, Lord Module (1:54.9).

Although very quiet and reasonably placid now, Lordship had a tremendous amount of nervous energy when a youngster. "I remember how he used to kick at the start and how one day he broke part of the sulky," Denis recalled. "And he used to get so wound up that he would trot round in his box for ages, just because of his nervousness. However he is a very intelligent horse. Whenever he went away, whether it was Auckland or to Dunedin, and we turned off the main road onto ours, 'Lordy' used to throw his head out of the float and start clawing the floor," Denis said. "He knew exactly where home was."

A routine day at Globe Lodge for Lordy these days is a lazy one. "He will spend part of the morning in a yard, lunchtime in a paddock and then he will sleep for the rest of the day in his box," Don said. For a stallion, Lordship is surprisingly tolerant. "We've got 11 and 12-year-old kids around here that can do anything with him," Don said. However, there is no doubt that Lordship, still as black as ever, will be boss around the place for a while yet. His dislike for strangers will be around also. He took a lunge at me - the last of several during the interview - just before I left the stable. He missed out on a souvenir. "The Lord" is hail and hearty. He wears the sire's crown proudly.

-o0o-

Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 9Aug89

Lordship was put down at his Globe Lodge home yesterday afternoon. The decision came just a month after he was withdrawn from service as a sire.

"He was one of the family," said Barry Nyhan. "Thirty one years is a long time here, but he has been withering away and hasn't been eating the same. He has been getting skinnier and skinnier and in the last fortnight his kidneys have started to pack up," he said.

Prebbleton veterinarian John Shaw has been monitoring the old horse's health over the last fortnight and advised the Nyhan family that it would be "cruel in the long run" continuing his present existence. "He was still shuffling around, picking a bit of grass," said Barry.

Lordship was rare in that he was a champion racehorse, a champion sire and a champion brood-mare sire.

He won 45 races, including two NZ Cups. His siring career has kept the Globe Derby line at full steam, though there are no firm leads as to who his successor will be, or even if there will be one. Lordship has 82 on the 2:00 list, and three on the 1:55 list - First Mate 1:54.8, Lord Module 1:54.9 and Templar 1:55. A past champion sire, Lordship has twice been leading broodmare sire.

His contribution to the breeding industry in New Zealand and Australia will be effective for many generations to come.

Credit: Frank Marrion writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 22Jul80

1977 NZ OAKS

She beat one of the best Oaks fields in recent years by three and a half lengths with something in reserve: She ran the fastest 2600 metres of the night and took more than three seconds of the race record: And under previous handicapping systems she would have become the first filly ever to qualify for the NZ Cup, as the Oaks was her tenth win. This was the achievement which will certainly earn Ruling Lobell the title of top three-year-old of her sex for the season. She has returned a number of outstanding performances at Addington over the past 18 months but the consummate ease of her win in the Oaks in some ways eclipsed them all.

Back on the outer early she moved forward from the 1100m peg to be handy to the leaders. She went to the front soon after the turn and ran away with Blurt Oscar and Hanover Reine sharing the spoils at a respectful distance. There was no dawdling on the journey. The race was cut out in 3:24.1 with the last mile in 2:05 and the last half in 62. One watch had the field going the first mile in 2:03.

Now a c8 pacer, Ruling Lobell has actually won ten races and been eight times placed for stake earnings of $23,050. Denis Nyhan who has driven her in her last three successes said afterwards that he was never really worried except for a slight check at the 1800m. "The field bowled along at a good pace and that suited her," he reported, "she is a top filly this."

None of the other drivers had any real excuses, though it was a strangely run race in some ways with constant lead changes which saw those which were handy early end up out the back at the 800m. Blurt Oscar from Southland ran a magnificent race for second all the same. She lost a lot of ground at the start and at the 900m was still near the back of the field. She mounted a sustained run and her effort to get second was commendable one. Hanover Reine also was a shade slow and was in the open for a while but Sam Ballantyne in his matter-of-fact fashion said she was simply beaten by a better horse on the night.

Ever since she first appeared last season, Ruling Lobell has looked top material, though she has had her lean spells. This season has in some ways been a mixed one for her, for she appeared to lose her dash in the late spring and did not run well in the Derby. She gradually came back but received an unfortunate run in the Queen Elizabeth Cup and was checked at a critical stage in the Three-year-old Championship at Easter following two brilliant wins in February.

Already the holder of a national mark over 2000m it is doubtful if a filly has ever bettered her time in the Oaks. She gave the Grice family their third Oaks win and the second for her durable owner Ben Grice, who knows a thing or two about top juveniles.

A veteran Banks Peninsula mare Egyptian Queen would have taken special pride in the result of the Oaks. She is the dam of Hanover Reine and a daughter, Fallacy Queen is the dam of Blurt Oscar who is a half-sister to Facetious and Lynsallee.

Credit: NZ Trotguide

1975 DOMINION TROTTING HANDICAP

Upstanding eight-year-old gelding Hal Good completed a brilliant double for his breeder-owner Arthur Chesmar and trainer-driver Denis Nyhan when he powered home to snatch a narrow victory over Easton Light in the 1975 Dominion Trotting Handicap the Nation's premier event for squaregaiters at Addington on Show Day. Back in early January he produced a similar paralysing burst to take the other annual trotting feature on the course the 1975 Canterbury Park Trotting Cup and again it was the northern champion Easton Light who filled second placing.

By the now deceased import Goodland (USA) sire of other squaregait standouts in Markalan, Good Admiral, Tunza Time and the brilliant juvenile and now successful Endeavour Lodge-based sire Westland King, Hal Good is from the untried mare Halswell's Pride by Kingcobra (Aust) from a star racemare of the forties for Arthur's late father George in Shadow Maid, who as well as winning the 1943 Auckland Cup ran third behind two champions Gold Bar and Interity in the NZ Cup of 1945. By brilliant chestnut pacer of the early thirties and winner of the 1933 NZ Cup Red Shadow (NZ), Shadow Maid was from Homelass. This line has been in the Chesmar family for half a century or so, the late George breeding Homelass back in 1927.

Although Hal Good presented him with his first Dominion Handicap victory, winning prestige events is no new experience for Denis Nyhan who trains his team at Templeton. Son of the Johnny Globe man Don Nyhan, Denis has, in a couple of decades of driving standardbreds been associated with more top horses of both codes than most reinsmen hope to sit behind in a lifetime.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in NZ Trotguide

1974 NZ TROTTING CUP

Eight-year-old free-legged pacer Robalan returned to the birdcage to a standing ovation from the crowd, who had just witnessed him win the New Zealand Trotting Cup at his fourth attempt.

For Robalan it was justification at last. At previous attempts at the New Zealand and Auckland Cups he had not always had luck on his side and was being hailed as a horse who could not win a big handicap. But all this went overboard as Robalan wore down Kotare Legend inside the final 60 metres and went on to win convincingly by two and a quarter lengths.

The race was a triumph for part owner-trainer Denis Nyhan who had the un-nerving experience on October 23 of having Robalan turn in a shocking performance at the race trials at Addington. A mysterious complaint was thought to be the cause of Robalan's form loss at the trials but he showed gradual improvement last week and showed that he was close to his best when he won at the Cup trials.

Favoured by a good run in the $50,000 Cup, Robalan clearly outstayed Kotare Legend and the raging favourite Young Quinn, who had to be content with third, a placing he filled last year. Robalan's victory took his lifetime earnings to $140,115 the result of 32 wins and 31 placings, one of these wins and two placings being gained at Harold Park in Sydney. The Lumber Dream-Elsinore gelding recognised as one of the fastest pacers in commission at present is raced in partnership by Nyhan, Invercargill farmer Alan Devery and company director Peter Hope. His time for the 3200 metres in the Cup was 4:09, the first 800 metres in a fast 1:02, the 1600 in 2:04.2 and the first 2400 in 3:10.2, the final 800 metres took 59.2 and the final 400 in 30.

Robalan was back in tenth place on the outer at the 1000 metres but Nyhan sent him forward to follow favourite Young Quinn up towards the leaders as Peter Wolfenden made his move. Robalan was travelling nicely in fifth place on the home turn as Kotare Legend slipped clear from Hi Foyle, Young Quinn and Noble Lord. Robalan moved to Kotare Legend 60 metres out and went on to win comfortably and in doing so he gave Denis Nyhan his third driving success in the Cup and his first training success. Previously Nyhan had won two Cups behind Lordship, a horse trained by his father Don Nyhan.

Kotare Legend who was handy throughout after leading briefly early, shot to the lead with 500 metres to run and though he looked to have a winning break at the 200 metres he had no answer to Robalan. Young Quinn was a big disappointment to his army of supporters. He opened up paying $1.25 and was still showing only $1.55 a few minutes before closing time. He started to pull about the 1600 metres and though he battled on solidly after getting up to third at the 500 he never looked like winning. Hi Foyle looked a big danger when he moved into second at the top of the straight but he wilted to fourth more than five lengths from the winner. Lightsey surprised many by battling on for fifth though four lengths further back and he was clear of Why Bill who was hampered at the start but ran past beaten runners in the final 600 metres. Well-supported Speedy Guest from the back mark of 10 metres attempted to follow Young Quinn and Robalan forward from the 1000 but he could not muster the pace and never really threatened afterwards.

Credit: 'Lookout' writing in the NZ Trotguide

1973 NZ FREE-FOR-ALL

Robalan won his second successive New Zealand Free-For-All and gave driver Denis Nyhan his fourth win in the event when he raced away for a five and a half lengths win. Robalan strode to the lead after 450 metres and from then on he was travelling too well. He cracked the pace on at the 800 metres and drew right away in the straight.

New Zealand Cup winner Arapaho, after breaking at the start, had a battle with Globe Bay before working off the fence with 1200 metres to go and though he ran on determinedly, he had to be content with second, half a head in front of Bomber Bill, who tracked Robalan all the way.

Young Quinn finished brilliantly but late to get fourth, only another half-head back, with a neck to Young Cardigan, who fought on well from three back on the fence and looked as though he may pay a dividend at the 100 metres mark. Rauka Lad, who ran wide in the straight, was next ahead of Royal Ascot and Lightsey.

Credit: 'Lookout' writing in NZ Trotguide

1962 NZ TROTTING CUP

It is a light-harness adage that a champion can handle any type of track: Lordship not only handled the wet going in Tuesday's New Zealand Cup better than any of the field - most of them twice his age - but he also completely slammed the opposition and became the second four-year-old to win the premier event; the other was Lookaway. Lordship is a nonpareil, perhaps the greatest pacer in the world today, and both as a racehorse and a potential sire he could be worth a fabulous price when it is considered that standardbred stallions out of the top draw in America have already changed hands for half a million and more. Lordship is almost certain to go to America, and what a gem of the Globe Derby male line he will be expected to make, both in competition and as a progenitor.

Lordship raced smoothly and confidently throughout in the Cup. He was kept in a handy position at all stages, and he had the race won with a little more than a furlong to go. At that point he had his only serious rival, Falsehood, safely covered, and he was drawing away, three lengths clear, as the post was passed. Young Denis Nyhan handled Lordship as well as any 'old hand' could have driven him. He had everything struggling to keep within coo-ee once when he asked Lordship to get down to serious business at the home turn, at which stage he still had four horses in front of him - Diamond Hanover, King Hal, Falsehood and Blue Prince. But Lordship was pacing in the ratio of about two to one to anything else by then.

This was a pointless victory, one of the greatest Cup performances ever, because it was an excellent field that Lordship actually outclassed. Mere speculation, of course, but it is interesting to think what the time could have been if the track had been dry. Lordship paced his last mile in 2:09, the first half in 63, a section of the race that was a real sizzler under the conditions. Lordship's share of the stake, £4550 and the £100 trophy, brings his total winnings to £15,695. He has started 31 times for 15 wins and 12 minor placings.

The weight of the Auckland money was responsible for making Cardigan Bay the win favourite. Cardigan Bay's totals were £3071 10s on-course (win and place) and £10,621 10s off-course. Lordship, surprisingly, was allowed to pay double figures for a win. He carried £2023 10s for a win (on and off-course combined), and £2337 for a place. The Falsehood-King Hal bracket was entrusted with £5362 for a win, and £7345 for a place. The total investments on the race were £61,004 10s, a big increase on the £49,562 10s handled last year. The on-course total this year was £24,828 10s, compared with £21,328 last year. The off-course investments soared to £36,176, as against £28,234 10s last year.

Grouse broke badly at the start, and Sun Chief, Scottish Light and Falsehood were slow to get underway. Diamond Hanover took over his customary pacemaking role and led early fom Smokeaway, King Hal, Blue Prince and Samantha, with Lordship next, on the outer, one out from the rails. Cardigan Bay made some headway in the first quarter, but he did not keep it up, and he was near the rear at the mile, where King Hal had run up to second and Lordship was still travelling like a hare, sixth. Lordship improved one position at the half-mile, where Falsehood was in full cry on the outer, and by the time the leader, still Diamond Hanover, reached the two furlongs, Falsehood was gathering him in with every stride. By now Lordship was looming up wide out.

No sooner had Falsehood taken charge on straightening up than Lordship zoomed past him with about as much effort as a mason would display in laying a brick. It was all over. Daylight was second, Falsehood next, and Blue Prince three-quarters of a length away third. Sun Chief was fourth, followed by Cardigan Bay, leading in a string of exhausted horses - Diamond Hanover, Samantha, Smokeaway, King Hal, Lady Belmer, Scottish Light, Invicta and Susan Blue in that order. Grouse had been eased up.

Lordship is a 'pocket dreadnought'. Even now he is barely 15 hands. Trainers knowingly call it heart. Sporting writers traditionally call it class. Whatever it is, it is the indefinable ingredient that is the hallmark of the 'small parcel' tribe of world beaters that also includes Adios Butler, and Lordship's sire, Johnny Globe, who was also under 15 hands when registered as a two-year-old. Logan Derby, sire of Johnny Globe, was also a little fellow, "with the endurance of a camel," according to those who knew him best.

Tuesday was a great day for the Nyhans: Mr and Mrs Don Nyhan and their son Denis between them staged the whole show - Mrs Nyhan bred and owns Lordship, Don Nyhan trains him, and Denis drove him, and Don, of course, owns Johnny Globe, whom he brought as a yearling for £50 and won 34 races and £42,887 10s in stakes with him. He also trained and drove him the day he won the NZ Cup in 4:07.6, which has already stood as a world's record for eight years. Johnny Globe's fleet son is the only horse in sight likely to better it.

Roydon Lodge can take justifiable pride in the deeds of Lordship, because the late Sir John McKenzie imported Slapfast, the granddam of Johnny Globe, while Ladyship, the dam of Lordship, is by U Scott. Sir John also brought from Australia, back in 1923, the pacing mare Lightnin', a high-class racehorse herself who established the family which has already produced, besides Lordship, an earlier champion in Emulous. Lightnin' was by Siam from an Honest Harry mare and, according to Edgar Tatlow, in the early days of Australian breeding - "every other winner was out of an Honest Harry mare." To round off Tuesday's special interest in this pedegree: Ladyship (who took a record of 4:23.4 for two miles) was by U Scott from Lightning Lady (a top class pacer herself and a full sister to Emulous) by Jack Potts from Light Wings, by Peter Chenault (another of Sir John McKenzie's importations) from Lightnin'.

The weather played a big part in Lordship's winning run, for when the rain which fell heavily before and during the first race came, D G Nyhan had made up his mind to scratch the horse. The time for scratching horses for the first leg, however, had expired, and if Nyhan had carried out his intention he would have been fined. It was then decided, rather than risk official disapproval, to start the four-year-old, with the happy result of him winning.

So concludes the chain of events culminating in a neat pacing phenomenon, neatly driven by the son of a lady owner whose neat speech following the Cup presentation was warmly acclaimed by a dampened but by no means dispirited crowd of 18,500.

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 7Nov62

Robalan & Denis Nyhan

ROBALAN

"The dirty, low, mongrel. He's always been a cow of a thing." That ain't no way to treat a lady and Denis Nyhan certainly isn't sincere as he talks about his old favourite Robalan. He's just annoyed because 'Robby' gets a kick out of playing hard to get. "He never lets me catch him and I reckon he enjoys it. Denise is the only one whose got a chance"

Robalan is rising 21 and looks it, but remains in fine heart, enjoying his retirement with his old mate 'Annie', or former smart trotter Relinquish. It's hard to imagine this ageing gelding was once the free-legged pacing phenomenon whose mere presence on the track was enough to fill the stands. Robalan had character and charisma, special qualities that elevate horses from merely outstanding to champion status. People loved him and that's the most important ingredient. He was big and powerful and possessed astonishing speed. And he was different...he was free-legged.

Most of Robalan's achievements on the track have now been passed with time, and to the younger generation he is just another name in the record books, but to those fortunate enough to witness this freak of the equine world, his was a most colourful chapter.

He came from total obscurity. Born in 1966, Robalan and his dam, the lightly raced U Scott mare Elsinore, were consigned to the 1967 National Yearling Sale and purchased by E Broad of Invercargill for 475gns. Gil Shirley, who weaned and initially handled Robalan, recalled some years later that he was "as mad as a snake." As a late yearling he was leased by locals Rob Pollock and Alan Devery, from whom he derived his name. When Broad passed away soon after, Pollock and Devery exercised their right of purchase of $1500.

Robalan showed an inclination for free-legged pacing at this early stage but Devery was finding him more than a handful. He could jump anything in sight and had a pet hate for workcarts, on which he often inflicted severe damage. After showing enough promise as a 2-year-old to take to the trials, Devery handed him over to Wyndham horseman Alex Townley. At this point Devery did not have a professional licence to train. Robalan's future was soon in doubt, however. In just his second trial for Townley he finished swinging a leg, which turned out to be the aftermath of a shoulder injury sustained as a yearling. After a second veterinary examination discovered the problem and Robalan was successfully operated on, he was sent back to Townley, who produced him to run placings in the NZ Kindergarten Stakes and Welcome Stakes.

Recommissioned as a 3-year-old, Robalan was soon troubled by a wind affliction and his career was again in doubt. At this point Denis Nyhan enquired after him, saying he and a Blenheim friend, Peter Hope, were interested in buying him. Business was quickly done, Pollock selling his share and buying a taxi business. This was to be the turning point in Robalan's fortunes. Nyhan's no non-sense attitude, a willingness to try the unorthodox, and the constant care of wife Denise, was to send Robalan along the path to stardom.

His rise was not spectacularly fast - he took two years to reach open class - but as time passed it became increasingly evident that Robalan was something "out of the box." Nyhan had finally thrown the hopples away for good after Robalan failed hopelessly in the 1971 Inter-Dominions at Addington. There were still chinks in the armour, but as a five and six-year-old, his emergence became very real.

Robalan won five races as a 5-year-old and six at six, looking particularly good in winning the Ashburton Flying Stakes, NZ Free-For-All, Wellington Cup, a heat of the Easter Cup and a heat of the 1974 Inter-Dominions in Sydney. This was a golden era in Australasian harness racing. Robalan, along with Royal Ascot, Arapaho, Manaroa and Globe Bay, travelled to Sydney to do battle with the likes of Hondo Grattan, Just Too Good, Jason King, Glamour Chief, Bold Biami, Reichman, Welcome Advice and Adios Victor. And to the day he dies, Nyhan will vow and declare that Inter-Dom should have been his. In the Final, Robalan was waiting to pounce as the field rounded the home turn, but a skirmish saw them knocked sideways and lose all chance. "I really felt that Robby was travelling better than Royal Ascot, and as Royal Ascot was only beaten a head (by Hondo Grattan), he must have been very unlucky," Nyhan said.

The following season Robalan was to emerge as a truly great pacer. Arapaho hogged the prized plums, the NZ and Auckland Cups, but Robalan was voted Harness Horse of the Year over the sensational juvenile Noodlum. Robalan won a record 12 races during the season and all things being equal was invincible. An impressive double at Forbury Park in October saw him installed second favourite for the NZ Cup, but after being slow away and forced wide to make his run from the half, he was unable to make any impression on Arapaho and Globe Bay and a brand new rival, Young Quinn.

Back to sprinting in the NZ Free-For-All, Robalan waltzed home for the second year in succession, beating Arapaho by five and a half lengths. Then came a thrilling win over Young Quinn in the Miracle Mile, sprinting twice during the running before holding on to win in 1:58. Now on the top of his form, Robalan toyed with Young Quinn and Arapaho in the National Flying Pace, a lead-up to the Auckland Cup. The big event was to elude Robalan - he was squeezed up early and broke, eventually being pulled up. As if furious at that defeat, Robalan scored six consecutive wins, including his second Wellington Cup (by three lengths over Young Quinn), the Commonwealth Games Free-For-All over Arapaho, and the Canterbury Park Free-For-All effortlessly in 1:57.6, a lifetime best.

About this time there was considerable speculation as to what Robalan was really capable of over the magic mile. Never one to mince words, Nyhan said his champ would go 1:52 in America, or at least better than the then world record of 1:53. This drew its share of criticism, but, given events since, Nyhan's prediction was obviously pretty close to the mark.

Young Quinn was all the rage for the early part of the 1974/75 season, sweeping all before him with eight consecutve wins in the north leading up to the NZ Cup. Robalan looked back to his best for his fourth attempt until struck down by a blood disorder less than a fortnight before the coveted event. A start looked very doubtful, but largely through the dedication of Denise, Robalan bounced back at the pre-cup trials to signal his intentions.

It is now history that Robalan cruised home amidst wild applause, in what Nyhan later described as "little more than a workout," and he set the seal on his greatness a few days later with a world record in the NZ Free-For-All. Recording his third straight runaway win in the event, Robalan stunned the race-going public, putting the mobile 2000m behind him in 2:26.6, a mile rate of 1:58. This bettered the record credited to top American pacer Irvin Paul by three seconds. It wasn't so much the time, but the ease with which he accomplished it.

Young Quinn, a battling third in the NZ Cup, was to gain his revenge over the next few months. He took the Miracle Mile in a NZ record 1:57 after Robalan had sensationally broken when vying for the lead at the top of the straight, and bolted away with the Auckland Cup, Robalan finding the 20 metre handicap too much. Forced to miss Young Quinn's Inter-Dominion in Auckland through an ailment, Robalan reappeared at Easter to again thrill the crowds on his favourite stomping ground. A hot favourite from his 35 metre handicap, Robalan looked hopelessly out of it when he galloped, cantered and trotted away from the mark, more than doubling his initial deficit. But Nyhan seized the opportunity to follow Lunar Chance around the field with a lap to travel and Robalan went on to win easily in a track record 4:07.4. Bill Doyle, Nyhan's father-in-law, had timed Robalan post to post in 4:02. This was his crowning glory.

Robalan returned as 9-year-old and, while he again struck winning form, he was obviously past his best an finding long handicaps to the younger brigade too much to overcome. His career finished on a sad note when he broke down in the Claredon Free-For-All at Addington on January 2, 1976.

Robalan had originally been bought strictly as a business proposition...he was bought to be sold. There were plenty of offers along the way as well, but either they weren't enough or the right money didn't front up. As time passed it became obvious that Robalan was simply priceless, gelding or not. How could you sell a chance at winning the NZ Cup? And he certainly vindicated Nyhan's faith. "Put it down to sentiment," was Nyhan's reaction to several tempting offers during his whirlwind 7-year-old season.

Robalan was at the height of his career as a seven and eight-year-old and really struck a purple patch in the summer of 74, with six consecutive wins. Nyhan doesn't have an explanation for this, except that every great horse has his time. "When Robbie had his first season or two in open class, there were several other top horses around at the time. It was just a case of who got the run on the day. As time passed these horses fell away. Arapaho, Royal Ascot and Manaroa had had their time at the top. As Robby's career was drawing to a close, Young Quinn was coming to it," Nyhan reflected.

Nyhan can see parallels between his times in the limelight with Lordship and Robalan and today's stars. "Master Mood is obviously NZ's top pacer at the moment, but throw Roydon Glen and one or two others in the same race and it would just be the luck on the day. Seldom does a horse remain undisputably tops for a long period of time," he said.

Prior to Robalan, Nyhan had been associated with two other great pacers. As a boy he closely followed the fortunes of his father's wonderful pacer Johnny Globe, and then in the 1960's he was the regular driver of his mother's 'pocket battleship' Lordship. How does Robalan compare to these and other champion horses of their time? "Not many horses reach the absolute top bracket and I can't see any point in comparing those that do. They are the sort of horses you dream about...they keep you going. Robby was special to us because we had so much to do with him. I just wish I had another one that could run like him."

-o0o-

The free-legged pacer Robalan will not have to suffer the demands of another winter. With arthritis setting in, Denis Nyhan made the decision at the weekend to put him down and spare him any further discomfort.

He was buried on Nyhan's Templeton property, where he spent most of his 29 years.

Mike Grainger: HRWeekly: 6May96


Credit: Frank Marrion writing in HRWeekly 9Apr87

DENIS NYHAN

Your first (Cup) win was behind Lordship in 1962. You were young then. Did any nerves affect you on the big day?

Well, you can't afford to be nervous. There is too much going on. Lordship had worked brilliantly leading up to the Cup and Russell Cooper had just crafted a beautifully built new Bryant cart which we had. It had shorter shafts. We tried it on Lordshipon the Sunday and he was fine. Everthing went well until Cup morning.

And?

We were out doing stud work (with Johnny Globe) on a lovely morning and then it started to bucket down. We just didn't know how he would handle it. That affected the confidence. As I remember it we got a beautiful run in the one-one and he handled th wet well.

He beat the great Cardigan Bay twice at that meeting but he didn't line up against him in 1963.

He galloped in the Free-For-All in 1962 but then still beat Cardy. I mean they were great horses at that time. But on the last day he felt "noddy" warming up for the first time. He developed needle splints and he hardly raced in 1963-64.

He won the Cup again in 1966, a long time apart and he gave the others a 42-yard start. He must have been a good beginner.

He was a marvel, really. In between all that trouble he still won all the best races (45 wins). As an older horse he could get on the toe at the start. One day he broke a crossbar on the cart kicking it. But when they said "go" he was off like a rocket. That day I started him out in the middle of the track, a big help if you were on a handicap because you were on your own and could angle him straight to the rail and make up the ground. I think we actually led for most of the last round that day.

What made him special to drive?

High Speed. Lordy had unbelievable acceleration. He could circle a field of top class horses - and I mean real top class horses like Robin Dundee and company - in a furlong (200m) and it just gave you an extra dimension in the race. He was also a clever horse on his feet. Very manoeuvrable in a field. A dream horse really.

Who did you model your driving style on?

Bob Young was a driver who always appealed to me. He balanced his horses up so well and he always looked in control. But there were a lot of genuinely great horsemen about then. And I learned a lot when I worked for Eddie Cobb in America.

Such as?

There wer those great horsemen operating therethen too, legendary fellas. Delvin Miller, Cobb, Stanley Dancer, John Simpson. Clint Hodgins was my special favourite. He was a big man, tall, always ice cool and alwaysseemed beautifully balanced in a cart so his size didn't seem to matter. They had two real champions then, Adios Butler who was more of a speed horse, and Bye Bye Byrd, more of a stayer. I saw Clint win a big race on Bye Bye Byrd with a great drive one night. I used to think then wouldn't it be great one day to be good enough to drive great horses like that. I never forgot it.

Robalan paced free-legged of course. There were hardly any free-legged pacers then. It must have been a gamble to take the hopples off.

Not really on looking back. At home we used to work Johnny Globe and Lordship free-legged and they were fine. They were just better with hopples on raceday. Robalan was better without them. He was a beautiful pacer actually. He won a lot of races on the smaller tracks, Hutt Park and Forbury. He could use his speed just as much as on the big ones.

He had a lot of tries before he won the Cup. Why was that?

Well,one year another driver spent all his time looking after me instead of trying to win on his own horse, but basically he wasn't really a two mile(3200) horse. Robalan had phenomenal speed over short distances, probably even faster than Lordy. When he won the Stars Travel Miracle Mile he drew the outside and just blew them away pace and ran world records. He could be a bit keen in his races wanting to use his speed, so while he could stay alright in a two mile race he could take a bit out of himself. We never worked him hard at home to keep him relaxed.

Like what?

My wife Denise (a daughter of great trotting trainer, Bill Doyle, for whom Denis drove Wipe Outin two Cups) did a lot of work and travelling with him, but I don't think from memory he ever worked faster than 4:50 for two miles before a Cup.

Only just before he won in 1974 he collapsed dramatically in a trial. What caused that?

We never found out. They went all over him but he just came right on his own, not long before the race. In the actual Cup Trial he was as good as ever.

So what are the secrets to driving a Cup winner. Does the thought of winning affect your tactics?

You don't think of winning. It is a mistake if you do. You go through processes aimed at getting the best result and that's all you can plan for. Even when you've done everything right you still need a bit of luck on your side. Winning is the best outcome but only one. And while it is like driving any other race, in theory it isn't really because of what is at stake.

Processes?

Knowing every other horse, how it races, the driver's style, checking the colours are still the same in the prelim. Working out where the best horses might be, the ones which will give you a run into the race. That is very important, following the right horse, things like that. You also have to stay cool and have disipline, like Clint Hodgins.

Disipline?

Some drivers change their styles in big races. You never saw the top American drivers do that. They adapted to each horse but they drove in their established style. You can get into trouble doing somethingfancy and different. The same spot in the field can be the best place to be and the worst.

You alway carry a watch. How important are sectional times?

Most important of all. A really good horse can feel like he is going easily when in fact he is running terrific sectionals and they can run themselves out in a big staying race without the driver being fully aware of it. You've seen them on Cup Day. You need to check that it is not happening to you. You can't make a decision on a watch but you can checkthat the ones you are making are right

Any unusual things you did?

Funny thing, I always make a point of studyingthe first race of the day. It was a trotting racebut it was over the Cup distance. I liked to see if they were going at high speed and then checking it off against the times. It gave me a feel for what the Cup might be like. The tempo of the race is everything.

It all sounds like hard work. Did you always get the right answers?

Even if youy are doing everything right you can't afford for something to go wrong at vital stages of the race. That is where the luck comes in. You always need some of it.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in The Press 6Nov2010

Denis Donovan Nyhan is being remembered as an exceptional horseman and administrator.

One of harness racing’s all-time greats, Nyhan has died in Christchurch hospital after a career that included three New Zealand Cup triumphs in the 1960s and 70s, with Lordship and Robalan.



Part of a famous and highly successful racing family, his association with both horses is harness racing legend. They were crowd favourites during an era that featured other household names like Cardigan Bay and Young Quinn.

Sired by the great Johnny Globe, Lordship was a family success story: bred by mother Doris Nyhan, trained by father Don and driven by Denis to New Zealand Cup victory in 1962 and 1966.



Lordship was just the second 4YO to win the NZ Cup (Lookaway 1957). He won 45 races from 138 starts, though how Denis got the regular drive behind him involved some luck, in March 1961.

Denis Nyhan : "On the morning Lordship was due to start in the Welcome Stakes I was following Dad in a workout when his horse cracked a bone in one of his forelegs and fell. I piled over the top of him and Dad was quite badly hurt.

"I got the drive then and won the Welcome. I was lucky enough to win the following three races with him, so Mum decided to keep me on," Denis said.

Don Nyhan died, at aged 99, in 2009, two years after wife Doris.



Denis Nyhan’s New Zealand Cup win with Robalan in 1974 was at his fourth attempt in the biggest race of them all. Denis both trained and drove the free-legged star, who won 39 races between 1969 -76.

More suited to the shorter distances, Robalan won the New Zealand Free-For-All three years in a row (1972-74). Denis also drove Lordship to two of his three successes in the same race, in 1962 and 64.



Nyhan’s other big race wins – and there were many – included the 1971 Northern Oaks (Van Glory), Hal Good in the 1975 Dominion Handicap, Cee Ar in the 1974 Rowe Cup, and Honkin Vision in the 1991 Junior Free-For-All.

In more recent times he had good success training and driving With Intent. The Sundon mare, bred and owned by Denis and his wife Denise, won 13 races from 97 starts (2007-14).

According to HRNZ statistics, Denis Nyhan’s career record stands at 475 driving successes after starting out as a junior driver in 1956, with 269 winners as a trainer, from 1969.

Former long-serving HRNZ administrator Darrin Williams had a lot to do with Nyhan over the years, describing him as a “superstar young driver”, who like his horses, always looked immaculate.

“He was the modern day Double D, (referring to 10-time NZ driving champion Dexter Dunn), he was Mr Cool.”
As chairman of the HRNZ handicapping committee, and a Board member for seven years, Nyhan was a respected administrator.

“I enjoyed his company, he was very intelligent,” says Williams, a former Handicapper and Racing Manager at HRNZ, “he was very keen on process and procedure and got frustrated with people who weren’t.”

Denis is survived by wife Denise, and two daughters Kim and Margo Nyhan.

He was 82.


Credit: HRNZ