| FEATURE RACE COMMENT |
YEAR: 1999
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| Stars And Stripes defeats Falcon's Blue Jean & London Express |
The finish to Cup Day's $150,000 NRM Sires' Stakes Final was full of stars and stripes. The horse by that name was there in the photo, but so were the colours - John Lischner's pink and black stripes, and Mark Purdon's royal blue with grey stars.
There have been numerous titanic battles between the two great horsmen, in training premierships as well as individual races, and Tuesday's 3-year-old event was no exception. This time it was Lischner's representative that got the biggest plum, Stars And Stripes holding gamely to the lead that Purdon's runner Falcon's Blue Jean ate into with a big home straight finish. Lischner had three horses in the Final, which is a unique achievement in itself. Outside of them filling the quinella or trifecta, probably his biggest wish was for the result that eventuated - winning, with Purdon's horse second.
"He is the best mate I've got in the industry," Lischner said afterwards. "We even baby sat his house when he was away on his honeymoon, and when we sent Emcee up north in the late-80s that gave him his first drive on a Cup class horse," he recalled. Talking of Emcee, he ran second in Megatrend's Sires' Stakes Final, and it is something he will never forget.
"With Stars And Stripes we had the perfect draw, and we got the perfect run - this is just one of those moments that you will always treasure."
There were a few anxious moments for the country's leading trainer though; right-hand-man and driver Ken Barron sat patiently three-back on the outer before making his move 600 metres out, and the New York Motoring gelding quickly zipped up to the leaders. "He was in front within a matter of strides, and I thought he had got to the lead too easy and too soon. I was hoping he wouldn't knock off once he was in front - he has done it in the past and it has cost him races. We have tried him in front at home and he is just no good, so Ken has had to change his style a bit when he drives this one," Lischner said, smiling.
The Ashburton horseman has never shelved his opinion of Stars And Stripes, freely admitting that he is the best that has been through the stable since Tartan Clansman. That former top pacer won nine races and was in the money 21 out of 27 times but never reached open class, so why the big wrap? "He set a New Zealand 2200m record in the wet at Alexandra Park, and four months later in the Superstars Final here at Addington he lost at least 70 metres at the start and still beat Master Musician - and that was in the wet too. I haven't seen too many horses do that."
Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 11Nov99
YEAR: 2000
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| The winners connections |
Rumpole of the Bailey came to Addington in the disguise of Ken Barron on Easter Saturday. The portly courtroom advocate swabbed wig and gown for silk and sash as the result of the Smokefree New Zealand Derby went to the judiciary for a ruling. Besides Barron, the principals before the bench were Stipendary Steward Steve Mulcay who instigated the inquiry, Maurice McKendry, driver of Hunka Hickling who failed by a nose to beat Stars And Stripes in the classic, and Roger Sandford, Chairman of the Judicial Control panel. What developed in the room started a few minutes earlier on the track when Stars And Stripes appeared to check Hunka Hickling 50m or 60m short of the post.
But we'll just rewind at this point and place the horses about 20 seconds out from the 'offence.' From last at the 1200m, Stars And Stripes had circled the field three wide with cover from Rap, and was straightening five carts wide and about to be let down by Barron. Closer in and further back, McKendry was finding room for Hunka Hickling down on the passing lane. Within sight of the post, and clear of the others, and under a very hard drive, Stars And Stripes lost his compass and lurched across the track until he corrected himself in the passing lane area. By this time, Hunka Hickling was cutting into the same area at a fair bat and McKendry drew the ear plugs as he closed. With Stars And Stripes clear of him by at least two lengths, McKendry had to take a quick hold, considering the speed of his run, give him the right rein to steer round Stars And Stripes and wind up from there. He failed by a nose and within seconds Mulcay was on the button to have a look at it.
With the parties assembled, the first look at the side-ons, head-ons and back views of the incident did not bode well for the defence. Barron could see it was going to be no push-over. When asked how much he was affected by Stars And Stripes, McKendry did some hand signals. "No, tell us how much," said Sandford. "Three or four strides, I think. I'd say half a length. It's cost me going for him sooner." John Lischner, the trainer of Stars And Stripes who represented the owners, said: "The horse exploded clear and far too early for the others. To be dead honest, I don't agree with Mr McKendry."
Barron explained to the panel that by the time he had got down to the passing lane: "I believe my horse was two lengths clear of Hunka Hickling. I don't feel I impeded him. Mr McKendry had the entire straight to come through." Twenty minutes had passed by this stage and Sandford went to wrap it up. "If I could..." "Have you got more evidence, Mr Barron? Do you want the film again? Get up and show me," said Sandford. Barron did, and he would say later this was the turning point of the case. He went to his feet and asked for the film to be stopped just where McKendry was taking the check. "See here, where I'm this much in front. This is where I've come from. You can see I'm always in the clear." "I see your point, Mr Barron. That will do us," said Sandford.
In the time it takes to leave the room and return, Sandford was back and dismissed the charge. McKendry was disappointed. "We got a definite check, you could see that, but that's the way it goes." Later, Barron would say that revisiting the film at the conclusion of the inquiry was the turning point. "I felt it wasn't illustrated enough earlier. I had to show again how far clear he was of Hunka Hickling when he got down there," he said.
Barron admitted that Stars And Stripes went past the leaders with more acceleration than he expected. "I thought it might have taken fifty or eighty metres to do the job, but he got past them in three strides. I either over-rated the others he was passing or under-rated what he can do with a finish like that. I don't know what you think, but I reckon he could have won by five lengths had he run it straight," he said. Barron said he thought the tendancy of Stars And Stripes to race in a vague direction on his own may be a trait of stock sired by New York Motoring. He recalled that Master Musician, by the same horse, did the same when he ran clear in the New Zealand Cup only to be collared by Bee Bee Cee.
Now the biggest stake earner in New Zealand this season, ahead of Lyell Creek and Homin Hosed, Stars And Stripes has one more race this season, the New South Wales Derby at Harold Park at the end of May.
The best of those behind Hunka Hickling was Handoverbid, a stablemate of the winner, who led in the middle stages and then trailed Written In The Stars.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRNZ Weekly
YEAR: 2001
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| Keith Gibson presents the trophy |
Jo Anne was swift and sure-footed and greatly superior to 11 others in the Roydon Lodge Stud NZ 2yo Trotting Stakes. She was trotting poetry from start to finish and won by half a length short of ten in 2:29.1 for the mobile 1950m.
Northerner Tony H who surprisingly defeated her a fortnight earlier by half a length was never a factor this time after taking too long to start trotting.
Driver Ken Barron was glowing in his praise. "Initially, I compared her with Gees Pride, but she is really a step above that. She has a beautiful gait and has got speed, too. I have not driven one as good at this age before," he said.
Jo Anne is trained at Templeton by Mark Smolenski for Allan, Lorraine and Anya Georgeson. She is by Sundon from Janetta's Pride, a Gee Whiz II mare owned by Keith and Bevan Grice and more recently the dam of a yearling filly by Britewell, a weanling filly by Sundon, and she was served by Sundon last season.
Credit: Harness Racing Weekly 23May01
YEAR: 2002
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Ken Barron wasn't sure if he had won two Group races in a night before. He gave himself a fair chance of winning two of the four, not so much with Stars And Stripes but Roland John, who fell to places short of doing so in the Superstars, and with Dependable. Not for the first time, he was caught out by Stars And Stripes.
He was wrong thinking the horse would be a run short in the Nobilo, though his thinking may have been coloured by the disadvantage of being on the back of one of the lesser-performed horses. As it happened, a poor draw on paper turned into a winning lottery ticket, as many on the front line eased back and within 400 metres Barron had Stars And Stripes away from the inside line and on the back of the favourite Cool Hand Luke. It was a sweet trip home from there. In a powerful burst inside the last 200m, Stars And Stripes answered the one-short suspicion as quickly as it was asked, levelling quickly with Cool Hand Luke and drawing clear to win well.
Two trial runs had brought Stars And Stripes to this level, finishing with a 56.1 half in one and in the 58s in the other. "We had a good platform to work on this time," said Barron, "unlike what he had in Sydney for the Inter-Dominions when he was the victim of a poor preparation." Stars And Stripes started like a bomb in that series, but a skinny foundation and poor draws eventually found him out.
Barron should not have been as surprised as he was that Stars And Stripes should win fresh-up. His record before this was four wins from seven starts, clearly an indication of his capability in this condition. The big question now for Barron and his training partner John Lischner as they begin the final push towards a start in the Canterbury Draught New Zealand Cup is what to do with Stars And Stripes from here. They are aware of the danger of doing too much, and the fine line of leaving him a bit soft. And with Stars And Stripes, getting it right is crucial. "It was a month between his win in the NZ Derby and the New South Wales Derby, and we did that by design," said Barron.
Stars And Stripes is three years older now, and quite possibly may only race once more - at Ashburton - before the Cup, as the connections are not keen on Kaikoura. City Rogue moved into the Cup picture with an improver's third, Kym's Girl also found the line well, but Makati Galahad showed no sign of the form that made him a big player last spring.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 09Oct02
YEAR: 2005
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| Lady Toddy lasts to beat Alta Serena |
It was a fair call, for neither of the two choices available to trainer Ken Barron made any appeal. One was to ease and go back and hope to hook a ride in the three-wide train over the last lap, or take the enormously risky gamble of pressing on from the start and slip in with cover. This wasn't going to be a drive for the faint-hearted, and Barron knew it and said it. "I told Rodney (O'Neill, the stable foreman) that I couldn't go back if I wanted a fair chance of winning."
Not many try this trick, and those who do it are usually remembered for going on a perilous journey that ends badly. Barron is not one of them. Within 400 metres, Barron had snuggled in to trail Tibetan Lass, on the outer. Coburg held the front, Imagine That had gone three-deep, favourites Armbro Innocence and Alta Serena had taken their only choice and stayed back, and Barron pinched himself to see if it was true.
Even with 1000 metres to run, the back markers had hardly moved, leaving Lady Toddy with a trip she has seldom had this season. She stayed under cover until just before the turn and, in her usual determined style, came out hard and strong. At one stage, halfway down the straight, she might have got a length on the other chances, and while that may have painted a pretty picture then, it started to look less than enough 50 metres out.
Wide on the track Alta Serena started to carve the margin back, slowly at first but with mighty chunks near the end. The post came just soon enough for Lady Toddy. Had it been a few metres more this may not have been the case, Alta Serena's effort was huge, Lady Toddy has long been an Addington favourite and deserved her win.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 9Feb05
YEAR: 2010
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Sixty metres from the finish of the PGG Wrightson Yearling Sales Series 2yo Open Final at Addington on Saturday, The Muskeg Express's Queensland owners had a $160,000 cheque coming their way. That's about the point where The Muskeg Express put paid to the leader Thumpem after eyeballing him for most of the last 1000 metres. With no other horse finishing fast enough to fight for the biggest slice, the Tim Butt-trained colt started to edge clear and had the $300,000 Listed event in the bag.
Then something unbelievable happened - The Muskeg Express suddenly forgot how to pace and rolled into a gallop, disappearing back through the pack at a rate of knots; unfortunately for his owners, he discovered the easiest way to exchange a six-figure payout for one of an 'also ran' worth little more than $3600.
"We'll take it," said Thumpem's trainer/driver Ken Barron on returning, sporting a wry smile. Barron freely admits that he got lucky, but it would be harsh to begrudge him this piece of good fortune when he got smacked with so much of the opposite kind five days earlier. He was at the Addington workouts on Monday to give Thumpem's stablemate Major Obsession his last decent hit-out prior to the Sales Series Final, but the horse didn't even make it round to the start. Major Obsession faltered and crashed to the deck at the end of his prelim, dying where he lay from a suspected burst aorta. "Absolutely gutting," Barron said, describing the ordeal. "He hadn't won a race yet, but he was the best of my 2-year-olds early on; the others just caught up to him. That started our week about as low as you could get."
Thankfully Barron had something to smile about by the time last week was over, because not only did Thumpem win, but Still Coughin also signalled his 'arrival' when he beat the Cup horses in a free-for-all.
The Sale Series Final was the first of the three 'big ones' for the 2-year-olds - this Friday night's $200,000 Sires' Stakes Final at Addington and next month's $200,000 Harness Jewels Emerald in Cambridge being the others - so with a total of $700,000 on the line at this time of the year it's no wonder that Barron has been gearing his horses towards it all season.
Most of Thumpem's career had been in the north thus far, and he'd certainly been clocking up the 'frequent flyer miles' as he went back and forth for things like the Young Guns Heats and Final, Sales Graduate and the last Sires' Stakes Heat. Not that his long-time stable clients Grant Dickey and Ed and Carolyn Wardwell will be complaining though, because the carefully mapped out programme has seen their In The Pocket colt compile a record of eight starts for three wins, three placings and over $232,000 in earnings.
The trio bought Thumpem late on the NZ Premier Sale's second day for $66,000, and behind The Muskeg Express ($155,000), Cullen Bromac ($150,000) and their other horse The Cotton Club ($80,000) he was the fourth-dearest of those that lined up on Saturday; now, the colt's won more than double those three put together.
Ironically, Cullen Bromac was Barron's and his trio of owners number one choice pre-Sales, and they went all the way to $135,000 trying to get him in Auckland before exiting the bidding duel. Needless to say, they're pretty happy about how things have turned out. "Thumpem's got great manners and a great attitude," Barron says, "and he really lifts on raceday."
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Trainer/driver Ken Barron caused a major upset on Saturday when winning the $300,000 PGG Wrightson NZ Yearling Sales Series Final with outsider Thumpem. The two-year-old In The Pocket colt lined up against the likes of hot favourite Major Mark and unbeaten Aussie raider, Cullen Bromac. However this did not faze the juvenile who ended the week for Barron on a high after losing his stablemate, Major Obsession, earlier in the week.
Thumpem began well from his wide front-row barrier draw and was in the lead after 800 metres of the 1950 metre pace. Second favourite Cullen Bromac broke within this early stage and continued to pace roughly, changing the face of the race. The Muskeg Express was soon sitting outside of Thumpem and applying the pressure. Along the back straight, Le Sol and River Black were sent three-wide and toward the front.
Thumpem led the field onto the home straight but soon The Muskeg Express had kicked and nudged out in front. It looked to be all over until 60 metres to run when The Muskeg Express broke for no apparent reason leaving Thumpem to charge on down to the line. He won the Listed race with half-a-length over Le Sol who held out large outsider River Black, by a nose. Finishing in fourth was the race favourite, Major Mark. With two outsiders finishing in the first three, the trifecta was a massive $22,029 while there were no surprises that the First4 was not struck.
Owned by Grant Dickey and Carolyn & Edward Wardwell, Thumpem has now earned $232,874 from his eight starts which now includes three wins and three placings. As none of the PGG Wrightson series’ earnings count, Thumpem remains second on the Harness Jewels 2YO Emerald behind Major Mark. However both look set to go head-to-head again in the $200,000 Garrard’s Sires’ Stakes Series Final, this Friday night at Addington.
Later on in the day, Ken Barron was back in the winner’s circle when Still Coughin outran race favourites, Bettor’s Strike and Baileys Dream, in the Susan and Jim Wakefield Mobile Pace. The now nine-win gelding (six for handicapping purposes) is currently eighth on the Harness Jewels 4YO Emerald which sees Tintin in America currently as $2.00 fixed odds favourite at the TAB.
Earlier in the day trainers Graeme Rogerson and Steven Reid won the PGG Wrightson NZ Yearling Sales Series Consolation with second favourite, Gold Ace. Half-a-head back in third was Mabrook and Arden’s Southee one-and-a-half lengths back in third.
Credit: John Robinson writing in HRWeekly 19May10