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J Bryce & R Morten after the 1925 NZ Cup

JAMES BRYCE

One of the greatest trainers of light-harness horses the Dominion has ever known, James Bryce has been retired from active participation in the profession in which he was such an outstanding success, for several years now; but his interest in the sport remains high and he still possesses a keen eye for a good horse.

Trainers of the calibre of James Bryce do not come along every day.

James Bryce is the head of a family of horsemen who have written their names, large and bold, on the pages of 40 years of the Dominion's light-harness history. Bryce trained the winners of six NZ Trotting Cups, an all-time record for the race, and twice as many as any other trainer before him or since.

The story was told in Glasgow that Bryce's father had a peculiar genius for a horse. James relates that even among Scottish horse-dealers his father was known as a 'hard man.' In all his long experience he has never seen his father's equal in doctoring up a horse. He would pick up a steed that looked as though it was ready for the 'boneyard' and after treating it for a couple of months or so, he would have it in condition that would make it unrecognisable by its original owner. He usually got four or five times what he paid for these horses, which were mostly draughts.

James Bryce rode his first winner in Glasgow when he was 18. By the time he was 20 he was established as a trainer in a modest way at Govan, just outside Glasgow. "In those days," he said with a reflective smile, "they used to start trotting races with a pistol, and I was getting left. So I made a study of the starter and the way he raised the pistol and fired it. In the end I got to know his ways so well that I could tell to a fraction of a second when the report was due. After that, I never got left," grinned Bryce.

Bryce was soon training some of the best horses in Scotland and England. Like NZ horses the ones in the Old Country were nearly all American-bred on one or both sides. Trotting did not make the progress Bryce had hoped for, however, and one day, after reading about trotting in NZ in 'The Referee,' and seeing some pictures of Addington in the 'Weekly Press,' he decided Maoriland was the place for him. And it was thus that the neat little man with the raw Gaelic accent came to be standing on the Wellington wharf on a dull, cheerless morning in 1913...friendless? Well, not quite. Gathered around him were his wife, his belongings and five children...A stranger approached. "Are you Mr Bryce?" - "Yes." "Well, I have some bad news for you. Your two horses have been shipwrecked, and are still in England." The day seemed even bleaker to the little man from Caledonia. Not a promising start in a new land. When he reached NZ after paying passages for himself and his family and freight for two horses, Bryce had £300 left. He did not know a soul in NZ.

He was waiting on the wharf, pondering the future, when he was told that the two mares, Our Aggie and Jenny Lind, both of whom he had seen safely shipped on the Westmeath, an old troop transport, a fortnight before he left England, were still in the Old Country. The vessel had gone aground in the Mersey, and had to put back to port, but they had been transhipped to the Nairnshire, and after a rough passage to the Dominion they arrived - strapped to the deck, after the mate had suggested putting them overboard.

Our Aggie and Jenny Lind arrived two months after the Bryce family, who had decided to go to Christchurch. When they arrived at Lyttleton and saw the hills there, 'Scotty's' first question to himself was: "Where could you race trotters?" The family was taken to a boarding-house in the city but left after his wife had discovered that the woman of the house drank 'phonic' which is the Gaelic for methylated spirits.

Bryce's first home in NZ was Woolston, where he received a horse called Little Arthur, owned by Mr Wm Hayward, to train. Bryce relates that Little Arthur was a poor, dejected animal, and that he turned over in his mind that if this was a fair sample of the horses he was going to get, the future looked pretty bleak. "But I misjudged him," he continued. "I discovered he was asthmatical. I then included in his feed cod-liver oil, beaten-up eggs and sweet milk, and this helped his lungs. He did well and won at the Met. He was my first winner in this country."

A few months after arriving in the Dominion, Our Aggie struck form and won several races. Years later she became the dam of Red Shadow, considered by 'Scotty' to be the best-performed horse he ever drove. Red Shadow won the Great Northern Derby in 1930, and the NZ Cup and Metropolitan Free-For-All in 1933, taking all four principal races at the Cup meeting. Red Shadow sired Golden Shadow, winner of the Great Northern Derby Stakes in 1943, and Shadow Maid who won the Auckland Cup in the same year.

After a short time at 'Coldstream Lodge,' Fendalton, Bryce shifted to 'Oakhampton Lodge,' Hornby, then an 'unkept, dirty place.' Hard work promptly put that right, and soon the stables - 20 stalls to begin with - were built. The amenities included hot and cold water, a swimming pool for the horses, shelter sheds, railed yards, etc; so grew up the most modern trotting establishment seen up to that time in this country. And from this faithfully-harnessed source came an ever- swelling stream of fast pacers and trotters. Out of 'Oakhampton's' stalls were led superbly-conditioned horses that put Bryce at the head of his field only two short years after his arrival from Scotland. For seven consecutive seasons, from 1915-16 until 1921-22 and again in 1923-24, Bryce was leading trainer - eight times in all. He was also leading horseman in the 1915-16, 1918-19, 1921-22, 1922-23 and 1923-24 seasons and his son James, Jnr headed the horseman's list in the 1935-36 season.

Bryce trained and drove the winner of almost every important handicap and classic event in NZ. His sons Andrew and James carried on the family traditions. Andrew drove the 1927 NZ Cup winner Kohara; in 1921 he drove Man o' War to victory in the Auckland Cup, and in 1928 and 1929 he won the same race with Gold Jacket. James, Jnr, has driven two NZ Derby winners in Double Great and Twos Loose, four Auckland Cup winners in Shadow Maid, Sea Born and Captain Sandy twice, a November Free-for-all winner in Plutus, a National Cup behind De Soto, a Dominion Handicap on Waikato Prince, two Timaru Nursery Stakes on Highland Scott and Shadow Maid, a NZ Champion Stakes and a Wellington Stakes on Gallant Chief, a Great Northern Stakes on Highland Scott, a Great Northern Derby on Golden Shadow, and hosts of other good races; he still brings home the odd winner.

Few very big dividends were paid by horses driven by 'Scotty' Bryce. That speaks for itself. "They soon tumbled to me," he explained naively. Way back in 1923, horses driven by the old master had earned more than £100,000 in stakes for their owners; his full total must be nearer £250,000. When verging on three score and ten he was still a skilled reinsman. Much of this skill was in Bryce's hands. Only as a last resort did the whip come into play on a good horse 'Scotty' was driving.

Bryce considers Cathedral Chimes the gamest horse he ever drove. Catherdal Chimes won the Auckland and NZ Cups in successive years. Taurekareka was the first horse in the Dominion to win the trotting (or pacing, as you will)'triple crown,' the NZ Sapling Stakes, NZ Derby and Great Northern Derby. Bryce still affirms that he was unlucky not win a second Cup with Great Hope and a third with Ahuriri. Ahuriri was interfered with by Padlock or, in Bryce's opinion he would have won instead of going down to Peter Bingen and Great Bingen in a blanket finish in 1928.

He also thinks Matchlight, with an ounce of luck, would have won the NZ Cup. "I had a lot of time for Matchlight," said Bryce. "He won the President's Handicap at Forbury Park giving Trix Pointer 60 yards start, and then won both the big handicaps at the Canterbury Park June meeting when that club raced at Sockburn. He won those three races on end. Author Dillon was a bit lucky to beat Matchlight in the NZ Cup," declared Bryce. "Hendriksen, who drove Matchlight for me that year - I broke a leg and was in hospital - admitted he made a mistake in the way he drove him. Next day Matchlight won the Courtenay Handicap easily from the backmark," said Bryce.

"I always feel I had two horses that could have beaten two minutes," continued Bryce. "Red Shadow, from a standing start went 2.04 4/5 for third. Ahuriri was the other. As a 2-year-old before the 1922 Sapling Stakes he worked a mile in 2.10, his last half in 62sec. That was good work for any 2-year-old," remarked Bryce, who went on to say that he did not like the idea of sending his horses against time because there was so little inducement to do so.

J Bryce's principal training successes were in the NZ Cup (Cathedral Chimes 1916; Great Hope 1923; Ahuriri 1925 and 1926; Kohara 1927 and Red Shadow 1933); Auckland Cup (Cathedral Chimes 1915; Admiral Wood 1916; Man o' War 1920 and 1921; Ahuriri 1927 and Shadow Maid 1943; NZ Sapling Stakes (Ahuriri 1922; Taurekereka 1923 and Kohara 1924); NZ Derby (Great Hope 1922; Taurekereka 1923 and Kohara 1925); Great Northern Derby (Chid 1916; Tuarekareka 1923, Red Shadow 1930 and Golden Shadow 1943); NZ Champion Stakes - Metropolitan (Queen Chimes 1918; Great Hope 1922; Taurekareka 1924 and Kohara 1925); Taranaki Futurity Stakes (Queen Chimes 1918; Lochnagar 1919 and Ratana 1922); NZ Trotting Stakes - Forbury Park (Katute 1926); November Free-For-All (Admiral Wood 1916; Cathedral Chimes 1917 and Red Shadow 1933); Dominion Trotting Handicap (Whispering Willie 1916; Whist 1919; Moneyspider 1928 and Waikato Prince 1937); National Handicap (Matchlight 1918; Man o' War 1921 and Alto Chimes 1923); Timaru Nursery Stakes (Shadow Son 1938; Shadow Maid, division 1940); New Brighton Challenge Stakes (Shadow Son 1938); NZ Trotting Gold Cup - Wellington (Taraire 1923); Canterbury Handicap (Cathedral Chimes 1918 and 1919); and Rowe Cup - Auckland (Bluewood 1919), a record unapproached by any other trainer, past or present.

James Bryce tells some good stories against himself. Can you imagine the worthy Scot trying to get over the fence at Addington? Bryce will tell you how he was caught in the act, and how he came to be on the outside looking in. Two days of the Addington Cup meeting had passed - this was in August, 1928 - and between the second and third days the Trotting Association fonally made a decision on Bryce's appeal against a term of suspension in connection with the much-fought Free Advice case. Bryce had to take his medicine. Thinking that all the suspension did was to prevent him from driving, he went on the third day with his team only to be told he was not allowed on the track according to the rules.

After being graciously allowed to pay his acceptance fees and to see that the stable boys knew how to gear the team, Bryce left. On an upturned bucket in Bill Tomkinson's yard, just across the road, 'Scotty' indulged in a little self-pity and sympathy for himself. "After a' the years a mon's been in the game, nae tae be alooed on the coorse," he soliloquised. Telling Claude Dunlevey, Tomkinson's head man, how anxious he was to see if Native Chief would stand on the mark for the umpteenth time, Claude told him that if he went through the motor paddock he could see the start over the gate. Away went Bryce, and before he reached the gate he saw a "mon wi' a bit o' timber" leaning against the tin fence having a free view, so Bryce joined him. But not for long. Soon appeared authority in the form of a gateman, who ordered the pair down, waxing sarcastic as he escorted Bryce through the motor paddock, at the same time delivering a homily about getting through the proper channels and paying his bob like a man. And once again Native Chief stood on the mark.

Bryce made a notable contribution towards placing training on a higher plane here. A fellow trainer of his pays him the compliment of saying that Bryce was years ahead of most NZ trainers in the conditioning and driving of horses in those days. "We must never lose sight of the fact," said this admirer of Bryce's methods, "that it took men like 'Scotty' to improve the spit and polish part of our training methods. He was as meticulous, clean and thorough as any trainer I've ever known. Detail was his second name. The horse had to be fit and healthy, inside and outside, and he was kind to his horses, was proud of the 'guid yins.' Those of us with any savy tried to copy him."

Bryce was a great believer in swimming exercise for his horses, especially unsound ones, and at "Oakhampton Lodge" he built a luxurious swimming pool, 18ft at its deep end, as part of his comprehensive training routine. Many a lame horse was kept fit or saved from early racing oblivion by this pool, which was availed of by other trainers in the district, men who continue to acknowledge the debt they owe to the many refinements of conditioning and gaiting, and to the profound horsesense that took James Bryce to the top of the ladder and kept him there year after year.


Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 14Aug57

James Bryce Jnr

BRYCE FAMILY

The end of what was once a beautiful romance with trotting for the long-renowned Bryce family finally came (it would seem) when last Tuesday, the day of the 1972 running of the NZ Trotting Cup - a race whose history the Bryces played an outstanding part in - James Bryce, jun. died in Christchurch aged 70.

The father and sons triumvirate of James (Scotty) Bryce and Andy and Jim Jnr really hogged NZ's trotting limelight almost right from the time Scotty, in his mid-30s in 1913, shipped out to NZ with his family and continued his remarkable career as a trotting trainer. It is said that Scotty was so good with horses that the Scottish bookmakers were delighted to see him leave his homeland. And it took no time at all for Scotty in NZ to show why.

This was despite atrocious luck at the start of the Bryce family's venture; and the story can be taken up when the little man from Glasgow stood on the Wellington wharf on a dull, cheerless morning in 1913 with his wife, his belongings and five children clustered around him, and had to take on the chin a blow that would have flattened anyone but the strongest. In surroundings where he knew no-one, wondering what the future would hold. Scotty was approached by a stranger. "Are you Mr Bryce?" And hearing the raw Gaelic accent: "Yes? Well,I have had some bad news for you. Your two horses have been ship-wrecked and are still in England." The day must then have seemed really dismal to the little man from Glasgow. Hardly a promising start in a new land. But Scotty was a real horseman - one of the world's best - and he was about to prove it in no uncertain terms.

Stakes were small and bookmakers big in the halcyon days when Scotty Bryce learned to drive imported American horses in trotting races in Glasgow; but he was a canny Scot who soon earned a reputation for reliability in getting horses first past the post. Reading some NZ newspapers from London Bryce saw the pictures of the race crowds, which decided him to come and try his luck here. When he left Scotland, he was given a great send off. Owners and trainers presented him with a purse of 100 guineas in gold. Here is Scotty's own quote on that farewell, recorded in the Auckland Star in the mid 1940s by C G Shaw: "I have never tasted liquor in my life. I thought port wine was a tea-total drink. I never remember leaving the place."

Fares and freight for the family and the horses left Bryce with £300 when he landed in Wellington, and it was at this stage that he learned that his two mares he was shipping out, Our Aggie and Jennie Lind, had gone aground in the Mersey on an old troop transport, the Westmeath, and were still in England. Subsequently, they were transhipped to the Nairnshire and after a rough passage arrived in NZ strapped to the deck after the mate had suggested putting them overboard. The mares reached here two months after the Bryce family, who had decided to go to Christchurch. The family was taken to a boarding house in the city but left after Mrs Bryce had discovered the woman of the house drank 'phonic', which is the Gaelic for methylated spirits. They went to Lancaster Park and there they settled.

Three months after reaching NZ, Our Aggie, driven by Scotty Bryce, won her first race - but she did not get it. She had not been sighted by the judge as she finished on the outside, and his verdict went to a mare called Cute whose driver said after the race: "I did not win but I could not tell the judge that." Our Aggie was placed second and the crowd staged a riot. Our Aggie won seven races in NZ and became the dam of Red Shadow, considered by Scotty to be his best performed horse ever. Red Shadow won the Great Northern Derby in 1930 and the NZ Cup and Metropolitan Free-For-All in 1933, taking all four principal races at Addington. He sired Golden Shadow winner of the 1943 Great Northern Derby, and Shadow Maid, who won the Auckland Cup in the same year.

When they first arrived with their dad and the rest of the family, James Jnr was 13 and Andrew 11. James Jnr, to begin with, got a brief grounding with the thoroughbreds, being introduced to a famed galloping trainer George Cutts at Riccarton. Before he could go far in his role as a racing apprentice, however, increasing weight forced young Jim out of the thoroughbred sport without him riding a winner. But he had been quick to learn and had what it took, Jim, who got his trotting driver's ticket when he was 15, quickly showed when he won at each of his first three rides in saddle events for the standardbreds.

Scotty had two horses engaged in a race, but the owner of one of them, the favourite, would not allow the trainer to put James Jnr up on that horse (as Jimmy had been promised) and a bitterly disappointed lad took his seat on a little mare called Soda. This happened again on another horse, whose owner, with a magnificent gesture, presented the boy with a cigarette holder and 2s 6d. However, to this Scotty added a £5 note. Finally, the first owner who had been so reluctant to avail himself of James Jnr's services asked him to take the ride, and history records that the young boy this time prevailed on the horse he had twice earlier beaten - for three wins out of three in saddle races.

It speaks volumes for Scotty Bryce's reputation that the biggest dividend paid by a horse driven by him was £14. Way back in 1923 horses driven by the old master earned over £100,000 in stakes. Scotty retired from driving when compulsorily retired aged 69 and died 20 years later. He had topped the trainers' list eight times from 1915/16 to 1923/24, being headed out in that period only by Free Holmes in 1922/23. As a driver, Scotty took the premiership five times, while Jim Jnr. was to top it in 1935/36.

In 1925 Jim and Andy were entrusted by their dad to take Great Hope and Taraire to Perth for the first edition of the Australasian Championship, the forerunner of the Inter-Dominion Championships. Both horses fared well, but on the eve of the Grand Final, the father of West Australian trotting, J P Stratton, came to the brothers and candidly informed them that Great Hope, the weaker stayer of the pair, would have to win the final if the boys were to take the championship on points. Andy, driving Taraire, got behind Jim driving Great Hope in the race, amazing horsemanship being displayed by both brothers, literally pushed Great Hope to the line to take the honours. Scotty, knowing what the lads were like, tied up the money from those successes, and Andy and Jim, needing cash, decided to trade Taraire for an Australian horse and some cash when the carnival was over.

To his mortification, Scotty Bryce not only failed to win a race with Planet, the horse got in trade for Taraire by his sons, but when he himself returned to Perth the following year with Sir John McKenxie's Great Bingen, he was beaten in the final by none other than his former stable member, Taraire. Episodes like this and the one in which Great Bingen, swimming in the Perth river, got away, swam to the bank, made his way though the city and back to his stable unscathed were part and parcel of the Bryce saga.

At his model Oakhampton set-up in Hornby near Christchurch, with it's lavish appointments that included a swimming pool for his horses, Scotty and his sons lorded over the trotting world for many happy years. Between them they were associated with six NZ Cup winners and 10 Auckland Cup winners - either in training or as drivers while they won every other big race there was to win in NZ.

Scotty trained the NZ Cup winners Cathedral Chimes(1916), Great Hope(1923), Ahuriri(1925 and 1926), Kohara(1927) and Red Shadow(1933). Of these he drove Cathedral Chimes and Ahuriri (twice) and Red Shadow, while Jimmy Jnr. drove Great Hope and Andy handled Kohara. Scotty prepared the Auckland Cup winner Cathedral Chimes(1915), Man o' War(1920 & 1921), Ahuriri(1927), and Shadow Maid(1943). Of these he drove Cathedral Chimes, Man o' War the first time and Ahuriri while Andy drove Man o' War the second time and Jimmy Junr. Shadow Maid. Then Andy for owner Ted Parkes and trainer Lauder McMahon won the Auckland Cup in 1928 & 1929 with Gold Jacket, while Jimmy Jnr. drove Sea Born to win for Charlie Johnston in 1945 and Captain Sandy for Jock Bain to score in 1948 and 1949.

Their individual victories are far too many to enumerate, but while Andy was associated with such stars as Man o' War, Kohara, Gold Jacket and, in later years, Jewel Derby and Tobacco Road, James Jnr. took the limelight with Shadow Maid, Sea Born and that mighty pacer Captain Sandy.

Eighteen months ago, Andy, at 66, was admitted to hospital with hernia trouble, told his daughter "I'm in the starter's hands," and died peacefully. James Jnr. left to join up with the other two sides of the redoubtable triangle early this week. Among the grandsons of Scotty, Colin(son of Jim) and Jim(son of Andy) were involved for a time in trotting but both gave the practical side, at least, away. It would seem the Bryce saga is over. But, who knows? Perhaps there will be a great-grandson to kindle the flame again. I wouldn't be surprised.

Credit: Ron Bisman writing in NZ Trotting 18Nov72

Ravenschild & trainer-driver Newton Price

1913 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

The three-day meeting, scheduled for November 11,13 and 14, 1913, was initially in jeopardy. The club held a special committee meeting on November 5 to consider a postponement because of the national waterside strike that had gripped the country. However, the club decided to keep faith with all the horsemen who had already made the long trip to Addington, and proceeded with the meeting. As it transpired, the strike did not prevent any horse from competing, or, apparently, any person from attending.

Ravenschild won the race in hollow fashion from the Australian pacer Denver Huon, with Calm, the race favourite and unbeaten in three starts, a fair third.

The winner, who had been runner-up the year before, gave his sire Rothschild his third Cup success. Such was the large stake offered that Ravenschild was the season's leading earner with £1130, all but £30 coming from his Cup win. The stake for the 1913 New Zealand Cup reached 2000 sovereigns for the first time, the qualifying time was tightened to 4:38, and for the first time a prize for fourth place was offered. Ravenschild's share of the stake was 1100 sovereigns, Denver Huon 400, Calm 300 and Manderene 200. Total stakes offered by the club over the three days were 8000 sovereigns. The Canterbury Jockey Club, which had been in existence more than 50 years, also had a 2000 sovereign stake for it's traditional November New Zealand Galloping Cup. The Metropolitan Club, in just nine years, had raised the stake of it's prestigious race from 310 socereigns to the equal of its more illustrious provincial companion.

Totalisator turnover on Cup Day was a record £42,558, and the Cup betting of £7257 10s was also a record. For the first time the turnover eclipsed the Canterbury Jockey Club's betting on its Cup Day, held as usual three days before the Trotting Cup. The three-day Addington turnover reached a record £124,362, up £25,185 on the previous year.

The club received 23 nominations for the Cup, and only Bell Metal and Princess Louise were withdrawn, which left an over-capacity field. Twelve horses started from the front line of six seconds and from that mark Ravenschild was quickly into the lead for Newton Price. Passing the stands for the first time, Lord Dillon headed Ravenschild, who was followed by Manderene, Little Tib, Aberfeldy, Stop It and Calm. Well rated by his trainer-driver, Ravenschild regained the lead shortly after and by the time the straight was reached was going too well for the others. He finally won by eight lengths in 4:35.6.

Denver Huon, the Australian champion from Sydney, came to the meeting with a reputation for exceptional speed, and from his handicap of two seconds ran a fine race. He had to make his way through the big field, and was timed at 4:33.4. Denver Huon was under the care of Manny Edwards, who had migrated to New South Wales and set up a stud farm and training establishment. Edwards' horses arrived by sea via Melbourne, Hobart and Bluff. The trip was a rough one and Denver Huon, in particular, lost condition. As a result he had worked poorly before a good final trial on the Sunday before the Cup, which convinced his connections to continue with the race.

As expected with such a big, unwieldy field, the start was unsatisfactory. The horss paraded past the stands and then walked to the starting point. They began racing some lengths before reaching the post, getting off in straggling order. Again, Andy Pringle bore the brunt of the disorder and was tipped from the sulky of Glendalough. King Cole, Medallion and Gold Bell broke hopelessly and took no part in the contest.

The Wildwood Junior-Gertie six-year-old Calm, who started from the front, lost his unbeaten record after a slow start. Passing the stands the first time, Bill Kerr's pacer was six seconds behind the leading division. He gradually moved up and, starting the last lap, had moved into third place. Calm chased Ravenschild into the straight and broke, allowing Denver Huon to pass him.

King Cole (out of retirement) had broken Ribbonwood's mile record in 1911, registering 2:08.6. He shared the scratch mark with his co-Australasian mile record-holder Emmeline, who recorded her mile time in the 1912-13 season.

Andy Pringle gained some compensation for his bad luck in the Cup when he rode and drove three winners - Win Soon, Country Belle and Gianella - on the second day. Albert H returned to form, winning the Canterbury Handicap from Red Mac and the trotter Muricata. His winning time of 4:33 equalled the New Zealand record set by Wildwood Junior in 1910.

The third day blonged to the four-year-old trotter Michael Galindo, from the Cliff Tasker stable. After an early break, he made up ground in grand styleand won the Dominion Handicap from Muricata and Quincey.

The most significant newcomer amongst the trainer-drivers at the meeting was James "Scotty" Bryce. The litle man had landed in Wellington from Scotland with his wife and five children earlier in the year. His rise to fame and fortune was repid. Both his sons - James Junior and Andrew - followed him into harness racing and thr Bryce family won every honout there was to achieve in the sport. Scotty Bryce won the national premiership for trainers eight times and he headed the driver's premiership five times. Despite his poor debut with King Cole in 1913, the big races in later years - the New Zealand and Auckland Cups - were easy prey.

Bryce family members were associated with six New Zealand Cup and 11 Auckland Cup victories. Only the Holmes family, Free and his three sons - F.G., Allan and Maurice - who between them won the New Zealand Cup seven times, can boast a better family achievement at Addington. (F.G. was always known by his initials because his first name was the sae as that of his father).

Cecil Devine equalled Scotty Bryce's six New Zealand Cup training successes when Lord Module annihilated the 1979 field. Later still, Roy Purdon, with his two sons, Barry and Mark, produced their sixth victory between them in 1996 when the brilliant Il Vicolo won his second New Zealand Cup.

Credit: Bernie Wood writing in The Cup

Cecil Devine adjusts Lord Module's headgear

C C DEVINE

"You know, I should have made it 1917, not 1915," says a somewhat rueful Cecil Devine. No doubt he is thinking of the date of birth on his licence application, the date which decreed that as from August 1 he was no longer able to drive a standardbred racehorse in either NZ or Australia. And no doubt, too, he is thinking that those two extra years might mean he would be able to continue driving his pride and joy, champion Lord Module, until he went to stud at the end of his racing career.

But rules are rules. In the trotting world as well as anywhere else. Cecil Charles Devine, born March 23, 1915, is openly critical of Rule of Trotting 90: "A professional horseman's licence shall not be granted to any person who, though not disqualified under Rule 84 hereof (a) is under the age of 16 years; or (b) is 65 years of age or over; or..." and so on. That's the bit that got at Cecil. "I have always been against the retiring rule. I firmly believe a driver should have to give up on a strictly medical basis; It wouldn't be so bad if a man could continue driving his own horses after reaching the age of 65 as long as he was fit."

Yes, it is an argument that has cropped up previously. Just about every time that one of the more prominent drivers has turned 65. Cecil presses home the point. "Morrie Holmes, Doug Watts, 'Gladdy' McKendry, Bob Young, Maurice McTigue, they all could have kept on driving long after they had to go. They were pushed out miles before their time. They were all fit men and trotting was the loser in more ways than one when they retired. "Their expertise was lost for a start; and name drivers encourage betting. Certainly, there is no lack of drivers today and there are some top young drivers, the likes of Peter Jones and the De Filippis. But there are others who could benefit through watching a top man. When I first got into trotting, I had to get out and drive against the top men."

And when did Cecil Devine first get into trotting? Back in the days of the depression. If it weren't for the depression who knows where he might have been now? He might even have been still practising at the bar. Legal men don't have to retire at 65. "I had the idea I might like to be a lawyer when I was at school. But after two and a half years at high school the depression hit and I had to give that idea away." It was just as tough in Cecil's native Tasmania (his father was a farmer at Collinsville, "up in the hills near Hobart") as it was anywhere else. Finding work was just about impossible. Cecil couldn't get a job. A lot of others managed to exist by "chipping the grass in the domain". And it was about this time Cecil first developed an interest in horses. He got a job with his older brother Eric, a prominent trotting trainer in Hobart at the time. He's still successful with horses, but has more recently had some top gallopers through his hands.

It was only because Eric could not afford to take the time off to bring a small team over for a month at NZ Cup time that Cecil ever came to NZ. "The horses belonged to a fellow named Rudd who bred a successful family of pacers, 13 of them in fact, from a mare called Milky Way. Among them were Evicus (he topped the points list at the 1936 Inter-Dominions at Perth), open class performer Cevius and Icevus (also placed at Inter-Dominion level and later stood here at stud). They were all good horses," Cecil recalls.

"I suppose I was about 20 at the time; I took on the job and was supposed to go back when the horses returned. But Wellington looked so good - they had a beautiful six furlong grass track at Hutt Park in those days - I decided to stay on to see if the rest of the country lived up to that early promise." Live up to it's promise NZ must have done; Cecil Devine is still here even though he does return regularly to his former homeland and is known as "Tas" by closer associates.

It wasn't long before he was offered a job with Vic Leeming who was training just out of Christchurch. Colonel Grattan was his top horse about that time; E C McDermott his number one driver. Cecil had driven a winner or two in Tasmania (he'd driven close to 400 when he had to retire) but can't recall with any certainty his first winner here. "Tonioro I think it was, probably at Omoto," is his initial recollection. But a check through the records of the time show that on December 31, 1938 Tonioro, driven by C C Devine , was beaten into second by a neck.

Still Cecil is more certain about the horse that got him started on the path that led him to his current situation. "It would have to be Teddy Gregg, a Quite Sure horse I leased and named after an Australian naval officer." Cecil had also leased a 20 acre property at Prebbleton some time earlier (the stables are still there, the track is gone) and spent most of his time breaking in horses for others, as well as doing a little training. Teddy Gregg was plagued with unsoundness and when tried as a pacer he couldn't stay. "I converted him to trotting and from then on he never looked back. He was in the money about 19 times from 21 starts. And he won four or five. I'd have to say he got me started. He must have won close on £2000. And about the time of the war, that was a fortune. Cecil never went to the war - "I was unfit they said" - but gradually gathered a small but useful team about him. "I got the odd good one or two and just went on and on from there."

Cecil has never had a large team to train. "I think the most I've ever had is twelve." But right from those early days there has been a good horse in the Devine team. Cecil screws up his face in the afternoon sun and starts to remember them. Great Wonder "she was a pretty good sort" who beat Johnny Globe (on a protest); Shadow Maid who was third in Gold Bar's 1945 NZ Cup; Bronze Eagle who had won the 1944 NZ Cup before coming to Cecil's where he died of tetanus; General Sandy "a top horse who beat Caduceus" and then one day dropped dead of a heart attack in training...the names roll forth. He didn't train them all when they came to their peak. Often they came to him after a run of outs and he got them going again.

One he had from the start was the champion filly Vivanti, incidentally by Bronze Eagle. She was a top juvenile winning the 1950 Sapling Stakes, the Juvenile Handicap at Addington from 24 behind - "a phenomenal run", the Welcome Stakes, the Oamaru Juvenile and so on. She beat Johnny Globe in a lot of those races but he came out on top when they met later in the year in the NZ Derby. However, she did win the Oaks.

The next year there was Van Dieman, the horse who was to give Cecil the first of his six NZ Cups and thus the wherewithall to allow him to consider buying his own property. He had every intention of buying a place on the Main South Road, not far from his present place; and Cecil minces no words when he recalls how he lost out in the bidding to another. "I was determined to have that place but eventually had to pull out when I realised I was in too far. The other chap would have kept going all day. He knew what my limit was." That same day, however, while doing some shoeing back at Prebbleton, a friend mentioned to him that the owner of the land he now occupies might be interested in selling. Cecil made the approach. True enough. The land was for sale. One hundred and sixteen acres of bare land were Cecil's. "The best thing I ever did. I've never had to consider expanding. It's probably the time to shrink."

By this time Cecil was married with a child, Bonnie, the red-haired girl who was later to marry Kevin Williams, the man who will be behind Lord Module this season. Cecil had met his wife 'Vonnie' while at Prebbleton where she was organist at the local church for ten years previously. Marriage "was too time-consuming" to continue that. Together they designed their present home, built another on the place as well as the track, stables and men's quarters.

A lot of young men have worked for Cecil and have then gone on to make their own names in the trotting world. Men like Jack Smolenski, Leicester Tatterson, Peter Yeatman, Jim Dalgety, Faser Kirk, Paul Gallagher. He's got a reputation of being a tough boss. "If paying attention to detail is tough, then I am tough," he admits. "When you don't take outside drives or have a big team, you have the time to be particular. And if your not, there is not excuse." He laughs when you suggest he has probably been responsible for putting a lot of people on the right track in his time. And then he confesses, he has learned something from most of those who have worked for him. "You develop your own ideas over the years, but you have got to be prepared to learn off others. Anyone who is not prepared to listen to others is doing himself a disservice. I'm still learning. I learned something the other day from someone who's been in the game only three months. And then when Lord Module had those cracked hooves, I had no idea how to get them right, even though I thought I was a fair student of shoeing. The mushroom shoe we used to fix them was Delvin Miller's idea. You have got to try every avenue to solve problems."

Cecil Devine expects as much from his horses as he does from his men. His philosophy towards training a top horse: feed well, work hard and not always fast, pay particular attention to that detail again. You must respect a top horse who gives everything; any owner, trainer or driver has to." Cecil stops and laughs and, looking straight at Mrs Devine: "but I don't think you get to love them as much as some people think." Mrs Devine races Lord Brigade in partnership with Cecil and it's obvious she thinks he's a good horse, even though he was just pipped at the post in Cecil's last raceday drive. Strangely enough, Mrs Devine has never driven a racehorse - "and I don't ever want to," she laughs.

Those top horses who give everything. Cecil has raced more than his fair share of them. Van Dieman won the NZ Cup in 1951, Thunder in 1956, the mighty False Step in 1958-59-60, Lord Module just last year. "That's far too long a gap," he laughs. Then there were the likes of Terryman, Raft, Van Rush, Drum Major, Bass Strait, Star Beam, Good Review...the list goes on. He has had some great wins in trotting. He's won a fair proportion of the big ones over the years. He reels them off: "Four Dunedin Cups, two Easter Cups, three Rangiora Cups, a Nelson Cup, three New Brighton Cups, Invercargill Centennial Cup, two Timaru Nursery Stakes, two Sapling Stakes, three Flying Stakes, two NZ Derbies, a Champion Stakes, Juvenile Stakes several times at Oamaru, Canterbury Park, Geraldine, Waikouaiti, Rangiora and Timaru Challenge Stakes, a Timaru Cup, Hannon Memorial, a Royal Cup and the big International Paces at Yonkers and Roosevelt..." the list goes on.

He finds it hard to pinpoint any particular highlight over the years. False Step's win in the $50,000 National Championship Pace at Yonkers in 1961 would be one, winning the 1954 Royal Cup when Van Dieman came with a withering run to beat Thelma Globe and Zulu and then meeting the Queen is another. "That would have to be a highlight; most people would have cut off their arm to win that race. Of course in those days you didn't meet or see royalty very often. Now, with the ease of travel, royalty is almost commonplace." Cecil also remembers February 15, 1964 with particular enthusiasm. that day at Addington horses by Van Dieman filled the first three placings: Van Rush driven by Morrie Holmes, Raft (C C himself) and Young Dieman (Paul Gallagher). "They were the only three horses by him in the race; it would have to be a unique feat."

Two years ago he was loathe to compare any of those top horses against the other. But now, he doesn't hesitate to say that Lord Module is the best of all his champions. "It's hard to compare horses of different eras, but Lord Module has done so many good things. False Step didn't have as much speed as Lord Module, but he was a top racehorse, Van Dieman was probably faster but needed to be covered up; Lord Module can do it from anywhere over all distances.

Cecil has been asked time and again when and if he is taking Lord Module to America. Usually it's been accepted that he will before settling back to a life as a stud stallion. But Cecil has never sid yes or no definitely. But now he says Lord Module will go...provided he races up to last year's form. And provided "Mum lets me go". "You can go," Mrs Devine is quick to reply. There are, however, no definite plans. You get the impression Cecil would like to win another NZ Cup before heading away. The stud career is definite. Nothing is more certain. There have been offers already to stand the horse "with full books guaranteed". But there's time for that. "He's the living image of Globe Derby," Cecil says fossicking around for a photograph of "the greatest sire ever" to prove his point. "It's uncanny, even down to the one bit of white on one foot."

The Cup won't be beyond Lord Module again. If anything, says Cecil, the son of Lordship has come back bigger and better than last year. "He's matured, he's very strong. Personally I think he will be a lot better than last year. He feels good in the sulky." Which is where Cecil won't be on raceday, and that makes him just a little sad in another way too. He thinks that only by driving a horse in a race can you really tell what he needs. Still, son-in-law Kevin Williams has been handling the horse in work and at the trials without any bother so it's now up to them on raceday. No-one else has ever driven the horse before. Cecil's been told that when he takes the horse to America he "shouldn't drive the horse" himself. He should get "a good driver". "Well, what's he going to do with a good driver on him?" Cecil asks. "It would be interesting." It's hard to tell whether or not he's annoyed at having that advice given him. Still, as long as he is fit, he intends to drive himself in America. There's no rule to stop him there. And he is fit. He is up and about by 7 of 7.15 every morning, and works hard enough to keep himself fit. "You must stay pretty healthy working out in the fresh air all the time...even if it is a bit too fresh sometimes these mornings," he says.

If he weren't 65, Cecil Devine would do the same thing all over again. "It's given me a pretty good life; I started with nothing and don't need anything now. I've had a lot of luck and I've had a lot of good horses (he's figured in the finish of 11 NZ Cups with Shadow Maid and Blue Prince as well as those others) over the years. Yes, I'd do it all again."

Of his last season, he was disappointed he couldn't get anything to go right in Sydney ("Lord Module wasn't half the horse he was here") and that he was only second in the Auckland Cup. Still he has a lot of admiration for the horse that beat him on that day, Delightful Lady. "She's a good mare, of that there is no doubt. That day, she was well turned out and very well driven. No doubt about that either.

Cecil means it when he says that. He has got a reputation for straight-talking, even though he can be a bit cagey about revealing future plans. His forthrightness has often got him into trouble with officialdom on racedays but as he says: "I always call a spade a spade. And I don't believe in being run over. If your right, it pays to stick to your guns. I've always done that."

He prefers not to talk about the time he was suspended after a battle with Jack Litten down the straight at Addington, except to mention that he did lose a few good horses through his suspension. Enough said. He remembers just as well his last drive down the straightwith Lord Brigade. "It was close you know," he say a little wistfully. "I would like to have won. Still you can't win all the time. I think I've won my share."

-o0o-

Ron Bisman writing in HRWeekly 11Jul90

C C (Cecil) Devine, who died in Christchurch last week aged 75, was a battler who clawed his way from being a nonentity to fame an fortune in the hard school that is NZ harness racing.

Content to train a small team, even when big success did come his way, Devine neverthless compiled a record in the nation's most prestigious harness race - the NZ Trotting Cup - that is second to none. He won the great event six times, and, while this equalled the training feat earlier in the century of the great James Bryce, Cecil drove all his winners, whereas Bryce shared the driving honours with sons Andrew and James jnr.

Devine's record is likely to stand the test od time.

In his hey-day, with some of his owners not averse to having a punt (and embued with great confidence in the judgement of their trainer), some of NZ's best-known book-makers refused to accept wagers of any sizeable amount on horses from Devine's stable. Devine trained with a purpose. He was a man with very set ideas and, as (sometimes)officialdom and (always) those who crossed him came to learn, he stood up unflinchingly for what he thought was right. When the chips were down, he was a hard man to beat - not only on the track but anywhere. To those he liked, Devine was a generous and loyal friend; to those who got on the wrong side of him, there was almost invariably no reprieve.

Born in Tasmania in 1916, Devine was drawn into trotting through his elder brother Eric, who worked with and drove horses. Hopes to become a lawyer were dashed by lack of wherewithal and opportunity in depression times that saw Cecil, after three years at high school, leave to work in a horse stable. In 1936, when brother Eric was unable to assist trainer Fred Rudd with the good Tasmanian performers Evicus, Icevus an Emlilus on a visit to New Zealand, Cecil got the trip. He was to be here for a month, but stayed for good.

Impressed by the sport here, Devine was readily persuaded to join up with the late Vic Leeming, training at Prebbleton. But, as second-string driver in the stable to Eugene McDermott, opportunities were few and far between. In 1938, Devine went it alone on a little property at Prebbleton, from where his first success as a trainer came with Prince de Oro, whom he rode to win a saddle event at Westport on Boxing Day, 1939. It was two years before Devine won again - on the Coast with trotter Teddy Gregg; and a few weeks after that he won with the same horse a non-tote race at Addington.

It was 1945 before Devine made his first NZ Cup tilt, and this was with Shadow Maid, a good race mare who had been handed to him after losing all semblance of form. Under his guidance, she finished third to Gold Bar and Integrity in a memorable Cup race. Better horses began coming into Devine's stable, and around 1950 he was making his mark with good pacer Good Review and crack filly Vivanti. The latter, bred by Devine and sold to the late Bill Parkinson, won the Sapling Stakes and NZ Oaks and was second in the NZ Derby before Parkinson sold her to Australia.

A milestone in Devine's career came when he leased, with right of purchase for $1000, Van Dieman (U Scott-Reno) as a two-year-old colt from Brian Forest, of Kaiapoi. In an outstanding career for Devine, who eventually bought him outright, Van Dieman won the 1951 NZ Cup and Royal Cup at Addington in 1954. Devine became a national hero as he received the congratulations of the Queen and Prince Philip.

In 1953, Devine left the small Prebbleton stable for a 46-hectare property at Templeton that he transformed from a bare patch of land into a model training establishment. Apart from Van Dieman, one of the first stars from his new property was Thunder, who made a meteoric rise through the classes, culminating with success in the 1956 NZ Cup. A big, rangy son of Light Brigade and Jack Potts mare Busted Flush, Thunder's maiden winat Methven was memorable. He collided with a rival at the start, dislodging Devine, who ran behind, caught hold of the sulky and climbed back in. Making up 100 yards to catch the body of the field, Thunder continued on to win the race to rave reports praising both horse and driver.

Other good horses in Devine's stable at this stage included Starbeam, Great Wonder, Nancy Lee and General Sandy (who was on his way to the top when he dropped dead soon after downing Caduceus in the NZ Pacing Championship). Next came Invicta, who, after winning his way to a tight mark, was despatched to the stable of Steve Edge by Devine. Along with the late Jack Litten, Devine had been suspended from driving for six months for their memorable whip-fight at Addington in 1957. If he couldn't drive Invicta, Devine didn't want to train him. But for this, he would almost certainly have added another NZ Cup to his bag. Under Edge, Invicta, as an 11-year-old, sprang a boilover winning the 1961 NZ Cup.

By now Devine had taken over False Step, inheriting him from the Litten stable following an argument between Litten and owner Jim Smyth. Winner of 14 races including the NZ Derby under Litten, False Step carried on under Devine to win 19 more races in NZ, and in doing so joined Indianapolis as the only three-time winners of the NZ Cup. False Step's Cup wins were in 1958, '59 and '60. Devine then campaigned him in New York. After tragically being stood down from the first leg of the 1961 Yonkers International Series when a blacksmith drove a nail into the quick of a hoof, False Step finished unluckily second to Australian star Apmat in the second leg. And while Devine won the third and finasl leg with False Step, with Apmat fourth, the Australian was awarded the title on points. Shortly after, False Step (now sold for $115,000 to American polaroid tycoon Jack Dreyfus) was driven by Devine to win the Frontiers Pace at Yonkers, with America's champion pacer Adios Butler only fifth.

More vivid in the memory of current-day harness racing fans will be Devine's great exploits with Lord Module. Buying this son of Lordship and the Bachelor Hanover mare Module through the National Sale for a mere $3000, Devine developed Lord Module into one of the most capable pacers pacers produced to this time in New Zealand. Despite a recalcitrant streak which cost him dearly at the start of many of his races, Lord Module won 28 of 93 races ans was also 40 times placed.

Highlights of his career were his 1979 NZ Cup win and his 1:54.9 time trial in 1980 in weather conditions all against a fast time at Addington. In his final race in the 1981 Allan Matson Free-For-All at Addingtn, Lord Module came from last to first to win brilliantly in the hands of Jack Smolenski, one of several one-time employees of Devine who went on to make names for thenselvesin the game.

Devine was forced to retire from race driving at the end of the 1979/80 season. After Lord Module's retirement from racing and standing him at stud, Cecil pottered with a horse or two, but his heart never really appeared to be totally in it from that point. Though he didn't show it, Devine took great personal satisfaction from the success of his son-in-law Kevin Williams with his NZ and Auckland Cups winner Master Mood. Devine's final race win was with Cheeky Module, a son of Lord Module, driven by Smolenski to win a maiden race at Motukarara in January, 1988.

The great trainer is survived by his wife Avonnie and his daughters Bonnie (Williams) and Debbie (Carolan).

-o0o-

A PERSONAL TRIBUTE by Dave Cannan

He was, unquestionably, one of the old school of trotting, long before it became fashionable to call the sport harness racing. And he was proud to be a trotting man, proud sometimes to the brink of vanity and egotism.

But then Cecil Devine had a lot to be proud of and while he never, in my experience, actively sought public recognition for his numerous achievements he was not one to take the self-effacing approach when the media became interested in him or his horses. Why? I never asked him and, if the truth be known, I was probably too intimidated to risk such an impertinent question. My educated guess is that Cecil worked so hard, battling his way from anonymity to world-wide fame, that he wasn't about to give anyone else the credit. And who would deny him that?

Cecil Devine won the NZ Cup six times, training and driving False Step (three), Thunder, Van Dieman and Lord Module to win the country's greatest race. James Bryce also won six Cups but Cecil, rightfully, claimed the record outright as Bryce only drove four. Its possible, but highly unlikely, someone will eventually take that record from Cecil and if "Tassie" is looking down on Addington the day it happens I'll bet dark clouds will magically appear on a bright and sunny November day, and grumble ominously in discontent.

Cecil, who died in July, 1990, aged 75, didn't live long enough to see one of his proudest achievments wiped from the record books - Lord Module's 1:54.9 time trial mile - and while I mourned his premature passing as much as most people, in a way I'm glad Cecil was spared that. Not that I would detract an ounce from Starship's 1:54.5 effort on a hot sunny day at Richmond in 1992 but who of us present could forget the drama and excitement of that cold, wintry night at Addington in 1980 when Lord Module set his mark more than 13 years ago. Not Kevin Williams, who drove the galloping prompter with frozen fingers, not Cecil Devine, who wiped the dew from the sulky as Lord Module prepared for his epic dash, and not me or the thousands of others who stayed on after the races were over to cheer on their champion to such an astonishing time.

And 18 months later they were cheering again when Lord Module denied all odds for the last time to win the Matson Free-for-all, downing Gammalite and Armalight in a race that threatened to bring the Addington Grandstands down. Cecil, forced into unwanted retirement, had to watch like all the rest of us from the stands and before the race began he walked quietly into the press room and slipped some tickets into my pocket. Knowing I rarely risked a dollar on the tote, Cecil had backed up my wavering - and his unflinching - faith in the much-troubled Lord Module with his own cash.

But later, when I chose to spend the proceeds on a mounted action picture of Lord Module, which still (hopefully) adorns a wall in the Addington press room, Cecil was openly furious with me, pointing out the dividend could have - and should have - been spent on my wife or young children. "You always look after your own first...always," he chided me and as epitaphs go, I think it's one of several Cecil Devine would have found appropriate.

Credit: Graham Ingram writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 9Sep80

CECIL DONALD

The first trainer in either code to train 1000 winners (in 1972) Cecil Donald has a special hniche in harness racing history. But a simple stat hadly does him justice. In an erawhen the Purdon have rewritten most training records, the innovation and scope of the vintage Donald years stand out as exceptional.

Donald was the "young man in a hurry" of the trotting world from the time he started out training at Addington in 1922. Having five horses was considered a large professional stable then, and only people like James Bryce had 20. Donald soon had 30 in work. Within seven years he had won his first training and driving premierships, his 45 training wins being 11 more than the previous best. He also held the driving record.

After a hat-trick at Forbury he was described in the media as a "healthy vigourous young man whose secret is his personal supervision every day of a huge team of 30 horses." When Cecil won his final Premiership in 1961 he had equalled James Bryce's enduring record of seven. He had won an Auckland Cup (Carmel) and quinellaed the Dominion Handicap (Kempton, Writer) within 12 months of his first. He also posted the lowest winning total of any premiership with 17 wins in 1941-42 when there were only 559 races and huge travel restrictions. Through that era his operation and enterprise constantly attracted headlines.

Some of the major ones:

* In 1931 he became the first to drive and win a race at Addington (the first) the morning after driving in the seventh race at Alexandra Park. Donald had arranged for Captain McGregor to fly his primitive aircraft from Christchurch to Feilding, left the Northern Express near there for his first plane ride and was able to inspect his stable before the first race.

* Early trainers stood stallions to make ends meet but Donald went a lot further with Jack Potts which arrived from America as a 3-year-old in 1922 imported by Alec Anderson. Jack Potts, a lovely pacer, and the only American pacing-bred sire available then, became the breeding phenomenon of his era winning nine successive sires premierships.

* In 1938-39 Jack Potts was the first to leave 100 winners in a season. Donald also stood sons of Jack Potts such as Gamble (2nd in a NZ Cup) which at times caused some problems with officialdom. In 1937he had over 150 horses at Belfast, unheard of in that era. He also raced and trained gallopers and stood thoroughbreds at stud.

* Calumet Axworth, a disappointment, and Lusty Volo, a £1500 purchase, were stallions Donald imported from America. Lusty Volo died from heart failure whe his oldest crop were only two. He left top liners Great Venture and Sir Michael as well as the dam of Our Roger.

* At the 1937 New Zealand Cup meeting Donald was the leading trainer, the leading driver and his stallion Jack Potts the leading sire - another unique record. At the 1940 New Zealand Cup meeting, Donald trained the winner of the NZ Cup (Marlene), the Dominion Handicap (Tan John, a $16 buy and then aged 14) and the NZ FFA (Plutus) - a feat not repeated in the 72 years since.

* Cecil quoted his feat of training the home-bred but chronically unsound Marlene, then seven, to win the Cup as his finest achievment. As usual his skilful brother, Ron, drove, Cecil believing lightweight was an advantage in the cart. He had also been severely injured in a fall driving Accountant that year. But Cecil drove Cairnbrae (an 8-year-old) with supreme judgement (led last mile) to win his second Cup for owner Ted Lowe in 1964 at a time when the various brackets including King Hal, Gildirect, Urrall, Falsehood and Dandy Briar were popular combinations with the public. Donald had minor placings in other Cups with Lindbergh, Jack Potts, Bayard, Lary Shona and Falsehood.

* More than once he produced three horse brackets in the race. Dandy Briar won an Auckland Cup. In later years Chief Command, Indecision and Rauka Lad were his top pacers.

* In 1941 Donald based his entire racing team at Oamaru in the weeks leading up to the August Addington meeting because of the drier tracks. "The Belfast track was always a problem in winter but those were the sort of ideas he would come up with," Donald's former chief assistant Bob Nyhan recalls.

* A Donald innovation relieved a disastrous fire at Belfast which killed his high class pacer Accountant, a brother to Marlene. He had a special irrigation system for his track. "It was something new," Nyhan said. "Nobody bothered to water their training tracks like that. He also groomed the track during training sessions." When a rear barn burst into flames during the night in June, 1944, only the resources of the track watering system saved the main barn. Five horses died in the fire, most by suffocation.

* In 1950 Donald who had held some large sales of his own of young stock here in the 1930's, landed in Sydney with 25 horses to sell or, if not sold, to race. Among them was the stallion Gamble which fetched 1300 quineas. Most of the rest found a new home.

* The Donald training regime accentuated the basics. He had extraordinary patience in "setting a horse up" - claimed as 12 months or more by some. "He was a great feeder," Nyhan remembers. Glocose was a staple part of the horse's diet and his biggest successes were with stayers.

* Don Nyhan used to recall how Donald would put colts together on trucks without stalls as part of their education.

* Beside all that Ces Donald was a leading cattle dealer and eventually bought farms to cater for his stock. To manage one of the biggest racing teams in the country, a stud, and maintain his dealing interests makes him one of the rare achievers in the Kiwi harness world.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in HRWeekly 2May12

1916 SPRING MEETING: TUESDAY 7 NOVEMBER

The opening of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club's Spring Meeting of 1916, the most important trotting fixture of the season in the Dominion, will long be remembered by those who were present at Addington yesterday.

The Club's position as the premier organisation of its kind in New Zealand is unquestioned, and the Spring Meeting, which forms one of the strong attractions of Carnival week in Christchurch, helps to bring visitors from all parts of the Dominion. The attendance yesterday was thoroughly representative of both Islands, and though the weather was somewhat sultry at the start of proceedings, and a good deal of dust was flying, the enjoyment of the large crowd present did not seem to be materially affected. Everything promised well for a great day's sport. The appearance of the grounds spoke volumes for the care which had been bestowed upon them; the track was in capital order, and the fields engaged represented the best horses in commission.

Everything was going along swimmingly until after the second race, when it was discovered that the stewards' stand, the finest builing of its kind in the Dominion, was on fire, and as the services of the Fire Brigade could not be obtained until the position was hopeless, the stand was quite destroyed. The fire is referred to at length in another portion of this issue, and need not be dealt with here, but there were many expressions of regret at the destruction of a building which could easily have been saved had the Fire Board's regulations permitted the Brigade to be sent out earlier.

The building was still burning fiercely when the horses went out on the track for the big event of the year, the New Zealand Cup, but after consideration the stewards decided to postpone that event, which was set down to start at 1:50pm until 3:15pm by which time the fire had largely burnt itself out. The delay in the proceedings kept the last race back until just on 6:45pm, but the majority of the crowd stayed until the end, having had with their racing more excitement than they anticipated. Naturally, the business of the Meeting became somewhat disorganised, but the best possible was done under the circumstances, though the officials were at a disadvantage in having to carry out their duties in the weighing enclosure.

It was not surprising to find that the totalisator investments had been seriously affected, and the total at the end of the day was £37,433 10s, as compared with £48,278 10s on the first day last year. The racing generaly was full of interest, though once again the Cup race was largely spoilt by mishap. The distance system of starting came through the day's trial successfully.

****
...The totalisator investments at Addington on Tuesday did not show such a large falling-off as was at first thought. The total was £37,433 10s as compared with £40,251 10s on the first day last year, not £48,278 10s, the figure supplied to the Press representatives and published yesterday. The latter sum was the amount invested on the third day last year. The investments on the New Zealand Cup on Tuesday amounted to £10,529 10s, a record sum for that race.

The Press 9 Nov 1916

****

The Spring Handicap, which opened the proceedings, brought out a field of ten unhoppled trotters, Parkfield, Eruption and Albertoria being best backed. Parkfield was never dangerous, and though Eruption showed a lot of pace at different stages of the race, he could not reach the leading division. Albertoria began well, but found the distance a little beyond her, and Miss Salisbury, who went steadily throughout, won comfortably from Jessie's Dream, who, as usual, put in one or two breaks in the course of the race.

Hannah M was made favourite forthe Empire Handicap, a two-mile saddle race with Young Tohu and QuennnTracey next in demand. Young Tohu was quickly in a good position, and won with something to spare from Hannah M, who was ridden out to beat Irvingwood.

At this stage the racing was interrupted by the fire, and when the New Zealand Cup candidates took the field it was found that the back-marker, Our Thorpe, had been withdrawn. J Bryce's coupled pair, Cathedral Chimes and Admiral Wood, were made just a little better favourites than R McDonnell's bracket, Emilius and Evelyn, with Erin's King also solidly supported. St Ursula was fourth and Tommy C fifth in request, but there was a very big drop in the investments as compared with those on the three favourite selections. The field got away fairly well, though Frandocia did not begin kindly, and Emilius early spoilt his chance by breaking. Eccentric, always a qick beginner, made the most of the early running, and he was still in the leading division with a lap to go when he became concerned in the mishap that brought Succeed, Brown Bell and Erin's King to grief. The accident left Manderene momentarily in the lead, but he was soon overhauled by Cathedral Chimes, who, running out wide, had been lucky enough to escape the smash.

The Southland-owned horse quickly established a good lead and, after passing the half-mile post, had the result safe, winning comfortably in the fast time of 4min 31 1/5th sec. Evelyn left the mark well, and soon secured a good position but she was doing her best work at the finish to beat Admiral Wood, who was putting in solid work over the final stages, while Manderene ran a good race in fourth place. The accident robbed the race of a lot of it's interest, for just before he came to grief Erin's King was showing a fine turn of speed, and he would probably have kept the winner extended.

Cathedral Chimes scored a popular victory, and there was a good deal of cheering when the cup, given by the president of the club, Mr C Louisson, was presented to his driver, J Bryce. Cathedral Chimes, who was purchased at quite a moderate price by his present owner, Mr J B Thomson of Invercargill has proved a remarkably good investment for among his victories last season was the Auckland Cup, worth 700 sovs to the winner. He did not qualify for nomination for the New Zealand Cup until August last, whe he won the August Handicap at Addington in 4min 34sec. He was turned out in splendid condition by his trainer and driver, J Bryce, and the time registered for the two miles was only a fifth of a second outside the record for the race.

****

The extensive brick premises of Thompson and Co, wholesale merchants, were gutted by fire this morning. The bulk of the stock was destroyed, and only the walls remain. The insurance are £29,000, in the Guardian office. The loss is almost total.

Mr J B Thompson, owner of Cathedral Chimes, the winner of the New Zealand Cup, hurried through to Invercargill today, on account, on account of the fire which destroyed his firm's large premises.

The Press 9 Nov 1916

****

With the big race out of the way the Middleton Handicap, a two mile harness race for unhoppled trotters, claimed attention. Syrie and Eruption were withdrawn, and the coupled pair, Woodchild and Commander Bell received most support with El Carbine a good second favourite. The race was not a very exciting one for Olive L was quickly in front, and trotting very steadily throughout, she won nicely from El Carbine, who showed some great bursts of speed but lost ground by breaking at a critical time.

The Lyttelton Handicap furnished another victory for Mr J B Thomson, whose mare, Soda, paced solidly throughout, and beat Capriccio without much difficulty. Irvar ran a good race for over a mile and a half, but failed over the final stages and was beaten for third place by Oinako, who might have been closer up had he not broken in the straight. A protest entered by E McDermott, driver of Capriccio, against J Bryce, driver of Soda on the ground of interference was dimissed.

The smallest field of the day was that in th Riccarton Handicap, for which Author Dillon and Sir Fulham carried more than half the money invested. Sir Fulham quickly put himself out of court by breaking, and though Author Dillon, after beginning slowly, displayed a lot of speed over the last half-mile, he could not reach Sherwood, who had taken charge at the end of the first lap.

The mile races, which brought the programme to a close, were not particularly exciting events. In the saddle race, the St Albans Handicap, Ariadne was quickly out in front, and was never caught, winning easily from Quincey Maid. The Hagley Handicap, in harness, produced a similar result, for Rose Dillon led from the start, and lasted long enough to win by a couple of lengths from Colmena, who finished very well. The following are details of the racing:-

SPRING HANDICAP (in saddle) of 200 sovs; second horse 40 sovs and third 20 sovs from the stake. For unhoppled trotters only. 5.0 or better. Two miles.

Geo Paul's b m Miss Salisbury by Young Salisbury-Queenie, aged, 40yds (W Orange) 1
A Gallagher's b m Jessie's Dream, aged, scr (Owner) 2
Wickham Sister's b m Albertoria, 6yrs, 10yds (M Edwards)3

James Madison scr, Havana 10yds, Craibwood 30yds, Parkfield 40yds, Bow Bell 40yds, Mokau 70yds and Eruption 100yds also started

Havana would not leave the mark, but the others got away well. Jessie's Dream began smartly, and led for three furlongs, but at the stand Albertoria had taken charge, with Jessie's Dream, Miss Salisbury and James Madison next in order. Going along the back, Jessie's Dream and Miss Salisbury ran past Albertoria, and with a lap to go Miss Salisbury was in front, while Albertoria took second place from Jessie's Dream, who was not going very steadily. Over the final lap Miss Salisbury held her advantage, and won by six lengths from Jessie's Dream, who was four lengths in front of Albertoria. Bow Bell was fourth and James Madison fifth. Time, 4min 53 3/5th sec.

EMPIRE HANDICAP (in saddle) of 200 sovs; second horse 40 sovs and third 20 sovs from the stake. 4.50 or better. Two miles.

E Thompson's b g Young Tohu by Tohu-Colema, aged, 20yds (E McDermott) 1
M Moran's ch m Hannah M, scr (C Tasker) 2
Black & Steele's blk g Irvingwood, 5yrs, scr (A Butterfield) 3

Irvwin scr, Huia scr, Gold Drift scr, Queen Tracey 10yds, Sceptre 30yds, Galindo Lou 30yds, Moorland 40yds, Granger 50yds, Submarine 120yds & Bellflower 120yds also started.

Irvwin and Irvingwood were quickest to begin, and at the end of half a mile they were followed by Young Tohu and Sceptre, with Queen Tracey at the head of the rest. Going along the back, Irvwin broke, and Young Tohu took charge. A lap from home he has Sceptre and Irvingwood as his nearest attendants. Over the last half-mile Young Tohu drew away from the field. Hannah M and Huia being second and third as they passed the tanks. In the run home Young Tohu held his lead, and won comfortably by three lengths from Hannah M, who was two lengths in front of Irvingwood. Bellflower was fourth and Huia fifth. Time, 4min 43 2/5th sec.

NEW ZEALAND CUP HANDICAP (in harness) of 2500 sovs and silver cup; second horse 500 sovs, third 300 sovs and fourth 200 sovs from the stake. For horses that have done 4.36 or better. Two miles.

J B Thomson's b h Cathedral Chimes by Four Chimes-Jean Armour, 5yrs, 36yds (J Bryce) 1
R McDonnell's b m Evelyn by Rothschild-Imperialism, 6yrs, 24yds (A Pringle) 2
Mrs A M Seymour's b h Admiral Wood, 6yrs, 72yds (F Holmes) 3
J G Lecky's b h Manderene by Norval-Eland, scr (J Clarke) 4

I M Thompson's br m Brown Bell, aged, scr (W R Thomas)
S Chambers's ch m Succeed, aged, scr (L O Thomas)
R T Reid's gr g Eccentric, aged, scr (J Brankin)
Hall & Black's br g Frandocia, aged, scr (N L Price)
J D Piper's b h Jewel Chimes, aged, scr (D Nyhan)
W H Young's b m St Ursula, 6yrs, scr (A Fleming)
R McDonnell's b h Emilius, 5yrs, 12yds (Owner)
M Edwards's b h Wallace Wood, aged, 12yds (Owner)
H W Kitchingham's b h Jingle, aged, 24yds (H Gaskill)
T Roe's br m Steel Bell, aged, 24yds (H Kinnimont)
J D Parker's b h Erin's King, 5yrs, 24yds (A Hendricksen)
J Henderson's b g Tommy C, aged, 48yds (R Reay)
R Allen's br g Don Caesar, 6yrs, 84yds (Owner)
Manderene and Wallace Wood, Brown Bell and Succeed, Emilius and Evelyn, Catherdal Chimes and Admiral Wood were bracketed.

Frandocia did not begin well, and Eccentric, leaving the mark smartly, showed the way over the first two furlongs to Manderene, Succeed and Evelyn. Passing the stand the first time, Eccentric had a three lengths lead from Evelyn, after whom came Manderene, Succeed, St Ursula and Steel Bell, with Cathedral Chimes next, while Emilius broke badly and dropped to the rear. Turning to the back stretch, Eccentric was followed by Manderene, Evelyn, St Ursula, Steel Bell and then after a gap of three lengths came Catherdral Chimes, with Brown Bell and Erin's King next. Rounding the turn to the straight, there was not much change in positions, and entering the last lap Eccentric, Manderene, Cathedral Chimes, succeed, Evelyn and St Ursula were racing in close order, while Erin's King was putting in a good run on the rails. Just after passing the judge's box, Eccentric made a slight skip. Succeed ran into him, and Brown Bell and Erin's King also came down. This accident left Manderene in the lead, followed by Cathedral Chimes, Evelyn, and St Ursula, the quartette being well clear of the rest of the field. Half a mile from home Cathedral Chimes went to the front and won easily by six lengths from Evelyn who was two lengths in front of the fast-finishing Admiral Wood. Manderene was another two lengths away followed by Jewel Chimes, Frandocia, Wallace Wood and St Ursula. Time, 4min 31 1/5th sec

MIDDLETON HANDICAP (in harness) of 250 sovs; second horse 50 sovs and third 25 sovs from the stake. 4.52 or better. for unhoppled trotters. Two miles.

Mrs J Lawrence's br m Olive L, by Wallace L-Cissie Wood, 6yrs, 10yds (E Berry) 1
J Porter's br h El Carbine, aged, 20yds (A Pringle) 2
A Quigley's b h Norval King, 6yrs, 20yds (E McDermott) 3

Paul Huon scr, Miss Vivian 10yds, Treasure Seeker 10yds, Wild Tree 10yds, Flamingo 20yds, Imperial Crown 20yds, Woodchild 30yds, Commander Bell 50yds, Auckland Girl 40yds, Truganini 60yds, Galician 70yds, Quincey 100yds and Electrocute 120 yds also started.
Woodchild & Commander Bell were bracketed.

Olive L, Wild Tree and Flamingo were the leaders over the early stages, and with half a mile gone Olive L was three lenghts clear of Flamingo and Norval King, with Wild Tree and Miss Vivian next. Along the back, Norval King took second place behind Olive L who was still in charge six furlongs from home, while El Carbine was making up his ground fast. A break in the back stretch lost El Carbine a lot of ground, and though he finished well he broke again near the post, and Olive L won by four lengths. Norval King was eight lengths back, and then came Miss Vivian and Imperial Crown. Time, 4min 44 3/5th sec.

LYTTELTON HANDICAP (in harness) of 300 sovs; second horse 60 sovs and third 30 sovs from the stake. 4.45 or better. Two miles.

J B Thomson's b m Soda by Harold Dillon-Franca, 6yrs, 10yds (J Bryce) 1
E McDermott's b m Capriccio, 5yrs, 20yds (Owner) 2
G Booker's ch h Oinako, 5yrs, 60yds (R W Franks) 3

Waitchie 10yds, The Bronzewing scr, The Whip scr, Gold Crest scr, Irvar scr, Lindetta 10yds, Reggie Huon 20yds, Red Mac 40yds, Sir Fulham 50yds and Huon Drift 50yds also started.

Irvar and Lindetta showed the way past the stand where Sir Fulham had run into third place, but broke, and lost a lot of ground. Soda was closing on the leaders fast, and in the second circuit was just behind Irvar, who was still in front six furlongs from home. Irvar led along the back stretch, but before reaching the tanks Soda and Capriccio had run past him and a little further on Oinako took third place. Soda was first into the straight, and won by six lengths from Capriccio, who was eight lengths in front of Oinako, the latter breaking at the finish. Irvar was fourth, Lindetta fifth and The Whip next. Time, 4min 37 3/5th sec.

RICCARTON HANDICAP (in harness)of 350 sovs; second horse 70 sovs and third 35 sovs from the stake. 3.27 or better. One mile and a half.

W D Lemon's blk g Sherwood, by Kerrwood-Jessie B, 6yrs, 36yds (A Bright) 1
J Knight's b h Author Dillon, 4yrs, 30yds (B Jarden) 2
H Herrick's b g Persuader, aged, 48yds (J Bryce) 3

Sungod scr, Little Tib scr, Sir Fulham scr, Franzalena 12yds and Stanley's Child 36yds also started.

Sungod and Little Tib made the early running with Sir Fulham next, but the last-named, though showing a lot of pace, broke, and dropped right back. With half the distance covered, Sherwood had taken charge from Sungod, who was followed by Little Tib, Persuader and Author Dillon. Going along the back, Author Dillon put in a fast run, but though he cut down the others, he could not reach Sherwood, who won easily by six lengths. Persuader, who was eased up, was eight lengths back, just in front of Stanley's Child, with Sungod next. Time, 3min 26 1/5th sec.

ST ALBANS HANDICAP (in saddle) of 200 sovs; second horse 40 sovs and third 20 sovs from the stake. 2.20 or better. One mile.

Dalton & Forbes's b g Ariadne by Lord Althorpe-Sweedy, aged, scr (E Redman) 1
W D Lemon's b m Quincey Maid, 6yrs, scr (H Frost) 2
W E Simes's b m Law Chimes, aged, 24yds (F Holmes) 3

Quinaldine scr, Blackness scr, Rothanic scr, General Link scr, OIC 12yds, Dalwhinnie 48yds, Nance O'Neill scr, Bacchus 36yds, First Alarm scr, Seychelles 12yds, Promotion 12yds, Ottawa 12yds, Flora Tracey 12yds, Bellis 48yds also started.

Ariadne had a good lead before the field had gone a couple of furlongs, and he held his advantage throughout, winning by eight lengths from Quincey Maid, who was ten lengths in front of Law Chimes. Bellis was fourth and Ottawa fifth. Time 2min 14 3/5th sec

HAGLEY HANDICAP (in harness) of 250 sovs; second horse 50 sovs and third 25 sovs from the stake. 2.19 or better. One mile.

A Rice's ch m Rose Dillon by Harold Dillon, aged, scr (Owner) 1
F Johnston's ch g Colmena, aged, 12yds (R Dunn) 2
J Parkinson's b h Sungod, 5yrs, 12yds (E McCann) 3

Lady Theckla scr, The Whip scr, Seychelles scr, Louie Drift scr, Bright 12yds, Brown's Nugget 12yds, Mountain Rose 24yds, Ben Dillon 24yds and John Dillon 36yds also started.

Rose Dillon, beginning smartly, was four lengths clear of Seychelles as they passed the stand, Colmena being at the head of the others. Going along the back, Colmena moved up into second place, but Rose Dillon kept the lead, and won by a couple of lengths. Sungod was six lengths away third, just in front of Seychelles, with Mountain Rose next. Time, 2min 16 4/5th sec.

Credit: The Press 8 Nov 1916

JAMES BRYCE - CATHEDRAL CHIMES 1916

The new public stand caught fire, the Fire Brigade initially refused to come. Then there was the track drama.

In front of the burnt out stand on the last round Eccentric shied and Succeed put a foot through his wheel. Both fell. Five others lost all chance.

James Bryce and Cathedral Chimes were out in the middle of the track at the time and missed the crash. From there it was easy. Maybe they were there by accident or just avoiding the dust. But Jimmy might also have seen a very tight bunch, some of them with "history" and decided to take no risks.

That's our theory anyway.

TRIVIA FACT:
J Bruce Thompson, the Invercargill based merchant who owned the Gore-bred Cathedral Chimes, left Addington with a stand burned to the ground and arrived home to find his large warehouse in Invercargill had suffered the same fate. Not a nice home-coming even with a NZ Cup in hand.



Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed Oct 2016

Cathedral Chimes & Scotty Bryce

1916 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

Since 14-year-old trotter Monte Carlo won the first running of the NZ Trotting Cup at Addington in 1904, this time-honoured and prestigious event has invariably provided devotees of the sport with great excitement.

Seldom more so than in 1916, when fire completely destroyed the 18-month-old steward's and member's stand overlooking the birdcage, where today stands the course's plush new edifice, completed last year to replace the one built when the first structure was razed. So vital was the Cup to the 20,000 fans on course that day 74 years ago that there was no thought of abandonment of the race.

Its start was delayed for an hour and a half, and with the crowd evacuated from the stand to watch from ground level or alternative vantage points, the Cup was run through a thick pall of smoke which swarthed part of the track and led to a three-horse spill with a lap to travel

Said "The Press" on the morning after:
"About 1:15 pm, a gentleman upstairs in the stand remarked to a friend that it seemed to be getting warm, and, being of an enquiring nature, he prodded the floor with his walking stick in several places, ceasing his inquisitiveness when his stick went through the floor and smoke and flames were seen through the hole made. Officials were notified, and several got to work with a small hose and buckets. Those persons still in the stand were quietly told to leave.

More drastic action followed. The floor-boards were torn up, and a call went to the Christchurch Fire Brigade, who did not turn up at once, owing to the racecourse being outside the fire district. Superintendent Warner, the Fire Chief, was on the course, and, when made aware of the situation, called the brigade on his own authority. The well-intentioned efforts of those who tore up the floor-boards to get at the seat of the fire misfired, as the strong draught spread the flames.

The fire took a strong hold, and soon the large glass panels at the ends of the stand cracked and fell out. Saving the building became hopeless. Shortly before 3pm, the fire had practically burnt itself out. The roof and all the big iron girders had fallen in, and only the shell of the lower story remained."

The fire had first been noticed after the second race. As the field for the Cup paraded in the bircage for the Cup (the third race on the programme), it became obvious that the fire was serious, and the horses were sent straight out on to the track. On Fire Chief Warner's observation, "the stand is doomed," the word to evacuate was given. For a time it appeared the fire might also spread to the nearby public stand, which was already blackening with the heat. At 1:45pm, not long after the last members left their stand, the roof collapsed.

While the public had an extra hour in which to place bets on the Cup race, this, according to one report was not much use, as there was so much smoke around that no one could see the tote indicators.

A capacity field of 17 contested this Cup. Eccentric (Jack Brankin) made the pace. When still in front in thick smoke with a lap to run, he skipped and brought down Succeed (Lou Thomas), Brown Bell (W R Thomas) and Erin's King (Albert Hendricksen). Cathedral Chimes, who won the race, was a top pacer of his day and later a successful sire. He gave outstanding horseman James Bryce his first win in the Cup, and was a bargain buy, having been secured by his Southland owner, J B Thomson, for a few pounds. The previous season he had won the Auckland Cup. Evelyn, driven by Andy Pringle, was second, and Admiral Wood (Free Holmes) was third. Off 36 yards, Cathedral Chimes scored by six lengths and clocked 4:31 1/5 for the two miles.

Arguments about the stand continued for days. The fact that the band employed by the club had played throughout the day, uninterrupted by the fire, was a amusing sideline. Fusing of an electric cable in the building was said to be the source of the fire. The stand had been completed at Easter, 1915. It was generally considered it could have been saved had the fire regulations permitted the brigade to be sent to Addington when the first call went out. Built at a cost of £8000, the structure was insured for £8500 to cover improvements.

Apart from all that, the event was notable for the record number of 17 starters and Cathedral Chimes providing Scotty Bryce with the first of six training wins in the race. Bryce was the leading trainer in New Zealand that season after arriving only a few years earlier. His horses on an accompanying boat had been shipwrecked, but arrived later and set him on the way to a career a one of our greatest horsemen.

Credit: Ron Bisman writing in HRWeekly 31Oct90