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1934 DOMINION HANDICAP

The Dominion Handicap, of a mile and a half, proved one of the most popular betting races of the meeting and more than £5000 was invested on the totalisator. It was a race worthy of a meeting of the best trotters in the Dominion.

Writer went away smartly and had soon established a good lead from Nicoya. Biddy Parrish made her usual slow beginning, and Stanley Bingen broke up. Writer continued to make the pace, and he was not deposed from the lead until two furlongs from home when Trampfast shot past.

The latter led into the straight closely followed by Nicoya and Huon Voyage. Trampfast easily held his own and won handsomely from Nicoya and Huon Voyage, Worthy Queen, Writer, and Olive Nelson. The win was a very popular one for though Trampfast is a great trotter he has been off the winning list for a long time.

On this occasion he did not make a mistake at any stage of the race and his finishing effort was impressive. Nicoya was in a good position early in the race and had every chance, and half a mile from home it seemed likely that Huon Voyage would take a hand in the finish. Both lacked the necessary speed to catch the flying Trampfast and while Worthy Queen gave a good display she could only finish fourth. Writer failed to stay and Wrackler gave a mixed display of pacing and trotting.

Credit: THE PRESS 10 Nov 1934

1930 DOMINION TROTTING HANDICAP

THE outstanding horses in the two mile trotters' classes at the N.Z. Cup meeting were Writer, Kempton, Raima, Admiral Bingen and Trampfast. By virtue of his win in the Dominion Handicap, and his form on the last day of the meeting, the palm must be given to Writer as the most improved horse in the class, and he has now become solid.

Two thirds to Raima in two starts read well, but this fellow impressed, especially as he was not at home on the clay track and was hitting himself. He should have won the last day even then. He can handle the grass so we can look for big things from him in the big trot at Auckland at Christmas.

Kempton is back to his best according to his Dominion Handicap form, and in that race he would have won had he been able to get through in the straight. His subsequent form was poor, but Kempton seems to specialise on big occasions and no doubt will be a dangerous horse at Auckland this Christmas, too.

Admiral Bingen is improving in stamina, and before long will he going two miles with them all. He is one of the most solid trotters in the land and none of them is endowed with more speed. Tonic won like a good horse the second day, and would have again been hard on the last day but for a bad beginning. Ces. Donald certainly holds a strong hand at the moment in Writer, Kempton and Tonic.

Engagement is still the same old jumping, scrambling, old lady, likely to beat more brilliant ones at any time. Trampfast, although he was timed to better his handicap, was not as good a horse as he has been on some other occasions, and Bill Lewis's trotter is understood to have missed some work prior to the meeting. John Mauritius went fair races but did not live up to his track work, probably because the hot opposition did not allow him to show out. Koro Peter was disappointing and was not up to his best form.


Credit: NZ Truth 20 Nov 1930

1929 DOMINION TROTTING HANDICAP

THE Dominion Handicap of £1000 for trotters only was deprived of considerable interest due to Young Blake making a bad break at the start and stopping Trampfast. At the furlong Duke Bingen was leading Tamerlane, Native Star, Judge Hancock and the others. The mile and a-half post was reached in 3.29, where the field became bunched, Western Voyage now being in front from Native Star, Tamerlane, Sister Beatrice and Koro Peter, with Duke Bingen falling back.

On reaching the straight, Native Star skied the towel and Tamerlane drew out to fight Western Voyage for first prize, but after the stiff battle all through the last furlong J. Bryce landed Western Voyage a winner by half a length from Tamerlane, with Sister Beatrice three lengths farther away.


Credit: 'The Toff' writing in NZ Truth 14 Nov 1929

1928 DOMINION HANDICAP

So "Scotty" Bryce broke evens after all! He collected the thick end of the purse m the Dominion Handicap for trotters. But the shrewd Bryce was dead lucky. After a mile and five furlongs had been covered, Engagement, which was running in second place, shot a foot through one of Trampfast's sulky wheels. Over went the carts and down went the drivers. Peter Swift, which was moving nicely, was upset by the mix-up, so over the last half-mile Young Blake, Native Star and Moneyspider were well clear of the field.

A hundred yards from the winning post Young Blake jumped in the air when he looked home, and dried. Young Edwards was compelled to jerk Native Star out to avoid an accident and, of course, unsteadied his charge in the process. "Scotty" Bryce, driving on the outside, saw a chance and he tapped Moneyspider. The bay stuck to his work and he shot home a comfortable winner.

The pace was slow over the first mile, Kempton then being in the lead. Donald's horse tired badly three furlongs from home and dropped out of the contest. Sister Beatrice spoilt any chance she had by breaking in the middle stages of the race. Elzear left the mark galloping and lost all her handicap.

Moneyspider trotted the last two furlongs in 33 4/5 sec.


Credit: 'The Toff' writing in NZ Truth 8 Nov 1928

R B BERRY

The death of R B Berry removes NZ's most successful trainer of pacers and trotters of modern times. His list of classic and leading handicap winners is unrivalled in Dominion light-harness history. He 'made' most of his own champions, juvenile trotter or pacer, sprinter or stayer. The eminence he attained in his profession was in large measure due to his all-round knowledge of the horse from the foal stage, to his great patience, his almost uncanny sense of balance and perfection in the gaiting and educating of young horses, his instinctive love of all animals, his innate 'horsesense.'

The Thomas Murphy of Dominion trotting will be missed. The sands of time may reveal him as the same legendary figure in trotting as the late R J Mason has become in racing.

Berry was originally associated with the gallopers, and, like many other valuable recruits from the sister sport, he was forced out of the saddle by increasing weight. As a youth, he was apprenticed to Free Holmes, and later rode for M Hobbs and T Quinlivan. His most important riding success was on Sinapis in the NZ Cup of 1913. He also won the Thompson Handicap on Lagoda, McLean Stakes on Marsa, Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes on Charmilla, and was on Stardancer when she dead-heated in the Stewards' Handicap of 1912.

It was on his return from the Great War that Berry turned his attention to trotting, and the first horse he trained and drove was Coldwater; but it was the 'Bingen mares' that played an important part in putting Berry on the road to success, just as truly as Berry proved that the 'Bingen mares,' properly handled, were equal as racehorses to those of any other breed. It must be explained here that, due to their fiery and uncertain temperament, mares by Nelson Bingen had let themselves in for wide prejudice, and many of the breed were not even raced because of this 'set' against them.

The first of the Nelson Bingen mares Berry sent to the top was Escapade, and she not only became the champion trotting mare of her time, but she also beat pacers bordering on Cup class. Sea Pearl and Jean McElwyn were two pacing daughters of Nelson Bingen who took high honours and were big money-winners for Berry's stable. Sea Pearl was the leading stake-winner one season and Jean McElwyn, who stood little over 14 hands, was the 'pocket battleship' of her time and a genuine public favourite. Machine Gun, an Australian pacer, was a big stake-winner for the stable and reached Cup class. So did Dundas Boy, a fine pacer who was placed in a NZ Cup. Bingen Starr, Koro Peter and White Satin were high-class trotters sheltered by the Berry stable upwards of 15 years ago. Koro Peter and White Satin were both juvenile champions.

Two of the greatest stayers and 'characters' Berry trained were the trotter Trampfast and the pacer Rollo. Trampfast was described by Berry as "intelligent, game and reliable." He was well into double figures when Berry took him in hand after this grand trotter had been absent from the racetracks for a period of 18 months, but he developed better form than ever, and won the Dominion Handicap and other races. He also competed successfully against high-class pacers. Rollo was the antithesis of Trampfast in temperament. He was completely devoid of brains. Berry himself declared the big Jingle pacer had a vacuum between his ears. But he became a high-class winner and was a natural stayer. A problem on the mark, he had no idea of how to fill his hopples once he mis-stepped at the start, but he never stopped trying when he did go away at all well.

Berry's first acquaintance with mares of the Rey de Oro breed was not an inspiring experience. It was his turn to become prejudiced. For years he would not have a mare of this speedy family on the place. One day Mr D R Revell plucked up sufficient courage to ask him to take a yearling filly by Rey de Oro from Yenot. Berry agreed to do so, but only under pressure. Thus arrived Parisienne, the greatest mare of her time, winner of the Sapling Stakes, NZ Derby, Great Northern Derby, and numerous other races, including the Grand Championship at the Inter-Dominion series held at Addington in 1938.

Berry achieved his life's ambition as a trainer and driver when he won the NZ Trotting Cup with Lucky Jack and so completed the NZ Cups double Sinapis(1913), Lucky Jack(1937). Lucky Jack still ranks as one of the finest stayers of all time, as he went on to finish second in the Cup of 1938 and won again in 1939. Lucky Jack was also an outstanding performer at Inter-Dominion Championships, and his other important successes included the National Handicap and Timaru Cup.

Great Jewel, who joined Berry's stable late in life, was the leading stake-winner of the Dominion one season when he was trained at Yaldhurst, and if he had been sound he would probably have been a champion. Pacing Power was a great horse for Berry from the time he won the Timaru Nursery Stakes. He went on to win the Sapling Stakes, Derby, Ashburton Cup, NZ Premier Sprint Championship, and finished third in two NZ Cups. Sprigfield Globe, who came from Australia to join the stables some three seasons back, became one of the most brilliant pacers of recent years, his successes including the Mason Handicap and the NZ Premier Sprint Champuionship

One of Berry's greatest triumphs, and his last, was to train Bronze Eagle to win the £5000 NZ Trotting Cup of 1944; a triumph because general opinion was that this grand pacer had passed his prime before going into Berry's stable. Bronze Eagle also won the National Handicap and All Aged Stakes for Berry.

As a trainer of Classic and leading handicap races. Berry had an unrivalled record. His successes included: NZ Trotting Cup(Lucky Jack, twice, & Bronze Eagle); NZ Derby(Parisienne & Pacing Power); NZ Sapling Stakes(Parisienne, Pacing Power & Acropolis); NZ Champion Stakes(Attorney & Horsepower); NZ Futurity Stakes(Horsepower & Pacing Power); Great Northern Stakes(Horsepower & Bohemian); Great Northern Derby(Valdor, Parisienne, Horsepower & Acropolis); Canterbury Handicap(Rollo & Southern Chief); Canterbury Park Juvenile Stakes(Sandiways); Canterbury Three-Year-Old Stakes(Globe Direct); Dunedin Cup(Great Jewel); National Cup(Lucky Jack & Bronze Eagle), Dominion Handicap(Trampfast & Pilot Peter); Timaru Nursery Stakes(Walter Moore & Pacing Power); NZ Sires' Produce Stakes(White Satin); NZ Trotting Stakes, Timaru(Paying Guest); NZ Trotting Stakes, Addington(Fantom); NZ Premier Sprint Championship(Springfield Globe & Pacing Power); All Aged Stakes, Ashburton(Horsepower & Bronze Eagle).

Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 3Jan46

W T Lowe, Lucky Jack & R B Berry

Mr W T LOWE

One of the most successful breeders and owners of pacing and trotting horses in NZ, Mr William Thomas Lowe, of Hinds, died at Christchurch last week. He was 83 years of age.

With a lifetime association with the sport, Mr Lowe was a good judge and had a natural interest and love of horses. He had raced more than 70 horses for stakes amounting to more than £80,000 and bred about 200 horses. His most notable success was with Lucky Jack, an entire who started three times in the NZ Cup for two wins and a second.

When he was 17, Mr Lowe went to work for Mr Max Friedlander, of Ashburton, who bred thoroughbreds and trotters on his stud farm at Lyndhurst anf raced them with success. From this interest in the sport, Mr Lowe bought his first pacer, Yankee Lass, from Mr Carl Nordqvist, of Methven, for £40, winning two races before retiring her to the stud.

Although she never won a race, Jessie B, purchased for £50, was the foundation mare of a good stud at Hinds for Mr Lowe. She produced Sherwood, who finished first in the NZ Cup of 1921 but was placed second for interference. The 1912 foal of Jessie B, Tairene, a chestnut mare by Wildwood Jun, besides Lucky Jack, one of the finest stayers to race in the Dominion, left a string of winners, including Trenand, Dundas Boy, Dundee and Belle Lorrimer. Her daughters have bred on with outstanding success and there must now be over 100 winners credited to the family. The progeny of some of the mares from Tairene have been responsible for producing such winners as Globe Direct, Trusty Scott, Molly Direct, Gloxania, Flame, Melton, Merval and a host of others.

Mr Lowe also raced, trained and drove Trampfast, one of the greatest trotters to race in the Dominion. Trampfast was one of the very few Logan Pointer trotters to race and he was minus one eye which was lost in an accident earlier in his career. Trampfast was successful against the pacers on more than one occasion and after a lengthy spell from racing during the depression years, Trampfast made a successful return to racing under Mr Lowe and later won several races when trained by the late R B Berry, including the Dominion Handicap in 1934. Mr Lowe had a long and successful association with Berry.

Mr Lowe was born at Mount Hutt and was educated at the Tinwald school. He started work at farms at Chatmos, Isleworth and Lyndhurst. He took up farming on his own account at Bankside and eventually settled on 1000 acres at Hinds in 1912. Over the years Mr Lowe increased his holding and eventually settled his whole surviving family of 12 on farms in the Ashburton county. The homestead block still comprises 640 acres.

Mr Lowe saw service in the South African War and was a former president of the Third NZ Rough Riders, South African War Veterans, and chairman of the Ashburton South African Veteran's Association. He took an active interest in the affairs of the Hinds district and was chairman of the Hinds Domain Board for some years, a member of the Hinds Farewell Committee, sports club and Ashburton Agricultural & Pastoral Association and he helped form the Hinds Bowling Club. He was a past master of Erewhon Masonic Lodge.

Mr Lowe's hospitality and generosity were proverbial.

For more than 40 years Mr Lowe was a member of the Ashburton Trotting Club and when he retired from the committee in 1958 he was elected a life member. He was also a life member of the Marlborough and Nelson Trotting Clubs and a member of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club.

He was married in 1903 to Miss Annie Drummond and is survived by his widow, seven sons, five daughters, 40 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.



Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 13Apr60