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FEATURE RACE COMMENT

 

YEAR: 1935

George Barton receives the Cup from Sir Heaton Rhodes
1935 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

Refer also 1934 Cup for comment.

Indianapolis, a son of imported parents in Wrack and Estella Amos, was bred at Durbar Lodge by Harry Nicoll's son Arthur and bought as an early 3-year-old by Dunedin's George Barton, the leading owner each year for a decade during this time, on the recommendation of Billie Tomkinson.

The entire was in 'star class' by the end of his 4-year-old season, but Tomkinson had died prior to the 1934 Cup and Indianapolis was prepared by his right-hand-man Claude Dunleavy for the remainder of his career.

His first Cup win was a mere formality from 12 yards over Blue Mountain(Fr) and Harlod Logan(72yds), but there was another star on the horizon at the meeting that year in the form of War Buoy, who was in the process of putting together an unbeaten career of 10 wins, a sequence that remained unmatched until Cardigan Bay eclipsed it some 30 years later.

War Buoy took his record to 15 wins from 17 starts when he won the August Handicap at the National Meeting as a 5-year-old, so as the Cup loomed with War Buoy off the front and Indianapolis off 48 yards, there was much anticipation. Particularly when War Buoy skipped six lengths clear turning for home for Stan Edwards, but Indianapolis was commencing his run at the same time six-wide and in the end had three lengths to spare.

It was no less exciting the following year when Indianapolis(48yds) became the first three-time winner after a great tussle with Red Shadow(24yds), War Buoy(Fr) and Harold Logan(48yds). A rejuvenated Red Shadow, back in the Bryce stable, had skipped clear at the three furlongs while Indianapolis appeared to be languishing in the rear. But with giant strides, Indianapolis drew level at the 100m for Jack Fraser and came away to confirm his status as one of the greatest stayers ever seen.


Credit: New Zealand HRWeekly 8Oct03

 

YEAR: 1931

STANLEY ALEXANDER EDWARDS

Stan Edwards was the youngest son of Manny and Nell Edwards, he spent his entire life with horses and as a Public trainer. He had his fair share of success.

Stan won the Ashburton Sapling Stakes in 1931 with Silver D'Oro and again in 1939 with Sir Julien. Two other good horses Stan had were Concord and Ripcord

Stan Edwards had the registered racing colours of: Brown, Green Braces and Cap

Credit: Lesley Glassey writing in Berry Family History

 

YEAR: 1947

Highland Fling, Colin Berkett & Alf Kemble
1947 NEW ZEALAND TROTTING CUP

The NZ Trotting Cup, 1947, was nothing more than a workout for Highland Fling. If the field he routed was high class - it must be assumed it was, because winners of three previous Cups and five free-for-all winners were strung out behind him - then Highland Fling has proved himself the greatest pacer ever bred in this country.

He elected to win the race the tough way. He took the lead off Loyal Peter within half a mile and proceeded to carry the cream of the Dominion's stayers to a state of exhaustion that gave the finish all the appearances of a walk-over. Highland Fling had only to register 4:18 2-5, nearly five seconds slower than his best time as a four-year-old last season, and the effortlessness of his win had to be seen to be appreciated. The trite saying "He did not turn a hair," was heard on all sides when he returned to the birdcage, and it was never more appropriately applied.

Only now five years old, Highland Fling is already several removes above anything else wearing harness, sprinters and stayers alike. He is the only horse since Harold Logan who looks capable of putting the longer-distance records as far out of reach of his successors as Harold Logan did, and Harold Logan's 4:12 2-5 has stood for 13 years.

And now something about the man who transformed Highland Fling from a petulant,'iffy' flying machine into a businesslike, genuine racehorse. L F Berkett, from the time he first 'talked turkey' to Highland Fling, knew that he had the greatest horse in his long and notable career, Dilworth, Imprint, Red Shadow, Royal Silk etc, notwithstanding. That was just over a year ago, and in that short space of time Highland Fling has won ten races and more than £12,000 in stakes - his total to date has reached £15,313, which is only £744/10/- short of Integrity's New Zealand and Australian record total of £16,057/10/-.

Bought by Mr A T Kemble from his breeder, Mrs K Bare, for something under £200, Highland Fling was a sensational early two-year-old, and an unsuccessful offer of £2000 for him was made by a Canterbury sportsman. His mile record of 2:10 for that age still stands, and if he had not drawn up his own set of rules as a three-year-old he would probably figure prominently on the record roster of pacers of that age. He was a winner at three years, but altogether he did not line up at the races as he should have done, although always produced in the pink of condition by his young Auckland trainer.

The first time Berkett raced Highland Fling in Canterbury he struck a very sloppy track and in both the main distance event and the sprint at the New Brighton Autumn Meeting he had to strike his colours to an honest, though not great mare in Gold Peg. Then came Highland Fling's meteoric rise to championship status. Losing upwards of 100 yards at the start of two-mile races, he still proved capable of winning decisively. Not always though, because on odd occasions he refused to lend any sort of co-operation to Berkett, Sen. or Berkett, Jnr., and took no real part in some of his races. But in 18 starts for Berkett he has won 10 races, been second twice and third once. You could scarcely call that inconsistent.

The father and son tradition in New Zealand trotting can offer no finer examples than those of the Bryce and Holmes families. Both are now producing their successful horsemen in the third generation. L F Berkett bids fair to establish a similar family saga of skilled reinsmen. Already his son, C R Berkett, who drove the Cup winner, is the leading trainer and horseman of the season, and another of his sons, N L Berkett, is also one of the most successful of the younger generation of trainers and drivers.

Highland Fling was the favourite and started from 12 yards, the second horse, owned and driven by O E Hooper was Knave of Diamonds also started from 12yds. Loyal Peter, starting from scratch was driven for W B Somerville by S A Edwards and finished third. Mr W J Doyle's In The Mood also started off scratch and was driven by the owner into fourth place. The margins were two lengths and one and a half lengths.


Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 5Nov47

 

YEAR: 1948

1948 DOMINION HANDICAP

Full Result

First: J T Taylor's GREAT VENTURE. Trained by the owner and driven by S A Edwards, started off 12yds.

Second: L F Berkett's TOUSHAY. Driven by the owner, started off 24yds.

Third: J R McKenzie's FANTOM. Driven by G B Noble, started off 60yds

Fourth: Bruce Bros' ACCLAIMATION. Driven by M Holmes, started off Scratch.

The winner won by five lengths, with three lengths back to third.

Also started (in finishing order): Medical Student, Rerewaka, Belmoral, Pardon Me and Ariel Scott.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 17Nov48

 

YEAR: 1963

G S ('Swanee') SMITH

He still rides his bike to and from the Addington course - an alert, wiry-looking old gentleman who would pass for years younger than he is, but who long since qualified as the Grand Old Man among head-quarters' personalities. G S ('Swanee')Smith was born at Naseby, Central Otago, in 1882. His father, the late J R Smith, owned a livery and coaching stable, and as a hobby raced and trained many good gallopers.

Young Smith was brought up with horses all around him or, as he puts it now: "was born on a horse." His family owned a large farm and used to run a coach service between Naseby and Ranfurly, although this was a small business compared with Cobb and Company's service from Ranfurly to the Lakes District.

At the age of nine, Smith was riding gallopers in work for his father, and he was 12 years old and weighed 4st 3lb when he won his first race, on his father's horse, The Last, in 1893. Another 'important' early win was on Jack The Flat, in the Naseby Cup (worth 40 sovs), the main event at the Maniototo Jockey Club's meeting in 1895. "Before I went to school, I remember my father putting me on a horse, and giving me a rap on the knuckles if I held the reins too high," Smith said. He recalled that in those days, the practice was to walk with the horses to all the meetings - distances of up to 150 miles on occasions. As well as Jack The Flat, Smith and his father were successfully associated with many other good winners around the Maniototo, Palmerston, Roxburgh, Naseby, Lawrence and Vincent districts. These winners included De Trop, Sebastapol and Emmason.

Smith began to put on weight, and around about 1900 left home to work on the railways in the Dunedin district. It was there, several year later, at Tahuna Park, that he saw that he saw the Australian trotting champion, Mr Buckland's Fritz, give an exhibition run. "I said to myself there and then: 'I'm gonna have one of them,' and although I remembered that my father had always told me that he would 'shoot' me if I had anything to do with trotters, I soon managed to get an amateur's licence," he said.

At the Forbury Park Trotting Club's spring meeting in 1911 - the fourth year of the club's existence - Smith produced Colleen Bawn, an aged black mare of unknown pedigree, owned by a Mr Lethaby, to win the Second Amateur Handicap. It was his first success in the game, but was a forerunner of many more. 'Swanee' recalls that he used to work Colleen Bawn in a sulky that stood higher than himself, and he had quite a job stepping up into the seat. Shortly after that success, Smith shifted to Southland, where he worked on the railways and trained in his spare time. There he won races with his own gelding, Papeete (by Sir Hector), and with a Sir Hector mare Flower o' Turi. In the saddle he won the 1919 Dunedin Handicap with a good performer in Dandy Chimes, and the same year he won the Gore Trotting Club Handicap with Barooga. Both Dandy Chimes and Barooga were by Four Chimes from an unnamed Kentucky mare. Dandy Chimes won his way out of the southern classes, and eventually entered J 'Scotty' Bryce's stable, where he was trained for several important wins in Canterbury. Other good winners trained in the far south by Smith were Harold Wallace, Last Vue, Queen's Lane, Siesa, St Mihiel and Ringway. The last two raced in his own interest.

About 1920 Smith shifted to Canterbury and set up in Buchanans Road, Sockburn. With him he brought Mr J Hamilton's good Bellman gelding, Bellfashion. In 1921-22 he produced Bellfashion to win races at Addington, Forbury Park and Washdyke. The day he won the Timaru Handicap at Washdyke, Smith was also successful with Mr T Newman's imported American stallion, Lee Norris, and Mr F Smith's Harold Dillon mare, Bundura. He also won two races at Forbury Park with Mr Newman's Petereta gelding, Peter King, while he drove Mr G W Dransfield's up-and-coming Logan Pointer gelding, Loganwood, on several occasions. In 1922-23, Smith, took over the training of Loganwood, and won the Midsummer Handicap at Addington and the Forbury Handicap with him. Another important success was in the Nelson President's Handicap with the Harold Rothschild gelding, Rothman, whom he raced in partnership with a Mr Lake.

The next season Lee Norris represented the stable successfully in the Avon Handicap at Addington, while he was beaten by a head by the late Mr M O'Brien's Pete Peter in the Addington Handicap. With Loganwood, Smith beat Bonny Logan and Pedro Pronto in the Selwyn Handicap and Locanda Mac and Whispering Willie in the Midsummer Handicap, both at Addington. Other successes came with Mr M Gorman's Jim Logan and Mr D Rodgers's Fireman. The latter paid a big dividend in the last event of the season, at Washdyke. Followers of the Smith stable enjoyed another big dividend when Mr Rodgers's Wildwood Jun. gelding, Pinevale, eighth favourite in a field of nine won the Oamaru Handicap. Bellfashion, now racing in Smith's interest, won the Railway and Linwood Handicaps at Addington. Actually, the late Sir John McKenzie's good mare, lightnin', beat Bellfashion by four lengths in the latter race, a saddle event, but Lightnin' lost the race, being declared ineligible.
Smith also produced Mr H G Hunt's Dusky Pointer to win the Nelson Cup and another event at Nelson, where his own Harold Dillon mare, Ivy Viking, won at Nelson and Wellington.

In 1925, Smith left Canterbury to return to farm in Central Otago. He was off the racing scene for 12 months, and he didn't work his way back into the picture until right at the end of the 1926-27 season, when he was successful at Ashburton with his own Denver Huon mare, 5-year-old Sadie Huon. At this time he was training at New Brighton. In 1927-28, Sadie Huon won at Geraldine and Timaru for Smith, and the following season he took over Mr F Smith's Rey de Oro gelding Agile, who was from Bundura. Agile won four races that term, after which Smith shifted to Spreydon, near the foot of the Cashmere Hills. Agile won three races including the Mace Memorial at New Brighton and the Flying Handicap (in 2.57 1/5 for the 11 furlongs) at Forbury Park, in 1934-35. Also in that term, Smith won two races with his own Rey de Oro 3-year-old Agility. Agile again won the Flying Handicap at Forbury Park in 1935-36, and this time he was seventh favourite in a field of eight. The following season, Agile, now racing in the trainer's interest, beat Todd Lonzia and Double Great in the Ashburton Boxing Day Handicap.

After winning a race with Agility the following season, Smith became associated with C S Donald, who was then at the top of the ladder and had a big staff of good horsemen helping him with his large team. Agility passed out of Smith's hands and later won the Taranaki Centennial Cup in A Holmes's interests. Donald's team at this time included Mr W L Parkinson's good Jack Potts gelding, Ferry Post. After winning a string of races early in his career, Ferry Post became tempamental, but Smith seemed to get on better with him than anyone else in the stable; and in 1940-41 he worked and drove him to win the Harper and Beach Handicaps at New Brighton. Ferry Post won another two races the following season, with Smith in the sulky again.

Smith broke a leg in a race smash on the Coast in the early 1940s and was off the scene for about two years, but he returned and joined up with the noted horseman, L A Maidens, at Addington. Maidens shifted to Australia, leaving Smith in charge of the team, which included the veteran Jack Potts gelding, Zingarrie, and the chestnut Turco. Smith promptly recovered his reputation for big dividends by piloting Zingarrie to win the Heathcote Handicap at the National meeting of that season. Zingarrie was 16-16 in a field of 18, and returned odds of better than 150 to 1. That was the last success of the gelding's career.

Turco was to be the makings of Smith as a successful trainer. Bred in 1936 by Mr J Dempster, of Nightcaps, he was by Rey de Oro from the Wrack mare, Wrackoda, who traced on the dam's side to the imported Vancleve. He was first trained by O J Dempster, and won his first race at Invercargill in 1839-40. He won several more races, and became unsound and was off the scene for two seasons before returning to race in the interests of Messrs A V Prendeville and J X Ferguson. Smith, who gained valuable knowledge from Maidens, the following season persuaded Turco to recover all of his former brilliance. After a string of placings, which included thirds to Emulous and Highland Scott and Emulous and Jack's Son at Epsom, and to Loyal Peter and Liberty Bond in the Summer Handicap at Hutt Park, he beat Liberty Bond and Loyal Nurse in the Dominion Handicap at Hutt Park and Gallant Maid and Navigate in the Harewood Handicap at Addington. One placing from his next four starts followed and then he ran out the season the winner of his last four starts. His successes were over Cameronian and Lucky Loyal in 4.21 at Addington, over Native Scott and Jack's Son in 4.18 at Addington, over Knave of Diamonds and Dundee Sandy in 2.37 4/5 at Addington, and over Countless, Dundee Sandy and Double Peter in the All-Aged Stakes at Ashburton. Smith considers Turco by far the best horse he has anything to do with. "He was a brilliant beginner, and if tucked in behind until the right moment, could out-finish the best of them," he said. Other winners prepared by Smith in 1945-46 were News Agent, Princess Maritza and D A Morland's Noble Reta (the dam of Bon Ton).

In 1946-47 Turco dead-heated with Haughty, ahead of Josedale Grattan and Countless, in the NZ Premier Sprint Championship, and then defeated Countless, Integrity and Double Peter in the Ollivier Handicap at Addington. He also gained six important placings, including a close second to Battle Colours in the Hannon Memorial. By this time Smith had taken under his wing a string of pacers and trotters, and those who he won races with in 1946-47 included Jackie Guy, Loyal Peter, Aberhall, Willie Winky, Fancy Goods, King's Messenger, Incredible, Mountmellick, Logan Ray and Convincer. Most of these horses were considered near the end of their tethers when Smith took them over, but he worked wonders with this team; such was his outstanding ability to train and drive.

The following season he took over the former southern mare, Mr R Wylie's Grattan Drive. A fine performer, she created an immediate impression under Smith by winnig over two miles at Addington in 4.17 2/5. She won two further races at Addington that term and also the Au Revoir Handicap at Forbury Park in the fast time of 2.55 for the 11 furlongs. It was during that season (1947-48)that Smith ventured to Auckland with a team to contest the InterDominion Championship series. With Loyal Peter he won a qualifing heat, but finished unplaced in the final, "through," he says, "an error of judgement." With Turco he won the Consolation Pacer's race in 3.12 2/5 and, with the Wrack trotting gelding, Willie Winkie, the outsider of a field of 10, he gained third placing in the Trotters' Grand Final. Jackie Guy, Mountmellick, King's Messenger and Mr C S Over's Red Ace were other winners from the stable that term.

Early the following season Smith trained and drove winners in Voco Power, Red Ace, Baby Grand and Grattan Drive, before piloting Jackie Guy to victory at Addington. Jackie Guy, however, was disqualified from that race, and Smith lost his driving licence on the grounds of interference. M Holmes, S A Edwards, R Young, W R Butt, D G Jones, J A Carnichael, R Stevens and others drove members of his team from them on. Later in the season, Jackie Guy won a double at Wellington and the stable was represented by other winners in Silent Knight, Trustee and Systematic. Trustee, a Quite Sure gelding and a member of the First Water family, won three races, including the Canterbury Handicap at Addington, for which he was the outsider of the field of 12 and recorded 4.15 1/5. Mr H Rattray's Grattan Loyal gelding, Systematic, was also at good odds for his two successes that term.

The next season Trustee won at Wellington when ninth favourite in a field of 12, while other winners included Systematic, Baby Grand, Jimmy Dillon, Right Royal, Dolly Fraser, Merry Man and Tiny Scott. Jimmy Dillon, an aged Quite Sure trotting gelding, raced in the interests of Mr Prendeville won three races including the NZ Trotting Free-For-All and the NZ Hambletonian Handicap. Right Royal, a speedy son of Jack Potts and Bingenique, raced by Mr W A Newton, won sprints at New Brighton and Forbury Park.

Smith won two races with the Dillon Hall gelding Popotai, in his own interests the following season, and four races with Mr C A Winter's 4-year-old Gamble horse, Gay Lyric. Other good winner produced from his stable that year were Systematic, Trustee, Tiny Scott, Dark Water and Scott Wrack. In 1951-52, he produced winners in Dark Water, the veteran Duncraig, Gay Lyric, Popotai, Systematic and Mrs A and Mrs J Darwell's Josedale Grattan gelding, Denbry, a temperamental customer at that stage of his career. The following season his major success was in the Johns Handicap at New Brighton with Denbry.

He long since gave up "pottering about with a horse or two" but his love of the game still draws like a magnet this remarkably agile octogenarian to training work and to race meetings at Addington and New Brighton. "It keeps me young," grinned Swanee.


Credit: 'Ribbonwood' writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 26Jun63

 

YEAR: 1965

D A WITHERS

D A (Drum) Withers, who died in Christchurch recently, was one of the leading trainers and drivers of the Dominion in the 1920s. Throughout his long and distinguished career in the light-harness code, Drum had been a credit indeed, to the game.

From boyhood Drum's main idea was eventually to train light-harness horses, and as soon as he left school he went to work for the late B Edwards at Avonhead Road. One of his first charges was Monte Carlo, whom he looked after when that horse won the NZ Cup in 1904. It is interesting to recall that Monte Carlo beat the famous foundation mare in Norice that day and ran the two-mile journey in 4:44 3/5. The owner of Monte Carlo gave young Withers 10 shillings and he considered he was well treated. Times were hard then. Drum was also in charge of another horse called George L II who, about the same time, won two races.

After a period with Edwards, Withers took employment with the late R McMillan and then the late T Davidson. He won his first race while working for Davidson on a horse called T E C at the Canterbury Park meeting, which was held where Wigram aerodrome is now. The late Andy Pringle finished second to Drum and after the race he gave Drum a dressing down for what he considered undue use of the whip on T E C. Drum stated that in those days there were no riding or driving fees, only promises.

Withers then left the horses and drove a bakers cart for a Mr Vass. Mr E Woodham was the baker and owned a horse called Blackchild Boy in the days when three-mile races were quite common. Those races were optional, the horses could either be ridden or driven. Withers rode Blackchild Boy in one of those three-mile races at New Brighton, but he failed to gain a place. Later in th day he went out to do his preliminary for a mile and a half race and was going so well that he asked Mr Woodham, who was standing by the rails, to put £2 on for him. Time was running short, however, and Mr Woodham did not reach the totalisator in time. Blackchild Boy duly won and paid a dividend in the vicinity of £56. The next horse Withers trained was Disappear, whom he started only three times. Disappear won the mile saddle at Addington the day that Adelaide Direct won the NZ Cup, and ran third on the second day.

After a period of ill health Withers gradually drifted back into the light-harness game and some of his first clients were the late J Nixon, who owned Temple Peter, the late W B Clarkson (War Bond), the late J B Pearson (Coil), Mr E Thompson (Florence La Badie), the late Mr F Neale (Bill Brown) and Mr G Rutherford (Prince Athol). Drum said they were all fine men to train for.

In his earlier days Drum was a regular visitor to the West Coast meetings, where he had a great run in saddle races, a horse called Voter being a good winner under weight for him. He said that what seemed years later he was at the first Forbury Park Trotting Club's meeting and D Bennett advised him to ride Voter in a saddle race. Drum thought that the horse must have been old enough to vote, but when he had a look at him he still looked like a young horse, so he decided to ride him. Voter won, and his next engagement was in the Reefton Cup. His connections were not very keen in starting him in the Cup, as he was not thought very much of in harness. Voter surprised everyone by winning the Cup and his owner was so pleased that he took the horse home to his stable and gave him a good drink and a feed and returned to scratch Voter from a saddle race later in the day. The fields were not very large, and the stewards persuaded Mr Lochore, the owner of Voter, not to scratch his horse. Voter was brought back to the course, and despite being full of feed and water, he ran a great race to finish second. Drum said tha Voter was a great favourite of the Reefton people.

Withers had a lot of time for a horse called Little Pointer, owned by a Mr Grant of Nelson, who bought him from Mr B Grice. He won the Nelson Cup with Little Pointer and then sent him and Prince Athol up to Hawera. For the Hawera Cup Little Pointer was considered a certainty. Unfortunately, a car ran into him on the way to the races, breaking one of his legs. Prince Athol made some recompense for the ill-luck by winning his race. Withers later bought a full-brother to Little Pointer off Mr Grice for Mr Grant named Little Logan, a straight-out trotter. Little Logan was entered in the trotters' races at Palmerston North and, talking things over with Mr Grant before the first trot, Drum decided that the most difficult horse to beat would be Herbilwyn, trained by the late Skipper Price. While waiting to be called in to the barrier, Drum and Skipper decided to save a pound's worth of the dividend between them. The race duly started and Herbilwyn went away smartly and was soon bowling along extra well. At the straight entrance Drum noticed Skipper take a look around and thought to himself, "Skipper thinks no one is going to chase him." Drum shook Little Logan up and was two lengths past Herbilwyn before his rider was aware of any danger. Little Logan had the race in safe keeping before Skipper could get busy on his horse. Skipper was called before the stewards and given a holiday for 12 months for 'going to sleep.'

Another incident is worth relating, but for obvious reasons, no names will be mentioned. Drum was driving a horse in a big race and unbeknown to Drum the trainer had tightened up the horse's hopples, as he had his eyes on a bigger stake the next day and was far from keen to win this particular race. His only instructions to Drum were "do the best you can." Drum did and the horse won to the tune of a dividend of £48. The laugh was on the trainer, as Drum had £2 on his drive.

Wither's considered Logan Lou and Regal Voyage two of the best mares he ever had. Logan Lou won the August Handicap on the first day of the National meeting in 1925, finished second in the King George Handicap on the second day and won the National Cup on the third day. Logan Lou also won the National Cup the next year. Logan Lou was considered by Withers to be unlucky not to win a NZ Cup. Prior to the 1924 race Logan Lou was very well, but a short time before the meeting she met with an accident and could not take her place in the field.

Regal Voyage held a very high place in the opinion of Withers. She was the first mare to go better than 4:20 for two miles and was in the top flight amongst the Dominion's pacers. Regal Voyage began racing as a 4-year-old in the 1928-9 season, when she had four starts. She opened her winning account when she won the Teviotdale Handicap at Amberley. She was trained for that success by L Davidson and driven by D Withers. As a 5-year-old the next season Regal Voyage won four races. After her first success that term she was transferred to D Withers's stable. During the remainder of the season she won the Autumn Handicap at Ashburton, the Renown Handicap and the Southland Handicap at Forbury Park. The next season saw Regal Voyage win four races, her most-important success being in the Mid-summer Handicap at Addington.

Regal Voyage opened the 1931-2 season with a win in the August Handicap at Addington and then after several minor placings she won the Dunedin Cup. At the same meeting she won the Au Revoir Handicap, and this was to be her last winning effort on the race track. Following two unsuccessful seasons she was retired to the stud, and amongst her progeny was the grand race mare in Haughty, dual NZ Cup winner and dam of the 2-year-old mile record holder Brahman (2:02 1/5) and other winners

Withers recalled the time he won the Wellington Cup with Silk Thread. The day the acceptances closed Silk Thread was lame, so he was put out in a paddock and it was intended to withdraw him later. In those days acceptances did not close till eight o'clock at night, and when Withers returned later in the afternoon, E Schofield, who was looking after the horse said that he had been galloping about all afternoon, so it was decided to take him to Hutt Park. He duly won the Gold Cup, beating Logan Park, driven by the late W J Tomkinson.

Another good winner for Withers was a pacer called Little Nelson, owned by Mr B Grice. He was entered for the Cheviot Cup, a race Mr Grice was very keen to win as a handsome trophy went with the stake. Grice thought before the race that they could not be lucky enough to win, but Drum said that Little Nelson would have to fall over to get beaten. That is just what happened. He was knocked down.

Drum had no hesitation in saying that Great Bingen was the best horse he ever trained. He was a "perfect gentleman" and always did his best in a race. He was the first horse to go two miles in 4:20 in the Dominion and won some of the most important races in the country, but there appeared to be a hoodoo on him as far as the Cup races were concerned. Great Bingen won over all distances, very often from seemingly impossible marks. In the opinion of Withers, his greatest sffort was when he won the York Handicap at Addington from 108 yards behind. Great Bingen finished second to Ahuriri in the 1925 NZ Cup and in 1927 he had to be content with fourth place behing Kahara, Cardinal Logan and Man O'War. In that contest Great Bingen met with interfrence when Imprint broke in front of him, but he came home with a whirlwind finish for his placing. The following year Great Bingen was narrowly beaten by his full-brother, Peter Bingen.

The Auckland Cup also eluded Great Bingen, in the 1926 race he was considered very unlucky by his trainer-driver. Great Bingen was in a good position in that race, trailling Acron, who was following the trotter, Peterwah. Peterwah broke and interfered with Acron, who can back on to Great Bingen, stopping him almost dead. Great Bingen recovered sufficiently to finish fourth. He ran fourth again the next year when conceding starts of up to 78 yards.

While on the subject of Great Bingen it is interesting to compare the stakes won by him at the Australian Championships at Perth in the 1925-6 season. He won the first heat, for which he received £100, and got a similar sum for winning the third heat. He also won the first final and the third final, which were worth £300 each. In all he amassed a total of £800 for winning four races. In the 1925-6 season Great Bingen was only twice out of a place in 13 starts.

Withers had a good deal of success with Kingcraft, a big gelding by Quincey from Colene Pointer. Kingcraft belonged to Mr B Grice and was inclined to waywardness, but he won many races when in the care of Withers. Kingcraft commenced racing as a 3-year-old and won at his only two starts that season. His successes were gained in the Juvenile Handicap at Addington and the Palmer Handicap at Wellington. Kincraft was a hardy type and raced with outstanding success for several seasons, counting amongst his wins for Mr Grice the Islington, Canterbury, Flying, President's and Farewell Handicaps at Addington. Kingcraft also won the first heat of the NZ Cup in 1929. Kingcraft failed to win a race in the 1933-4 and 1934-5 seasons, although he was placed several times. He was then presented to Withers by Mr Grice and went on to win three more races in the ownership of Withers. His wins were gained in the Electric Handicap at Oamaru, when driven by S A Edwards, the Advance Handicap at Addington, and the Bollard Memorial Handicap at Wellington. In the latter two races Kingcraft was driven by Withers.

Loganwood was another pacer who won races for Drum, and he was also trained successfully by G S (Swanny) Smith. Drum also had several driving successes behind that grand little pacer Roi L'Or. He finished second behind him in the Dunedin Cup and then won the big race on the second day. Drum said 'lady luck' was with him that day as Roi L'Or was on his toes at the start and was racing in a short sulky. When the barrier went Roi L'Or swung round and kicked quite a few spokes out of one wheel. The broken spokes made a terrible clatter and going down the back the last time the wheel started to buckle and was rubbing against the forks. Roi L'Or just got up to win by a neck and on his return to the birdcage the wheel collapsed altogether.

Withers was private trainer for the late Sir John McKenzie for nearly four years. During that time he trained a large number of winners, and included amongst the horses he had in his care were a select string including Great Bingen, Acron, Silk Thread, Peter Swift, Great Actress, Real The Great, Frisco Beau and Dolores.

Numbered amongst Drum's driving successes were the Reefton Cup with Lord Lytten and Voter, the Greymouth Cup with Anon; the Methven Cup with Colene Pointer; the Bollard Memorial Handicap with Kingcraft and Steel All; the Oamaru Handicap with Coil; the Dunedin Cup with Regal Voyage; the National Cup twice with Logan Lou; the Adams Memorial Cup with Silk Thread and the Wellington Gold Cup with Silk Thread.

His best season was in 1925-6, when he was the Dominion's leading trainer with 22 successes. He was leading driver in the 1925-6 and 1926-7 seasons with 29 and 31 winning drives respectively.

Prior to, and during World War II, Drum raced a galloper in Sandwich Man with a good deal of success. Trained for him by the late F Christmas, Sandwich Man won for Withers the County Hurdle Handicap at Ashburton, the Suburban Handicap at Riccarton, the Tinwald Handicap at Ashburton and the Presdent's Handicap at Oamaru. Amongst Sandwich Man's placed performances was a second to Defaulter in the Wellington Cup. Culverden, another galloper raced by Withers, won for him the Hack and Hunter's Steeplechase at Oamaru, when trained by his son, G H Withers.


Credit: 'Irvington'writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 15Sep65

 

YEAR: 1965

S A EDWARDS

Last week light harness racing lost one of it's most pleasing and engaging personalities with the death of S (Stan) A Edwards at the comparatively early age of 56 years.

Stan, "Young Stan" as he was known throughout his career, was something more than merely an exceptionally good horseman and trainer. He was a philosopher ever ready to give a helping hand, whether by deed or word, whenever or wherever his advice or assistance was required. What is more, he had a keen and delightful sense of quiet, kindly humour, winning himself a wide circle of friends in all walks of life.

It was natural that Stan would make trotting his life. A son of "Manny", an outstanding horseman at the turn of the century, and a brother to the late Dil, recognised as an expert trainer and driver, Stan came on the light harness scene at an early age. As a mere boy he quickly won recognition as a saddle horseman at a period when this type of racing was a regular feature of all meetings and the standard of horsemanship was of the highest. Stan was regarded as having few equals and no superiors in this field, also as a trainer.

He was associated with numerous horses of high quality. He and Ripcord, one of the greatest trotters ever seen, made a perfect combination, and he also handled Great Venture, a Dominion Handicap winner, in faultless style. He developed and drove Silver de Oro and Sir Julian to take major honours in the NZ Sapling Stakes, and he drove War Buoy in a number of his races. War Buoy, of course, still holds the record number of successive wins, scoring in each of his first 10 starts. That was a remarkable achievement because he started out as a 2-year-old by winning a handicap event against pacers of all ages, shapes and sizes and only bad luck brought about his first defeat in his eleventh appearance.

Other top-class horses Stan was associated with included Star Rosa (Champion Stakes), Hilda Scott (Greymouth Cup), Thunder (National Cup), Gamble, Blair Athol, Nell Grattan, Our Kentucky, Lady Belmer (Easter Cup), Black Douglas and Maori Queen, to mention a few.

Stan was keenly interested in the Horsemen's Association of which he was president for some years, and his passing left a big gap in all departments of light harness racing.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 26May65

 

YEAR: 1989

NANCY EDWARDS

Nancy Edwards, who died in Auckland earlier this month aged 91, was a daughter of a great handler of trotters at the turn of the century, Bert Edwards.

The outstanding horseman of his era, Bert won races at the inaugural trotting meetings at Lancaster Park in Christchurch and Potter's Paddock (now Alexandra Park) in Auckland. He owned the first horse in New Zealand to get within American standard time of 2:30 for the mile - Yum Yum, who won by 15 lengths pulling up in 2:27½ at the Canterbury Park Trotting Club's meeting of May 24, 1894.

He owned the first pneumatic-tyred sulky produced in New Zealand, lowered NZ trotting records on five occasions, and held trainer's, driver's and rider's licences from the time they were first issued to the time of his death with a completely clean sheet.

In a stint of several years in Auckland in the early 1890s, Bert and his brother Manny made their mark in no uncertain terms, and, on returning to Canterbury, Bert capped his brilliant career winning the first NZ Cup at Addington in 1904 with the 14-year-old straightout trotter Monte Carlo.

Manny, who also enjoyed a very successful career as a trotting horseman, became the father of two fine harness exponents in Dil and Stan Edwards, while Stan's son Murray also became a proficient trainer-driver.

Nancy Edwards and her sister Marjorie made their mark in thoroughbred breeding, establishing in Otahuhu the plush "Mardella Stud," where they successfully stood such noted sires as Vaals, Dink, Treasure Hunt and Probation. The Edwards sisters all but became involved in standardbred breeding, changing their minds when they had the Italian-bred stallion Medoro on the water and selling him for 7000 guineas to their neighbour Noel Simpson.

Noel made the purchase as his first move in transforming his "Yendarra" property from a cattle farm to a standardbred breeding operation. Medoro became an immediate success as a sire of pacers and trotters in New Zealand, giving Simpson a fine start on his way to becoming Australasia's outstanding standardbred breeder.

Credit: Ron Bisman writing in HRWeekly 25Jan89

 

YEAR: 1995

ANNE WILSON

Anne Wilson, who bred and raced some of NZ's greatest horses, died last Friday. She was 91. Mrs Wilson was the wife of the late Andy Wilson, a former secretary of the Wyndham Harness Racing Club.

Freeman Holmes, now retired from a notable career as a leading Canterbury studmaster and trainer, recalls Mrs Wilson as "a highly respected person, whom I had a lovely association with." Holmes found her modesty while racing the great pacer Noodlum together as one of her personality strengths.

Many years earlier her husband had been given the fine pacer Nell Grattan, who had been trained by Stan Edwards to win nine races. From Nell Grattan, they bred Tactics, a top racemare who won the New Brighton Cup and 10 other races from the stable of Maurice Holmes and after being sold left to Hal Tryax the outstanding young pacer, Tactile. Tactics also left Deft, a daughter of Captain Adios who produced Noodlum to Bachelor Hanover.

After an illustrious career on the track, in which he won 28 races, Noodlum was twice leading sire in New Zealand and for the past two seasons has been leading broodmare sire.

A keen and very capable golfer, Mrs Wilson bred Adroit, winner of the Golden Slipper Stakes, and won the Oamaru Juvenile Stakes with Petite.

She is survived by a son, Brian.

Credit: NZ HRWeekly 23Aug95

 

YEAR: 1999

Ted Sunckell...pictured at Forbury in 1967
TED SUNCKELL

Harness racing in this country is built on the foundation of farm boys like Ted Sunckell. They grew up with horses because their parents needed them to work the fields.

Going back to the days when Ted was a lad, horses were also the method of transportation, communication, getting to school, and racing along the country roads. When he was 15, he took his father's horse Miss Locander from Waiau to the Blenhiem races. This was a two-day trip, and by the time Miss Locander reached Blenhiem she was muscle sore and didn't race well. On the third day of the meeting, obviously recovered, she bolted in and paid £80 to win. On the way home, Ted and visiting trainers from Wellington would stop at the Clarence Reserve cookhouse for a feed and sleep under the stars.

His interest in racing took him into the stables and a job with Addington trainer Drum Withers when he was 17. His first horse came later, when he paid £200 for Tatsydale at a Tattersalls auction in Christchurch. She was bred in Southland by Cliff Irvine, and driven by Vic Alborn won six races, and finished fourth in the Dominion Handicap behind Dictation, Ripcord and Single Task. This was the day when Maida Dillon paid £257/12/6 to win, Johnny Globe beat Vivanti in the Derby and the free-for-all was won by Parawa Derby from Cargo Song and Gay Knight.

From Tatsydale and U Scott, Ted bred Welburn, a tidy little trotter before being sold to Australia. He lost form in the confines of a smaller establishment but found it again after being given away and relocated into the paddock-training environment he enjoyed with Ted. Parados was a smart pacer from Tatsydale trained by Stan Edwards, and other horses from the family were Tatsy Brigade, Song Key, High Note, Gay Tune, El Red and Tatsy Star. Gay Tune ran third in the Trotting Stakes, and at stud left Gay Marlene, who made her name as the dam of Thriller Dee, 1:57.8, and the winner of 24 races. In more recent years, he had his horses trained by Jack Carmichael, Felix Newfield, and his association with Don Nyhan and Globe Derby was more than 30 years.

When it was time to give up the farm, Ted did not give up the horses. He won a race at the Akaroa meeting in 1989 with Star Act, and scored with High Note at Reefton in 1993. Even when frail, he kept working a horse and a cold winter night still brought him into Addington where he could watch a few races. He once said to his son Jim: "When my time comes, I'd like to let go the reins and just fall out the back of the cart."

He says: "He had a Clever Innocence mare in work, and he'd arrive down about 9am to work it. It was hairy watching this. I don't know how he had the strength to do it. Once she took off and did five laps with him. He had one hand on the reins and on hand on the shaft, hanging on."

This season, Ted did not renew his licence. When he died last month at the age of 93, he had run a longer race than most.


Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 6Oct99



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