The 2015 inductees to the Addington Harness Hall of Fame were announced at Addington Raceway on Friday 9 October 2015. This year’s recipients are horseperson Colin DeFilippi and pacer Hands Down.
2015 : HORSEPERSON INDUCTEE : COLIN DEFILIPPI
Already an inductee to the New Zealand Trotting Hall of Fame, leading South Island driver and trainer, Colin John DeFilippi is one of the 2015 inductees to the Addington Harness Hall of Fame. Rapidly closing in on 2,000 NZ driving victories (1,960/430 trotters; 15,971 drives since 1986 season for stakes of $17.484m, UDR of .1894 as at early October 2015), it seems likely he will be the fifth to achieve this milestone after Tony Herlihy, Maurice McKendry, Ricky May and David Butcher. His best season came in 2005/6 when driving 121 winners.
From a prominent harness racing family, horseman father RH (Rod) DeFilippi, brother Michael (Mike)/former prominent trainer (301 wins)/driver (1,063 wins,) harness racing has played the major part in Colin’s life (aside from brief three months part time at University). Son Darren (junior driver with 14 wins from 263 starts) tragically lost his life in a motor vehicle accident following 1995 Geraldine meeting. His life is remembered each year in the eagerly sought after junior drivers Darren DeFilippi Memorial Trot held each July at Addington and warmly supported by the DeFilippi family. Wife Julie, a daughter of highly-respected trainer and mentor, Bill Denton, has officially been part of the training partnership with Colin since the 1998/9 season.
Colin DeFilippi was licensed as a professional horseman (driver) for matinees and trials in early 1972 when working for his father. Granted a probationary (junior) driver’s licence at the beginning of 1974/5 season, he recorded eleven wins with his first win coming in the Members Hcp on Brother Eden at Greymouth on 23 October 1974 (trained by father Rod). With considerable early success in the probationary ranks, this culminated in his finishing third in both 1974/5 ((11 winning drives) and 1976/7 (17 wins) seasons.
Becoming a trainer in 1975/6 whilst still a probationary driver, he has been self-employed ever since. As a trainer, initially on his own until 1997/8 season, he had 277/54 trotting winners (2,481 starters since 1986 – 1997/8 seasons) for stakes of $1.587m, UDR of .1879 and a seasons best of 30 training successes in 1985/6. Training at Broadfield together with wife Julie from 1998/9 season, he has had 240/86 trotting winners (2,109 starters) for stakes of $2.960m, UDR of .2092 with seasonal bests of 20 in both 2001/1 and 2001/2.
Whilst always been based in Canterbury, DeFilippi did spend a short stint of six months training in the North Island in 1987 where he was stable driver for Kenwood Stud Ltd (and their syndicates) and trainer Charlie Hunter. Among many junior drivers attached to his stable have been Ricky Alfeld, Craig Thornley, Darren DeFilippi, Risa Tanaka, Katie Cox, Samantha Ottley and currently Loren Lester.
Stand out horses driven and/or trained by Colin DeFilippi apart from the ultimate dream of winning the NZ Cup with Kyms Girl, have been champion juvenile pacer Courage Under Fire (“The Pocket Rocket” in NZ and ”Mighty Mouse” in Australia) and the Trevor Casey owned trotter Stent. A North American campaign next year remains a possibility for Stent and would cap off DeFilippi’s career.
A brief outline of Colin’s achievements to mid October 2015 follows:
- Drivers Premiership 2005/2006 (121 wins); second in 1983/4 to Peter Wolfenden
- Top ten (or better) position on Drivers Premiership for 24 of past 36 years
- Twice driven winners of in excess of $1m in a season – 1998/9 $1,101,309; 2005/6 $1,022,285
- Driven 100+ seasonal winners on one occasion (121 in 2005/6)
- Probationary (junior) driver : third in 1974/5 and 1976/77
- Driven five winners on programme on three occasions : Oamaru 12 May 1979, Westport 28 December 1983, Banks Peninsula 2 October 2005
- Best training performance – placed third equal with John Butcher in 1985/6 (30 wins)
- Winner NZ Drivers C/S in 1983 (placed on number of other occasions)
- Second 2007 World Drivers C/S held jointly between Australia and New Zealand including 3 winning drives in New Zealand (three points adrift of winner Belgian Christophe Martens)
- Trained and driven winner of NZ Cup (Kyms Girl) and drove Auckland Cup winner (Burlington Bertie)
- Drove only three year old to record six major Australasian Derbies : Courage Under Fire (GN/NZ, NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Australian Derbies – 1998/9)
- Drove Courage Under Fire to 24 consecutive victories (2yo – 4yo) for trainer Bruce Negus
- Trainer and driver of 2014/5 Australasian Grand Circuit Trotting champion/NZ Trotter of Year : Stent
Colin DeFilippi has driven numerous group and listed race winners in NZ plus in Australia. The more prominent among his many NZ victories (a number multiple feature wins/those trained shown as tr) are set out below (to mid October 2015) :
- New Zealand Cup (tr/dr Kyms Girl, also third plus seconds on Our Mana twice and Dillon Dean)
- Easter Cup (Our Mana/tr)
- Auckland Cup/ (Burlington Bertie, also second with Our Mana)/Ashburton Flying Stakes (Burlington Bertie)
- NZFFA/Messenger (Dillon Dean)
- GN/NZ Derby/Flying Stakes (Courage Under Fire, Country Ways – Flying Stakes only)
- Delightful Lady Classic (Adios Dream)
- Sires Stakes – 2c : Fiery Falcon, Courage Under Fire, Sly Flyin; NZSS – 3 : Courage Under Fire, Roman Gladiator; NZSS – 2f : Classy Filly, Cosmic Ice; NZSS – 3f : Classy Filly; NZSS – 2T : Castletonian
- Driven winners of four Hannon Memorials (Idolmite, Burlington Bertie, Franco Ledger, Kyms Girl (tr)
- Driven winners of four NZ Standardbred Breeders Stakes (Quiet Touch, Adio Routine, Kyms Girl twice/tr), two Premier Mares Championships (Adio Routine, Kyms Girl/tr), Queen of Hearts/Canterbury Classic (Adio Routine)
- Driven winners of four Welcome Stakes (Speedy Cheval, Courage Under Fire, Sly Flyin, Roman Gladiator)
- Driven winners of four Junior FFA’s (Michelle Bromac (tr), Whitecliff Whistler, Roman Gladiator, Bellas Boy)
- Driven winners of four Methven Cups (Capri, Ruthless, Chipaluck, Franco Ledger)
- Driven winners of three Invercargill Cups (Burlington Bertie, Ok Ado, B Grudge (tr)
- Driven winners of three Sapling Stakes (Warlord (tr), Black Loch, Fleet Magic)
- Driven winners of two Kaikoura Cups (Michelle Bromac (tr), Master Musician)
- Driven winners of two New Brighton Cups (Idolmite, Franco Whisper)
- Driven winners of two NZ Oaks (Gypsy Winkle, Caps Off)
- Driven winners of two Rowe Cups (So Long Eden, Stent (tr), City of Sails Trot (Pompalier), ANZAC Cup (Stent/tr), Lyell Creek Stakes (Stent/tr)
- Driven winners of Dominion Hcp (Pompalier), NZ Trotting FFA (Stent (tr), two NZ Trotting C/S : Special Force, Stent (tr)
- Stent : tr/dr Cambridge Trotters Flying Mile twice), Cambridge Trotters Flying Stakes, Ashburton Trotters Flying Mile
- Driven winners of two NZ Trotting Stakes – 2 : Just Incredible, Ayra
Australian successes include – 20 wins from 50 starts –
- Courage Under Fire : (8) Victoria Derby ht/final, NSW Derby ht/final, Queensland Derby, Australian Derby, Gold Coast Grand Prix 3yo Invitation Stakes, Shepparton Cup plus 2nd ID Heat
- Kyms Girl : Truer Memorial
- Roman Gladiator – NSW Derby
- Stent (tr/dr): (7) Australian Trotting Grand Prix (2), Great Southern Star heats (2)/final, Melton Trotting Cup, Knight Pistol and placed second in Glenferrie Challenge and Great Southern Star final
- Special Force : Bill Collins Mile, EB Cochran Trotters Cup, 3rd ID Trotters G/F
- Gate Keeper : FCL Parkes Trotters Hcp
Colin DeFilippi joins an illustrious group of horsepersons to have been inducted to the Addington Harness Hall of Fame.
2015 HORSE INDUCTEE : HANDS DOWN
Affectionately known as “Old Bill”, Hands Down was old school, nothing flashy in appearance, just tough as teak. The 1975 brown Armbro Del gelding from Fallacy mare Snow Chick, was bred and raced by Omarama farmer Bill (WH) and wife Fay (MF) McAughtrie. Bill McAughtrie was a one-time President of Kurow TC.
Hands Down was the best performer by Armbro Del and retired the greatest winning horse at Addington Raceway where he won 23 races from 61 starts (placed on another 13 occasions) surpassing Lordships record of 21 wins. As comparisons, Terror To Love 16/31 wins), Blossom Lady (17/26), Christen Me (17/28) and Monkey King (19/39) have/did not exceed his Addington winning tally.
Racing from three years old (only start at three, unplaced at non tote Waitaki TC meeting on 27 July 1979) until his retirement following the running of the 1985 Ashburton Cup held on Boxing Day (finishing last off 55m), his 108 starts in NZ produced 31 victories, five second placings and twelve thirds for earnings of $308,100. He raced unsuccessfully in Australia on seven occasions for earnings of $850. His full career stats were : 115 : 31 – 5 – 12, $308,950. His best mile rate was 1:59.7 recorded over 2000m (2:28.8) at the New Brighton meeting on 17 September 1982. He retired holding two national records for a gelding or entire – 2000m stand 2:31.8 and 2400 stand 3:02.2.
Hands Down’s five Group One’s all came at Addington (NZ Cup/FFA, 3 Easter Cups) while eight of his ten Group race wins were at Addington (above plus Alan Matson FFA, White Heron Lodge FFA Christchurch Airport Travelodge FFA), the remaining two being an Interdominion Consolation (his only success at Alexandra Park) and a Kaikoura Cup. At the 1980 Cup carnival he completed a rare and prestigious treble of NZ Cup, NZFFA and Alan Matson FFA.
Hands Down staying prowess is best illustrated with his eight victories at the extreme distance of 3200m (6 at Addington including NZ Cup, 3 Easter Cups, CPTC Winter Cup) plus Waikato Cup at 2900m. A quarter of his wins coming from standing starts over two miles distance.
His other major wins included 4 Louisson Hcps, 2 National Hcps, Canterbury Park Winter Cup – all at Addington; Waikato Cup and Tiwai 4/5yo Championship. He recorded placings in the following major races :
- seconds at Addington in New Brighton Cup, NZFFA; Couplands Mile (Timaru 1:56.2, beaten neck by Bonnies Chance), Hannon Memorial
- thirds at Addington in New Brighton Cup, NZ Cup, NZFFA, Louisson Hcp, Easter Cup, Pan Am Mile; Hannon Memorial, Auckland Cup.
- fourths at Addington in Alan Matson FFA, Easter Cup, NZ Cup; Hannon Memorial
- fifths at Addington in NZFFA; Auckland Cup, ID heat, Inter- Island Challenge Sakes
Hands Down was trained throughout his career by legendary Derek Jones (except for seven starts for Ossie Hooper during which he won Waikato Cup driven by Richard Hoper), son Peter Jones handled him for twenty seven victories with those to record a solitary win each with him being Robert Cameron, Derek Jones, Richard Hooper and Derek Jones’s grandson, then junior driver Anthony Butt.
Hands Down was humanely destroyed in February 1987 after breaking his shoulder in a paddock accident on the North Otago farm of his owners that he retired to.
Already an inductee into the NZ Trotting Hall of Fame, Hands Down now rightfully takes his place amongst the elite Standardbreds to have graced Addington Raceway as a 2015 inductee to the Addington Harness Hall of Fame.
Previous inductees to Addington Harness Hall of Fame :
Horsepersons – Service to Industry – Horses –
2005 Maurice Holmes 2006 Helen Pope 2012 Johnny Globe
2006 Jack Carmichael 2008 Robert McArdle 2012 Lordship
2007 Derek Jones 2008 Wayne Francis 2013 Christian Cullen
2011 Cecil Devine 2009 Jack Phillips 2014 Sundon
2012 Jack Smolenski 2011 Tony Abell 2014 Lyell Creek
2013 Ricky May 2012 Jim Wakefield
2014 John Lischner
Peter Craig
10 October 2015
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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