This year’s inductees were announced at Addington Raceway on Friday 31 August 2018 as part of the sixteenth Canterbury Owners and Breeders Night.
The two most recent three time winners of the New Zealand Trotting Cup in False Step and Terror To Love together with leading horseperson Mark Purdon are the latest to be honoured by the Addington Harness Hall of Fame.
False Step –
The second horse to become a three time winner of the New Zealand Cup (1958, 1959, 1960). Together with Terror To Love, he is equal best performed of the three three time winners both having bene placed fourth in their other attempt in the NZ Cup.
False Step was the result of a mating between Jack Litten’s stallion and NZ Derby winner Fallacy and Jim Smyth’s twenty year old mare Dainty Direct (Dan Direct/Queen Betty), family of N301 Dot Robbins.
Key facts concerning False Steps career include :
- Winner of 22 races in NZ, 15 at Addington (from 44 starts), £35,575; one race in Australia, approx. £1,000 and two races in USA, grand total earnings of $188,701
- Leading stake earner 1958/9 season : £7,055 and 1960/61 £10,185
- Established world record for 13 furlongs of 3:21.0 placing second off 48 yds to Massacre in 1961 ID Pacing Grand Final
- Winner of NZ Cup/FFA same year 1960
- Second three time winner of NZ Cup in successive years 1958/1959/1960 (record shared with Indianapolis 1934/1935/1936 and Terror To Love 2011/2012/2013)
- Remarkable NZ Cup sequence :
at 5 : 1957 NZ Cup fourth to Lookaway
at 6 : 1958 NZ Cup defeated Caduceus and Gentry
at 7 : 1959 NZ Cup defeated Gentry and Caduceus
at 8 : 1960 NZ Cup defeated Sun Chief and Lookaway
- Jim Smyth’s three wins, most NZ Cup wins as an owner, a record shared with George Barton (Indianapolis) and Terry McDonald (Terror To Love)
False Step raced from two (1954/5) until ten years of age, undergoing his initial education and training with Jack Litten. Winning once at two in Methven Two Year Old Stakes, he was runner up in Oamaru Juvenile/Sapling Stakes and third in Timaru Nursery/Welcome Stakes. Two year old record showed seven starts : 1-2-3, £1,005.
At three (1955/6), False Step’s record read 10: 6-0-2, £4,055. Wins registered at Addington NZ Derby/Canterbury 3yo Stakes), Methven (Harrison Stakes), New Brighton (Presidents Hcp) and Ashburton (Champion/NZ Futurity Stakes).
False Step’s four year old season (1956/7) stats showed 15: 6-5-0, £5,545 (2nd leading stake earner) with all his wins being at NZMTC Addington meetings (Metropolitan/Electric/Metropolitan Challenge Stakes, Electric/Australasian Hcps), except New Brighton Electric Hcp; finished second, beaten a nose, by Tactician in the first 2:00 race mile run in NZ.
False Step failed to win a race as a five year old (1957/8) although placed on seven occasions; NZ record 13 : 0-3-3, £1,575, with placings of fourth to Lookaway in NZ Cup, second in NZ Flying Stakes and NZ Pacing Championship to Caduceus. Taken to Adelaide for the 1958 Interdominions at Wayville Showgrounds, placing fifth on night one, won his second night heat over 11 furlongs 140 yds, third on third night to finish as leading points scorer. Unplaced in the Grand Final finishing eighth driven throughout the carnival by Fred Kersley for trainer Jack Litten.
Transferred to Cecil Devine’s stable at the start of the 1958/9 season after a tiff between Smyth and Litten, False Step’s six year old record shows 12 : 3-3-0, £7,055 (leading stake earner). All wins came at Addington including NZ Cup (front) defeating Caduceus by a head with four lengths to Gentry in 4:18 3/5; NZ Pacing Stakes and Canterbury Park’s Au Revoir Hcp. Major placings came with seconds in Ashburton/NZ Flying Stakes, Timaru Centennial Cup and fourth in NZFFA.
As a seven year old (1959/60), False Step had two NZ wins, his second NZ Cup victory off a 24 yd handicap, running the 2 miles in 4:12 4/5 to win by eight lengths from Gentry with a further three and half lengths back to third placed Caduceus. Winner also of Ollivier Hcp and third in NZFFA during NZ Cup carnival, a second in Ashburton Flying Stakes another major placing. NZ seven year old record read 7 : 2-1-1, £6,155. At the 1960 Sydney Interdominions, second on opening night with fourths on both second and third nights both in fastest times meant False Step finished second equal highest points scorer with Caduceus, just behind Apmat. Finished seventh in Grand Final won by Caduceus.
As an eight year old (1960/61) False Step was leading stake earner with £10,185 having won his third successive NZ Cup (48 yds) for trainer/driver Cecil Devine defeating Sun Chief by a half-length and Lookaway third five lengths in arrears; his time of 4:09.0 had only been beaten by Johnny Globe’s world record 4:07 3/5 set in 1954. False Step almost completed the Cup carnival clean sweep taking out the NZFFA and Allan Matson Hcp but placing second to Invicta in the Ollivier Hcp. Earlier in the season False Step had won the Farewell Hcp at Addington (only to be disqualified for interference) and Ashburton Flying Stakes driven by Jack Smolenski with Devine suspended while placed third in Hannon Memorial.
In the 1961 Interdominions at Addington, False Step was second on the first day, tipped Devine from sulky and pulled up on day two and seventh on third day. False Step (48 yds) started favourite in the Grand Final in his final NZ start and in the closest finish on record of finishes was second to Massacre beaten a nose with Arania half-length back third and Lady Belmer right alongside.
False Step’s complete Australasian record showed : 75 NZ starts : 22–17–9-6, 2:04 1/5, £35,575; Australia 10 starts : 1-1-1, 2:10 1/5, £1,000 approx.
Taken to North America to run in the 1961 Yonkers International Series, False Step was withdrawn from the first leg due to injury; ran third in second leg Good Time Pace and won third leg National Championship ace over 1½m in 3:07 4/5 defeating Bye Bye Byrd, Apmat, Arania, Caduceus (Adios Butler had completed in first two legs). Sold after the Yonkers series to Jack Dreyfus for US$115,000 (a then record for NZ Standardbred), won New Frontier Pace on 27 May 1961 and ended with 1961 USA record of 11 starts : 2-3-1, US$60,200. Raced again in 1962 before his death the result of a heart attack with final worldwide record of 2:03.1, US$188,701.
From few mating’s prior to leaving NZ, Sire of a couple of two time winners in NZ, Miss Step, 1:59.3US (Lexington), Double Step 2:11.0 (dam of False Regal 1:59.2US) and Stepson three time winner for Devine.
Terror To Love –
The third three time winner of the New Zealand Cup (2011, 2012, 2013). Together with False Step, he is equal best performed of the three three time winners both having been placed fourth in their other attempt in the NZ Cup.
Terror To Love was by the speedy millionaire Western Hanover stallion Western Terror (1:48.3US, Cane/Tattersalls Pace, Breeders Crown 3c, O’Brien [Canadian] 3c&g Pacer of Year) from unraced Live Or Die mare Love To Live (Live Or Die/Michaels Magic), NZ Broodmare of Year in 2014, dam of five winners for breeder/owner Terry McDonald. This is the renowned New Zealand family of Bessie B whose only NZ Cup winner is Terror To Love.
Key facts concerning Terror To Love’s career include :
- Winner of 30 races in NZ (from 62 starts), 16 at Addington, $2,046,900; one win and four times placed from fourteen races in Australia, A$330,225; double millionaire, grand total earnings of $2,377,125
- Leading pacing/overall stake earner for three consecutive seasons : 2011/12 ($528,828), 2012/13 ($621,699), 2013/14 ($624,366)
- Third three time winner of NZ Cup in successive years 2011/2012/2013 (record shared with Indianapolis 1934/1935/1936 and False Step 1958/1959/1960)
- One of nine four year olds to win NZ Trotting Cup (Lookaway, Lordship, Stanley Rio, Inky Lord, Il Vicolo, Christian Cullen, Mainland Banner, Lazarus)
- Remarkable NZ Cup sequence :
at 4 : 2011 NZ Cup defeated Smoken Up and Highview Tommy
at 5 : 2012 NZ Cup defeated Highview Tommy and Sushi Sushi
at 6 : 2013 NZ Cup defeated Fly Like An Eagle and Christen Me
at 7 : 2014 NZ Cup fourth to Adore Me
- Terry McDonald’s three wins, most NZ Cup wins as an owner, record shared with George Barton (Indianapolis) and Jim Smyth’s (False Step)
- Eight Group One’s (including Cranbourne Cup in Australia), six Group Two’s and eight Group Three’s
- Four year old entire or gelding of year, Aged entire or gelding of year (twice), Pacer of Year (three times), NZ Harness Horse of Year (twice)
Terror To Love commenced racing as a 2yo (2009/10 season) racing until aged seven being trained throughout by Graham Court and his son Paul (except for period when Paul went to Canada to train, mid 2013 to just prior to 2013 NZ Cup meeting). Winning once at two in Sapling Stakes at Ashburton, he was runner up in Kindergarten Stakes at Wyndham and a heat of the NZ Sires Stakes at Forbury Park. Two year old record showed six starts : 1-2-1, $28,738, p2 1:58.4.
As a three year old, Terror To Love’s record read 15:8-2-2, $166,724, p3 1:55.1 with wins recorded at Alexandra Park (two including GN Stakes), Addington (five including Flying Stakes dead heat with Gold Ace in 1:55.1MR, NZSS heat) and Rangiora while major placings included seconds in GN Derby heat, NZ Derby/Harness Jewels Emerald to great foe Gold Ace and third in GN Derby to Sushi Sushi. Apart from his first two 2yo starts Terror To Love had been driven exclusively by Jim Curtin to this stage of his career.
Stepping up to open class Grand Circuit level as a four year old was to prove no barrier to Terror To Love’s continued success. His four year old NZ season (2011/12) stats showed 13:5-3-1, $528,828 together with his first two Australian starts (worth A$22,000) for a second in the Cordina Sprint prior to the Miracle Mile. His NZ wins included his first NZ Cup (4:02.0/2:01.6MR, ¾ length) driven by Jim Curtin, plus Canterbury Classic at Addington, Taylor Mile at Alexandra Park and Jewels Emerald at Cambridge together with an early season victory at Rangiora. His seconds came in Sir Lincoln’s Auckland Cup, Superstars 4yo Championship and Easter Cup with a third in Hororata Cup.
Terror To Love continued on his winning way at five with NZ seasonal stats of 11:8-2-1, $631,699, p5 1:51.0 and in Australia, his three starts resulted in a second in the Miracle Mile won by Baby Bling in 1:50.5 for stake earnings of A$139,000. In his second NZ Cup (3:58.6/1:59.9MR, ¾ length) win, driven by Ricky May who took over the reins at the start of Terror’s five year old career and drove him in all his remaining career starts. Other Addington victories were Avon City Ford New Brighton Cup, Summer and Easter Cups; Ashburton Flying Stakes and A one off Jewels Emerald for five year olds in a career best 1:51.0; Northern Southland Cup at Invercargill and three horse ID heat at Alexandra Park (fourth in 2013 Grand Final at Menangle won by Beautide) defeating Sir Lincoln and Gold Ace. Terror To Love was second in the Canterbury Classic and to Im TheMightyQuinn in the Auckland Cup and third in the NZFFA to complete an almost perfect NZ five year old season. During the season he passed the million dollar mark in earnings.
At six, Terror To Love’s NZ stats showed a seasonal record of 10:6-4-0, $624,366, 1: 57.2 while in Australia his two unplaced starts in Miracle Mile and ID Grand Final yielded A$30,000 in stakes. His third consecutive NZ Cup win was his best, after conceding considerable ground with an early break, being 30 metres behind the field after settling, Ricky May urged him around to take the lead putting in a 29 second quarter. This broke the hearts of all but Fly Like An Eagle who rallied late being credited with the same time as Terror To Love (3:57.0/1:59.1, his fastest winning by a neck), who was ultimately declared the winner of his third NZ Cup. The season’s six NZ wins apart from the NZ Cup came at Addington in an ID heat, Ashburton Flying Stakes and Northern Southland Cup at Invercargill (both for a second time), Auckland Cup and final season start in Rangiora Classic. His second placings came in Avon City Ford New Brighton Cup, Canterbury Classic, Invercargill and Easter Cups. During this season Terror To Love passed through the two million dollar earnings barrier.
In his final season as a seven year old (2014/15), Terror To Love won two and was placed third in his seven NZ starts ($76,545, 1:58.5) while in Australia he recorded his solitary “overseas” victory in the Cranbourne Cup to go with a second and a third from seven starts (A$139,225, 1:57.1). His second was in the Ballarat Cup, third in an ID heat at Menangle as well as fourth in the Miracle Mile again proving that Menangle was not a track that he favoured. In NZ he won his first two seasonal starts in Avon City Ford New Brighton Cup and Canterbury Classic, both won for the second time. His attempt at a fourth consecutive NZ Cup in 2014 came up short when placed a close fourth to Adore Me beaten a half head, one length and one and a quarter lengths. His third placing in the 2015 Easter Cup at Addington was to be his final career start.
Retired to stand at stud after his Easter Cup run for third, Terror To Love has spent the past few seasons at Pinelea Farm (Graham Court and Rise Hanley) with his oldest progeny currently two year olds in 2018/19. Terror To Love’s complete Australasian record showed : 62 NZ starts : 30–13–6, 1:51.0, $2,046,900; Australia 14 starts : 1-3-1, 1:57.1, $330,225; totals of 76:31-16-7, $2,377,125, 1:51.0.
Mark Purdon –
Already an inductee of the New Zealand and Interdominion Halls of Fame, Mark Purdon, the all-round horseman, completed the trifecta with his recent induction into the Addington Harness Hall of Fame.
Throughout his career, he has accumulated a lengthy list of remarkable achievements, whether they be training, driving or sales selection successes. His driving career commenced during the 1981/2 (six wins) season with his first victory coming on Dark And Dusty at Ruakaka (1 February 1982). In five seasons as a junior driver he saluted the judge on forty four occasions with a further five from a season spent in Australia (1983/4). With primary mentors being his legendary training father Roy (twenty one training Premierships) and older brother Barry (nineteen training Premierships; 168 winners in a season training record held with Roy), it became obvious that Mark Purdon was always going to be a high achiever.
The first two Group One successes came in his first season driving in open ranks; Miss Ardmore (Great Northern Oaks) and Julie Vance (New Zealand Oaks) among fifty one winning drives for fourth in Drivers Premiership. His best season driving to date is 2011/12 with seventy five victories.
In 1990, an Ardmore property was purchased in co ownership with brother in law Tony Herlihy, Mark commenced training on the property some years later. In his inaugural season as a public trainer (1995/6), he trained eighty one winners, second only to older brother Barry’s eighty four (Roy retired at the end of the previous season).
Synonymous with the All Stars Stables training facility at Rolleston (Mark moved to Canterbury at the start of 2001/2 season), thirteen training Premierships have been recorded over the past nineteen seasons, a record that may eventually rival that of Roy’s twenty one and Barry’s nineteen. His best season training wins to date was 2013/4 in partnership with Natalie Rasmussen (157 wins, again just short of record held by Roy and Barry Purdon). Mark joined Roy and Barry Purdon as the only trainers to have recorded 2,000 training wins in NZ when Bettor Trix won driven by Mark at Addington on 12 October 2017.
Mark Purdon’s training stats :
New Zealand – total of 2,117 made up of 908 on own, 558 with Grant Payne and 651 to date with Natalie Rasmussen (recorded over past five seasons 2013/4 – 2017/8). Included in these 2,000+ training wins are four instances of seven winners on a race day : a) Mark Purdon and Grant Payne, Auckland TC New Year’s Eve meeting, 31 December 2009; b) Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen, NZ Cup Day 11 November 2014; Auckland TC New Year’s Eve meeting, 31 December 2017; NZMTC Addington meeting of 16 March 2018; six winners a) Mark Purdon, Nevele R Fillies meeting, 11 May 2013; b) Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen, NZ Cup Day, 10 November 2015; Easter Cup night 28 March 2016; Sat 21 May 2016 NZMTC NZ Oaks Day; NZ Cup Day, 8 November 2016; Harness Jewels 2 June 2018, Cambridge and five winners on twenty four occasions : Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen (14), Mark Purdon and Grant Payne (6), Mark Purdon (4).
Australia – total of 304 wins
Mark Purdon’s driving stats :
New Zealand – total of 1,525, 2017/18 season bringing up his fifteen hundredth winner on Funonthebeach in a three year old event at Cheviot’s annual meeting at Addington. On six occasions he has driven five winners in a day.
Australia – total of 209 wins
In addition, Mark drove the winner of the final heat of 2017 World Drivers Championship at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada where he was the NZ representative together with defending WDC champion Dexter Dunn. In 1996, he piloted Pride Of Petite into fourth in an elimination heat of the world’s premier trotting sprint, the Elitloppet at Solvalla Raceway, Stockholm, Sweden. Finishing fourth and qualifying for the rich Final, she finished sixth together with a third placing in Copenhagen when in Europe.
It needs to be remembered that Mark has always had stable drivers of the calibre of Blair Orange, Tim Williams and training partner Natalie Rasmussen to handle stable horses, thereby lessening to some degree the number of drives he has had. His overall UDR strike rate in NZ exceeds 3100 (low of .2099 in first season, high of .5753, 2015/6).
Few races have not been won by Mark Purdon, either driving or training with most notably a Miracle Mile yet to be annexed.
With a keen eye for superior racing stock and a loyal bench of owners such as Phil and Glenys Kennard, Neil Pilcher and many others, Mark’s yearling sales selections have over many years turned up trumps. It goes without saying that his Group One training successes of 243 (NZ – 177; AUS – 66) are fast approaching legendary thoroughbred trainer Bart Cummings record of 268. Of the Group One victories, 70 of 177 in NZ have been at Addington with an overall split between pacers (198) and trotters (45) Australasia wide. Mark is trainer of the first and two of the three pacers to have gone under 1:48 in Australasia.
With respect to major races won, these include five training and driving (third behind Ricky May’s seven and Cecil Devine’s six) victories in the NZ Cup; a Dominion Hcp winner; five Auckland Cup training and four driving successes; two Rowe Cups; two Hunter Cups; numerous Pacing Derbies (25) made up of GN (6), NZ (13), VIC (2), NSW (3), AUS (1) and ten Trotting Derbies – GN (4), NZ (6) and several Pacing Oaks (19) made up of GN (8), NZ (4), VIC (1), NSW (3), QLD (2). His Harness Jewels training record at Ashburton/Cambridge (to June 2018) is unsurpassed – 40 victories (24 driving wins) from a maximum of 108 Jewels races to date (excluding one-time 5yo Jewels), while in Australasian Breeders Crown events he has trained eleven winners and driven thirteen to victory.
His combined Interdominions Grand Finals record is without peer – as a driver, Pacers : four heats and three Grand Finals, Trotters : six heats and three Grand Finals. As a trainer, two Pacers Grand Finals and five Trotters Grand Final victories.
It is impossible to list and name all of Mark’s major winners but mention must be made of these – Mark Hanover, Mark Roy, Il Vicolo, The Court Owl, Bogan Fella, Pride Of Petite, Diamond Field, Buster Hanover, Brabham, Young Rufus, Jack Cade, Sharp And Telford, Highview Tommy, Auckland Reactor, Sleepy Tripp, I Can Doosit, Fly Like An Eagle, Smolda, Adore Me, Border Control, O Baby, Escapee, King Denny, Fight For Glory, Piccadilly Princess, Have Faith In Me, Dream About Me, Spanish Armada, Party On, Heaven Rocks, Ultimate Machete, Elle Mac, Vincent, Princess Tiffany, Our Waikiki Beach and Lazarus …. plus many other notables.
N.B. : stats to 31 August 2018
Peter Craig
1 September 2018
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
