This is the third of six articles covering the life and racing times of George Johnson Barton, the leviathan and colourful Dunedin owner. Part Three continues the review of his standardbred horses.
Biddy Parrish – 1925f (Guy Parish/Rose Peters), 61:10-8-5; T2:08.4, A5 Honest Kate
Not raced until five, Biddy Parrish scored three victories and three placings in her first year of racing. Her wins came in 1931 at New Brighton, Timaru and Hutt Park. At six, she recorded a further four wins at Forbury Park, New Brighton in 1931 and on both days of the CPTC 1932 Winter meeting – Elevation Hcp (36yds)/Aviation Hcp (60 yds) where future top trotter Todd Lanzia ran third.
Biddy Parrish raced against the best class trotters at seven (1932/3) managing a solitary victory.. This came at the August NZMTC meeting – Addington Hcp where star dual gaited horse Wrackler ran second and subsequently won that years 1932 Dominion Hcp with Biddy Parrish unplaced. A couple of minor placings from long marks were her only other 7yo seasonal rewards.
Late in her 8yo season (1933/4) Biddy Parrish managed a further two successes at the 1934 CPTC Winter meeting – won the Elevation (84yds)/Aviation (72yds) Hcps for the second time driven by J Fraser Jnr. Earlier in the season she recorded her best ever performance when second to Huon Voyage, beaten 2 lengths in the 1933 Dominion Hcp at Addington.. A couple of placings off long marks and second to Worthy Queen (24 yds) on the second day of 1934 NZMTC Easter meeting concluded her season. On a Tuesday during the Easter carnival, a series of time trials were held (Walla Walla, Worthy Queen T2:03.6TT NZR stood for almost 30 years). Biddy Parrish trotted in T2:08.4 beating Todd Lanzia’s previous record of T2:09.0 but well short of Worthy Queen’s new mark. Biddy Parrish raced again at nine (1934/5) with six unplaced starts, three of them at the 1934 NZ Cup carnival. Her final two starts at ten (1935/6) included being unplaced in the 1935 Dominion Hcp.. Biddy Parrish bred on as fourth dam of reasonable trotters in the 1970’s in Marsha Donna and Rodney Dale plus she was fifth dam to open class pacer False Regal in early 1980’s.
Bracken – 1927f Wrack/Maori Belle), 83:7-12-5 (3 for GJ Barton); 2:11.4, N150 Bed of Stone
Racing for six seasons from two to eight, Bracken only raced one season in Barton’s interests. Initially, she raced in the interests of Harry (HF) Nicoll, then Arthur (AF) Nicoll and finally Durbar Lodge Ltd – the Nicoll’s, father and son combination behind Durbar Lodge. She won twice at three including her first start when trained/driven by Don Warren; once at four in saddle at a CPTC meeting at Addington for Jack (J) Behrns trainer/Maurice Holmes driver; once at five for the same combination at Addington with a second to Barton owned Tempest in the Methven Cup.
Following an unsuccessful six year old season, Barton acquired Bracken for racing at seven (1934/5). Her twenty starts for FC Dunleavy/driver J Fraser jnr saw three victories and seven placings. Her wins came at Hutt Park in the Dominion Hcp, Washdyke Hcp at Timaru on the same day she ran second in the Timaru Cup and on the opening day of NZMTC Easter meeting in the Express Hcp. Bracken’s earnings were £644 for her season’s racing for Barton. She returned to Durbar Lodge’s ownership for her final racing season at eight with the only reward from thirteen starts being third placing in Forbury’s Presidents Hcp.
Tempest – 1928f (Wrack/Nell Pointer), 120:18-19-17 NZ; 2:09.0, N6 Harolds Rest
Tempest was owned by Barton except for her first start second in the 1931 Sapling Stakes for owner AJ Nicoll/dr JJ Kennerley, Tempest proved a tough competitor over the next seven seasons. She came from the Nicoll’s Durbar Lodge breeding establishment in Ashburton. At three (1931/32), Tempest’s five starts included a second in the 1931 NZ Derby (1,000 sovereigns) to Ciro (owner HF Nicoll/dr Maurice Holmes); consecutive wins at the ATC Cup meeting in the December Hcp (12 yds) and 1931 GN Derby (1,000 sovereigns, 600 to the winner) in 3:30 for 1½m followed by a third on the final day in the Premier Hcp (24 yds).
At four, Tempest’s busy season of 22 starts yielded four victories and six minor placings. Her victories included two wins at New Brighton meetings, the 1932 Methven Cup and the 1 mile 1933 CPTC Final Hcp in her best ever mile rate of 2:09.0 which positioned her amongst the first 100 NZ 2:10 performers. Tempest had 4 starts at five, placing second in three of them late in the season at Auckland’s Winter meeting – 1934 Adams Memorial/CF Mark Memorial/Prince of Wales Hcp when driven by J Fraser jnr.
As a 6yo (1934/5) Tempest was busy with 22 starts producing seven victories and six placings.. Six of these wins came at Addington and included dual success at the 1934 NZ Cup carnival – day 2 Ellesmere /day 3 Hornby Hcps, both from 12 yards. The third day saw her start in the NZFFA finishing third behind Harold Logan, beaten 4 lengths.. Following a second to future stable mate Cloudy Range in the Presidents Hcp at Forbury Park, Tempest won the 1934 Forbury Hcp (24 yds) on the second day of their November meeting. After a number of placed efforts, she rounded off her season with wins at NZMTC Easter and June CPTC Winter meetings..
Two wins came at seven in the 1935 King George Hcp, NMZTC August meeting with her stable mate Wrecker second (Barton quinella) and NZMTC Easter meeting Final Hcp. Unplaced in the 1935 NZ Cup (second win for Indianapolis) and 1935 Auckland Cup, her six placed efforts included third in the Ollivier Hcp (24 yds, dr J Fraser jnr) and second in the NZFFA (dr DC Watts; J Fraser jnr drove winner Indianapolis). Tempest’s single victory at eight came in New Brighton’s 1936 Henry Mace Memorial (36 yds, dr J Fraser jnr). Significant among her eight placings (1936/7) were seconds in the Ollivier Hcp, NZFFA to Harold Logan and thirds in the National Hcp, Ashburton and Dunedin Cups.
Tempest’s final season came in ID year 1938, the first ever held at Addington (third running overall). She finished fifth leading money earner with £1,395 to Parisienne’s £3,340 for 1937/38. Tempest achieved two wins at nine in the NZMTC 1937 Farewell Hcp driven by Jack (JS) Shaw (August meeting same day ran third in the National Hcp) and after finishing third to Lucky Jack in the 1937 NZ Cup, Tempest won the 1937 Ollivier Hcp during the Cup carnival.. She was unplaced in the 1937 Auckland Cup, all three ID heats but managed third in the first ID Consolation at her final NZ start. Tempest went to Western Australia where she managed feature race wins in the 1941 and 1944 Easter Cups.
Wrecker – 1928g (Wrack/unknown dam), 72:11-9-7 (8 for GJ Barton); 2:10.4 N799 unknown NZ dam
Starting out in the ownership of HF Nicoll, Wrecker was a good performer winning one race at Greymouth from his first four starts. Barton acquired him and he gained three further victories at Timaru (dr E McDermott), 1932 Juvenile Hcp at Addington and Ashburton during the 1931/2 season to go with five minor placings. At four, Wrecker had the one win at Ashburton in April (dr J Fraser jnr) to go with four placings.. His best season came at five (1933/4) when he was successful in three of eighteen starts plus a couple of placings – two wins at Addington included the Ellesmere Hcp on day 2 of the 1933 NZ Cup meeting and his major success at Alexandra Park in the 1934 Otahuhu Hcp/Cup (12 yds) driven by Fred (FJ) Smith.
At six, Wrecker passed into the ownership of Bill (W) Hoskings and his two victories came in Auckland – 1934 Jellicoe/Remuera Hcps for driver FJ Smith. Returned to Barton‘s ownership for his final season at seven (1935/6), Wrecker‘s one win off 72 yds was a dead heat with Rey Spec (48 yds) in the 1935 Metropolitan Hcp, run at the combined Christchurch Trotting Club and Canterbury Jockey Club meeting at Addington in September 1935. Wrecker earlier placed second to stable mate Tempest in the August 1935 NZMTC King George Hcp (dr J Shaw) and his final race placing was a third in the 1935 Ashburton Cup (dr J Bryce jnr).
Chenwood – 1928g, Peter Chenault/Sashwood), 38:8-5-1 (7 for GJ Barton), 2:11.1, N166 Sashwood
Trained by owner S Harthorne/driven by WJ Tomkinson to win one of his first two 3yo starts, Chenwood had a further two 3yo starts for a win (Oamaru) and a third for the Barton/Tomkinson combo. Two wins at four included the 1933 Cheviot Gold Cup (2m) for a stake of 100 sovereigns plus Cup valued at 100 sovereigns. In his best season at five, all four victories were at Addington – second day of the NZ Cup meeting 1933 Metropolitan Hcp; CPTC Telegraph Hcp (January 1934); NZMTC Papanui Hcp (February 1934) and the Express Hcp on opening day of the 1934 Easter meeting – all at 2 miles except for the Telegraph Hcp (1 mile, 2:11.6). Chenwood had a further four starts at six for a placing in the Selwyn Hcp at the NZMTC’s August National meeting.
Cloudy Range – 1929g (Wrack/Ayr), 97:16-13-11 (6 for GJ Barton); 2:09.3, N17 Precision
Cloudy Range was owned by prominent owner Arthur Nicoll (with his brother Gerald he raced Wrackler, Arethusa, Ciro, Raclaim, Gerfalcon etc) and trained by J Behrns. He won a single race in each of his two/three year seasons before ownership passed to Eugene McDermott.. At four, his three wins for trainer/driver McDermott included the 1933 Lightning Hcp (24 yds) at Addington in August and the 1934 Greymouth Cup (12 yds). Three further wins followed at five including the 1934 Forbury Presidents Hcp.
Racing in McDermott’s colours for the first eleven of his 6yo starts, Cloudy Range gained two victories including Craven Hcp at Addington. Ownership passed to Barton (tr FC Dunleavy); his next six starts produced three wins and three placings including NZMTC 1936 Presidents Hcp on second day of the Easter meeting and CPTC Winter Hcp. At seven, winning on three occasions with three placings from eleven starts – won August 1936 Farewell Hcp at Addington; unplaced in Indianapolis’s third NZ Cup; won 1936 Clarkson Hcp on second day of 1936 NZ Cup carnival; second in the Louisson Hcp on day three in a race won by stable mate Grand Mogul with Harold Logan third; won CPTC 1937 Mason Hcp (36 yds) at season’s end.
In his 8yo season, Cloudy Range’s twenty two starts provided Barton with two placings. Kept going to give Barton another representative in the first Interdominions held at Addington in 1938, Cloudy Range was unplaced on all three days of the 1937 NZ Cup carnival (NZ Cup, Ollivier/Louisson Hcps); unplaced in his first two ID heats; obtained one of his two placings for the season when third in the third day’s ID heats to Lucky Jack and Nervie’s Last; unplaced in his last start the 1938 ID Grand Final won by Pot Luck (overall series won on points by Parisienne).
Golden Eagle – 1929f (Nelson Bingen/Great Eyre); 58:11-11-7 (4 for GJ Barton); T2:13.2, N63 Beulah
A full sister to good trotter Great Admiral (2 Rowe Cups) and closely related to Gold Horizon ( 2 NZ Trotting FFAs), Golden Eagle raced her first four seasons as a three-six year old for Jim (JT) Paul, managing one win at three, two at four and one at five.. Sold as a seven year old trotter for £250, she was taken over by W Hoskings for two more wins plus another in the early stages of her 8yo career. After her first four starts at eight, Hoskings quit Golden Eagle and Barton (paying £500) took over ownership, she was trained by J Fraser jnr. Two further seasonal wins came at Ashburton on Boxing Day 1937 (12 yds) and at an early January CPTC meeting in the Hornby Hcp (72 yds); a third placing (dr DC Watts) came on the second day of the 1938 Addington ID carnival in the Frank Howell Hcp (36 yds) with stable mate Bitter Sweet second.
In her final season of trotting, Golden Eagle was unplaced in the 1938 Dominion Hcp, second in the 1939 Hornby Hcp (60 yds) and recorded wins in Forbury’s 1939 Otago Hcp (36 yds) and the 1939 Cashmere Hcp (36 yds) on the second day of the NZMTC Easter meeting, her final race start in NZ. Subsequently Golden Eagle raced successfully in Perth, Western Australia.
Bitter Sweet – 1931f (Wrack/Nantwich), 53:9-10-7; T2:13.6, A1 Verity (Nantwich/Pearl Child wonderful producers)
Another product from Durbar Lodge, Bitter Sweet raced for his breeders at three/four where nine starts trotting yielded a solitary second placing. Commencing racing for Barton at five (1936/7), her thirteen starts produced five wins and five placings. Victory at Oamaru in October for tr FC Dunleavy/dr J Fraser jnr was followed by a win at Forbury Park with a third on the second day of their November meeting. Showing a liking for Forbury Park, she won on both days of their January 1937 meetings taking out the 1m 5 furlong Victoria (12 yds)/Otago Hcp (48 yds) Trots. After a couple of placings at Addington, Bitter Sweet’s final 1936/7 season success came on the second day of the Easter meeting over 2 miles in the Harvest Hcp Trot.
As a 6yo (1937/8), Bitter Sweet registered one victory early in the season in the New Brighton Hcp Trot (48 yds) for Dunleavy/Fraser jnr combo. Her eight placings from thirteen remaining starts included a second in the ATC Rowe Cup (96 yds) when beaten 2 lengths by Parrish Belle whose trainer was CG (Togo) Lee, Epsom i.e. he trained at Alexandra Park. Later at Auckland’s Christmas carnival, she again placed second in the Association Hcp (60 yds). Five of her placings came at Addington including a pair of seconds both off 24 yds on days one and two of the 1938 Interdominion carnival, her other placing came at Ashburton.
At seven, Bitter Sweet had a further two wins at Forbury Park, making it 5 out of her 9 career wins at Forbury. After a fast finishing second for tr/dr J Fraser jnr to stable mate Golden Eagle in the Otago Hcp (24 yds) on opening day of the January 1939 meeting, she won the 1½m Crescent Hcp on the second day. Her other win at Forbury was at the May meeting in the St Clair Hcp over 1m 5 furlongs. Recording three further placings from thirteen starts at seven, Bitter Sweet’s final season at eight (1939/40), produced one success from 4 starts. Unplaced in the Dominion Hcp, she won the Middleton Hcp (12 yds) on the third day of the 1939 NZ Cup carnival for tr/dr J Fraser jnr.
Horse Power – 1934g (Jack Potts/Free Advice), 96:15-6-8 (9 for GJ Barton); 2:07.4, N1 Pride of Lincoln
His dam was Free Advice, an earlier purchase of Barton’s as an older horse who furnished a fine record and continued the successful Thelma branch of the Pride of Lincoln family. Horse Power’s first two seasons at two/three for owner G Rosenbaurn were with tr/dr Roy (RB) Berry. A top line juvenile winning races : at two, 1937 NI Challenge Trotting Cup (ATC), first running of what became GN Stakes – 2; at 3 1937 Champion Stakes (Ashburton), 1937 GN Derby, 1938 NZ Futurity Stakes/All Aged Stakes (both Ashburton) off 12 yds as a 3yo but unplaced in the NZ Derby.
Impressing Barton, Horse Power joined the stable of J Fraser jnr at four (1938/9), recording only one success in the Express Hcp (24 yds) at the NZMTC Easter meeting. Earlier he placed second, beaten a neck by Donald Dhu in his first glimpse of form in the 1939 Timaru Cup. At five Horse Power achieved five victories and four placings in twenty starts. The wins came at Auckland’s Cup carnival – on second day 1939 Remuera Hcp/third day 1939 Premier Hcp (24 yds) after placing second in the ATC Presidents Hcp the same day, driven by AW Broughton. Dual success followed at the January 1940 Forbury meetings for J Fraser jnr and he capped his successes for the season in the 1940 Easter Hcp/Cup beating home Marsceres and 1938 ID Final winner Pot Luck.
After this stellar season, Horse Power recorded only one win at six in the 1940 Clarkson Hcp on the second day of the NZ Cup carnival at Addington. Unplaced in the 1940 NZ Cup the best he could do for the remainder of the season was four fourths. Not placed in 7 starts at seven, he returned to record his final two victories at eight (1942/3) – 1942 Ashburton Cup (12 yds, new tr/dr HJ Smith) and a few days later 1943 Canterbury Hcp at a CPTC meeting. One placing at nine in Ashburton’s 1944 All Aged Stakes (36 yds) preceded his final 2 unplaced starts at ten (1944/5).
Bulls Eye – 1939g (Quite Sure/Grattan Derby), 147:8-21-12 (7 for GJ Barton); T2:10.6, U306 Flora B
Bulls Eye, a trotter often competing against pacers, started his career as an 8yo for JJ Brophy, winning his maiden at Methven. His seventeen starts produced six placings.. Midway through his 8yo season (1947/8), he was transferred to the ownership of GJ Barton/F Anderson (tr Colin [CR] Berkett). Fourteen starts produced two wins at New Brighton and Hutt Park (dr Leo [LF] Berkett, brother of Colin). Bulls Eye’s seasonal record was 31:3-6-4. The Berkett brothers were at the top of their game in the late 1940’s : in 1947/8, Colin was leading driver (31)/top trainer (32). Leo was 7th leading driver (16)/third on the trainers premiership (21).
At nine (1948/9), Bulls Eye was successful at Hutt Park (72 yds) and Alexandra Park (12 yds) in a busy season of thirty five starts. Colin Berkett was again leading trainer (47)/third on the drivers list (32). With only a fourth from fifteen starts at ten, Bulls Eye’s single victory at eleven (1950/51) by 2 lengths came in the 1951 Roxburgh Cup (60 yds) against the pacers (4:25.0 on grass). Now raced by Barton/Estate F Anderson, the straight out trotter was trained/driven by Ray (RJ) Jones, Waikouaiti. His best trotting performance was second in Forbury‘s Victory Hcp (60 yds).
At twelve, Bulls Eye recorded his final two wins on both days of Addington’s 1952 Easter meeting – Intermediate Hcp (48 yds)/Reta Peter Hcp Trots (12 yds). With four placings from twenty three starts, his earnings of £2,225 assisted Barton/Estate F Anderson to 49th place on the owners list (1951/2). In his final two seasons at thirteen (2 placings from 18 starts) and fourteen (7 unplaced starts), he raced in the ownership of Barton/A Fergusson.
Whilst those horses mentioned above may seem like an extensive listing, it does not include other prominent winners raced by George Barton – Lucky Gem (3 wins for GJ Barton, 1943 Wyndham Juvenile), Luck Ahead (2), Royal Brigade (5, 1951 Waimate Cup), Captain Wrack (1), Willie Derby (3, 1931 Hawkes Bay Cup), Sunchild (1), Compass (2), Royal Doulton (1), Silk Bonny (1), Teviot Downs (3), Triangle (2), Rongomai (3), Homeward (1, late Homeward Bound), Actor (3), Wilma Dillon (3).
PART FOUR : reviews the career of Barton’s outstanding champion pacer Indianapolis.
Peter Craig
10 August 2016
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
