First held at Gloucester Park in February 1936, the Interdominion Championships were to become the pinnacle of attainment for all aspiring horsepersons Australasia wide. The keen Trans Tasman rivalry, competitiveness and camaraderie between Kiwis and Australians are obvious for all to see.
Two former Presidents of the West Australian Trotting Association (WATA) can be credited with advancing and finally bringing about the Interdominion Championships – James (JAS) Brennan and John (JP)Stratton.
In 1910, Irishman and successful businessman, Brennan became President of WATA determined to bring organised trotting to Perth. Very much an ideas man, the establishment of night trotting at the West Australian Cricket Association’s (WACA) grounds in 1914 (operated from 28 June 1913 to 28 Jan 1928 with night trotting from Saturday 24 January 1914) owed much to Brennan’s leadership. Much of the profits from his drapery business were ploughed into trotting. It was Brennan who first envisaged that the purchase of a mosquito infested area of swamplands near the Swan River would provide the establishment of what would become Gloucester Park.
More of that shortly but first, another idea of Brennan’s came into being with the Australasian Championships held at WACA, Perth in 1925 and again in 1926. These being the forerunner to the Interdominions, the championships with stake money of£2,600 attracted interstate horses from NSW (1), VIC/NZ (2) and three from the home state of WA. The championships lasted two years, being run at a loss to the WATA with transportation of horses to Perth being one of several issues. Racing over three nights, consisting of two heats and a final each evening, at distances of ten furlongs, twelve furlongs and two miles, the winners were (points based on nightly finals only – 4, 2, 1 with highest points scorer receiving £425 bonus) :
1925 –
14 March – 10 furlongs – Kola Girl, Vin Direct; final : Vin Direct
21 March – 12 furlongs – Vin Direct, Taraire; final : Kola Girl
28 March – 2 miles – Taraire, Great Hope; final : Great Hope
Grand Champion : Great Hope (NZ 7 points); Vin Direct (VIC 6), Kola Girl (WA 4), Globepool (NSW 2), Taraire (NZ 2). The other three contenders were Monarch (WA), Virus (WA) and Delavan (VIC).
1926 –
Due to Taraire and Great Bingen being tied on 8 points each a runoff was required on Monday 22 March – a crowd of 6,000 were in attendance.
6 March – 10 furlongs – Great Bingen, Taraire; final : Great Bingen
13 March – 12 furlongs – Quartz, Vin Direct; final : Taraire
20 March – 2 miles – Great Bingen, Vin Direct ; final : Great Bingen
22 March run off – 12 furlongs – Taraire defeated Great Bingen by 1½ yds
Grand Champion : Taraire (WA 8 points); Great Bingen (NZ 8), Vin Direct (VIC 4), Quartz (WA 1) with the other four contenders being Delavan (VIC), Yard On (NSW), Willowdean (WA) and Globepool (NSW).
Brennan’s health deteriorated and he stepped down as President after serving 18 years on the WATA, at this point Victorian born JP Stratton succeeded him. The financially successful businessman was to assist the WATA in obtaining funding to complete the new course. Named Brennan Park to acknowledge the contribution of James Brennan in establishing trotting on a firm footing in Perth, the “ribbon of light” as it became known was opened on Thursday 26 December 1929. However, John Stratton succeeded in having the course name changed to Gloucester Park in November 1935 in honour of the Duke of Gloucester’s marriage and his visit to the trots in Perth on 6 October 1934.
Whilst Stratton devoted a lengthy period to leading the WATA and later the Interdominion Trotting Council, he would never attain the popularity of his predecessor James Brennan. It was Stratton who resurrected the idea of a major championship realising that it would require the support of other states plus New Zealand with a view to rotating the venue around the major tracks.
Stratton called a meeting of representatives (14) from all Australian states and New Zealand held in Sydney on 18 June 1935 to discuss his proposal. At the Australasian Trotting Conference, agreement was reached for an annual championship to be run and with that the Interdominions (ID’s) were born. Stratton was elected as initial Chairman of the first all Australian Conference. Perth was allocated the honour of holding the first championship. A ballot was held to determine who would have the privilege of the second carnival – New Zealand were successful but deferred to allow South Australia whose Centenary year it was (1937) to hold the ID’s next with New Zealand to follow thereafter. Stratton visited the USA with a view to obtaining international representative as can be seen in the advertisement appearing in the September 1935 “The People’s Heritage” (established June 1913).
The meeting decided that at least three horses would represent Victoria, NSW, SA and New Zealand. The championships would likely be determined over three distances of 1 mile, 1½ miles and 2 miles, using moving starts with stake money in excess of £4,000. Visiting horses were to receive expenses less any stakes won.
The championship would be awarded to the most consistent horse based on points allocated for both heats and final for first three placings (3 -2 – 1) and three fastest times (3 – 2 – 1). The idea was to reward a “champion” whose handicap made it difficult to place with points for registering the fastest times. It was not foreseen as to the complications that this points system would engender, but it was persevered with for the first six ID’s (1936 – 1940 and 1947). Replaced with new conditions in 1948 where the winner of the Grand Final was declared Interdominion champion (Emulous).
So what transpired at the first ever Interdominion championships in Perth in 1936, where total prize money was £4,000/final £1,500 (plus Gold Cup valued at 100 guineas, £105). Gloucester Park was at the time one of only two major tracks racing under lights, the other being Wayville, Adelaide.
A shipping strike throughout Australia resulted in the carnival being delayed a week. From the original seven NZ nominees only Roi l’Or remained but in Melbourne being entrained for Perth he was injured and did not proceed further. His driver Freeman Holmes continued onto Perth. In total, eight interstate and twelve local horses took part in heats held on Saturday 8 February, Wednesday 12 February and Saturday 15 February with the final on Wednesday 19 February.
Logan Derby won all his heats and the final to remain unbeaten at the carnival (won two races in Perth prior to ID’s) but would not be crowned Grand Champion. This honour went to EVICUS whose points tally was added to by recording fast times throughout. Logan Derby started off the front mark whereas Evicus who didn’t win a heat or the final stared off 24 yards, but in doing so recorded some of the fastest times earning additional points. This situation occurred again in 1938 in Christchurch where Pot Luck won the final but Parisienne scored most points and again in Perth in 1940 where Grand Mogul won the final but ironically Logan Derby amassed the most points.
Evicus finished second on each night earning two points for these second places and three points for fastest times from her 24yd handicap – five points each night totalling twenty in all. Over the mile on opening night, she recorded fastest time of 2:10½ for trainer/driver Fred Rudd; second night driven by Freeman Holmes, she finished nine yards in arrears of Logan Derby in recording fastest time and surviving a protest against Holmes for alleged interference; on the third night Logan Derby again comfortably beat Evicus by three yards over two miles but she again recorded fastest time (4:23.0). This was a new Australian record, beating New Derby’s earlier heat time of 4:24 by one second, he in turn had taken 3¼ seconds from the old track record in equalling Shiek’s Australian record.
Logan Derby registered three points for each nights victories plus a total of five points for fastest times – seventeen in all to finish second to Grand Champion Evicus. Points leading into the Grand Final were : New Derby/Evicus 15; Logan Derby 13; Minton Ribbons 10½; Lady Childewood 9½; Nancywood 8; Speedy Boy 5.
Heat winners (night 1, 1 mile) : Logan Derby (TAS, 2:09¾)**, Speedy Boy (SA, 2:11½), New Derby (VIC, 2:09¼)
Heat winners (night 2, 1½ miles) : Willowcliffe (WA, 2:11.3), Logan Derby (TAS, 2:12.0), Minton Ribbons (NSW, 2:11.3)
Heat winners (night 3, 2 miles) : New Derby (VIC, 4:24.0/2:12.0), Logan Derby (TAS, 4:24½/2:12¼)
** Auburn Lad finishing third recorded 2:09.0, gaining four points and also reducing WA mile record by two seconds.
The inaugural Interdominion Pacing Grand Final was run on Wednesday 19 February 1936 before a large crowd. The favourite was Logan Derby (1-2) ahead of New Derby (9 -4) who met slight interference in the final and Evicus (6-1), all three finalists by Globe Derby. After dwelling at the start Logan Derby (2:12MR) won by six yards from Evicus (2:11MR) who was handy throughout finishing three yards ahead of Nancywood.
Final (1½ miles) :
1st : LOGAN DERBY (TAS), 5h Globe Derby/Belle Logan (NZ) by Logan Pointer, family of Bonnie Belle; Front, Jimmy Agnew (dr)/Harry Barnes (tr/owner TAS), Edgar Tatlow (breeder, TAS). Won by 6ydsx3yds, 3:18.0/2:12.0
2nd : Evicus (TAS), 24 yds, Freeman Holmes (dr)/Fred Rudd (tr)
3rd : Nancywood (WA), 12 yds, Frank Kersley (tr/dr)
Other starters in finishing order : Lady Childewood (WA), Speedy Boy (SA), New Derby (VIC), Minton Ribbons (NSW), Willowcliffe (WA), Clic (WA)
Grand Champion (on points) : 6m EVICUS (TAS), Globe Derby/Milky Way (AUS), by Directway, family of Watsons Creamy mare; 24 yds, HF (Fred) Rudd/R (Bob) Challis (owners), Fred Rudd (tr), Freeman Holmes (dr)
Evicus was presented with the Gold Cup by the Lord Mayor of Perth, Honourable J. Poynton, with the Lady Mayoress Miss Mabel Teacher placing the gold inscribed sash on the newly crowned Grand Champion. Over the carnival, Logan Derby won £1,369 and Evicus £873. Later the same night, little over an hour after the Grand Final, New Derby and Evicus with a galloping pacemaker tackled the flying mile record. New Derby led throughout winning in 2:02½ (Evicus 2:03.0).
The complete points table for the championship showed :
Logan Derby –
Following the Perth ID’s, Logan Derby competed at Kalgoorlie on his way home across Australia by train. With his two wins prior to the ID’s, four victories during ID’s and this Kalgoorlie success, he had tallied seven in a row in WA. He made his mark throughout Australasia winning 57½ races including show success for stakes of £10,060 (£1,795 in NZ, 3rd in NZ Cup). His major successes included : Launceston Show Cup (twice), Tasmania Pacing Championship, VIC Richmond Flying (two), TAS Easter Cup, TAS Meander Cup (twice), NZFFA, NZ Forbury/Presidents Hcps, 1936 ID hts (3)/Grand Final, 1940 ID heat/Grand Champion Perth (points), among first 100 Australian 2:05/2:10 performers, Tasmanian Hall of Famer.
As for other Interdominions, he finished seventh in final in Adelaide (1937); made his final appearance during the 1940 Perth Interdominions off 36 yds where he finished third on opening night, won over 1½m on second night, was third over two miles on third night. His points tally was 15, leading by three over Main Derby and although only finishing fifth in the final his total of eighteen points over the carnival saw him Grand Champion on points ahead of Master Dixie (13½) and Grand Mogul (12 1/3, Grand Final winner).
At stud, Logan Derby stood in Australia for three years before his export to New Zealand where he is best known for siring champion pacer Johnny Globe (34 wins, GN/NZ Derbies, NZ Cup, NZFFA twice; sire of Lordship) and trotting pioneer to North America in Vodka (Dominion HCP/NZ Trotting FFA). Other progeny included Fabius (GN Derby), Jewel Derby/Tapuwae (Rowe Cup). He was broodmare sire of Gay Vivienne (NSW Trotters Derby), Logan Count (Dominion Hcp), Master Dean (NZFFA).
Evicus –
Evicus had a proud Interdominion record even though she never won a heat, consolation or grand final but she will always remain the inaugural Interdominion Pacing Grand Champion. She contested the 1937 Adelaide (Wayville) championship making the final and finishing seventh, 10 yds (second in a heat); seventh in 1938 Christchurch (Addington) championship after placing second and third in heats, off 12 yds; injury doubts meant she didn’t start at 1939 Launceston (Elphin), Tasmania ID’s; in 1940, she was handicapped off 12 yards in Perth, finishing third in fastest time on opening night and again third on the third night to make the final but was pulled up on the journey following a collision between Icevus and Radiant Walla. The Second World War robbed her of further Interdominion success with the championship in temporary recess from 1941 – 1946.
Evicus did however win races as an 11 and 12yo off 60 yds behind; off 84 yds at thirteen and 36 yds as a 15yo at Danbury Park and Carrick, Tasmania. Her last placing came at Launceston off 24yds on 20 April 1946 aged sixteen when second to future ID champion Bandbox (Perth, 1947, grand dam of Pure Steel).
Among Evicus’s major successes were 1933 Tasmania Derby (whole field sired by Globe Derby), Carrick (2)/Danbury Park/TAS Easter Cups, VIC Richmond Hcps (2), TAS Easter Plate, Harold Park FFA’s, Ashburton Cup (NZ earnings £1,115), 1936 ID Grand Champion, among first 100 Australian 2:05/2:10 performers, Tasmania Hall of Famer.
She did not manage to leave any live foals of her own. Her dam Milky Way resulted from leading stallion Directway being mated to Watsons Creamy mare. Milky Way won several races and show prizes in a three year career attaining a 2:25.0 record. She left ten foals, nine of them winners including : Suevic (2:17.0, Launceston Show Cup); aged champion Emilius Way who was still winning at Elphin Raceway. Launceston at 19 years of age (2:08.4TT, TAS : Easter Plate, Launceston Show/Westbury Cups, Northall Champion Stakes, ID heat Launceston, NSW Goulburn Cup, numerous wins at Victoria Park, Sydney); Evicus (2:03.0TT); Viceus (2:23.6) and Icevus (2:06.4, TAS Championship, WA – ID heat Gloucester Park; NZ : NZFFA, New Brighton Cup, Ranfurly Hcp, Forbury Presidents Hcp, Clarkson Memorial). Fred Rudd used anagrams in naming eight of her foals – Evicus, Suevic, Ivevus, Viceus, Sivecus, Uciver, Usiivec and Civecus (later renamed Emilius Way)
The successful running of the inaugural Interdominion Championships in Perth, laid the pathway for a concept that still keeps giving some 80 years later.
Peter Craig
22 November 2016
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
