PATTERSON PARK’S SEVENTY FIVE YEARS

The Westport Trotting Club Inc celebrates the commencement of harness racing at Patterson Park seventy five years ago at its annual two day Christmas meeting this year (Saturday 26 and Monday 28 December 2020). The inaugural meeting at Patterson Park took place on Wednesday 26 December 1945. This year sees the running of the one hundred and twenty third Westport Cup (Pacers).

Currently the two day Christmas and one day March meetings are held on the 1206m grass track (350m straight). An all Weather clay track (1150m) track positioned inside the main grass track is used as a training track and utilised for qualifying trials. There is another grass track situated inside the clay track which is also used for training.

Patterson Park history –

The Westport Jockey Club commenced racing at Patterson Park on 18 March 1916 with a new grandstand readied for the 1919 meeting. Overtures were made to the Trotting Club to move from their Mill Street facility to Patterson Park as early as 8 May 1939 when a meeting was held at which proposals and fourteen clauses of recommendations were approved. Nothing happened until another meeting was held on 10 May 1943 when it was agreed amalgamation should wait until after the conclusion of the Second World War.

The Westport Jockey Club’s Committee on 6 December 1944 recommended a further meeting with the Trotting Club to progress the amalgamation plan. A joint meeting of the clubs on 10 April 1945 agreed to accept the original 1939 proposals. This included the clubs amalgamating on a 50/50 basis resulting in the inaugural Westport Trotting Club meeting held at Patterson Park taking place on Boxing Day, 26 December 1945.

The Westport Jockey Club held trotting events at its meetings at Patterson Park during the period 1916 – 1968 and 1992 – 1995. The last Westport JC meeting ever held took place at Patterson Park on 8 March 1996.

Examples of meetings postponed due to adverse weather conditions at Patterson Park include :

1949 : day one Boxing Day delayed until27 December; second day delayed until 28 December

1953 : day one Boxing Day delayed until 28 December; second day delayed until 29 December

1957 : day one Boxing Day delayed until 27 December; second day delayed until 28 December

1983 : day two delayed from Tuesday 27 December until Wednesday 28 December following appalling weather on first day, Boxing Day

In March 2015, the one day Friday meeting of the club was abandoned due to adverse weather conditions.

Even more spectacular was the flood of 1 February 2018, a combination of ex cyclone Fehi, an area of very low depression and a king tide. The water was seawater and it caused a lot of damage to the track. The club were able to get everything back in order and hold their March meeting on Friday 9 March 2018.

Prior tracks/clubs –

The Westport (West Coast of South Island, New Zealand), Buller area has seen over one hundred and fifty years of horse racing commencing in the 1860’s. The Westport Jockey Club was formally constituted about 1880.

Trotting events were held as part of Westport Jockey Cub’s meetings – for example, December 1880 at Dr Thorpe’s paddock on Orowaiti Road JC (later known as Snodgrass’s paddock on Orowaiti River). The earliest meetings of the Westport TC were held at Granity, some twenty miles away with others at locations such as Gibson’s paddock on Orowaiti Rd, Jones’s paddock near old Orowaiti Bridge as well as Dr Thorpe’s paddock (1880).

The Westport Trotting Club held its first meetings at Victoria Square (until 1887 known as Brittania Square), in May 1898 and it was here the inaugural Westport Hcp (Cup) was held in 1898 (won by Daisy at a non-tote meeting). This venue was used again for the club’s first tote meetings in December 1899. Victoria Park was a Domain Board reserve.

The Jockey Club’s Sergeants Hill (Granity) track was used for Trotting Club meetings from December 1900 until 1902 before tote meetings were shifted to Mill St.  The Jockey Club had purchased land at Sergeants Hill in 1890 with their first race meeting held here in 1895 on a six furlong track where they raced until 1915 before the inaugural race meeting of either code occurred at Patterson Park in 1916. The last trotting meeting (non-tote) held at Sergeants Hill took place in 1914.

The Trotting club’s own course at Mill St hosted meetings from 1903 (first meetings Saturday 26 and Monday 28 December) through until the final meeting there on 27 December 1944. Where the half mile banked clay track was located was then bequeathed to the Buller Rugby Union and renamed George Craddock Memorial Park.

Meeting Dates –

The Westport Trotting Club held one two day summer (December, Boxing Day and day or two thereafter) meeting per annum at Patterson Park from 1945 until  March 2011 when an additional days allocation was received commensurate with the March 2009 closure of the Greymouth TC (another days licence was accorded the Reefton TC at the approximately the same time).

The one exception to this was in March 2015 when the meeting was abandoned due to adverse weather conditions. Throughout the period from 1945/6 season until October 1968 and again between February 1992 and February 1995, supplementary harness events were run at meetings of the Westport JC.

Even the country’s leading trainers struggle to emerge victorious at Patterson Park. Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen took a team of four horses to the 2013 Boxing Day meeting with Arising Easton being their only success (winner, third placing).

Race Distances –

Race distances changed with the move from imperial to metric distances at the commencement of the 1973/4 season. Prior to 1974, standing start distances run on the grass were 1¼m, 1m 5 furs and 2 miles. The change to metrics saw standing start distances run of 2000m, 2600m and 3200m.

The mobile starting gate was first utilised in March 2011 (winner Mr Murdoch for tr/dr Brent Borcoskie) and is used for 2600m Pacing races only.

Track Records –

The fastest times recorded on the grass track since the introduction of metric distances in 1973/4 season are shown in the table below (covers period December 1973 – March 2020)

Feature Races –

There are currently two main feature races run annually by the club while 2013 saw the one off running of the Reefton TC’s Inanaghua Grey Valley Cup run at Westport in March of that year (Formidable).

The Westport Pacing Cup was first contested in 1898 as a non-tote event (winner Daisy) while 1899 saw it first run as a totalisator meeting on day one of the Westport TC Boxing Day meeting where the winner was Holly. The 2020 edition being run on Saturday 26 December over 3200m (grass), represents the one hundred and twenty third recorded running of the Cup and the seventh six at Patterson Park since first run there in 1945 (winner – Margaret Hall, dam of Orbiter and strong family of descendants).

The race has never missed being run, continuing during a World War and the depression years without any impact. At Patterson Park, it was run over two miles (1945 – 1972) and 3200m since 1973, standing starts in both instances. The race was described as the Westport Hcp up until 1980 (exceptions being 1947 and 1952, Westport Cup), from 1980 – 1988 as the Westport Cup Hcp and from 1989 until the present day as the Westport Cup. Again with the two exceptions of 1963 and 1994, the Cup/Hcp has always been run on the first day (normally Boxing Day) of the two day annual meeting. Since 2000, the Westport Cup has been part of the annual Canterbury Country Cups series.

A number of local trainers and drivers have won the Cup over the years at Patterson Park.  Previous winners since Margaret Hall have included several dual Westport/Reefton Cup grass track winners as well as Hindu Princess (1959; dam of Nicotine Prince, SA Cup); Smoke Concert (1961; USA Motor City Pace); 1962 NZ Oaks winner Wendy Dawn (1964); 1976 winner Bonnie Lass, dam of Scotch Baker (1:55.3US, $200,876, Ohio SS – 2c); Ansett, winner in 1982, dam of good producer Meagunn; Tanias Boy in 1989 winning off 30m for local Laurie Cockfield who had only picked up the horse about 20 days earlier from Colin De Filippi; The Dutchman, winner of Centennial Cup in 1990 (100 years); Easter Cup winner Matthew Lee (1993); Grand Circuit horse Happy Asset (1996) winner of an Auckland Cup, NSW Ben Hur, ID Consolation for Tim Butt and speedy open class pacer The Tough Nut (1999; Waikato Flying Mile and Nobilio Wines).

Since the turn of the century winners include Pankys Pacer (2000; Ashburton Flying Stakes); Bobs Blue Boy (2003; Hannon Memorial, ID heat); Chilli 1:51.0US (2007); leading four year old Franco Emirate (2010; Messenger, Jewels Emerald – 4, Junior FFA), fastest Westport Cup winner Falcon Crown (2011) and 2013 winner Maximan, 1:50.3 at Menangle.

The record for most winning Cup drives at Patterson Park (1945 – 2019) is held jointly by Keith Powell and Jimmy Curtin with four victories. (Ricky May – three). The slowest ever time recorded over 3200m is 5:23.0!!

The Kawatiri Cup over 2600m stand was first held at the March 2010 meeting of the Westport TC. Since 2011 the Kawatiri Cup has been part of the annual Canterbury Country Cups series. It has been held each year since except when abandoned in 2015 due to adverse weather conditions.

Local Trainers –

Since 1945 there have been many winners trained by local Westport or Patterson Park trainers. However, local success has fallen away in more recent years indicative of the numbers training and horses being trained in the local catchment area today. Over the past decade (2010 – March 2020), at thirty meetings and close to three hundred races, only seven winners have been trained locally in Westport.

A full list of local trainers to have produced winners at Westport Trotting Club meetings at Patterson Park since 1945 appears below (includes Jockey Club meeting winners : 1945 – 1968; 1992 – 1995) :

One : Gordon Mason (dead heat 1945); Eric Allerby; Bill White; Roy Powell; John Woodcock; P Walsh; Frederick Penno; KW (Wayne) Davies; KL Davies; Bill Blythe; Clem Woodcock; Robert Higgins; Colin Cleine; Neville Bamford; JE Roche; JR McIntyre; LJ Rea; Laurie Cockfield

Two : Brian Woodcock; Bill Walsh; Rodney Dickson; R O’Neill; JE Higgins; Jack Lucas; John Adams; Tom Rogers

Three : John Reedy; Dane Alexander (later trained from Ohaupo, last produced horses to races July 2018, over close to fifty year career, trained 251 winners and 189 driving successes)

Four : Karen O’Dea; F Scott jnr; Royce Cleal; Harry (Kelly) Pain;

Five : Williams Jenkins; Tom Fox; John Rogers

Six : Max (Barney) White; Claude Walsh

Eight : Len (WRL) Pascoe

Nine : Wally Forsyth; William Walsh

Sixteen : Trevor Craddock (ten located at Westport, six at Patterson Park)

Thirty Nine : Keith Powell

Details of local trainers of winning horses of trotting races held at Westport Jockey Club meetings from March 1916 – 1944/45 season follow :

NB : local trainer successes for period 1935 – 1945 are accurate; those for periods 1916 – 1925/6 season (trainers not listed in official year books – owners/drivers only) and 1926/7 – 1934/5 (trainers listed but not location of training establishment) are as accurate as possible but unlikely to be perfectly correct :

One : Jim Donald; J Raynor; H Roberts; Claude Walsh; Cecil Bennett; T Smith

Two : Len Pascoe; T Burrows; Jack Roche; Bill Roche; AC Marr; Gordon Mason

Three : John Robertson; Jack Spillane; Frank Scott

Six : Fred Lynch

Whilst many of the local winners were at short odds, a number of longshots provided healthy dividend’s over the years as indicated by the following :

8 Sep 1951 Molly Grattan (JR McIntyre), 10/10, £30 13/-; 21 Feb 1955 Captain Denis (RT O’Neill), 12/10, £19 5/-; 16 Feb 1957 Night Cobra (HK Pain), 9/9, £33 4/-; 23 Feb 1959 Night Cobra (K Powell), 12/12, £35 9/6; 23 Feb 1960 Pitterpat (JE Higgins),9/8, £18 3/-; 3 Oct 1960 Sure Angela (DM Alexander), 10/10, £13 1/6; 27 Dec 1961 Gold Lady (KJ Powell), 12/9, £31 14/6; 26 Dec 1962, Nigger Minstrel (EJ Allerby) 12/11, £28 5/6; 26 Dec 1965 Dusty Kid (KJ Powell), 9/9, £31 1/-; 27 Dec 1966 Jink (William Jenkins), 12/12, £61 3/-; 29 Apr 1967, Braeburn (R Cleal), 6/6, $20.95; 26 Dec 1970 Honest Pete (WN Forsyth), 14/10, $53.55; 27 Dec 1971 Marksman (HK Pain), 11/11, $56.60; 26 Dec 1980 Sprightly Lass (W Blythe), 10/10, $20.85; 27 Dec 1980 McKenna (J Rogers), 13/11, $43.35; 27 Dec 1986 Timely Rule (WN Forsyth), 10/9, $26.55; 26 Dec 1991 Ladyship Hanover (KJ Powell), 13/13, $29.05; 28 Dec 1992 Cameo Lad (BW Woodcock) 12/12, $42.05; 26 Dec 1996 Last Star (J Rogers), 8/10, $22.75.

Notable Feats at Patterson Park –

Cherry Blossom (owned by HJ Strafford), the dam of Blossom Lady, won on both days of the Christmas 1952 meeting : Boxing Day, 26 December 1952, Hagedon Hcp for dr David White and 27 December 1952, Waimangaroa Hcp for tr/dr Wes Butt. Wes Butt had three training/two driving successes on the first day of the meeting and three driving and training successes on the second day.

The NZ Trotting Conference held its annual conference at Westport on 21 July 1955.

The world’s first official triple dead heat in a trotting race recorded by photo finish occurred in the Presidents Hcp on 27 December 1957, opening day of Christmas meeting (half-length to fourth horse, trotter Glengallon, Jack Carmichael). The three dead heating were : Wimpy owner/trainer RH (Reg) Butterick, Weedons, dr JH (John) Butterick; bracket mate and race favourite with Night Owl, owner MCO Bros, tr/dr George Cameron, New Brighton and Keff owner/tr L Davidson, New Brighton, dr MC (Morris) Flaws.

A saddle trot event was held at the 27 December 1960 meeting.

Training/driving successes over the years include :

Tom Fox, produced the first locally trained/driven winner in the decimal currency era, when on 27 December 1967, Dalmas ($13.30) was the winner of race five after having been unplaced in the days opening event. Dalmas was Fox’s only winner for the 1967/8 season.

Stewart Sutherland trained five winners over the two days of the 1975 meeting.

Armalight won her first ever race at Westport’s Boxing Day (26 December 1979) meeting, just as her grand dam Trixie Milne had done when winning a heat of a three division race in 1949.

The De Filippi brothers had a good couple of years in the early eighties – Mike drove four and trained three at the 28 December 1982 meeting while Colin drove five winners on 28 December 1983.

Kevin Townley had three training and driving successes on both days of the Christmas 1997 meeting. Robert Dunn trained four winners on Boxing Day 2014 and Michele Neilson (junior driver) drove three winners at the 28 December 2014 meeting. Darren Keast (junior driver) had five driving/training successes over the two days of the Christmas 2018 meeting.

West Coast Bonus –

The inaugural West Coast Bonus was a promotion of the Westport, Reefton and Greymouth Trotting Clubs over their Christmas/New Year meetings. First conducted in the 1981/82 season, Pacers were required to graduate from being a maiden winner on either day at Westport, win a Class One event at Reefton (New Year’s Eve) and conclude by winning the feature Class Two event on the opening night of the Greymouth meeting (early January).

Future leading pacer, Easter Cup winner and twice second in NZ Cup, Our Mana won the first bonus (1982/83) worth $10,000 for trainer/driver Colin De Filippi. Other winners have been Wilbur Win (1984/5 season) and the locally trained Steven John (John Rogers) won the bonus in 1985/6 (King Turk won two legs of three in 1983/4). By 1990/91 season, the bonus had increased to $15,000 and at one stage totalled $20,000. In later years, the format for the West Coast bonus changed until it was contested for a prize of $5,000 which was awarded to the best performed horse over the three days of racing on the circuit, with points allocated for placings from first through to fourth at the Westport two day and Reefton meetings held between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve.  In addition, Trainers’ and Drivers’ prizes each worth $2,000 are closely fought affairs each year.

Winners of the West Coast bonus in more recent years under varying prize criteria have been Full of Promises (1993/4), The Tough Nut (1998/9), Extraordinare (1999/2000), Lucky (2003/4), Highview Badlands (2005/6), Don Keyotee (2006/7), Red (2008/9), Neve Franco (2012/13), Maximan (2013/14), Geisha Girl (2015/16), Asset Control (2016/17) and Wilma’s Mate (2017/18).

Administrators –

During the period since the club moved to Patterson Park, administrators have included :

Club Secretaries : Bill Craddock (1945 – 1961 [served from 1930 – 1961]); Jim Fair (1962 – 63) prior to becoming Secretary for clubs racing at Alexandra Park; Doug Bateman (1963 – 1974); Gordon Moyle (1975 – 1977); Colin Reynolds (1978 – 1985); Diane Griffith (1985/6); Brian Forsyth (1986 – 1995);  Derrick Marsh (1995 – 2001); Jack Goodwin (2001/2); Brett Wilson (2002 – 2004); Colin Stevenson (2005 – current)

Bill Craddock, three three year terms as Mayor of Westport, President of NZ Rugby Football Union 1943 among other Administrative positions. Bill’s wife Marie St. John Craddock, breeder of greatest born and bred Standardbred from the Buller district – Durban Chief (registered by Bill Craddock) : two Dominion Hcps, NZ Trotting FFA.

Presidents (at time of Boxing Day meeting) :

Harry Lovell (1945 – 1948); Bill Roche (1949 – 1965, NZ Trotting Conference President 1962 – 65); Bill (WA) Craddock (1966 – 1976; member of Board of NZ Trotting Conference Sept 1965 – July 1976 and President 1972); Digger Hartigan (1977 – 1984); Bill White (1985 – 1990); Keith Powell (1991 – 1995); John Reedy Snr (1996 – 1999); Trevor Craddock (2000 – 2002); John Reedy Snr (2003); Bill (WJ) Craddock (2004 – 2005); John Rogers (2006 – 2010); John Reedy Snr (2011 – 2014); Dan Moloney (2015 – 2017); John Reedy Jnr (2018 – 2020, current President)

Peter Craig

16 December 2020

Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com

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