Story No. 20… Harwood Brigade

Great Harness Horses 1960-1980

HARWOOD BRIGADE

Sometimes it seems that, the greater the horse, the greater the controversy. In the late 1960’s early 1970’s there was no more controversial pacer than Harwood Brigade which was a pity because he was also one of the most talented horses of his era, an era of very, very good horses. By Scottish Brigade from Angela Ayr, he was unraced at 2 and 3 and made his debut as a 4yo at Wagga on 26-01-68.

He ran 2nd at his first start and the next day, still at Wagga, ran 3rd. A month later he ran 3rd again and was given a 2 month spell before running last at Junee. Back to Wagga where he was beaten just a 1/2 neck, and on 25-5-68 he won his first race, a beginners class, at Junee. Having ‘found the winning post’, at his next start he won again, this time at Barellan. A week later, on 10-6-68 at Ardlethan, he won again and 12 days later made it four in a row, winning at Coolamon. He then ran 4th at Junee and at his last start for the season crossed the border and ran 10th at Cranbourne. His first season of racing showed 11 starts for 4 wins and 4 placings.

Spelled for 4 months, he resumed on 5-11-68 at Barellan in a FFA, running 4th to Lynmont, and 11 days later ran 2nd at Temora. A month later he ran 4th at Wagga and on 21-12-68 he won a Junee 2.25 (C4) class race from 12 yards. Like all winners he was swabbed after his win, and shortly afterwards the result of the swab showed an ‘irregularity’ and he was disqualified for 6 months.

He returned as a 6yo and set about dominating FFA racing in the Riverina. First up at Yanco, on 6-10-69, he won a FFA from Precise Lass and 3 weeks later beat her again, this time in a Leeton FFA. Three days later he ran a head second to Lew’s Lady and then raced at Junee, winning a FFA by 20 yards. On 27-12-69 he won a FFA at Leeton, again by 20 yards, and a week later he crossed the border for the second time in his career, this time winning at Bendigo. Back to Wagga he ‘bolted’ in a FFA, beating Camforlaurie by 15 yards and started at 1-10. Eleven days later he won another Wagga FFA before going to Temora for another win. Given a 3 month break he resumed on 16-5-70, running 2nd in a West Wyalong FFA but a week later won a Coolamon FFA. Down to Kilmore he easily beat Postcode by 20 yards before making his debut at HP on 19-6-70.

Arriving at headquarters with a ‘bush champion’ tag, he started at 4-9 and never gave his backers cause for concern, winning easily from Quiretia and Frosty Monarch. Back to Coolamon he started at 1-20 in a FFA and won by 35 yards, before returning to HP to easily win there again, this time at 1-5. On 25-7-70 he ran 2nd to the very classy Canu Bay, in a Barellan FFA, and
this was his last start as a 6yo. For his 6yo season he had 16 starts for 13 wins and 3 seconds.

Two weeks later he had his 3rd start at HP. This time he started at 2-5 and ‘only’ won by 20 yards and 14 days later won again at HP. He then ‘disappeared’ off the racing scene for 16 months, resuming as an 8yo on 11-12-71 at Albury. This was another country FFA which he won easily, despite his long layoff, and a month later he won another FFA, this time at Temora. Six days later he was beaten by Canu bay in a FFA, this time by just a neck, at Junee. Four days later he won the Shepparton Cup by 10 yards from Chief Invader before travelling to Junee for another clash with Canu Bay in a FFA. This time, starting at 1-10, he ran a new track record beating his old foe by 30 yards with the rest of the field 40 yards further behind. He then came back to HP for the 1972 Australia Day Cup. Racing against a very good field which included the 1972 Inter Dominion winner, Welcome Advice, he started at  5-2 and absolutely ‘trounced’ the field, winning by 20 yards.

About a week later the ‘bombshell’ struck. The swab taken after his Shepparton Cup win came back positive and so too did his swab after the Australia Day Cup! He was disqualified from both races and both horse and owner, George Dennis, ‘outed’ for 2 years, the joint disqualification later reduced to 18 months.

He resumed 21 months later as a 10yo in a Cowra FFA. Racing against dual Inter Dominion winner, Hondo Grattan, he started at 7-1 and, despite giving an age and fitness advantage to his rivals, showed all his old class to win beating Just Too Good by 3 yards with ‘Hondo’ 7 yards away 3rd. It was a triumphant return to racing for this extremely talented pacer. Three weeks later he ran a close 2nd to Nicotine Prince in a Globe Derby FFA and a week later, in the S.A.T.C.Cup, ran 6th to the same horse in track record time after being 3 wide most of the race! On 14-12-73 he raced in a Wagga FFA, running 3rd to Paleface Adios and Just Too Good but a week later won a Young FFA beating Andy Kash and King Frost. Back to Wagga on 7-1-74 he won a FFA in track record time and the next day he easily won an Albury FFA. Ten days later he ran 4th in a heat of the Australia Day Cup to Paleface Adios. It was to be his last start.

Harwood Brigade had 47 starts for 27 wins and 11 placings. By being disqualified for swab irregularities after winning 3 races, 2 of them major Cups, he ensured that his name would live on in harness racing history for all the WRONG reasons, which is a real pity, as this horse had as much ability as ANY horse of that era. One can only ponder as to what he could have achieved in the 40 months he spent ‘on the sidelines’ at an age when he could have been expected to be at his peak.

Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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