This is the second in a series of four articles. It will commence a review of Middleton’s Golden Years – 1990’s, in particular the impact of Fraggle Rock.
GOLDEN PERIOD – 1990’S
The 1990’s and more especially, the first half of the decade proved a golden period of success for Middleton. The mainstay of his team in this triumphant period was 1991 Inter Dominion Trotting Grand Final winner Fraggle Rock. He was ably supported by Middleton’s fast trotter Lilly the Pink, together with horses trained for outside owners including ill-fated trotter Outer Reach and pacer Scottish Hostess (owned by the writer). Towards the end of the decade, another well performed trotter in Little Rock completed a very successful decade.
FRAGGLE ROCK
Middleton’s trotter supreme, Fraggle Rock entered his stable as a late foal born on 13th January 1986 (1985 foaling), sired by Game Pride, the leading trotting stallion throughout the eighties and early nineties in NZ. Fraggle Rock’s dam Perilly traces back to the noted family of Jessie B, the ancestress of the Lowe family’s NZ Cup winners in Lucky Jack and Cairnbrae, along with Inter Dominion winners, pacer Village Kid and trotter Special Pride.
Perilly was acquired by Middleton from Ted Lowe in 1980 as Ted didn’t like trotters and Perilly showed no inclination to pace. Initial signs on the track were not good but Middleton managed to record four trotting wins from 32 starts after she blew both tendons. Together with six placings, Perilly amassed $8,510 and included in her wins were victories over trotters the likes of champions Basil Dean, Scotch Tar and Tussle.
Perilly, was pacing bred being by Noodlum from Udine, although breeding purists would realize that Noodlum had plenty of trotting blood in his pedigree, siring top trotters in Lenin and Tyron Scottie and was the dam sire none other than the great Lyell Creek.
The Middleton children Greg and Robyn were accorded the privilege of naming the Game Pride/Perilly foal. They choose Fraggle Rock, naming him after a children’s puppet show (Jim Henson TV Show) titled Fraggle Rock.
Fraggle Rock was relatively small and Middleton had paid a $3,000 stud fee for the service to leading trotting stallion Game Pride. His first time in the cart, Fraggle Rock galloped all the way around Middleton’s training track. Wife Heather commented, “Oh dear” and yet Middleton said to her at the time, he will be the best we’ve ever had. Inspected by stipe Les Purvis as a late two-year-old, he expressed some dismay at Fraggle Rock’s name; Middleton simply said you’ll hear plenty more of it in the years to come. And so it proved.
Fraggle Rock began racing as a three year old during the 1988/89 season with two starts at Greymouth and during a lengthy campaign he recorded one victory at Addington. His four year old career in the 1989/90 season proved much more fruitful with Fraggle Rock winning eight races, his successes coming at Timaru, Oamaru, Hutt Park, Greymouth, middle and final nights of the January 1990 Forbury Park Festival meeting, Invercargill and Addington. In recording his sixth win for the season over 3200m at Forbury off 30m he graduated to the open class trotting ranks in a race sponsored by the writer and later in this season, he competed in his first of five Inter Dominions carnivals at Addington. Finishing sixth on both opening nights, Fraggle Rock made the final where as a relatively inexperienced trotter at the top level, he finished eleventh to Real Force.
Starting out his five year old career at Addington in early September, Middleton could little imagine how Fraggle Rock’s season would unfold especially as he was unable to obtain starts with Fraggle Rock on any of the days of the NZ Cup carnival. In November 1990, Middleton sent Fraggle Rock to then Pukekohe based former South Island trainer Richard Brosnan with a view to racing at Alexandra Park during the Christmas carnival and as it turned out as a prelude to the 1991 Auckland Inter Dominions. Placed on three occasions from eight starts, Fraggle’s best performance came in the G2 National Trot when he finished third just behind Piece de Resistance and William Dee. of 3:24.2), $30
1,685
That was enough for Middleton to set Fraggle Rock for the 1991 Auckland Inter Dominions. Two starts in Canterbury followed before the two day float trip and Cook Strait ferry crossing from Highbank to Auckland. After a muddling ninth finishing on wide out on opening night, Fraggle Rock had to perform up to his best standards on the second night to guarantee himself a start in the final and this he did by finishing resolutely behind David Moss who set a new NZ Record for 2700m of 3:26.8.
Making the final with a total of 19 points all Middleton sought now was a reasonable barrier draw to make up for the awkward second row draws received in the two heats. This first target was achieved when Fraggle Rock drew the inside marble of barrier one for the final held on Saturday 9th March 1991. The dual heat winners David Moss and Sundon were warmly favoured to quinella the final with Fraggle Rock being sent out a $35.85 chance on the tote.
He settled three back on the rails behind Tobago as Australian trotter Lenin sped to the front. Nearing the home turn Tobago had been pushed forward to the lead by Henry Skinner and lead well into the straight. Fraggle Rock closed quickly and storming through inside Tobago proceeded to win going away by an ever widening 1½ lengths. Middleton had managed to drop his whip at the top of straight when calling upon Fraggle Rock for the ultimate effort but as it turned out hands and heels were all that was needed to complete the job.
Fraggle Rock’s time of 3:24.2 comprehensively extinguished David Moss’s 2700mM record by 2.6 seconds that had been set in the second round of heats and stood in the record books for 18 years before One Over Kenny took ownership of the record (It took I Can Doosit a further two years to break Fraggle’s male record, subsequently broken and currently held by Stig at 3:21.3, National Trot, December 2012).
One lingering memory of this final, was having to push a path through the crowd from the top deck of the Centennial Stand to the presentation area for Heather Middleton so she could be united with Carl and Fraggle Rock for the victory celebrations.
Fraggle Rock’s victory placed Middleton in the unique position of having bred, owned, trained, driven and shod an Inter Dominion Trotting Grand Final champion. The balance of Fraggle Rock’s five-year-old career consisted of a third in the Dunedin Trotting Cup, a further win at Auckland on the middle night of the Rowe Cup carnival and a fifth placing in the 1991 Rowe Cup. All up, the season’s toils had netted $115,300 from 23 starts, two wins, two seconds and three thirds. It was a case of mission accomplished.
Fraggle Rock’s career at six years started slowly with his best performances being a third in the G2 Challenge Stakes (to Idle Scott) and a fourth in the G2 Trotting FFA during Cup week but the ultimate aim was the defence of his Inter Dominion title across the ditch at Moonee Valley. In Melbourne he was stabled at Ken Tippett‘s Melton property and on opening night Fraggle Rock took out his heat in a track record equalling time of 2.01.2 for the 2380 metres. Fraggle Rock followed up with a strong third to the local Maori’s Glory on the second night and in the Grand Final, ran on gamely to finish second to William Dee. Middleton was the recipient of the Vin Knight Trophy during the ID carnival, the trophy being based on the best UDR for ID races, both heats and finals. On his return to NZ, Fraggle Rock took out the G3 Trotting Championship on Easter Saturday in impressive fashion and again missed out on the Rowe Cup with a fifth placed finish.
Again a slow starter at seven years Fraggle Rock displayed he could still mix it with the best with a fourth in the Dominion Handicap, followed by success at Addington in early December. A northern Christmas trip proved successful when at Cambridge handled by Richard Brosnan (Middleton was driving stable mate Lilly the Pink), Fraggle Rock won the Trotters Flying Mile in a 2:02.9 rate. Taken to Wellington in late February 1993 prior to the Auckland Inter Dominion, Fraggle Rock was in good form finishing late for third on opening night to Game Paul before recording another win on the second night, establishing a new track record of 3:46.2/2:05.5 for 2900 metres.
On opening night of the 1993 Inter Dominion Series Fraggle Rock led throughout to outlast Gee du Jour in 2:48.4/2:03.3 for the 2200 metres. On a slushy track on the second night, Fraggle Rock again led until ultimate winner Night Allowance took over with Fraggle Rock finishing a creditable second. Grand Final night dawned with a nasty barrier draw of nine and things didn’t improve when Fraggle Rock was badly interfered with down the back straight the final time when about to mount his challenge and galloped.
The 1993/94 season as an eight-year-old commenced well with a win from the back mark of 35 metres at Forbury Park in October and his second in the Canterbury Park Trotting Cup early in the New Year of 1994 was his best effort before departing with Lily the Pink for the 1994 Inter Dominions in Sydney. A fourth in the Sonney Teal Trotters Cup as a lead up race, his opening night seventh was followed up with a front running victory on the second night at Harold Park.
Whilst not quite in Blacks A Fake’s league, this qualified Fraggle Rock for his fifth consecutive Inter Dominion Trotters Final (1990 – 1994, finishing first in 1991, placed second in 1992 and 1994), a sterling effort by any trotter. This record has only been matched in later years by Pride Of Petite (also five consecutive finals between 1995 and 1999) and on the pacing front, until Blackie’s six consecutive finals, only Caduceus with five (not consecutive) had achieved what Fraggle Rock managed on the trotting scene..
The Middleton’s attended a function hosted by the Bankstown TC during the 1994 Harold Park Sydney Inter Dominions and when MC Kevin Thomson got around to introducing Fraggle Rock, the mention of the trotter being a five time finalist was enough to inspire the whole audience to stand and applaud.
Meeting Diamond Field in the final, Fraggle Rock turned in a very creditable performance for second, beaten 3.5 metres in the hands of Anthony Butt (Middleton drove Lilly The Pink into third). An encouraging start to his nine-year-old career with three placed efforts in three starts, was undone when injury intervened and saw him off the scene until appearing unsuccessfully twice as an 11-year-old and it was at this point the lengthy and productive race career of Fraggle Rock was signed off on by Middleton. Without a doubt, Middleton had every reason for having a soft spot for Fraggle Rock.
Following his retirement, Fraggle Rock made one final racetrack appearance. This was at the 1999 Interdominions held at Alexandra Park, Auckland. Fraggle Rock led out the Trotters Grand Final field before working a final 400m down the Alexandra Park straight. Driven by Richard Brosnan as Middleton had Little Rock in the final, the then 13yo Fraggle Rock showed his customary dash and finished full of zip at the conclusion of his final outing.
NOTE : In 1989/90, 8 wins was the third highest in NZ behind Idle Scott
(12) and Neroship (9).GGL
PART THREE : will continue a review of Middleton’s Golden Years – 1990’s and look at his leading horses of 21st century.
Peter Craig
2 June 2016
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