Breeder, owner, administrator, enthusiast, a man with a passion for racing that knows few boundaries, even extending to thoroughbreds, that’s Christchurch based Dean Illingworth. He has recently enjoyed the feats of outstanding mare Fight For Glory in which he has a quarter share. In part two of this article, we review her and other standardbreds raced by Dean.
Early years –
Dean Illingworth’s initial involvement with standardbreds also has a Geraldine connection. Beris MacAle, originally from Southland, was on the Geraldine Trotting Club with Dean’s father George. He had the Maudey branch of the Norice (U30 – Dairy Maid) family [Maudey : grand dam of Sokyola, 3rd dam of Im Victorious] and because Illingworth was keen on the trots, he borrowed an Armbro Del mare from MacAle on the condition that she was sent to a commercial stallion. She was sent to El Patron and others from which a few winners emerged although nothing to set the world on fire, much fun was had and the trotting bug was captured. The specific mares of Macale’s used were Maudena (left foals not bred by Illingworth’s in Maudes Gift – Southland Oaks; third dam of Fleurs Invasion – Aged Trotting Mare of Year), Emmaudella (unraced daughter of Maudena who left Emma Peel bred by George, Marion and Dean Illingworth – unraced).
Following Illingworth’s move to Christchurch, Waru Taumanu Jnr (Lordable, 1:57.3US, Riccarton Stakes, Electric Hcp) and his brother Jim came to work for Dean’s father George. Waru worked on the orchards in the afternoon and for Mr. Don and Mrs.. Doris Nyhan of Lordship fame in the morning.. Working together with Waru and his family, Illingworth became best friends, listening to Manu Taumanu and Don Nyhan‘s stories, Waru’s trips to the United States for Charlie Hunter, ONZM etc had Illingworth hooked. Waru and Manu Taumanu had horses with the Illingworth’s until they moved to Cambridge. It usually meant going to Roydon Lodge stallions, because of the Taumanu and Hunter work connections with the McKenzie’s (Sir John and Sir Roy). Plenty of dreams, heaps of stories, lots of fun and holidays but no real world beaters involved.
Using the Luscombe‘s mare Elva Gee Byrd (N107 Renown) on an alternate basis, Waru Taumanu named his after singers or golfers e.g. Sedaka (Neil), Crenshaw (Ben) and Bassey (Shirley) from Mr. Ken Fraser’s mare Nalder (A94 Restless) who left Waru John Denver, Noble Gesture, Genie Tee, Kilean Castle, Fulla Strikes, Sheena, Herewini, Combe Royal and Whispering Jack. The Restless family includes Macall (NZ Derby), trotters Admiral Soanai (Dominion Hcp), Major Decision (National Trot). Illingworth used Italian names e.g. Persona Grata, Noblesse Oblige or Peel after Geraldine Orchards as in Pelham Peel for his horses from Elva Gee Byrd. The Renown family of Waru’s breed is closely related to Mr CE Hoy’s Intrepid (1:57.0US, Kaikoura/New Brighton Cups, Barton/Hannon Memorials, National Flying Mile). Interpid is the major family performer with Lively Exit winning South Australian Derby in recent years.
Before moving to Cambridge, Waru Taumanu worked as General Manager at the National Stud Farm of Malaysia. Each year from 1995 to 2000, Illingworth had
a months holiday with Waru at the stud farm in Ipoh three hours up the road from Kuala Lumpur.. Annual trips to Phuket started in 1998 when they found Phuket because Malaysia is Muslim, no English TV, so they just drove over the border to Thailand looking for a hotel that was showing the All Blacks test live!! From 1998 – 2000, they spent two weeks in Phuket and the rest at the farm (paradise found).
Waru Taumanu died in 2005, but his family are still Illingworth’s best mates, where the annual trips to Phuket which started in 1998 are still taking place.
Cournane’s and Mark Purdon –
The association with Diane and Noel Cournane started when George and Marion Illingworth were minding their best friend‘s motel, and Diane came to stay from Southland for the Yearling Sales. George Illingworth and Diane spent the week talking horses and naturally enough Dean met her at this time.
Diane Cournane has three thoroughbred broodmares and breeds from standardbred mares including Breath Of Life, Nitouche Franco, Make Mine Roses – numbers depend on the season etc. Dunedin born, her father is 90 year old Donald (Donnie) McRae whose harness racing apprenticeship included stints with Bob Townley (Doody’s father and Kevin‘s grand father) and Ces Donald. Her mother Dorothy’s family had thoroughbreds which she trained as well.
The Cournane‘s have a beautiful 150 acre block (60.7 hectares), Diamond Head Lodge at Grove Bush, 25km from Invercargill with great grass and terrific country for horses. Originally a deer farm, it gradually moved to grazing horses for the likes of Mark Purdon and Merv Butterworth. Illingworth nearly gave up on the breeding side once the Taumanu’s relocated to Cambridge. Diane Cournane came along at the right time, had horses racing and wanted someone to go in with her to help defray the racing costs. Illingworth normally takes a quarter share in Diane’s horses for racing purposes which he is happier to do these days rather than concentrate on the breeding side. He has ended up best mates with the Cournane’s and for the two years after the Christchurch earthquake he spent two months each winter, helping on the farm and weaning foals.
Illingworth’s association with the Cournane’s proved a great way to get into the Mark Purdon stable as Diane was one of his first Canterbury clients. Breath Of Life was Purdon’s 1000th winner and Fight For Glory his 1800th when winning the Queen of Hearts. Illingworth has been involved as lessee during the racing careers of the following horses bred by Diane Cournane : Make Mine Roses and son Atomic Reactor; Breath of Life, her daughter Fight For Glory; All Star Man. He does however own a quarter share in Fight For Glory.
Make Mine Roses –
Make Mine Roses (2002 Washington VC/My Names Good mare), 4 starts, 1-1-0, $5,240, 2:02.1. She won first up as a 4yo at Invercargill for Lauren Pearson (dr Brent Barclay). She has had two live foals, the second being current yearling colt Atomic Reactor (Auckland Reactor/Make Mine Roses), owned together with Diane Cournane by husband Noel, Illingworth, Jim Gibbs, MNZM (prominent retired Matamata thoroughbred trainer) and wife Anne, Edna Earnshaw (great great grand daughter of Etienne Le Lievre, Banks Peninsula of Harold Dillon fame, early 1900’s)
Breath of Life –
Breath Of Life (2004 Village Jasper/My Names Good mare), 60 starts, 7 wins, 16 placings, 1:56.9, $109,034. She was bred/owned by Diane Cournane with Illingworth being involved along with Noel Cournane and Bret Morris (cousin of Diane’s, Auckland computer programmer) in her racing career.
She started her career with Ben Waldron at Ashburton for whom she had half her total starts (30), often driven by Mark Purdon. Her first win came at Waterlea (Blenheim) in January 2008 with a second following a year later at Rangiora for Waldron. In the winter of 2009, the Purdon/Grant Payne combo took over the training of Breath Of Life. Heading North, she went onto win five for them – her second consecutive win at Alexandra Park on 25 September in the hands of junior driver Jordan Compain, saw Purdon bring up his 1,000th training success.
Further success followed at Cambridge, Addington on Show Day before her major success in winning the GN Breeders Stakes at Group Three level in then race record time of 2:39.9/1:56.9 (2200m – record beaten by Adore Me, 2:38.3). The following week Breath Of Life ran third in the Gp1 Queen Of Hearts. Placing 4th in NZ Breeders Stakes, 5th in Premier Mares C/S before a final season that yielded a third in the Firestone (Junior) FFA on NZ Cup Day, she was retired to the broodmare paddock following unplaced runs in GN Breeders and Queen of Hearts.
Breath Of Life was the Washington VC/Bryleigh Stud Southland Standardbred Breeders Association Broodmare of the Year for 2014/15 season. She was the dam of one of New Zealand’s top three year olds fillies in Fight For Glory. She was victorious in Group 1 Queensland/NSW/NZ Oaks, ran second in the Nevele R Fillies and Harness Jewels Diamond, third in the Queensland Derby as well as winning the Group 3 Gold Coast Oaks. Fight for Glory also set a world record for 2400mM at Menangle on Interdominion Grand Final day 2015. She was named Australian 3yo Pacing Filly of Year – detailed career outline follows later.
The grand dam of Breath Of Life, McWay was Diane Cournane’s first standardbred mare.. Her father lent her New Way who she put to Knowing Bret producing McWay in 1980.. Her one victory came at Forbury Park in October 1985 (tr Doody Townley. dr Kevin Townley). She went onto leave three winners (two in Australia) including Christians Heritage, a Christian Cullen mare raced by Diane Cournane with amongst others Ian Dobson. Christians Heritage who scored on four occasions (1:56.4) raced from Mark Purdon’s stable – third in Nevele R Fillies and fourth in NZ Oaks.
McWay’s first foal My Names Good (Neros BB), was unraced and has left Breath Of Life and Anvils Top Gun (7 wins, 1:57.8, $149,421, 2nd GN Derby), sold at 2009 Sale of the Stars as More Than Ready to Nigel McGrath for $50,000 (raced for Small Car World’s Graeme Beirne and friends). This family goes back seven generations from Fight For Glory to the toughness of Logan Derby and Tuttabella (N85 Lady Ellen) which gives this branch of the family its stamina, now bred over latest American speed stallions.
Breath Of Life’s foals apart from Fight For Glory are :
GI Joe (2012 Bettors Delight gelding), purchased by Butterworth Racing Syndicate (Merv and Meg) for $82,500 at 2014 NZ Premier Sale. Breath Of Life‘s second foal’s one victory in six starts to date came at Ashburton. He was placed third and fourth in NZSS 3c&g heats while he finished ninth in the Addington Cup Day final..
Honor And Glory (2014 Art Major colt), the full brother to Fight For Glory, Breath Of Life’s third foal, was sold at the 2016 NZ Premier Sale for $170,000 to Merv and Meg Butterworth (Butterworth Bloodstock Syndicate, Australia).
Breath Of Life has a Mach Three weanling colt foal at foot and has been served by Art Major..
Fight For Glory –
Fight For Glory (2011 Art Major/Breath Of Life filly) bred by Diane Cournane and owned by her together with Illingworth, Anne Gibbs, Lyn Tucker, Gay and John Tate.
She was offered at the 2013 Premier Sales and sold sight unseen to Mark Purdon for $20,000. However, as a result of a mix-up, she was presented in the wrong order. The opportunity to offer her again the next day was declined with Cournane happy to leave her with Purdon whilst taking in some partners to race her.
Her impressive record to date on a season by season basis shows :
Two Year Old : in NZ, 7 : 2-4-0, $83,936, 1:59.2 (1950m). The winner of a NZSS heat and NZYSS Southern Graduette with second placings in Leonard Memorial, Caduceus Club of Southland Fillies Classic, NZSS – 2f final, NZYSS – 2f final and fourth in Jewels Diamond at Cambridge.
Three Year Old : in NZ, 11 : 5-4-0, $259,206, 1:54.5 (1 mile). The winner of NZSS, NZYSS, Nevele R heats (2) and Gp1 NZ Oaks with second placings in Nevele R Fillies final, Jewels Diamond at Ashburton with fourths in Ladyship Stakes and NZSS – 3f final..
In Australia, 6 : 4-1-1, $227,320, 1:54.2, (2400m). The winner of $200,000 NSW Oaks heat and final (world record for 3f, 2400m, 2:50.3/1:54.2, drawing nine), Gold Coast Oaks, Queensland Oaks in a race record 1:56.2, placing third against boys in Queensland Derby.
The winner of four Oaks, three at Group 1 level (NSW/NZ/QLD) as well as Gold Coast Oaks (Gp 3), Fight For Glory was crowned Australian Pacing 3yo Filly of Year (2014/5) and runner up to The Orange Agent for NZ Pacing 3yo Filly of Year.
Four Year Old : in NZ 4 : 1-0-1, $60,350, 1:56.8 (2200m), In her first three starts this season, winner of Queen of Hearts, (2:39.7/1:56.8/56.4/27.2, race record), third in Northern Breeders Stakes and fifth in Waikato Flying Mile. Interesting to note that her dam Breath Of Life won the Northern Breeders Stakes, placed third in Queen Of Hearts, the reverse of her foal’s performances.
In Australia : 4: 2-0-1, $25,400, 1:52.1 (1 mile at Menangle, 3rd Therese Cordina Sibelia Stakes). An impressive winner first up in a career best 1:52.1 at Menangle was followed by a third the another victory in 1:53.4 at Menangle before running sixth when a heavily backed favourite in the Ladyship Mile on Miracle Mile day.
Back in NZ, Fight For Glory reappeared on race day in the NZ Breeders Stakes at Addington in early April 2016 finishing sixth. This proved to be her swansong, after which she was sore and leg weary. She has been retired to the green pastures of her Southland breeder Diane Cournane’s property to await the next breeding season.
Overall Record : 32 : 14-9-3, $656,212, 1:52.1AUS
Usual driver Natalie Rasmussen conceded that despite her small stature (throw back to Village Jasper possibly), she had great manners, a good brain, big heart and was a true fighter.
As is sometimes the case, two leading proponents, fight out major age group/gait honours. In this case, the leading 3yo filly and now 4yo mare’s honours of the past two seasons have been shared between The Orange Agent (major adversary) and Fight For Glory. It was pretty much even stevens, the difference mainly coming down to barrier draws as to who the victor would be. The Orange Agent was a neck in front with five wins to Fight For Glory’s four.
Without a doubt, Fight For Glory is the best standardbred Diane Cournane has bred and Dean Illingworth raced to date.
All Star Man –
All Star Man (2008 Real Desire/Nitouche Franco gelding), 29 starts : 8-5-2, $106,438, 1:56..0. He was bred/owned by Diane and Noel Cournane who raced him together with Illingworth.. The Cournane’s purchased the qualified but unraced Nitouche Franco from Spreydon Lodge in 2006. She is also the dam of good mare Whisper Jet, winner of six in NZ (1:55.5) and now in Australia, winner of three in Victoria – one of two Cournane representatives in 2014 Jewels where in the 3yo Diamond she finished fifth to Adore Me (Fight For Glory 4th in 2yo Diamond).
All Star Man initially raced from the Mark Purdon barn (at differing times in partnership with Grant Payne and later Natalie Rasmussen). Among his wins were the NZSS Silver – 3c&g, achieved Illingworth’s dream by registering a lower grade win on NZ Cup Day (so he was in the birdcage/presentation area), had two wins at Alexandra Park as well as winning twice at Kaikoura. The second of his Kaikoura wins came at six in the NZYSS Aged pace when Grant Payne had taken over his training. Notable placings were achieved when fourth to Arden Rooney in the NZYSS Aged pace when a 5yo, third to Mossdale Conner on Show Day over mile (1:54.8 placed) and fifth in the Ashburton Cup in his final race before being retired.
Career Racing Highlights –
Two races Illingworth has never forgotten were Hands Down’s straight length battle with Delightful Lady in 1980 NZ Cup at Addington, his first Cup live and Lord Module’s win in the 1981 Allan Matson FFA. Illingworth commented that “if you weren’t hooked on the trots after being there then there’s something wrong with you”. The Penny running third in the Chipping Norton; Doncaster Hcp day at Randwick, the crowd, noise, best dressed Members, traffic three lanes all the way etc and watching races at Sha Tin, again the noise and number of punters, were further amazing highlights.
Best Performances Witnessed –
Trots : Following the 22 February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the NZMTC moved the Interdominions to Alexandra Park (Auckland), with the terrific Pacers Final finish between Smoken Up and Themightyquinn, being the best race Dean has seen. Smoken Up was subsequently disqualified from first placing.
Gallops : an obvious highlight was being on course to witness Makybe Diva win three Melbourne Cups, something that will never happen again in his life time.
Personal : Fight For Glory, winning the NZ Oaks at Addington. Illingworth couldn‘t believe having a horse in the race, let alone winning it and watching the replay still makes hairs stand up on his neck. It was a great win on his local track, having seen NZ Oaks since 1980 (Armalight – also writer’s first NZ Oaks). Never thinking he would ever have a horse in the NZ Oaks, now his name appears on the trophy.
Christchurch’s Dean Illingworth is just living the dream at present, been privileged to have part owned and shared in the fun of having raced a horse like Fight For Glory. He always dreamed about having this sort of exceptional horse but never thought it would happen. So whilst he has loved it while it was happening, ever the realist, Dean knows it can never last forever..
Peter Craig
21 April 2016
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