This is the fifth of six articles covering the life and racing times of George Johnson Barton, the leviathan and colourful Dunedin owner. Part Five reviews the career of Barton’s Interdominion Pacing Grand Final winner Grand Mogul.
Grand Mogul –
Grand Mogul – 1930g (Adioo Guy/Logans Mission), NZ 60:16-4-3 (15 for GJ Barton, 1 for AJ McLeod); AUS for GJ Barton 5:3-1-0; WJ Sykes 9 wins; total NZ/Aus wins – 28 (18 for GJ Barton, 9 for WJ Sykes, 1 for AJ McLeod); 2:06.5, N10 Regina
Second only to Indianapolis in terms of George Barton’s standardbreds, Grand Mogul was an Interdominion Pacing Final winner in 1940, leading stake earner in the 1936/7 season (£2,610) although he did not win any of the major races on the NZ trotting calendar. His sire was the Guy Dillon stallion Adioo Guy, imported from the USA by George Youngson, whose main claim to fame was siring the dam of Adios in Adioo Volo prior to coming to NZ. Grand Mogul, was a member of the famed Regina family, his branch emanating through third dam Regina Belle, grand dam Wild Queen and dam Logans Mission, by Logan Pointer. His younger half sister Smile Again set a world record to saddle of 2:04.0 when placed third at Addington in 1941. Stand outs tracing to the Regina family include NZ Cup winners Garry Dillon, Trusty Scot and Il Vicolo; Comedy Lad, Honkin Vision, Black Watch and the remarkable family originating from her through Rosehaven and more recently Lauraella, Stunin Cullen and Gotta Go Cullen.
Grand Mogul commenced racing as a 4yo for owner AJ McLeod. His eleven starts produced a win at Ashburton in April 1935 over 1½m for tr FC Dunleavy and dr J Fraser jnr. Two placings before George Barton acquired him as a late 4yo, his one start for Barton at four resulted in a win worth £80 in the Rakaia Trotting Hcp at the Ashburton County Racing Club’s May 1935 meeting.
The five year old season (1935/6) for Grand Mogul could be classified as his year of mile victories. Recording 8 wins and a third placing from 17 starts for earnings of £1,122, half his wins came over the mile journey. All this seasons successes came under the training guidance of Dunleavy and steerage by Fraser jnr. His first success was at Hutt Park in September 1935 in the 1½m Railway Hcp (12 yds). The first mile success was at Methven in the Mount Hutt Hcp (12 yds), 2:13.2 on grass. Grand Mogul’s next mile win was in the Farewell Hcp at New Brighton’s October meeting – 2:13.4. The first of his three 2 mile wins for 1935/6 was recorded on the third day of the NZ Cup carnival in the Australasian Hcp. Back to a mile in February 1936, he recorded a 2:11.0 mile in wining the CPTC Telegraph Hcp at Addington. The opening day of the NZMTC’s Easter meeting Grand Mogul started twice for wins in both the Fendalton Hcp, a mile in 2:12.2 and the 2m Halswell Hcp (36 yds). His one third placing for the season was at Forbury in late April 1936 in the King Edward Hcp (12 yds). Grand Mogul rounded out a very successful season with victory in the 2m Oamaru Presidents Hcp (12 yds).
Another successful season followed as a six year old (1936/7) where six wins and three placings from 20 starts for earnings of £2,610 saw Grand Mogul leading stake earner for the season. Dunleavy continued training and Fraser jnr driving unless otherwise stated. His three starts at the NZMTC August (National) meeting produced a third in the August Hcp (2m), followed by a win on the second day in the 2m King Edward Hcp finishing second in the Federal Hcp (12 yds) on the concluding day. Unplaced on the first two days of the NZ Cup carnival (including Indianapolis’s third NZ Cup and Ollivier Hcp), he returned to form in the Louisson Hcp when driven by DC Watts beating stable mate and Barton owned Cloudy Range (Fraser jnr) by 3 lengths. Another Barton quinella followed at Forbury in late November 1936 when Grand Mogul (12 yds) defeated Tempest driven by James (J) Bryce jnr in the 1¼m Recovery Hcp.
Taken to Alexandra Park for Auckland’s 1936 Christmas carnival, Grand Mogul was unplaced in both the Auckland Cup and Champion Hcp. Returning to Barton’s home town, he finished second in the 2m 1937 Dunedin Cup (DC Watts) to Willow Wave, the first of two consecutive Dunedin Cup’s for Willow Wave – stable mate Tempest ran third for Bryce jnr. Grand Mogul returned to winning form on the same day in the 1¼m Flying Hcp (12 yds), this time handled by regular reinsman Fraser jnr. Luck deserted him on the second day at Forbury when he fell, together with Rollo in the Metropolitan Hcp won by Roi l’Or. Following unplaced runs at Hutt Park in February in the NZ Gold Cup and Dominion Hcp, Grand Mogul returned to Addington for dual successes at the NZMTC Easter meeting; on day one, he won the 2m Easter Hcp (now Gp1 Easter Cup, 12 yds) for dr Bryce jnr. The second day, he won the 2m Presidents Hcp (36 yds) again driven by Bryce. His season concluded with an unplaced run in Ashburton’s All Aged Stakes.
Remarkably in the following three seasons in NZ, Grand Mogul did not record a win or a placing for Barton. At seven (1937/8), he had five starts – one in August and the other four being unplaced efforts in the 1938 ID’s at Addington – 3 heats and a consolation. He was withdrawn from the NZ Cup due to leg problems. At eight (1938/9), Grand Mogul only faced the barrier on three occasions now being trained by Fraser jnr – New Brighton; first running 1¼m 1938 Hannon Memorial replacing Weston Hcp at Oamaru (dr Gladdy McKendry) and NZFFA (dr Stan Edwards). At nine (1939/40), he fared no better from his three NZ starts – NZMTC (August) and New Brighton (September and October 1939). As subsequent events proved, Barton entertained parting company with Grand Mogul at this time.
Grand Mogul sold to West Australian WJ Sykes but with the ownership transfer not completed, he therefore had five starts in Perth for George Barton which included the 1940 Interdominions as a NZ entrant. A few days prior to the Perth ID’s commencing, Grand Mogul won the Wyndham Hcp at Gloucester Park (20 January) at good odds from Storm Cloud (2nd), Radiant Walla (3rd) and other visiting pacers in Main Derby, Lachlan Machine and Logan Derby. Unplaced over a mile stand on opening night of the ID’s on 7 February 1940, Grand Mogul finished second to Icevus (full brother of Evicus) in his second night heat, beaten 8yds over the mile and half journey. He garnered maximum points on the third night by winning his 2m heat in a new state record of 4:23.0/2:11.0 (previously Evicus 4:23.5), defeating Master Dixie and Evicus.
The Grand Final on 19 February 1940 was run before a crowd of 16,000 with Grand Mogul being among the leaders at the bell lap. Driven by tr/dr Keith Anderson, he went on to win by a head from Master Dixie with Moreica a further ½head back followed in by Our Globe. Under the Championship rules, Logan Derby with 18 points was proclaimed champion from Master Dixie (13½) and Grand Mogul (131/3). Grand Mogul received £1,000 for his Grand Final victory, the same as Logan Derby who received a gold cup. After his transfer to Sykes was completed, Grand Mogul performed with distinction in WA recording his major win in the 1942 Stratton Cup having placed second to Huon’s Rock the previous year. His career stats included being among the first 100 2:10 performers in both NZ (2:09.9, 10 furs 1936/7) and Australia (2:06.5, 1941).
PART SIX : looks at Barton‘s thoroughbred horses.
Peter Craig
7 September 2016
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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