The third Melbourne Interdominion Pacing Championships took place in 1964 at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds. The championships featured the horse that was to become the first millionaire pacer in the world and outright favourite for the Championship, defending champion Cardigan Bay (1963, Wayville Showgrounds, Adelaide). Leading up to his third ID campaign, Cardigan Bay earlier in the 1963/4 season won the NZ Cup off 54 yds/NZFFA (won at all four 1963 NZ Cup carnival meetings including on first ever night under lights at Addington), set an Australasian mile record of 1:56.2TT at Hutt Park, Auckland Cup off 78 yds and two pre Interdominion FFA’s at Melbourne. However, as with almost all Interdominions, it was not necessarily all plain sailing for him together with the other dramas that add to the allure of these championship carnivals.
The championships were determined over three rounds of heats at 11 furlongs, 12½ furlongs and 15½ furlongs with the Grand Final over 14 furlongs for a prize of £15,000, a £300 Gold Cup, inscribed sash and gold mounted whip for the winning driver. The ID heats were run on Saturday 22, Wednesday 26 and Saturday 29 February with the Grand Final on Saturday 7 March 1964. The carnival also included an Australasian Trotting Championship series.
Saturday 22 February 11 fursSS : first round of heats
Heat One – ANGELIQUE, tr/dr Gordon Rothacker, 2:55.2/2:07.6, Lt; Guile (dr Frank Shinn) 2nd; Flaming Star (dr Charlie Parsons) 3rd
Heat Two – CARDIGAN BAY, tr/dr Peter Wolfenden, 2:55.6/2:06.0 (track record), 36 yds; Minuteman (dr Eric Hurley) 2nd; Assiduous (Tom Utting) 3rd
Heat Three – RED ADIOS, tr Allen Bryce, dr Vic Frost, 2:56.8/2:08.6, Lt; Pipiriki (dr Kevin Newman) 2nd; Minton Hall (dr Jack Jones) 3rd
Heat Four – EATON HALL, tr/dr Leo Keys, 2:58.6/2:10.0, Lt; Pakeha (dr Don Dove) 2nd; Opal Chief (dr Keith Raw) 3rd
Cardigan Bay’s dominant performance was the major feature of the opening nights heats, coming off 36yds he defeated Minuteman by five yards, taking 1.6 seconds off Dainty Rose’s 1954 track record MR of 2:07.6 for the 11 furlong journey (last mile 2:03.0). A solid beginning saw him sitting two wide behind the leaders at the bell before hitting the front two furlongs out cruising to the line in advance of early breaker Minuteman with a further two yards to Assiduous. This was Cardigan Bay’s forty third Australasian win and as it turned out his last in the Southern Hemisphere.
The other first night heats were won by Victorian mare Angelique who led all the way recording the second quickest time of the evening. Her sire Avian Again was a half-brother to 1952 Sydney Grand Final winner Avian Derby; New South Wales representative Red Adios, a two yard winner over Pipiriki after racing wide out with Tactile who finished fifth narrowly taking out the fastest time in this heat; Eaton Hall, the West Australian winner of the final and slowest heat of round one having led all the way. Opal Chief very narrowly managed to gain points for the fastest time in this heat.
Opening heats of the Australasian Trotters Championships were won by Victorian Silken Crown (T2:13.2) and South Australian mare Gramel (T2:11.4, 36 yds) for 12½ furlong journey.
North American Hall Of Fame immortal Stanley Dancer had watched Cardigan Bay’s final work on the Thursday before the first heats where he completed a mile in 2:03.0. Dancer was determined to purchase Cardigan Bay (Marty Tananbaum had failed to do so during the 1963 ID’s; price then was £25,000, US $70,000), prepared to outlay US$100,000 for the then eight year old by North American time. After completion of the first round of heats, the offer of $100,000 subject to vet clearance plus his retirement at no more than 13 years of age and his return to Auckland owner Mrs Audrey Dean at no cost to her was accepted. Cardigan Bay would transfer to Dancer’s North American stable after completion of his Interdominion assignment.
Wednesday 26 February 12½ fursSS : second round of heats
Heat Five – RED ADIOS, tr Allen Bryce, dr Vic Frost, 3:20.6/2:08.4, Lt; Future Raider (dr Bill Davies) 2nd; Angelique (Gordon Rothacker) 3rd
Heat Six – LE GEORGE, tr/dr Kevin Robinson, 3:28.8/2:13.8, Lt; Fosmar (dr Bruce Coram) 2nd; Blue Marlin (dr Don Dove) 3rd
Heat Seven – MINUTEMAN, tr/dr Eric Hurley, 3:18.8/2:07.4, Lt; Robin Dundee (dr Doody Townley) 2nd; Little Maori (dr Lawrie Moulds) 3rd
Heat Eight – SMOKE CLOUD, tr/dr Jack Watts, 3:19.6/2:07.2, 12 yds; Deep Tan (dr Merv Adams) 2nd; Assiduous (Tom Utting) 3rd
Red Adios completed a double for the carnival, leading before drawing away at the finish to end up leading point’s scorer with eleven points after two rounds of heats. Le George recovered from a brief break at the start to lead all the way for Kevin Newman with New Zealander Tactile ending up in sixth position while first night winner Eaton Hall was pulled up after striking trouble. Smoke Cloud, trained and driven by Jack Watts for Noel Simpson finished brilliantly from sixth in the fastest heat of the evening. He later went on to win the sixth $100k International Pace at Yonkers Raceway in 1965 (over twelve runnings of race, won by four Australasian horses – Apmat, Smoke Cloud, Cardigan Bay and Cardinal King).
Minuteman drew the strongest heat of the night containing both Cardigan Bay and Robin Dundee. Rating 2:07.4 with a final lap in 43.8 (1:57.0 rate), he outmuscled Robin Dundee with a yard to spare at the finish and Cardigan Bay who had sat parked over the last lap before fading to fourth in the home straight. Both Robin Dundee (2:06.8) and Cardigan Bay (2:05.8, fastest time) recorded times swifter than that of Minuteman but he reined supreme on the night.
Second night Australasian Trotters Championship heats were won by Victorians Wonwondah and Tara Gold.
Saturday 29 February 15½ fursSS : third round of heats
Heat Nine – ROBIN DUNDEE, tr Jack Welsh, dr Doody Townley, 4:09.8/2:08.6 (track record), 12 yds; Rising Flood (dr Stuart Rothacker) 2nd; Opal Chief (dr Keith Raw) 3rd
Heat Ten – ANGELIQUE, tr/dr Gordon Rothacker, 4:10.4/2:09.4, Lt; Fosmar (dr Bruce Coram) 2nd; Cardigan Bay (dr Peter Wolfenden) 3rd
Heat Eleven – TACTILE, tr/dr Robert Cameron, 4:10.4/2:09.0, 12 yds; Future Raider (dr Bill Davies) 2nd; Dela Pride (dr George Gath) 3rd
Heat Twelve – PIPIRIKI, tr/dr Kevin Newman, 4:09.8/2:09.0, Lt; Little Maori (dr Lawrie Moulds) 2nd; Waitaki Hanover (dr Peter Wells) 3rd
Minuteman was granted exemption by stewards (scratched) from contesting the third round of heats due to his suffering from arthritis of his near fetlock joint as well as a slight attack of laminitis (debilitating disease that affects hooves). He already had sufficient points (six) to make the Grand Final field.
Robin Dundee broke the track record for 15½ furlongs set by Super Royal in 1959 (another Southland pacer owned by Audrey Dean) by 1 1/5 seconds in the opening heat on the third night. Robin Dundee would go on to be joint winner (dead heat) of 1965 Forbury Park Pacers Grand Final with Jay Ar, became first ever Miracle Mile winner and in same race, first mare/horse to record sub two minute winning race time in Australia (1:59.0, 3 March 1967, Harold Park).
Angelique led the complete distance to score by four yards with a head back to Cardigan Bay in third position (2:07.6 fastest time of night). Tactile, the winner of five Derbies (GN/NZ, VIC, NSW, SA) finally won a heat in the time of 2:09.0 fighting on after sitting parked one out over the last lap. Tasmanian Pipiriki won the final ID heat of the 1964 Melbourne Interdominions.
The Australasian Trotters Championship Final was won by champion South Australian mare Gramel from a back mark of 48 yards in a track record MR of T2:10.2.
Leading points scorer in the twenty third ID series was Cardigan Bay with fourteen points; Angelique 13, Red Adios 11, Robin Dundee 9, Le George, Smoke Cloud, Tactile 7, Minuteman, Pipiriki, Little Maori 6. The two dramas leading into the Grand Final were:
- sale of Cardigan Bay to North American interests of Marty Tananbaum, trainer Stanley Dancer
- Minuteman’s recovery supervised by Trotting Control Board vet Nils Sjogren under close observation by stewards. He was only granted the all clear to start three and a quarter hours before Grand Final 6.30pm for 9.45pm race start)
Cardigan Bay’s support rallied late seeing him start favourite at 11/4 with Robin Dundee easing slightly to 3/1 second favourite. A record crowd of 45,788, the largest ever attended Melbourne’s Royal Showgrounds (previous record Captain Sandy’s 1950 Grand Final crowd of 36,055).
Saturday 7 March– PACERS GRAND FINAL, 14 fursSS £15,000 ($30,000) plus £300 Gold Cup, inscribed sash, rug and gold mounted whip for winning driver
MINUTEMAN (1959 Field Battery/Adistar entire, family of Ethylin, owners Eric Hurley, JM Hurley and Miss Phyllis Hurley, trainer/driver Eric Hurley, Lt, 3:44.8/2:08.6, 2 yds x 4 yds, 9/2 [2:06.2, $66,306]
Angelique, tr/dr Gordon Rothacker, Lt, 2nd
Tactile, tr/dr Robert Cameron, 12 yds, 3rd
(also in finishing order) : Smoke Cloud, Robin Dundee, Cardigan Bay, Pipiriki, Le George, Red Adios, Little Maori
Minuteman began brilliantly from the number one barrier position going straight to the front to lead all the way speeding through his last lap in 44.2 seconds (mile rate of 1:58.0). Minuteman stuck to his guns winning by 2 yards from Angelique and Tactile with Smoke Cloud close up next. The overall mile rate of 2:08.6 broke his own track record proving what an impossible task it was for Cardigan Bay (2:07.2; whose track record for 14 furlongs was 2:07.4) off 48 yds.
Favourites Robin Dundee settled second last with Cardigan Bay behind her where they were still positioned with a lap to run. Robin Dundee attempted to track Smoke Cloud around towards the lead shortly into the final lap with Cardigan Bay on her back. Robin Dundee searched for position wide out on the home turn while Cardigan Bay tried to go through the wall of horses stretched across the track with 100m to run. They finished almost in line close behind Smoke Cloud, Robin Dundee fifth followed by Cardigan Bay.
Minuteman became the tenth Globe Derby male line Grand Final winner in twenty three ID’s starting with Evicus in 1936 on points (Springfield Globe, Logan Derby, Bandbox, Avian Derby, Tactician, Gentleman John, Radiant Venture, Young Pedro, Minuteman). His victory at four was the eighteenth of his twenty eight career starts to date being unplaced on only four occasions for stakes earned of £20,000.
Consolations : 12½ fursSS, £1,250 ($2,500)
WAITAKI HANOVER, tr/dr Peter Wells, 3:48.2/2:10.0, Lt; Summit Road (dr Lawrie Moulds) 2nd; Festive Spring (dr Leo Keys) 3rd
FUTURE RAIDER, tr/dr Bill Davies, 3:46.4/2:09.4, Lt; Assiduous (dr Tom Utting) 2nd; Deep Tan (dr Merv Adams) 3rd
RISING FLOOD, tr/dr Stuart Rothacker, 3:46.4/2:09.0, 12 yds; Caricature (dr Don Dove) 2nd; Dela Pride (dr George Gath) 3rd
New Zealander Waitaki Hanover won well for Peter Wells; Grand Final second emergency Future Raider won the second consolation by five yards while fellow Victorian Rising Flood took out the third consolation.
The Melbourne Trotting FFA was won by Shellgrit (NSW) for Alf Phillis by two yards from Victorian Rio with Gramel third a further yard back.
Minuteman’s breeder/trainer/driver ER (Eric) Hurley, Broadview, South Australia part owned him with JM Hurley and Miss Phyllis Hurley. He was by colonial stallion Field Battery (Springfield Globe/Question Time by Royal Again), a son of 1939 Interdominion Grand Final winner Springfield Globe (Globe Derby/Ayr by Logan Pointer). Field Battery (1949, 2:11.6) was bred by CE McCarthy, NSW. As a sire he left 110 winners who apart from Minuteman were mainly South Australian winners – Classic Quest (Gawler Derby), Princessa/Sweet Angel (SA Oaks), Worooa Chief (Moomba Cup) and broodmare sire of Armchair Ride ((NE & GV Breeders Plate), Gals Time (SA Oaks) and Uncle Remus (1:55.3US, $284,652, SA Breeders Plate).
Minuteman’s dam was Admirer mare Adistar (2:15.0) from Ethelsta tracing back two further generations to Australian foundation mare Ethylin (A103). Adistar carrying Minuteman was sold to the Hurley’s at auction for 18 guineas in 1959. She had an injured jaw the result of a race fall and was not in good condition, hence her bargain price. Adistar’s paternal pedigree also contained Globe Derby sire line blood through grand sire Robert Derby, a well performed son of Globe Derby. Minuteman’s pedigree therefore had a doubling up of Globe Derby blood within his first four generations. Minuteman’s half-sister Ballon D’Essai (Modulation) won a SA Breeders Plate while unraced half-sister Big Olga (Scholarship) left Globe Derby FFA winner Eternal Spring and Worooa Chief (SA Christmas Cup, VIC Moomba Cup).
Over the space of eight seasons Minuteman was the winner of thirty races, this included being one of South Australia’s leading three year olds although hindered by injury sustained at two. Victories at three included the SA Sires Produce Stakes, St Leger and Guineas. Apart from the Pacers Grand Final, his four year season contained further victories at the Melbourne Showgrounds including the Hunter Cup (beating Robin Dundee, Angelique, Tactile) and VTC Invitation for four year olds. The following season he achieved victories in Wayville FFA’s and Strathalbyn Cup in South Australia. A second Hunter Cup off 12 yds in 1966 as a six year old was reward for a fine season as Minuteman took out the SA Cap and VIC Coles Stores Cup at the Melbourne Showgrounds. Standing his first season at stud in 1967 due to suffering a fractured sesamoid bone he returned to racing two years later winning a FFA at the Melbourne Showgrounds as a ten year old before finally retiring to stud in 1970. He was never able to be over raced due to a career long troublesome fetlock joint.
Minuteman proved a more than handy sire leaving eighty one winners that included Freedom Day (Moomba/Bendigo Cups) and as a broodmare sire, leaving one more winner than as a sire – his eighty two credits included Atlantic Sunset (42 wins, 1:52.0US, $310,940), Jamyan Prince (1:56.9, $158,139), Morgan (34 wins, 1:59.3, $149,540, TAS Easter/Mildura Cups).
Peter Craig
12 December 2018
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