In the August and September 2015 editions of HARNESSED (NZ), the two part article on “The Mobile Barrier That Changed Race Starting”, primarily looked at the introduction of the mobile starting gate to tracks in New Zealand nearly sixty years ago.
This two part article will look at the development of the mobile starting gate in North America, New Zealand and Australia. As will be seen, controversy existed in both NZ and Australia when mobile starts were introduced.
North America –
The original inventor of the mobile gate in 1937 was Steve Phillips, a veteran starter with many years experience on USA Grand Circuit, eventually honoured for it. Phillips idea came after watching movie cameramen shooting head – on shots of races from the back of a moving truck. He used an automobile equipped with a barrier behind which horses moved rapidly and equally to the start where the car would speed away leaving the horses to begin their race. His concept of the mobile gate still applies today with the starter calling for horses to line up according to their barrier positions behind the numbers on the mobile arm. The starter sits in the rear of the mobile vehicle facing the gate and the horses. The vehicle driver simply steers during this operation with acceleration under the control of the starter who ensures the gate arms which are closed speeds away at release point, the driver steering to the outside of the track. It is the starter’s responsibility to ensure all horses leave in line from their designated starting position and in gait.
Agreement was reached that the fairest method of starting a race was for all horses to move off together as one but how best could this be achieved? A variety of mechanical inventions were tried in the early 1940’s going by names such as the Phantom Barrier (wings disappeared in telescopic fashion), McNamara Barrier and E.M. Smith starting gate (used at Hollywood Park, California) – a barrier of cables stretched across the track controlled from a car running on rails inside the hub rail. All these methods had supporters but Ohio based Steve Phillips was convinced his folding wings mounted on the back of an automobile was the ideal answer, many remained unconvinced.
George Morton Levy, a New York lawyer obtained approval to establish night trotting at Roosevelt Raceway, a one time motor drome at Westbury, Long Island. Racing had been dogged by drivers endeavouring to obtain an unfair advantage by leaving the starting point ahead of others resulting in repeated false starts and recalls. This delayed races often up to half an hour, leaving horses exhausted and frustrating the betting public. In 1946, Levy and his associates invested $40/50,000 of their own money into further developing the Phillips mobile starting gate for regular use. It worked perfectly when tested at Roosevelt in 1946, its use accepted by horsemen and betting public alike for ensuring fair and equal starts. The rest as they say is history.
The original Phillips gate resides in the Hall of Fame and Museum at Goshen, Orange County, New York State.
New Zealand –
Alex Corrigan was an executive member of the NZ Trotting Conference when he visited the United States in 1956, coming home with enthusiasm for the mobile starting gate. However, other Executive members did not share his keenness for introducing the mobile gate in NZ. Instead, he spent £2,500 of his own money fitting out a Land Rover loaned by the Brewer brothers with boosters and hydraulically operated starting gear. The barrier constructed in the Hawera garage of Mortlock & Co was approximately 35 feet in width (two 14 foot arms) when mounted on the back of the jeep. The gate accelerated approximately 15 yards before the starting point and pulled over to the side of the track within 60 yards. After permission was obtained, Corrigan was able to show the local trotting community the benefits inherent in the use of the mobile gate. The first Southern Hemisphere mobile start being at Hawera on 23 April 1957.
Thereafter Corrigan undertook the equivalent of a nationwide tour (at his own expense, time and services) to demonstrate the gate and encourage its use. This necessitated modifications to enable the Landrover to get away more speedily. A larger Landrover of “88 inch wheelbase” was obtained with a “52 brake horsepower” engine boosted by a “Maserati supercharger and twin V8 carburettors. Pump fuel was only 73 octane at the time and No.2 racing fuel of 91 octane was used on race day” (Hawera HRC 1905 – 2005 history). Over the next three years, the mobile was used in 84 races without a false start recorded.
Corrigan’s efforts appeared in vain as administrators and an anti mobile brigade of supporters held forth. It was only after horsemen who had seen the mobile gate in operation in North America and visiting North American officials/horsemen to NZ pleading with administrators to introduce the mobile gate that momentum built to such an the extent that it happened. Great credit is due to Corrigan for introducing the mobile gates to NZ.
Corrigan died in September 1982 aged 86, his original mobile barrier resides in the New Zealand Trotting Hall of Fame building at Alexandra Park.
Prior to the mobile gate, a number of “flying starts” were used, moving-up in line basis ‘in the open’. The most notable of these being at Addington (NZMTC) on opening night of the Easter meeting, Saturday 6 April 1957. The Rattray Stakes, 2:11 class, 1 mile, £1,500, was won by Tactician in 1:59.8 (tr/dr Maurice McTigue). This was the first time a horse had gone under two minutes in a race mile outside of North America. The mobile barrier was still a little way off from being introduced at Addington.
In the early days, the mobile was used only at day meetings and on grass tracks (except Addington 1957) until new all weather tracks were implemented at major tracks late 1950’s – mid 1960’s. It was not until 31 December 1963 that it appears the first mobile starts were held under lights (Canterbury Park meeting at Addington). During the Corrigan gate period, the mobile gate was mainly used in one race per meeting.
Controversy existed in NZ for many years concerning the introduction of the mobile starting gate and the trotting community were divided over the issue. Once fully established, the Auckland clubs embraced the new equipment and a large number of their events began using the mobile dispatch. Addington on the other hand as with night trotting took longer to react favourably to the mobile – additionally, the speed of introducing the mobile differed between the three clubs utilising Addington Raceway. The North Island clubs adapted to this methodology somewhat quicker than their southern counterparts.
A club by club summary reviewing early use of the mobile gate in New Zealand will be provided in part two of the mobile starting gate story.
Australia –
Harness racing has always been concerned with an appropriate means of starting events to ensure all horses receive equal opportunity at the barrier.
Prior to mobile starts, fields used to move towards the starting point being released by the starter if deemed to be in a reasonable line. On many occasions, this took a number of attempts before considered successful.
Sydney –
A mobile was used for the first time at Harold Park on Friday 2 November 1956 when the Merv Adams trained Mineral Spring (VIC Derby, Hunter Cup, 2 ID heats) defeated Van Hall (NSW Sapling; dam sire of Kotare Kiwi, Trunkey Sting) over a mile in 2:01.2 – a time which stood as a Harold Park race record until Robin Dundee’s Miracle Mile win in 1:59.0 in 1967 (Ribands 1:58.7TT, 27 January 1954). The balance of the £1,000 Invitation Mile field of seven included Young Wexford (NSW Derby), Defiance (WA Pacing Cup), and Mineral Dealer. The mobile barrier was deemed unsafe after two races and it was nine years before a mobile was again utilised at official HP meetings.
In the mid fifties, a Sydney plumber and licensed trainer/driver, G.K. Brown designed the Brown barrier which allowed horses to begin from their handicap positions (unlike North American or New Zealand gates at the time). From 1958, the Brown barrier was demonstrated at Bankstown Gymkhanas and installed at the 13 furlong point at Harold Park for trials. The Brown barrier was criticised for affecting a moving rather than mobile start, this device was however overtaken by later developments.
Newcastle used the Brown barrier at a meeting in September 1962 with horses dispatched from front/limit, 12 and 24 yards in the Local handicap. A different mobile barrier was used at Cowra where General Scott won.
As in New Zealand, controversy raged over the merits or otherwise of the mobile barrier. Those in favour of its continued use included the Breeders President, J.L. Raith and trotting journalist Bill Eascott. The opposition included trainers such as Sutton McMillan and Bert Alley. American journalist Joe Coulter said “Mobile gates have done more for trotting in the United States of America than electric lights” (Greg Brown‘s 100 Years of Trotting). Public support was growing for the reintroduction of the mobile gate. As late as 1973, Harness Horse reported that a survey of leading drivers found that “while they supported mobiles with reservations, they all preferred standing starts” (Greg Brown‘s 100 Years of Trotting).
A prototype hydraulically operated mobile gate designed by William (Bill) George Smith was introduced into NSW in 1963. Smith was a Sydney motor body builder and harness racing enthusiast. His gate resembled the original American Phillips gate. It was first used successfully in 1965 according to the Sydney Morning Herald after months of testing at Sunday gymkhanas, shows and trials in 1964 and 1965. Following trialling at Harold Park, the Smith barrier was approved for its first race night use on Friday 21 May 1965. Raced over 9½ furlongs, Tarcoola driven by Alf Phillis prevailed over Flaming Star and Double Adios in a MR of 2:03.8 (compare to Mineral Spring’s 2:01.2 nine years earlier). Tarcoola started from the outside barrier draw of six.
Two weeks later, the second mobile winner from the Smith (and Martin) barrier was Dales Gift, MR 2:08.4 on a wet track with the mobile gate having difficulty clearing the field due to the track conditions. By the end of 1965 mobile starts had become a feature of every meeting.
In 1966, the Lightning Invitation Mile became the forerunner to Craven Filter Miracle Mile. In a field of six, four of whom were mares (Rachel McGregor, Scottira, Flaming Star, Little Maori who did not start), Rachel McGregor won from Scottira after leading all the way.
The following year 1967 (3 March) was the first running of the now time honoured Miracle Mile, won by champion NZ mare Robin Dundee in a new Harold Park and Australian mares record of 1:59 – the first time two minutes had been beaten in a race in Australia. The field of six again contained classy mares in Rachel McGregor, Angelique from Victoria, New Zealand’s Robin Dundee plus Tongue Twister, Southern Song and Rocky Star (NZ). The opening half was run in 59 seconds, coming home in an even minute. Robin Dundee was driven by Robert Cameron. Clips of this race and other Miracle Miles are available to view on you tube.
Robin Dundee (NZ Oaks, NZFFA, ID Pacing Final/dead heated with Jay Ar, Auckland Cup, Miracle Mile), NZ Hall of Famer, ran second to Cardigan Bay at Freehold Raceway in September 1968 when Cardigan Bay became a millionaire.
While Robin Dundee was the first to break two minutes in the Miracle Mile, less than fifty years later, we now have the 1:50 barrier being beaten, albeit on the far larger 1,400m Menangle circuit – Christen Me in winning the 29 November 2014 running of the Miracle Mile recorded 1:49.1. Smoken Up’s 1:48.5 (30 April 2011 – Len Smith Mile), Adore Me’s world class 1:47.7 on Interdominion Grand Final day (1 March 2015) in the Ladyship Mile and Have Faith In Me‘s 1:47.5 2016 Miracle Mile performance, are other significant feats recorded behind the mobile gate in Sydney.
Perth –
Gloucester Park first used the mobile gate on Monday 24 May 1958, the winner being the unruly Edward Scott. Following little use, the mobiles services were dispensed with until its reintroduction on 15 January 1972 with the running of the inaugural 1972 Mount Eden Mile won by Roscott (Fremantle Cup) in 1:59.2 (dr. L. Lindau).
Melbourne –
Mobiles proved popular at the small Melbourne Showgrounds track using equipment originally obtained from Sydney.
Their first ever mobile event and only one on the programme took place on Saturday 25 January 1958. The Flying Six over Nine FFA for £750 pounds over nine furlongs was won by G Staintons Crown Law, scr (dr : J Barron jnr), with Caduceus, scr (Vassallo) second and Gentleman John, scr (E Rothacker) third. The balance of the field was made up of Cari Bar, scr (G Gath) (4th), Argent, scr (W McKay) (5th), Fine Finish, scr (G Rothacker) (6th). Margins: 3yds v 4yds Time: 2m 26 3/5 (MR: 2m 10 2/5). Note: Crown Law defeated Caduceus three times at successive meetings (Result info courtesy of John Peck, Melbourne).
Post script : Harness Racing Victoria scrapped standing starts for pacers from the commencement of the 2016/17 season (1 September 2016).
Tasmania –
Launceston first used the mobile on Saturday 18 March 1961 (Elphin Raceway, operated 1913 until Tasman Park opened in 1987) with the first race being the Maiden Stakes over 10 furlongs 84 yds. The winner was Mighty Lawn (dr. S.J. Hall), owned/trained by K.C Wickham. Hobart had to wait a further eight months before using the mobile at Saturday 4 November 1961 meeting.
Brisbane –
Albion Park’s inaugural programme at its night meeting on Saturday 7 September 1968 incorporated its first mobile event – Qualifying Stakes over 10½ furlongs won by Curly Adios (dr S. Zammitchs) in 2:09.1MR.
Adelaide –
Its appears that the first mobile events held at Globe Derby took place on Saturday 26 January 1974 – R4 Invitation Trot over 1610m was won by Touch Merchant (Australian Trotting C/S, Dullard Cup), driven by G. Wilson while R6 Gough Hcp (20MS Pace) Eternal Spring driven by C. Webster won in a 1:17.9MR.
Part two – will provide a brief club by club summary reviewing the early use of the mobile gate in New Zealand. A look at the use of mobiles during Interdominion Championships will conclude this article.
Peter Craig
27 September 2016
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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