Next month sees the fiftieth running of two significant Group One races on the NZ Harness Racing calendar, NZ Trotting Championship (Gp1) at Addington in early April and the NZ Messenger four year old Championship (Gp1) at Alexandra Park later in April. The two year old Welcome Stakes (Gp2) celebrates its seventy fifth edition.
Welcome Stakes –
The inaugural running took place during the 1942/43 season at Addington. It is the second oldest established major two year old race on the NZ calendar after the Sapling Stakes (established 1919) obtaining Group One status for a number of years (1980 – 1981; 2007 – 2011) before reverting to its current Group Two level.
Run under the auspices of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, the Welcome Stakes has always formed part of the Easter carnival (March or April), with exceptions being when it was held as part of the Interdominion carnivals in 1951/1961/1971 (February); 1979 (March) and 2003 (April).
It was first run at night under lights on 18 April 1992 (previously run either on Easter Cup Saturday or Interdominion Grand Final day meetings). The distance for this event has not altered much over the years, run over 1¼ miles (1943 – 1973, except 1945, best time Golden Moose, 2:39.4, 1973); 1 mile 1945 Sprayman 2:11 .4; 2000m (1974 – 1989, best time Trident 2:35.0, 1985); 2000m mobile (1990 – 1998, best time Courage Under Fire 2:26.5, 1998) and 1950m mobile since 1999 (best time Alta Orlando, 2:21.0, 2014).
The inaugural winner of the Welcome Stakes (£600) run during the Second World War on 17 April 1943, was Acropolis (Dillon Hall/Seaworthy gelding) defeating Bel Hamed and Imperial Lady by head, neck, 2:50 1/5. His dam also left Heliopolis, an Otahuhu Cup winner. Acropolis was owned by TJ Atkinson (Secretary Canterbury Owners and Breeders Association) who had purchase him for £50 from his breeder William Clent. He was trained/driven by leading horseman Roy Berry, Yaldhurst who completed a treble of wins on Easter Saturday with Pacing Power winning the Easter Handicap and Fantom Trotting Stakes.
In addition to the Welcome Stakes, this classy youngster also won the Sapling Stakes and GN Derby. After these classic wins and Atkinson’s death, Acropolis as sold for £700 to Jack Adams, Yaldhurst. As an older horse this noted mud lark added a number of open class events to his resume including CF Mark Memorial, Dunedin Centennial Cup (dr Jack Pringle) defeating Highland Fling (2:06.9, $25,570).
Seven fillies have won this event, the latest being Adios Dream in 1999. Others to achieve this : Sahara Queen (1946), Vivanti (1950), Glint (1955), Violetta (1970), Barbara Del (1971) and Ruling Lobell (1976).
It is hardly surprising that the name Purdon features prominently in both the trainers and drivers rankings. Leading trainer of Welcome Stakes winners is easily Mark Purdon with eleven to date, three each with Grant Payne and Natalie Rasmussen and five on his own account. These eleven winners are : Bogan Fella, Light And Sound, Advance Attack, Ohoka Arizona, Zacharis (Mark Purdon); Highview Tommy, Kotare Mach, Major Mark (with Grant Payne); Alta Orlando, Waikiki Beach, Pacing Major (with Natalie Rasmussen). He has trained the past four winners plus quinella 2014, first four home in 2015 and trifecta 2016. Another significant training feature is that the name Holmes appears on seven occasions throughout the Welcome Stake history : Freeman (FG), Maurice and Alan with two and Freeman (FL) with one training success.
Leading driver Mark Purdon has recorded his six wins piloting Mark Hanover (trained by Roy and Barry Purdon), Bogan Fella, Light And Sound, Advance Attack, Major Mark and Waikiki Beach to victory. Maurice Holmes and Robert Cameron scored five victories while those with four winning drives include Doody Townley, Colin De Filippi and Blair Orange. Neil Pilcher with a share in three winners (2013 – 2015 : Zacharis, Alta Orlando, Waikiki Beach) is the leading owner.
In the breeding barn, leading sires of five Welcome Stakes winners are : Light Brigade (Vigilant, Forward, Scottish Brigade, Bon Ton, Good Chase) and In The Pocket (Christian Cullen, Courage Under Fire, Light And Sound, Advance Attack, Orl Black) while Christian Cullen has four siring credits. On the maternal side Dairy Maid (U30) leads with five winners (Don Ngaree, Violetta, Ruling Lobell, Giovanetto, Ermis) from Bessie B (N2) who has had four winners. Two individual dams have left dual winners of the Welcome Stakes – Coquette (Forward, Vigilant) and Advance Debra (Courage Under Fire, Advance Attack).
Over the 43 years since the introduction of Two Year Age Group Awards in 1974, there have been 15 dual Welcome Stakes/Two Year Old Pacer (10), colt/gelding (4) or filly (1) of the Year winners commencing with champion juvenile Noodlum in 1974. Many fine youngsters have won the Welcome Stakes as a prelude to stellar careers.
This season’s running of the Welcome Stakes will precede Easter weekend when forming part of the Premier meeting ((Pacers/Trotters Derbies, Trotting Championship) to be held on Friday 7 April 2017.
NZ Trotting Championship –
The inaugural running of this open class trotting event took place during the 1965/66 season at Addington. There had been a previous NZ Trotting Championship but it only ran for three seasons (1941 – 43), won twice by Lament and also Gerfalcon. The real predecessor to the Trotting Championship was the Hambletonian – Open Class Trot which ran from 1950 to 1965 when it underwent a name change to NZ Trotting Championship. Both the 1965 and 1966 editions of the trotting Championship consisted of two heats on each of the opening two nights of the Easter carnival with the final run at the Easter day meeting.
This race is now named the Fred Shaw Memorial NZ Trotting Championship, named in honour of Fred Shaw, a steward of Canterbury Park Trotting Club for 28 years when the three clubs raced at Addington. He was the third most experienced lawyer in NZ, holding a practising certificate for 60 years and known as the longest continuous sponsor at Addington. In later years, sharing the sponsorship with Gary Thompson, he made provision for the sponsorship to continue after his death in 2013.
This race has graduated from feature race, to Group Three to Group Two status until obtaining and retaining its Group One status since 2004. It is one of six Group One features for trotters in NZ (Anzac Cup, Dominion Hcp, National Trot, NZ Trotting Championship. NZ Trotting FFA, Rowe Cup).
Run under the auspices of the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club, the Trotting Championship has always formed part of the Easter carnival (March or April), with the exceptions of 1979 when held on fourth and final day/Pacers Grand Final day of that years Interdominions and 1990 when it was first held at night on Thursday evening 25 January (Game Paul). The race was not contested in either 1971 or 2003, both being Interdominion years in Christchurch.
Whilst transitioning back to an Easter Saturday day meeting in 1991, the Trotting Championship has been run under lights since 18 April 1992 – Fraggle Rock (previously run either on Easter Cup Saturday apart from exceptions noted earlier). The distance for this event has not altered much over the years being run over 2 miles (1966 – 1973, best time Light View, 4:17.8 off 24 yds, 1970); 3200m (1974 – 1976, best time Easton Light 4:17.9 off 20m, 1973); 2600m mobile (1977 – 1994, best time Basil Dean, 3:15.3, 1984), 2000m mobile 1995 Diamond Field, 2:29.3 and 2600m mobile since 1996 (best times Master Lavros, 2014 and Monbet, 2016, 3:13.1).
The inaugural winner of the NZ Trotting Championship (£2,000 plus £50 trophy) run on 23 April 1966 (Royal meeting, Queen Mother in attendance), was Mighty Chief (gelding My Chief/Gala Girl) defeating the previous seasons ID Trotting champion Poupette and When by 3l, 2l, 4:18 1/5. Mighty Chief was owned/trained and driven by Leicester (LR) Clark. In addition to the Trotting Championship, Mighty Chief retired from racing after 110 starts at the end of his 13 year old career, winning a further 19 races and placing on 16 occasions. He won a Dominion Hcp, Ordeal Cup twice, Canterbury Park Trotting Cup, NZ Trotting FFA together with several other open class trots, the last of which he registered as an eleven year old in October 1971 in Greymouth’s Victoria Park FFA.
Mighty Chief’s dam Gala Girl won a Waimate Golden Slipper Stakes at two and in 1970 was named Broodmare of the Year. Her progeny included Mighty Chief and
- Fab, 1:59.4US, $149,564, CPTC Winter Cup, National Hcp
- Boy Friend, 2:01.4, $11,440, Kindergarten/Waitaki/Canterbury/Queens Birthday Stakes
- Selwyn Hanover, 2:06.4, $15,390, Queens Birthday/Central Otago Stakes
- Bindy, unraced, dam of Bayi (1:59.3, $138,617), grand dam of Watch Me Fella (1:59,2, $42,545, Forbury Juvenile)
Seven mares have won eight editions of the Trotting Championship since its inception with One Over Kenny the latest in 2009. Other mares to achieve this feat have been : Le Chant (1968), Light View (1970), Tussle (1986), Solar Fire (1999), Allegro Agitato (2004, 2006), Jasmyns Gift (2005). It is notable that Phil Williamson trained mares won three consecutive years in a row (2004 – 2006, driving first two himself) and he was also original trainer of 2009 winner One Under Kenny (trained by Tony Herlihy at time of Trotting Championship victory).
A fifth of the Trotting Championship editions run have been won by dual winners : Nigel Craig (1977, 1978), No Response (1979, 1981), David Moss (1993, 1994), Allegro Agitato (2004, 2006) and Stylish Monarch (2010, 2011).
In the training ranks, Phil Williamson leads the field with four successes in the Trotting Championship (Role Model, Allegro Agitato twice, Jasmyns Gift). Those with three successes are Richard Brosnan (No Response twice, Pompallier) and Tim Butt (Take A Moment, Mountbatten, Vulcan).
Leading driver Ricky May has chalked up six victories in the Trotting Championship to date reining home Highwood, Cedar Fella, Allegro Agitato, Stylish Monarch twice and current Harness Horse of Year Monbet while Phil Williamson, Tony Herlihy and Anthony Butt with three each are next up in the leading driver stakes. Phil Williamson with an interest in two winners of three Trotting Championships is leading owner at present. He part owned Allegro Agitato who he trained to win two championships and drove himself in one of these successes (Ricky May winning driver on other occasion) and part owned Jasmyns Gift that he trained and drove to success with all three victories coming in consecutive years.
In the breeding barn, leading sires with six Trotting Championship winners are Game Pride (Game Pointer, Sir Castleton, Jenner, Highwood, Game Paul, Fraggle Rock)
and Sundon (Allegro Agitato [twice], Jasmyns Gift, Pompallier, One Over Kenny, Master Lavros). On the maternal side Miss Poole (N16 – Rua Kenana, Cedar Fella, Mountbatten) and Phyllis (N74 – Jenner, David Moss twice) lead with three winners each.
Over the 43 years since the introduction of Age Group and other Awards in 1974, there have been numerous dual Trotting Championship/Four Year Old and/or Aged Trotter Award of the Year winners. A good number have been named Trotter of Year in the same season (1974 Easton Light, 1977, 1978 Nigel Craig, 1979 No Response, 1984 Basil Dean, 1991 Sundon, 1993, 1994 David Moss, 2012 I Can Doosit, 2014 Master Lavros, 2015 Stent, 2016 Monbet) while No Response, I Can Doosit and Monbet completed the treble being named Harness Horse of Year in the same season. Many of the winners of the Trotting Championship have won our major trotting races :
Dominion Hcp : Mighty Chief, Easton Light (twice), Philemon, Nigel Craig, Scotch Tar (twice), Basil Dean, Tussle, Sundon, David Moss (twice), Cedar Fella, Take A Moment (three times), Pompallier, Mountbatten, Stylish Monarch, Vulcan, I Can Doosit, Master Lavros (twice)
Rowe Cup : Easton Light, No Response, Sir Castleton, Jenner, Tussle, Highwood, David Moss, Diamond Field, Take A Moment, One Over Kenny (twice), I Can Doosit twice, Master Lavros, Stent, Monbet
while No Response, Sir Castleton, Tussle, Fraggle Rock, Diamond Field, Take A Moment (twice) and I Can Doosit (twice) were Interdominion Trotting champions.
This season’s running of the NZ Trotting Championship will precede Easter weekend when forming part of the Premier meeting ((Pacers/Trotters Derbies, Welcome Stakes) to be held on Friday 7 April 2017.
NZ Messenger –
The NZ Messenger 4yo Championship was first run during the 1967/68 season at Alexandra Park. It is middle leg of the three Group One features for four year old pacers, the others being the Taylor Mile and Harness Jewels Emerald.
The Auckland Trotting Club feature has undergone a series of date changes over the years culminating in its current late April scheduling. Commencing as part of the then Auckland Cup Christmas carnival in 1967, it was not run in calendar year 1971 with a date change to March 1972 where it remained until 1978 before reverting to the December Christmas meeting date (two running’s in 1978 : March and December). The December date was retained until 1986 before a further date change to February 1988 (not run in 1987). Between 1989 and current season, the dates have alternated between March, April and May fixtures.
The distance for the event has altered little over the years being run over 1m and 3 furlongs for 1967 and 1968 (best time Governor Frost, 2:55.4, 1967); 1½ miles (1969 – 1973, best time Tonton Macoute 3:10.0, 1973) and 2700m mobile (1974 – current, best time Sky Major 3:15.6, 2015). The initial Messengers (1967 – 1973) were handicapped standing start affairs, with these years’ winners all starting off 24 yards behind. Between 1978 and 1984, Messenger Trials were held (two heats except for 1984, one only) in the week preceding the running of the Messenger championship final.
The inaugural winner of the Messenger ($2,400) run on 27 December 1967 (second night of three day Christmas carnival), was Australian bred entire Governor Frost (Ike Frost/Princess Daphne) defeating Cingalese and Cheeky by 4l, 2l, 2:55 2/5. Governor Frost’s owner was Charlie Hadley, his breeder was GH Squire of Cannington Cove, trained by Roy Purdon and driven by leading reinsman Peter Wolfenden, Epsom. In addition to the Messenger, this talented youngster had already won the previous seasons GN Derby, Cambridge/Massey Memorial/Northern Challenge Stakes as a three year old and later in his career added the Thames Pacing Cup and an ID heat, finishing fifth in the final after dragging a flat tyre most of the journey (2:05.2, $25,875). In total he won 14 races. Standing at stud in Australia he left 18 winners (1 in 2:00) and was broodmare sire of 12 winners. His dam Princess Daphne also left Miswhip, unraced but whose descendants include
- Grand dam of King Alba, 1:58.4, $98,785, Cambridge Gold Cup, Flying Stakes, QLD Derby heat
- 3rd dam of Black Cam, 1:52.1US, $366,675, VIC Poplar Alm FFA
- 4th dam of NZ Cup winner Gracious Knight (1:59.2, $383,155, NZ/Easter/Manukau Summer Cups), Scoots (1:50.4US, $275,540), Sweet Soky (1:54.0US, $78,748), Galactic Galleon (1:52.1US, $231,748, WA Harvey Cup, Imthemightyquinn Classic)
- 5th dam of Just Gorgeous, 1:59.7, $26,395, Leonard Memorial -2f
Five mares have won the Messenger since its introduction with Mainland Banner being the latest in 2006. Others to achieve this feat : Bewitched (1968), Tempest Tiger (1979) at only her eighth start, Hilarious Guest (1983) and Tupelo Rose (2001).
In the training ranks, it’s not surprising that the Purdon’s feature prominently. Roy and Barry in partnership produced four Messenger winners (Melton Monarch, Christopher Vance, Chokin, Montana Vance) while younger son/brother Mark has three to date (Decision Time. Young Rufus, Auckland Reactor – with Grant Payne).
Leading driver Tony Herlihy has recorded five wins behind Christopher Vance, Chokin, Montana Vance, Pic Me Pockets and Gotta Go Cullen, Dexter Dunn (Mustang Mach, Christen Me, Field Marshal) and Jack Smolenski (Speedy Guest, Tempest Tiger, Ok Royal), often prominent when major Auckland feature races are up for grabs have both reined three Messenger winners. George Noble, Sir Roy McKenzie, Wayne Francis and Ian Dobson all feature as winning owners on two occasions each.
In the breeding barn, leading sire of five Messenger winners is Vance Hanover (Placid Victor, Christopher Vance, Chokin, Montana Vance, Aqua Caliente) while Christian Cullen has four siring credits (Mainland Banner, Gotta Go Cullen, Franco Emirate, Christen Me). On the maternal side Reflection (N34 – Pic Me Pockets, Elsu, Tintin In America) and Brown Lancet (U303 – Speedy Guest, Hilarious Guest, Montana Vance) lead with three winners each.
Over the 43 years since the introduction of Four Year Age Group Awards in 1974, there have been 22 dual Messenger/Four Year Old Pacer (13), horse/gelding (6) or mare (3) of the Year winners. A number of these four year olds were also named Pacer of Year (1977 Stanley Rio, 1985 Roydon Glen, 2004 Elsu, 2006 Mainland Banner, 2009 Auckland Reactor) while all five completed the treble being named Harness Horse of Year. Many fine four year olds won the Messenger before going onto win our major Cup races :
NZ Cup : Stanley Rio, Christopher Vance, Chokin, Mainland Banner
Auckland Cup : Sapling, Roydon Glen, Christopher Vance, Chokin (twice), Young Rufus, Elsu (twice), Mi Muchacho, Gotta Go Cullen, Auckland Reactor,
while Stanley Rio and Elsu were Interdominion Pacing champions.
This season’s Messenger forms part of the Auckland Trotting Club’s Rowe Cup premier night meeting (Rowe Cup, Messenger, GN Trotters Derby, Sires Stakes 2yo Fillies) to be held on Friday 28 April 2017.
Peter Craig
29 March 2017
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
