Great Harness Horses 1960-1980
ADAPTOR
Adaptor was another one of the many Australian, and NZ, harness horses sold to America during the 1960’s and 1970’s. It almost seemed a forgone conclusion that when we got a ‘good one’, the dollars would start flowing in from the USA until a sale was made. Consequently we never got to see these horses reach their peak in this country, and often they never adapted ‘over there’. Adaptor was one of those.
He had his first start, as a 2yo, at Echuca on 3-1-66 finishing unplaced to Valley Reveller, but won his next three 2yo races. The first of these was at Geelong 8 days later. He started at 3-1 and beat High Law by 50 yards with Specie 3rd. Three weeks later he started off 12 yards in a 2yo event at Stawell and won again and on the 23rd of July he had his final 2yo race at Bendigo. Off 24 yards, he started at 2-1 and rated 2-8 1/5 beating Robert Eden by a narrow margin. Three wins in four starts as a 2yo was a good beginning for a horse who was ultimately to be acclaimed Australia’s best horse after winning the Miracle Mile 3 years later.
Adaptor resumed as a 3yo at Ballarat on 16-11-66 and finished 11th behind Richmond Lass but then won his next 4 in a row. The first of these was at Ballarat a week later where he easily beat Glenfern Flyer. One week later he started at HP in a heat of the Sires Produce Stakes and narrowly beat Ardrossan with the rest of the field 30 yards in arrears. The following week he won the final from Sir Eskine. Then down to Shepparton where he won a heat of the Summer Cup but in the final was beaten 2 yards by Mystic Robert. Five weeks later he ran 3rd at Shepparton and the following week ran 5th at the Melbourne Showgrounds in a 3yo cup. On 4-3-67 he lined up in a heat of the Victorian Derby and beat future Inter Dominion winner, Bold David, by just one yard, but in the final the following week he finished 8th to Kelly Kid. He then ran 4th at Geelong behind Bold David before travelling to HP for his last two 3yo starts for the season. On 14-4-67 he won his heat
of the NSW Derby beating Fay’s Mistake but in the final was beaten by Ardrossan. Adaptor finished his 3yo season with 13 starts for 6 wins and 3 placings.
He won first up as a 4yo beating Macaree and Future Monarch, two very good horses, easily in a Maryborough FFA, equalling the track record. He was then beaten in a Melbourne FFA followed by a 10th in the Kilmore Cup before returning to the winners list at Stawell on 10-10-67 in a FFA. He followed that with a 2nd at Ballarat to Lord Setay and then won at Shepparton on 2-11-67. Two weeks later he ran last behind Rocket at Bendigo but he reversed that form at Shepparton on 30-11-67 winning by 40 yards. He then travelled to the Showgrounds again, winning in track record time for 12½ furlongs. Two weeks later he won again at Bendigo before running 4th in an Echuca FFA behind the very speedy Dales Gift. Next he ran 3rd in a Bendigo FFA and followed that with a 2nd in the Shepparton Cup to the brilliant, but ill-fated, Raiarmagh Pool. He won his last 4yo start at the Showgrounds on 10-2-68 beating the very good Tasmanian pacer, Golden Alley, by 30 yards. His 4yo season produced 14
starts for 7 wins and 4 placings.
His last season in Australia was his 5yo term and he opened this with a win in a Melbourne FFA beating the future Interdominion winner, Bold David. Second up he only finished 9th, off 36 yards, in the Stawell Cup, behind Garry Rowan and then, off 36 yards in the Kilmore Cup, finished a very close 2nd to Scottish Fusillier with Cocky Raider 3rd. Adaptor then won his next 7 in a row.
On 19-10-68 he won at the Showgrounds by 20 yards and 4 days later, racing off 24 yards at Geelong, won again setting a new track record for 12½ furlongs. Then he easily won a Bendigo FFA beating Future Intangible and 9 days later won a Ballarat FFA by 20 yards. He then came to HP on 6-12-68 and, off 12 yards in a Quality handicap, beat Twinkle Hanover by 12 yards. Back to the Showgrounds where he won another FFA, beating Future Intangible again by 10 yards. Then on 7-1-69 he lined up in the Bendigo Cup off 24 yards and easily beat Bon Adios and Garry Rowan. Four nights later he raced in the A.G. Hunter Cup but could only finish 5th to the Tasmanian, Golden Alley. A week later he won a flying mile at the Showgrounds setting a new track record of 2-0 2/5.
He then came back to Sydney for the Summer Cup but was beaten a head by Cocky Raider. On 14-3-69 he had his last start in Australia winning the Miracle Mile in 1-59 1/5 beating Twinkle Hanover and Viking Water. He was then sold to American interests for a reported $120,000 and a $75,000 contingency. It was, at the time, the largest amount paid for an Australian harness horse. In his 5yo season Adaptor had 14 starts for 10 wins and his career record (in Australia) was 45 starts for 26 wins.
During the rest of 1969 he had 9 starts in the USA for 2 wins and 2 placings, his fastest win being in a career best 1-58 1/5. In 1970 he had 12 starts for 3 wins and 5 placings, and in his final year, 1971, had just 1 start for nil result. Adaptor was then retired to stud duties in the USA.
Adaptor was just one of many very good Australasian horses who went to America nearing their best, but failing to adapt to the ‘American’ way of racing.
By Jim Hogan
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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