Great Harness Horses 1960-1980
TWINKLE HANOVER
Twinkle Hanover was a gelded son of Garrison Hanover from Twinkle Hall, trained by H.Riley and owned and driven by well known New Zealander, Robert Cameron.
Unraced at 2, Twinkle Hanover first faced the starter as a 3yo at Bankstown on 20-6-67, winning by 3 metres from Thunder Wise. Three weeks later he won again, this time at Menangle, running a race record to beat Duncan Mack by 3 metres. Three days later he lined up at HP in a 3yo event but was beaten 1½ metres by Lucky Oscar. Seven days later he had his final 3yo start for the season, once again at HP, and this time won by 10 metres from Jaygo. His 3yo season had 4 starts for 3 wins and a second.
He next raced 3 weeks later at Menangle, as a 4yo, and beat Silver Strike by 4 metres. A month later he won again at Menangle beating Stainless Steel by 9 metres. Nine days later he won his third consecutive race as a 4yo, this time at Penrith and a month after that won again at Penrith beating Cream Beauty by 3 metres. On the26th October he raced again at Penrith but this time could only finish second to First Glow. Five days later he bounced back by beating Quiretia at Menangle after starting at 1-5. It was the seventh consecutive time he had started as an odds on favourite. On 14-11-67 he ran 3rd at Menangle to Casey Jones and was then sent for a spell.
Resuming on 1-3-68 he won first up at HP beating future champion mare, Teeny Rena, by a half a head and starting, once again, as an odds on favourite. A week later he ran second to Corale Oaks, at HP, after giving that horse 10 metres start, with Teeny Rena third. Three weeks later he won at Bankstown and a week after that returned to HP to easily beat Silent Comet after starting at 1-4. He then ran unplaced for the first time in 16 lifetime starts when he finished 7th to Shake Up at HP and a month later he fell in a race at HP won by Silent Comet. Showing no ill effects from his fall he won at Menangle 11 days later and then returned to HP and won a heat of the Rising Generation Championship beating Spiderweb. In the final, 14 days later, he started 1-1 favourite but finished a nose second to Silver Shayne.
Back to Menangle, on 25-6-68, for a win from Calm Variety and he then ran 3rd, at HP, to Sportfolio. A week later he ran 2nd to Allegiance Son, beaten just half a head. Four days later he won again at Menangle beating Camforlaurie before running 8th to Daninas at HP. That was his last 4yo start and his season record was 21 starts for 12 wins and 6 placings.
He resumed 4 months later on 15-11-68 and started at 20-1 in a heat of the Rising Generation Championship at HP, was off 20 metres, and was narrowly beaten by the classy Stormy Waters with Glen Garry third. Two weeks later he won the final beating Stormy Waters and Camforlaurie. A week later he ran 2nd to the very classy Adaptor at HP and then returned to his favourite track, Menangle, for the Menangle Cup. This attracted a top class field and he was handicapped on 10 metres. Showing his class he beat the very talented Cocky Raider with Corale Oaks third. Three days later he lined up at HP and won again as a 1-2 favourite. A week later he was narrowly beaten by Teeny Rena and then 2 weeks later ran another close second, this time to Smart Fancy. On 10-1-69 he ran his third consecutive 2nd placing, this time behind Billy Adios and a week later ran second AGAIN, this time to Spiderweb after giving him 20 metres start. He then won his next 5 in a row.
On 24-1-69 he started off 30 metres at HP and won easily and a week later was off 20 metres in a faster class event and, once again, won easily, this time beating Billy Adios. The following week he won an Invitation event at HP beating Corale Oaks and Viking Water. He then headed to Adelaide for the 1969 Inter Dominion series. In the first heat he started at 2-7, jumped straight to the front, and led all the way to win easily. By being in front he avoided all the interference that occurred during this race. Bold David, who was to become ID Champion the following year, had the perfect sit behind Twinkle Hanover, but could make no ground when clear. Four nights later he won his second heat and consolidated his position as favourite for the final. Although he won easily he had to survive a protest from the driver of Master Clan after they ‘bumped’ on the first turn. On the third night he broke at the start, and then met some interference when threading his
way through the field, but still finished on for 4th and qualified for the Final.
30,000 people crammed the course on 1-3-69 for the Grand Final. Twinkle Hanover, equal favourite at 7-2, began brilliantly from his second row draw and raced up early to try and lead, but ended up outside the leader, the other equal favourite Adios Court, who refused to hand up to him. With two laps to go Bold David made his move three wide and Twinkle Hanover went with him, while Richmond Lass sat on his tail throughout the race getting the ‘soft’ run. With a lap to go Richmond Lass came out and challenged for the lead eventually getting there on the home turn and won easily with Twinkle Hanover battling on into 3rd spot.
Six nights later, Twinkle Hanover won again at HP this time beating Sister Ede and Ringo. Two weeks later he lined up in the Miracle Mile, started at 6-1, and finished 7 metres second behind the flying Adaptor. Two weeks later he lowered one of the longest standing records in Australian pacing. Off 10 metres in the one mile standing start Tornado Stakes, he won rating 2-4, thereby breaking Uncle Joe’s 16 year old record. Ringo was second with Viking Water third. A week later, off 20 metres in an Invitation event, he could only finish 8th behind Teeny Reena, the horse that ‘made’ Brian Hancock. One week later, off 10 metres in the Easter Cup, he finished 7th to the same horse. It was his last start in Australia as he was then sent to America to race. As a 5yo in Australia he had 21 starts for 10 wins and 8 placings. For the rest of 1969 Twinkle Hanover had 8 starts in the USA for just 1 win, in 2-1. He died suddenly towards the end of the year.
Twinkle Hanover’s full Australian record was 46 starts for 25 wins and 15 placings, an excellent result, and he could have gone on to bigger and better things but for his departure overseas and then his early demise. He was another horse we ‘lost’ just as he reached his peak.
By Jim Hogan
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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