Great Harness Horses 1960-1980
ALECANE
Over the years there have been a few ‘vintage years’ for foals, 1968 for example produced Hondo Grattan, King Frost, Bold Biami, Nicotine Prince, Adios Victor, Jason King, Annastere, Simpsonic and Lucky Variety. As good as this group was, however, there was another crop that was, in my opinion, even better, and that was the 1966 crop. This group included Welcome Advice (49 wins) James Darren (41 wins), Monara (37 wins), Alecane (44 wins), Globe Score (42 wins), Bay Foyle (35 wins), Canu Bay (44 wins, plus Never Say Die and Dillon Light. Between them this group of top class pacers won 4 ID heats and a Final, 4 HP Cups, 2 AG Hunter Cups, 2 Kilmore cups, 2 Lady Brooks Cups, 1 SATC Cup, an Italian cup, Melb. Pacing Ch’ship, Miracle Mile, Vic. Derby, NSW Derby, SA Derby an Australasian 4yo Ch’ship and many, many more top class races ….quite an impressive result. This story is about one of them, the very talented Alecane
While Alecane never reached the dizzy heights that were attained by Welcome Advice or James Darren, he was STILL a wonderful horse and if awards were given for consistency then he would be the recipient.
Alecane had his first start as a 2yo at Penrith on 2-11-68, running 2nd to Trotsky. A week later he ran 2nd again, still at Penrith, in the Kindergarten Stakes, to Dusky Sam. Six weeks later he had his 3rd start, winning at Parramatta by 20 yards and a week later won again, this time at Penrith off 12 yards. For his 5th start he travelled to headquarters, HP, and ran 2nd and a week later on 14-2-69 ran 3rd in a heat of the Youthful Stakes behind James Darren. In the final the following week he finished 2nd to the same horse beaten 5 yards. On 6-3-69 he ran 2nd in the Champagne Stakes at Hawkesbury and at his next start ran 5th, from 24 yards, behind the smart Kiwi Lad.
Back to HP on 24-4-69 for an easy win in a 2yo event and the following week won his heat of the Sapling Stakes. In the final the following week he was 2nd, again to James Darren, with Canu Bay 3rd and two weeks later he was in Melbourne for the Victorian Sapling Stakes. In his heat he ran 2nd to Globe Score with Welcome Advice 3rd and in the final ran 4th behind Never Say Die who broke the track record rating 2-7. Back up to HP on 27-6-69 for a nose 2nd to Globe Score in a heat of the 2yo Challenge Stakes and the following week ran 2nd (AGAIN!)in the final to Bay Foyle with James Darren 3rd. It was his last start for the season and his 2yo record was 16 starts for just 4 wins and 9 seconds!
Given a 5 months spell he resumed on 8-12-69 at Bankstown winning first up as a 3yo. This was the beginning of six consecutive wins, the second being at Penrith 3 days later. His 3rd win was at Bankstown on 22-12-69 and win number 4 was at Penrith 9 days later. On 9-1-70 he raced at HP and ‘bolted in’ win number 5 by 25 yards from the very talented Royal Garrison and 6 days later he won at Penrith by 10 yards. Travelling to Canberra for the A.C.T. Derby on 7-2-70 he suffered his first defeat as a 3yo, running 2nd to Canu Bay, but bounced right back winning his next 5 in a row. The first of these was at Bankstown on 16-2-70 where he easily accounted for Chaperone and 6 days later won at Penrith. Then he went to Hawkesbury to easily account for Loyal Flight and on the 12-3-70 easily won the Hawkesbury Derby rating a very fast 2-5 4/5. Two nights later he was in Melbourne winning his heat of the Victorian Derby beating Globe Score but the following week
only ran 5th in the final to Welcome Advice. Back up at Bankstown on 6-4-70, he ran a race record beating the very talented Kiwi Lad by 20 yards and 4 nights later won his Qualifying at HP after starting at 1-7.
On 17-4-70 he ran 4th in a heat of the NSW Derby, behind Monara and 2 weeks later ran 4th in the R.C.Simpson Sprint behind James Darren. On 22-5-70 he ran 3rd in a heat of the Southern Cross Stakes behind James Darren and the following week in the final ran 2nd to Bonnie Frost with Welcome Advice 3rd. It was his last start as a 3yo. His second season of racing saw 19 starts for 13 wins and 3 placings.
Resuming as a 4yo five months later, he won first up at HP on 9-10-70 and six days later won a FFA at Hawkesbury after starting at 4-9. His 3rd start for the season was another win, this time a heat of the Rising Generation Championship at HP on 3-10-70 and on the 10-11-70 he won the final, also at HP. He could only finish 5th behind Bay Foyle in the A’sian 4yo Championship at HP on 20-11-70 but the following week won the Consolation from Tug Smoke and Kiwi Lad. Six days later at Penrith he won a FFA before finishing 3rd to Bay Foyle and Kiwi Lad in a 4yo challenge at HP. He then won a FFA at Bankstown, ran 2nd in a FFA at Fairfield, won a Wyong FFA and then won a Lithgow FFA.
On 23-4-71 he won his heat of the 4yo Futurity at HP beating Welcome Advice, but in the final the following week ran 3rd to Bay Foyle. He then travelled to Menangle to win the Campbelltown Cup easily, despite his 24 yard handicap. He then raced at Penrith, easily winning a FFA before winning an Invitation at HP at 4-9. At his last start as a 4yo, on 7-6-71, he raced at Parramatta off 24 yards, started at 1-4, and beat, by 18 yards, the talented Hard To Get. As a 4yo Alecane had 18 starts for 14 wins and 3 placings. In his first 3 seasons of racing, Alecane had 53 starts for 31 wins and 16 placings, which means he was placed in almost 87% of his races for this period against possibly the best crop of 2 and 3yo’s ever to race against each other. He also became the first Australian horse, standardbred or thoroughbred, to win more than 30 races before he reached 5 years of age
Given a 4 month break, he resumed on 30-10-71 in a Cessnock FFA which he won from Flash Adios and a week later won a very strong Fairfield FFA beating Brand New and Rocket Glenfern. Up to Newcastle where he ran 2nd and on 20-12-71 he won a Parramatta FFA. He then finished 7th at HP before travelling to Melbourne for the A.G.Hunter Cup. In the first set of heats on 29-12-71 he finished 6th to Globe Score but 3 nights later won a heat beating Bold David and Nicotine Prince. In the final on 8-1-72 he was beaten a 1/2 head by Dixie Boy. Two weeks later he won the Cannonball Stakes at HP equalling the Australian record rate (standing start) of 2-3-2/5. He then ran 2nd in a HP FFA before beating Kiwi Lad in a Fairfield FFA. At his next start he ran 5th in the, now infamous, 1972 Australia Day Cup, won by Harwood Brigade who was later disqualified and the race given to Welcome Advice. He next won a Menangle FFA then set a race record winning a Bankstown FFA
before next winning a HP FFA. He then travelled to Queensland for the 1972 ID series at Albion Park. On 20-5-72 he won his first heat beating the very attractive pied horse, Karamea Snow and Kiwi Lad, then ran 4th to Deep Court and in the final set of heats ran 2nd to Monara. In the final he couldn’t handle the slushy track and finished 9th behind Welcome Advice who ‘grew a leg’ in the wet going! It was his final start as a 5yo. His 5yo season had 19 starts for 10 wins and 4 placings.
He resumed as a 6yo five months later at Bankstown in a FFA which he won, followed by a win in a Lithgow FFA and then won at Penrith on 22-11-72. With 3 wins from as many starts connections decided to travel to W.A. for the W.A. Pacing Cup. In the first set of heats on, 16-12-72, he finished 10th to Roscott, then 4th to Local Product and 2nd, in the last set of heats, to James Eden. Failing to qualify for the final, he ran 4th in the Consolation to Coolup Way. He came back home and ran 2nd to Welcome Advice in a HP FFA on 9-2-73 and then competed in Hondo Grattan’s ID series at HP. On the first night he ran 8th behind Manaroa then 2nd to Bill Barry and 3rd to James Eden. He then lost all form and finished 8th, 5th, 3rd, 7th, 4th and 9th at his last six starts.
Despite his rather poor 6yo season where he had 17 starts for just 3 wins his full career record reads 90 starts for 44 wins and 25 placings, that’s a 49% win strike rate against the very best pacers of the time for his entire career!
Alecane was by Stormyway out of Tui Scott, one of the ‘gems’ of the broodmares ranks. She was the dam of multiple winners including Silver Halo, Adam Scott, Eva Storm and Sister Storm, but by far her best progeny was her 1970 colt by Dale Axworthy, Don’t Retreat. Don’t Retreat was the 1976 Harness Horse of the Year and won 55 of his 113 starts, a 49% win strike rate, just like his ‘little brother’ Alecane! Included in those 55 wins were victories in the Qld. Derby, R.C.Simpson Sprint, Winfield Cup, W.A.Pacing Cup, HP Spring Cup, Sir Clive Uhr Championship, Italian Cup, Pacific Coast Pace and 2 Australia Day Cups. This was one VERY classy racehorse and will be the subject of a future story when I get to his timeframe.
By Jim Hogan
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
