Great Harness Horses 1960-1980
ROCKET GLENFERN
Rocket Glenfern was a bay horse trained and driven throughout most of his career by Joe Ilsley.
He had his first start on 1-1-70 in a 2yo event at Rocklea, winning first up by just a nose with a 2-25 1/2 mile rate. He would never go that slow again. Brought straight down to Sydney after his first up win, he had his second start at Penrith 2 weeks later, running 7th to Royal Nibble but 5 days later beat that same horse at Menangle. He started at 33-1 when he won but would never start at these odds again during the rest of his racing career. Three nights later he had his first start at HP, running 2nd to Titian’s Princess. Two weeks later he ran 4th to Flying Dream and a week later ran 5th in a heat of the Youthful Stakes. On 17-2-70 he started off 24 yards at Bulli and ran 4th but a week later, off the front at HP, he won beating Flying Dream and Valiant One. In this race he was outside the leader at the ‘bell’, ran to the lead at the 3 furlong mark and won easily. Next up was the heats of the NSW Sapling stakes on 1-5-70. Rearward early,
he raced 3 wide at the bell to go to the front and, once again, won easily. In the final a week later he was 7th at the bell and a long way from the leaders, turned into the home straight still 6th and 5 wide, but absolutely ‘flew’ to win running away. It was to become a habit of his to come from, seemingly, hopeless positions turning into the home straight, but then produce an absolutely devastating final sprint that would, more often than not, take him to victory. The HP crowd absolutely loved it!
Two weeks after winning the Sapling Stakes he lined up in the Edgar Tatlow Stakes. This time he was LAST at the bell, still last and pocketed at the 2 furlong mark but was cleverly extricated from the ‘pocket’ by Ilsley and turned 4 wide into the straight and, once again, showed his devastating last furlong sprint to get up by a head. It was a very popular win. A month later he won his heat of the Challenge Stakes easily and the following week won the final. This was a tremendous victory as he was last, about 40 yards from the leader, turning into the back straight in the final lap, was then taken 5 wide to make his run and produced his, now, customary incredible final sprint, to win running away. It was a very spectacular and popular win. It was also a great way to finish his first season of racing which saw 13 starts for 8 wins, the last 6 in a row.
Given a long spell he didn’t resume until 19-3-71 when he contested, first up, a heat of the NSW Pacer’s Derby, running a close 2nd to Flying Dream. In the final a week later he ran 4th to Royal Ascot. On 23-4-71 he won his first start as a 3yo, beating Royal Nibble at HP. Three weeks later he ran 2nd to Raiarmagh’s Heir, beaten a head, after giving him 12 yards start. Two weeks later he lined up in a heat of the Southern Cross Stakes and easily beat The Swinger and Adios Park, but in the final a week later was beaten a 1/2 neck by Royal Nibble. A week later at Menangle he ran 2nd again and then headed back to Queensland.
On 3-7-71 he easily won the Queensland Derby after starting at 1-4 and was then invited to ‘go against the clock’ at Albion Park. Despite still only being a 3yo, he set a new track record running 2-0 4/5 for the mile (this was on the OLD AP circuit). That finished his 3yo season with just 7 starts for 3 wins and a new Queensland record.
Given a short 6 week breather, he resumed as a 4yo at Penrith on 26-8-71, winning easily first up. A week later he raced at HP off 12 yards and finished a close 2nd to Bangaroo Flex but the following week, off the front in the Celebrity Sprint, won very comfortably. A week later he raced off 24 yards in a 4yo event and ran 2nd to Bangaroo Flex once again and the following week was narrowly beaten in the Lightning Mile by Brand New. On 28-9-71 he won a FFA on the grass track at Richmond and 3 nights later raced at HP off 24 yards in a 4yo race. Last early, he sprinted 3 wide with a lap to go to lead at the bell and won with plenty in hand. Three days later he went back to Richmond for the Richmond Cup which he won by 14 yards. The next week he won a FFA at Hawkesbury before returning to HP on 22-10-71. He sat outside the leader, raced to the front at the 2 furlong mark and won easily. Next he won a Penrith FFA in record time before being beaten by Alecane
at Fairfield. Back to HP for the Celebrity Sprint, which he won at 4-9 and the following week he lined up in the Australasian 4yo Championship where he finished 4th to Arvilette. On 26-11-71 he won a 4yo Invitation after sprinting very fast at the 2 furlong mark to win easily. The following week HP put on a special 4yo Invitation Challenge to give him, and others, the chance to turn the tables on Arvilette. This was a top class field but Rocket Glenfern was well up to the challenge. With 3 furlongs to go he was still 20 yards off the leader but Ilsley then sprinted him very fast, 3 wide, to beat Arvilette and Just Too Good. It was a very popular win with the crowd who sent him out a 4-5 favourite.
On 30-12-71 he won a FFA at Hawkesbury beating the very speedy Celevale Van and 5 nights later won a similar event at Bankstown beating Celevale Van again. An out of character last at HP in the Cannonball Stakes was followed by a 4th to Polo Breeze. On 4-2-72 he raced in the Australia Day Cup, running 2nd to Welcome Advice, but the following week produced his customary sharp sprint in the straight to come from 5th, 5 wide, to win running away. Five weeks later he started off 12 yards in the Munich Cup at HP, went around the field early to lead, and was never headed, beating the NZ star stayer, Manaroa, by just a head. It was his last race win. He ran 2nd in a FFA at his next start behind Manaroa but was then unplaced at his last 4 starts for the season. As a 4yo Rocket Glenfern had 28 starts for 15 wins.
He didn’t start for another 9 months and at his only 5yo race ran 8th behind Glamour Chief. He then suffered leg problems and was retired to stud. Unfortunately Rocket Glenfern only had a very short stud career as he was found dead in his stall 9 months later, believed to have died from colitis.
His career record reads 50 starts for 26 wins, better than a win every second start. He endeared himself to the HP crowd with his withering final sprints, often from ‘impossible’ positions on the home turn, to win running away, more often than not. He was a crowd favourite in Sydney but his leg problems robbed him of, possibly, his best racing years.
By Jim Hogan
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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