by Graham Fischer
The Sugars named is successfully etched into Australian harness racing.
Today it is Greg and Kylie who are in the form guide, before them it was their father Ross, a champion and world record holder, and before him, the patriarch Len who started the family on a 70-year involvement in the sport.
Len Sugars, 92, is in the SA Hall Of Fame while Ross was named a Living Legend of Australian Harness Racing in 2015.
Sugars drove his first winner in 1948 but it was in the 1960s and early 70s at Wayville that his stable became a household name. That success followed the family to Globe Derby Park and now the family’s involvement is in Victoria.
Despite his age, Sugars and his family are looking forward to a family get-together at Harness Racing South Australia’s Retro Night at Wayville on Friday, October 27.
“They were exciting days,” Sugars said. “The atmosphere was electric with the crowd encompassing the track and they always made plenty of noise.
Sugars said the turning point of his career was a horse called Van Nut.
“He won about 26 races and really set up my stable and I’m sure someone was looking over me when he came about,” he said.
“I wanted to breed a horse by Van Derby out of a Raider mare so I advertised in the paper for a suitable mare and a Mrs McIntosh answered my call with a mare called Nell’s Choice.
“When Van Nut was only 22 months old he won seven trials at Klemzig and Campbelltown under the name Sonross.
“For some reason when I tried to name him Sonross it wasn’t allowed and when I took him to the races he was called Van Nut. His first start was at Kapunda and we got 40/1 because very few knew he had trialled as Sonross.
“He was a brilliant beginner and led easily and coming to the home turn he was set for an easy win but in those days the track sloped away and with the dip he struck himself, galloped and finished fourth.
“Lloyd Webster won the race and on pulling up asked me what had happened. He knew the horse was Sonross and had backed him at the long odds.”
Van Nut went on to become one of SA’s best pacers and his wins included the 1965 Easter Gift, 1966 Gawler Cup and the Minor Derby Free For All the same year.
Sugars also drove Laradoc in Richmond Lass’ 1969 Inter Dominion win at Wayville.
“Laradoc was trained by Jack Caldow, John’s father, and he sent her across and we won a heat of the Inter Dominion before finishing unplaced in the final. In her heat win she reared at the start and nearly tipped me out but was still good enough to come down, hit her gear, lead and win.”
But a career highlight for Sugars is the introduction to race driving of his son Ross.
“I drove a horse called Perkandi at Wayville back in November 1977 and he was a 6/4 favourite and I was happy to sit three wide waiting to make a run but another driver came up four wide and put me in a pocket,” Sugars said.
“I leant across and tried to push him out of the way. After the race, the stewards called me in and asked me what happened and were going to give me a two-year disqualification.
“I told them I was driving the red hot favourite and anyone who came outside me had ulterior motives and they said because I was so honest they only gave me a three-month suspension. I said that was okay because my son Ross had a permit to drive and could start driving.
“The following Saturday Ross had three drives – Red Score, Hallett and Perkandi – and they all won. It is a world record that still stands for a driver to win at his first three drives, all on a city track and as a B grade licenced driver.”
Sugars is looking forward to going back to Wayville and his family has already booked a dining package for the night.
Greg Sugars is one of the invited drivers for the night’s racing while Len and Ross and their families will be happy to ‘drive’ from the grandstand.
In an amazing co-incidence, the Wayville Retro Night, Friday, October 27, is the birthday of Sugars’ late wife Shirley so there it is certain to be an emotional evening.
Tickets for the Wayville meeting are now available via www.ticketek.com.au
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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