Three generations of the Edwards family involvement in harness racing covered a period over one hundred years (mid 1880’s to 2008) predominantly in the Canterbury region. In particular, the family boasts a fine record of 41 drives in the New Zealand Trotting Cup over a 67 year period – two wins, four seconds, five thirds and two fourths. To start, we will take a look at applicable portions of the family tree –
Brothers :
BERTRAM (WB) Bert
Daughters of Bert :
NANCY EDWARDS DOD January 1989 aged 91 years
MARJORIE EDWARDS
MANVERS BURTON (ME) Manny DOB 1870 DOD 1921 aged 51 yrs
Sons of Manny :
MANVERS BETHAM (MB, known as “Dil”) DOB 1901 DOD late April/early May 1948 aged 46 yrs
STANLEY ALEXANDER (SA) Stan DOB 1908 DOD mid May 1965 aged 56 yrs
Son of Stan :
MURRAY LANCE (ML) DOB 11 September 1939
BERT EDWARDS
Bert was at the turn of the twentieth century an outstanding horseman and great handler of trotters. The family was one of two that stood out in the early days of trotting in Canterbury – Bert and brother Manny together with brothers William and Charles (Charlie) Kerr between them they won the majority of races at New Brighton, Heathcote, Lancaster Park and Plumpton Park (all pre Addington Raceway). The Edwards brothers during that era also won races at most other venues where trotting meetings were held in New Zealand during that era.
In his familiar Cardinal colours with Black Cap, Bert Edwards compiled a remarkable record of achievements that included :
- winning races at the inaugural meetings at Lancaster Park (Christchurch) and Potters Paddock (now Alexandra Park, Auckland)
- owning/riding the first horse in NZ to better the American standard time of 2:30 for a mile with Yum Yum (2:27½, May 1894)
- owning the first pneumatic tyred sulky ever made in NZ
- breaking NZ trotting records on five occasions
- winning the first NZ Trotting Cup with Monte Carlo
- holding trainer’s, rider’s and driver’s licences continuously from the time they were first issued (over forty years) to the time of his death, a completely clean sheet and no trouble with any club
Edwards was one of the earliest competitors in trotting races held on Lancaster Park, a ground that was given over to football, cricket, hockey and other athletic sports until its demolition following the Christchurch earthquakes of September 2010 and February 2011. Trotting action commenced at Lancaster Park in 1886 continuing until 1899 when the Lancaster Park, Heathcote and Canterbury Trotting Clubs amalgamated becoming the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club – see harnessbred article of 2 January 2019 :
https://baringbloodstock.com.au/new-zealand-metropolitan-trotting-clubs-first-amalgamation/
In 1887 Bert acquired his first trotter a grey gelding called Fidget by thoroughbred stallion Diomedes. Edwards’s father had bred many horses in England and brothers Bert and Manny were riding as soon as they were able. In Christchurch Edwards senior owned an aerated water business and two business rivals were trotting enthusiasts being Henry Mace and Tom Yarr. Edwards’s senior owned a grey mare Kitty who trotted well and often beat the butchers, bakers or trade cart horses.
Bert had mentioned to Christchurch grain merchant William Philpott that he wanted a trotter as good as his father’s and in fact to beat the grey mare Kitty. Philpott’s recommendation was Fidget who had recently won a high jump at Little River and finished third in a hurdle race there. A match race over a course from Christchurch to New Brighton was arranged between Fidget and Kitty, won easily by Fidget. Bert Edwards immediately purchased Fidget facilitating his own entry into the racing game.
In the earliest days, saddle races prevailed and ran over three miles or greater distances with no harness races. When a horse broke stride they had to be turned round towards the inside of the track (rails) so as not to interfere with the other competitors – ‘break and turn’ rule. When harness races were introduced, the break and turn rule was dispensed with as unworkable. At some meetings starting was based on the yards system (no barriers, distances marked on boards) while at others the time method was used.
Fidget’s first start was a “winning” one at Heathcote, but the story behind it is interesting as it ran under the break and turn rule. The following is Bert Edwards’s story :
“I nominated my new purchase for a trotting race that was to be run on the Heathcote Racecourse. The race was won by a horse called Conger, ridden by Alf Keith, a grey horse, Erin, ridden by George Burke, being second, and the stallion, Victor, ridden by Johnnie Rodriques, was third, with Fidget fourth. The race was a regular fiasco. The first horse, Conger, was disqualified for having won a race at the head of the Bays, which was not put on his entry form. Erin was disqualified for turning the wrong way when he broke and Victor was disqualified for galloping along the back of the course and failing to pull up and turn. I finished fourth on Fidget, and had the only ticket on my horse on the totalisator. As there was only first and second money, I did not weigh in and so the race was declared null and void, all moneys being returned, less 10% to the investors. One of the Stewards, the late Mr Barney Hale, came to me, and said,’Well my boy if you had weighed in you would have got the lot.’ That was not a very good experience for a kick-off, was it?”
Fidget’s next start was over two miles on the New Brighton beach where he was defeated by Sly Sam. This resulted in the first three figure dividend in Canterbury when Sly Sam paid over one hundred pounds, there being only one ticket invested on him. Soon afterwards Fidget won a race over three and a half miles on the newly opened New Brighton Trotting Club course. Fidget was followed home by Cock Robin ridden by Charlie Kerr for Dick Sutherland.
On the opening day of the Lancaster Park course which was three laps to the mile, Bert won the club’s first main race with Fidget, the Lancaster Park Time Trot over three miles in saddle with a first prize of 40 sovereigns :
1st: B Edwards “Fidget” 50 seconds Rider: Owner
2nd: D O’Brien’s “Erin” 45 seconds Rider: Owner
3rd: P Howard’s “Malvena” 50 seconds Rider: A J Keith
Time : 9 minutes, totalisator dividend £12/3/-
Bert recalled : “Somewhere about this time the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club was formed, and came out with a programme. Its track was a very small one, being three laps and 40 yards to the mile. I entered Fidget for the principal race, which was a three-mile one. This race he won, going the three miles without a break, the time being 9mins dead. The grey horse, Erin, ridden by the late Dan O’Brien, finished second. Alf Keith, who at that time was considered the champion rider of trotters, was third on a bay mare called Malvina. Fidget, by winning the big race at the Lancaster Park Amateur Club’s inaugural meeting, can I think, claim to be the first winner of an open race this club held. The club’s first race was a maiden event, all off the one mark, and was won by the late David Barnes, with a bay mare called Winnie.”
Fidget was later sold to George Burke (eventually of Melbourne) who rode Fidget to a NZ record for three miles in eight minutes on the Addington A&P Showgrounds track.
Prior to American stallions reaching these shores the horses had no trotting blood, many of them coming from the Banks Peninsula/Akaroa area where the hill country had a lot to do with making them trot and being great road horses. Many were by thoroughbred stallions e.g. Diomedes left Fidget and stallion Victor, owned by Mr Roderiques, Akaroa, who produced many winners. Touchstone who left many good trotters also stood in the Akaroa district, broodmare sire of Thelma. In those days trainers knew nothing about booting, gearing and gaiting horses and the pacing gait was unknown. A horse inclined to pace wore heavy shoes, often with 9oz to 10oz toe weights to keep them at the trotting gait.
In the early 1890’s, Bert and brother Manny shifted their operations to Auckland spending several years confirming their excellent horsemanship in a region where trotting was well established. At one of the first meetings held Bert had three stable chances and although main hope Black Hawk went lame, he won races with Fair Nell and pony Chuznee. Purchasing 1891 Auckland Cup winner Rarus, by imported sire Fitz James, he won a champion race at Auckland in his first start for Bert. Taken to Christchurch he won several races, including a two mile event at New Brighton recording 5.38 which reduced Kentucky’s two mile record of 5.40.
Bert Edwards was one of a number who claimed to have introduced the pneumatic wheeled sulky into NZ. When he was in the shop of Auckland coach builders Baston Brothers, he was shown an illustration of a pneumatic-tyred sulky in a recently arrived American publication. After having one built and later the afternoon of placing second in the 1892 Auckland Cup with Fairy in a high-wheel cart, he entered Fairy in another harness event trying her out in the pneumatic wheeled sulky. Sparking considerable public interest, one spectator remarked that they were going to see a horse run in a ‘bike.’ A spindle bar broke during the preliminary and Fairy had to be hitched to a high-wheel wooden cart in which she won. After being repaired for the second day of the meeting, the pneumatic sulky was used by Fairy to win the Glasgow Handicap with Edwards claiming the first occasion a pneumatic wheeled sulky was used in NZ.
Another trip to Christchurch followed with Fairy introducing the innovation to southern tracks. Winning her first start defeating Stonewall Jackson in a race at the Canterbury Club’s meeting on the Addington A&P Showgrounds track. Among the merchandise built by the old firm of Bryant & Co, established in 1872 in Papanui Road, Christchurch were “fine carriages, dog carts, gigs, pagnal carts and racing sulkies”. Bryant & Co records kept from its earliest days of production show purchases made by well-known brothers Bert and Manny Edwards.
One of Edwards’ early horses was Australian-bred Yum Yum, by Childe Harold, brought over to win the Auckland and Otahuhu Trotting Cups. Although unsuccessful she was taken to Christchurch and won a mile saddle race off a 25 second handicap. Easily winning the mile in 2.27½ distancing the field by 15 lengths pulling up and getting all the prize money. The first horse in NZ to get within the American standard time of 2.30 at the Canterbury Trotting Club 24 May 1894.
The brothers returned to Christchurch for the better stakes and race conditions than applying in the north (Auckland). Bert established his training property on Avonhead Road, Upper Riccarton from which many good horses emerged including 14yo trotter Monte Carlo with a career defining win in the inaugural NZ Trotting Cup in 1904.
In 1898 the Lancaster Park Club offered a prize for any horse that could better the two mile Australasian record of 4.55 held by John Buckland’s champion trotter Fritz. While several horses entered for the event only Monte Carlo continued with his engagement. In the time trial, Monte Carlo with Free Holmes on galloping pacemaker Salvo Shot trotted the journey without breaking in 4.53, two seconds inside Fritz’s time. Later that afternoon Monte Carlo won the two mile handicap, owned by a fine old sportsman and trotting enthusiast Tom Yarr.
Tom Yarr owned another great trotter in Jessie Palm who was one of the speediest mares of her era. At five handled by Edwards she won both mile saddle races at the May 1900 NZ Metropolitan TC meeting, second one in 2:20. At six she won the 2m Prince of Wales Hcp, main event on the second day of NZMTC’s Easter meeting in 4:43 2/5, a trotter’s record that stood for several years. Later the same season she dead heated in saddle with Viotta in 2m Wellington Trotting Club Hcp off 42 seconds (equates to 450 yds). Later still she confirmed her ability at a Metropolitan meeting when starting from scratch, she ran second to Australian Vasco who went 2.27. Jessie Palm conceded the winner an 11 second handicap and had twenty opponents to pass before trotting the remarkable time of 2:16 1/5. It needs to be noted that the Rothschild trotting mare ran most of her races against pacers. She was in prime condition when accidentally killed running out in a paddock at Fendalton before producing any foals. Edwards credited her with being the best mare he had ever ridden.
The pinnacle of Edwards’s career came with his win in the initial contest of the NZ Trotting Cup in 1904, instituted five years after racing had begun at Addington Raceway in November 1899. The field consisted of Monte Carlo, Norice, Euchre, Vickery, Durbar, Factory Boy, Vascoe, Verax and Royalwood. American-bred mare Norice went off at a great clip but Monte Carlo soon had her measure when it came to the business end of the race.
Bert Edwards had taken over the training of Monte Carlo as an 8yo (from nine horse owned outright by Yarr) and of all the horses he handled the grand old trotter stood highest in public esteem. Monte Carlo won the first NZ Trotting Cup in 1904, one of four NZ Cup drives for Edwards. The Cup stake was 310 sovereigns and took the winner 4:44.4 to cover the two miles on a good track. Aged 14 years old he is the oldest horse ever to win the country’s most prestigious race and with Reta Peter (1920, 1921 Cups) shares the honour of being the only trotters to win the Cup. His Cup victory gave rise to a remarkable demonstration at Addington where ladies showered bunches of flowers on him and before Edwards could get him back to his stall half the hairs had been plucked from his tail as souvenirs.
Monte Carlo was the winner of many races from a mile to two miles, in saddle and harness. His final win came aged 16 at New Brighton, his 25th from 153 starts over 13 seasons mainly at Addington. Monte Carlo was a son of Lincoln Yet (Irvington by Hambletonian 10) from the foundation mare of New Zealand’s leading family Pride of Lincoln (N1), she left nine foals including taproot mare Thelma, matriarch of one of NZ’s most prolific families.
Fine horseman Drum Withers worked for Edwards at his Avonhead Road property on leaving school. Monte Carlo was one of his first charges looking after him when he won the 1904 NZ Cup. Tom Yarr gave a young Withers 10 shillings after the win which he considered very fair treatment. Around the same time Withers was also in charge of George L II who won two races. Spending a period of time with Edwards before moving onto the employ of Robert McMillan and later T Davidson.
Notable achievements by horses trained and/or driven by Edwards included :
- Black Hawk, sent out favourite in 1890 Auckland Cup but refused to trot and pulled up after half a lap
- grey mare Fairy second in 1892 Auckland Cup, later same day won a 2½ mile event, one of three from six starts for season
- Rarus, won five of six starts for owner H Brewer and trainer Bert Edwards in 1892/3 season
- Almont, a champion at turn of century (late 1890’s – early 1900’s) winning six races of which Edwards drove him in two : 1900 Canterbury Cup Hcp, 1901 High Class Hcp
- Vickery, winner of 1904 Zealandia Hcp for J Smithers
- Boldrewood, drove to win 1908 International Hcp, one of 13 NZ wins recorded
Bert Edwards was the leading owner for 1900/01 season with stakes won of £623.
NANCY AND MARJORIE EDWARDS
Bert Edwards’s daughters Nancy and Marjorie re-established Mardella Stud situated in Otahuhu, Auckland first operated by their father as a trotting establishment. They switched the plush Mardella Stud to thoroughbred breeding where they made their mark, successfully standing noted sires Vaals, Dink, Treasure Hunt and Probation. The Edwards sisters nearly became involved in standardbred breeding in 1950, changing their minds when the Italian bred Prince Hall stallion Medoro was on its way to New Zealand by ship at which stage they sold him to their near neighbour Noel Simpson for 7,000 guineas.
Noel Simpson’s purchase was the first move in transforming his Yendarra property from a cattle farm to a standardbred breeding operation. Medoro became an immediate success as a sire of pacers and trotters in New Zealand (notably Single Medoro, Robert Medoro, Te Kawerau; dam sire of Mountain Pride, Paula, Paulette, Paula Scott) and in Australia (Jenny, Leyoro, Count Mirando) providing Simpson with a great start to becoming one of Australasia’s finest standardbred breeders.
Nancy Edwards died in Auckland in January 1989 aged 91.
Peter Craig
6 July 2022
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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