The fourth and final article covering the harness racing career of Lester Maidens continues our look at his life in Australia.
Apart from Maidens successes with Dauntless Peter, other horses raced by him in Australia mainly at either Melbourne Showgrounds and/or Harold Park included :
Jimmy’s Cobber : a former Melbourne pacer, who had numerous unplaced starts at Harold Park. First appearing for Maidens in February 1953 when second to Young Mary in the 12½f Noland Hcp. In April he was third in the Sunderland Hcp to Sparkling Max and Gentleman John. A feature with many of Maidens horses was they were entered for races but often scratched. A newspaper report in early February 1954 stated that Jimmy’s Cobber showed his first glimpse of form with a second (40/1) to Patmarbah in Abbott Hcp, Melbourne Showgrounds, beaten one yd, at this stage Maidens was back in Melbourne. The report went onto state that Jimmy Cobber’s had only started twice this season and that he had been a non-winner in twenty two starts spread over three seasons.
Rhythmic : a former Victorian winner, having his first Harold Park start and win for Maidens on Sat 7 Oct 1950, Qualifying Stakes (6) 1½m, 3:20 4/5/2:13 4/5, 1l (7/1). A Victorian winner, he had not started since a dead-heat for first with good performer Joe Linden at Ararat (Vic.) in April. 1950, Wallaloo Hcp, 9f, 2:36.0 (3/1).
Vineyard Bob – a five year old initially raced on lease by Maidens, finished third at Harold Park on Sat 30 September 1950, Qualifying Stakes (15/1), 1½m. Winning again on Sat 28 October, Qualifying Stakes, 12f (7/1), 1l, 3:22 1/5/2:14 4/5. Maidens had purchased him outright on the Friday night received a quick return on his investment. Vineyard Bob had been backed in from 12/1 to 7/1. He completed his hat trick of wins on Wed 1 November in the Bathurst Hcp (9/1), 1¼m, 2:47.0/2:13 3/5 winning by 1½l following this victory with a third in the Grandstand Hcp, 13f, 12yds on 8 November and a second in the Lismore Hcp, 13f, 12yds on 15 November.
Vineyard Bob with winning form at Harold Park made his Melbourne debut on 3 February 1951 for G Stewart, who raced him until December 1952.
Belgrave : a very well performed horse who earlier in his career won the NSW Derby and a Wayville heat of the Interdominion (2:10.2). In December 1951, Maidens took over the 8yo, who finished sixth to Bruce Hall in the Christmas Hcp, 14f, 48yds. Even further back off 72yds twice in Harold Park Hcps in mid-January 1952, he was unplaced. Driven in an unsuccessful February 1952 Sydney ID campaign by L Keys.
Much has been made of Maidens ability to rejuvenate older horses back to form both in New Zealand and Australia. How did he manage this?? The era he trained in had a variety of tonics used by most leading trainers so it seems unlikely that this would be the reason he managed to improve most horse’s performances. His answer was to recognise the role of ulcers on the performance of older horses.
David McCarthy writing in the NZ Harness Racing Weekly (6 February 2013) quoted Maidens as saying “Old horses suffer more from ulcers because of stress and the standard training feeding diet often makes it worse…..Ulcers are painful and have a big effect on diet and work. I pay special attention to diets for my horses (lower oats content, special cooked supplements) and work them less to cut stress.”
It is noteworthy that Bart Cummings sang the praises of an ulcer product in giving his 1999 Melbourne Cup winning veteran Rojan Josh the winning edge. Ulcer treatment remains a large part in the training of older horses, perhaps Lester Maidens discovered this factor many years before others.
Two incidents affected Lester Maidens during his time in Victoria that are worthy of reporting. Moving back to Melbourne following the 1952 Sydney ID’s, he became stud manager and private trainer for prominent owner/breeder and association member RWT (Ron) Stewart. Stewart was one of the biggest owners and breeders since importing New Zealand stallion Gamble (NZ Derby, Ollivier/Easter/Canterbury Hcps; sire of Blue Gamble, Sprayman) and establishing a large trotting stud at Lysterfield in 1950, where he agisted up to fifty horses on his property.
First incident was on Saturday 7 February 1953 at the Melbourne Showgrounds, he was involved in a spectacular smash when thrown 20ft high in the air, which was described in a headline in the Melbourne Argus (Mon 9 February 1953) as “Women Screamed”. Maidens was thrown from his sulky landing heavily across the running rail. Piloting Jimmy’s Cobber (refer to earlier in this article) in the Weston Hcp, his first drive at the Showgrounds for two seasons, the crash occurred in front of the packed stands close to the winning post on the second last lap of the race. Maidens was lucky to escape with only minor bruising. The smash was caused by One Grand who fell in the middle of a packed field upsetting Jimmy’s Cobber while the race was won by Sparkling Max.
The second and far more serious incident involved Silver Trigger (Lawn Derby/Donation’s Doll, N300). One of the closest relations of the champion Ribands racing in Victoria, a three quarter brother to the two minute pacer (1:58.7TT, Hunter Cup, four ID heats). Silver Trigger raced in the period 1950 – early 1953 in provincial Victoria but not by Maidens, recording a couple of placings.
On New Year’s Day 1954, Silver Trigger finished third on two occasions for Maidens at the Warragul Trots – Latrobe Hcp, 10f, Lt (20/1) and Yallourn Hcp No 2, Lt (12/1). However the result of two races on the same night at the Tues 16 February 1954 Warragul meeting effectively ended the harness racing career of Lester Maidens. The form and performance of Silver Trigger in these two races on the same evenings programme caused strife with the stewards. For the record, Silver Trigger won the second race, first division of Darum Hcp, 10f (2/1), 2:49½/2:12 3/5, 2yds and later in the evening finished second in the first division of the Minnieburn Hcp, 10f (7/1 having drifted from 4/1), beaten three yards by Formidable (5/1). Silver Trigger had been pocketed over the final two laps only getting out in the last few yards to fly home for a close second.
The stewards determined that the pacer Silver Trigger, his owner Ron Stewart and trainer/driver Lester Maidens would be disqualified for twelve months for not trying with Silver Trigger in the first division of the Minnieburn Hcp. Maidens who had a large team in work and Stewart appealed to the Trotting Control Board (TCB).
The Melbourne Argus reported (17 February) Stewart as saying “I have been racing horses since night trotting began, and have always been anxious to win. After all this time, I am certainly not going to “pull” my horses, particularly one like Silver Trigger. Silver Trigger is only a moderate performer. The stewards told me Maidens should have made his run with the horse two furlongs from home, but if he had taken him out then he could never have seen it through. Silver Trigger has got only a short burst of brilliance, and it was only logical to time his run in the last 100 yards.” Stewart placed £50 each way in the Darum Hcp on his horse, in the case of the first division of the Minnieburn Handicap he had £25 each way on Silver Trigger standing to win close to £600 if his horse had won.
Appeals were lodged to the TCB by Stewart on behalf of Silver Trigger; by owner Ron Stewart and trainer/driver Lester Maidens against their twelve month disqualifications. Leave was sought to permit Silver Trigger to race pending the Appeals outcome. Normal TCB practice was to grant permission to race and hear appeals ASAP. On this occasion with a number of TCB members attending the Adelaide ID’s this was not a given. The appeals were finally heard over a month later on Monday 22 March 1954.
Ron Stewart was absolved on appeal by a majority verdict of three to one being given the benefit of the doubt. Silver Trigger’s appeal made by Stewart was dismissed. Lester Maidens lost his appeal despite several impressive character witnesses speaking in his defence. He had been in trouble with the stewards for giving them a “mouth full” with regards to their talking to him before the start of Minnieburn Hcp concerning Silver Trigger’s drifting in the betting. The deposit lodged by Maidens (£10) was forfeited with Stewart’s deposit being refunded (£10). No deposit was necessary for Silver Trigger. The twelve month sentences on Silver Trigger and Lester Maidens remained in place.
A couple of the newspaper articles covering the Appeals follow :
The Herald, Melbourne’s correspondent “Newhaven” was obviously frustrated by aspects of the Silver Trigger case recommending the establishment of an independent Appeals Board. His article of 3 April 1954 follows :
Following the appeal verdicts, Ron Stewart was disgusted and sold up his trotting interests in favour of the thoroughbreds. Maidens later retired and died in Toorak, Melbourne in 1973.
Lester Maidens, a classy performer and certainly more than your average horseman.
Peter Craig
30 January 2019
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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