Walter Simes was an owner, driver, breeder and administrator in the early days of trotting at Addington Raceway. Three years ago I was contacted by his Australian based Great Granddaughter, Chris Austin (born Christine Mary Hetherington, 4 May 1965, Auckland) requesting information oF his involvement with harness racing in Christchurch.
The resulting information and history of the Simes family is contained in book “The Simes Family of Christchurch” by Chris Austin (929.2 SIM, copy held in Aotearoa NZ Centre collection, Christchurch Central library). This story of WE Simes was very interesting to research and an outline of his career follows in this two part article.
Walter Simes, was one of six children born to Edwin and Susannah Simes on 19 October 1876, who had emigrated from United Kingdom to Christchurch in early 1870’s. In his youth, Simes was a rower, cyclist, swimmer and in his early twenties a rugby referee.
Working initially as a law clerk for Charles Hill, Solicitor, he joined Craddock and Simes – licensed land brokers, land, estate and general agents on 1 July 1901. In 1908, as a well known auctioneer in Christchurch, he established his own company WE Simes & Co which he ran for nearly 50 years. He was also known for racing and owning horses. NB : The company still operates as Simes & Co. but family are no longer involved. Simes & Co is part of Knight Frank, Commercial and Residential Property Agents; also trading under names of Deans and Smart; Belle Properties and Simes Ltd.
Walter Simes married Edith Beatrice Walker on 19 April 1900 having four children; Edith died in 1927 from breast cancer. His second marriage on 3 October 1932 was to Ida Mary Bradford, twenty five years his junior. They lived at 126 Champion St, St Albans.
Simes continued his involvement as a real estate agent/auctioneer, land broker, land agent, valuer and Justice of Peace. Shortly after World War II concluded, he was involved in one of the biggest subdivisions in Christchurch, when 300 sections sold in the Hoon Hay Road area. On one night alone, 450 sections Christchurch wide were sold mainly to returning servicemen.
In addition to his trotting interests, Simes was :
- Member of Christchurch Licensing Committee
- Freemason
- Life member of Avon Rowing Club
- Inaugural President of Edgeware Bowling Club (1909)
- Committee member of Richmond School
- Vice President of Christchurch Amateur Swimming Club
- President of Canterbury Centre of NZ Amateur Swimming Association
- Honorary member of Canterbury Society of Arts
Hunting, shooting and fishing were pastimes undertaken particularly from the house he maintained at Hanmer Springs. He was involved in a motorcycle accident in November 1913.
Turning now to Walter Simes involvement with trotting, this commenced around the turn of century (1904). He became an owner, driver, breeder and administrator including :
- President of Canterbury Owners and Breeders Association around 1917
- Member of NZ Trotting Association
- Steward of NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club (NZMTC) in 1940/41 (joined 1905)
- Member of three Christchurch clubs (NZMTC, Canterbury Park, New Brighton)
- Part time driver
- Breeder of trotters which he raced himself, a number under the name of “M Clarice”. Most were prepared by veteran trainer Free (F) Holmes and his son Freeman (FG) Holmes
- Made several trips to United States from which he imported mare Belle McKinney, dam of fine race mare Muriel De Oro, winners Edna Worthy, Shirley McKinney and Tijuana (unraced, good broodmare)
- Breeder of Masterpiece, Law Chimes, Jewel Pointer, Lady Barrister and raced good winners Pax and Mystic
He kept horses at 126 Champion St, riding them around Hagley Park.
Taking a more detailed look at horses raced by Simes – interesting points to note –
- stakes were in sovereigns up until 1933/34 season then pounds
- trainer’s details not included in NZ Year Book results until 1925/6 season, therefore missing in results for earlier years – it can be assumed that either Simes/Clarice as driver may also have been trainer. Considerable interchanging of Simes/Clarice in ownership/driver stakes over years
- Simes raced with and against many famous NZ harness racing names e.g. Freeman (FG) Holmes jnr, Doug (DC) Watts, Eugene McDermott, Jack (JS) Shaw also breeder of top galloper Beaumaris, Roy (RB) Berry, Mrs EA Berryman (owner) etc
- length of careers of many horses compared to today, often starting as older horses, raced longer
- Number of horses bred by Simes had been sold prior to first being registered, hence initial registered owner other than Simes/Clarice
FRANZALENA (1904 Franz/Lena), bay filly, 15 hands. Breeder L Wilson, Teddington; owner ET Forbes, Morven/Papanui, registered 13 December 1909.
Career record : unraced until one start at five, unraced at eight and last season as 12 year old : 82 starts – 5 wins, 11 seconds, 5 thirds, 889½ sovereigns (sovs), 2:16.0 best mile rate. Wins came at South Wairarapa TC (3/6/1911), Forbury Park TC (3/5/1912 and 21/1/1914) for ET Forbes and then in ownership of M Clarice (Simes), Canterbury Park TC Au Revoir Hcp (11/1/1915, 2:16.0 ) and NZ Metropolitan TC Speedway Hcp (12/8/1916) when Simes/Clarice drove her to victory. The NZ Referee of 16 August 1916 reported that “Mr WE Simes , who was a strong supporter of the yards system of starting was the first to win a race under the new system”, Franzalena, Speedway Hcp.
Franzalena left nine foals for ET Forbes including being fourth dam of James Direct (Roxburgh Cup, dam sire of Interdominion Trotting heat/Grand Final winner Night Allowance).
MYSTIC (1905 Albert Victor/Little Wonder), dark bay filly, 14.3 hands. Breeder R Munro; owner James Challis, Palmerston, registered 14 April 1911.
Career record : Trotter, unraced until two starts at six, unraced at eleven/twelve before final single unplaced start as 13 year old – 41: 8-1-5, 872½ sovs, T2:24.7MR. Wins came at Tuapeka County Jockey Club meeting (6/4/1912) and then in ownership of M Clarice (Simes), New Brighton TC Autumn Hcp (17/4/1913), Canterbury Park TC Progressive Hcp (3/6/1913), NZMTC Stewards Hcp (11/8/1913), Greymouth Cup (racing against pacers as trotter, 21/1/1914), driven on these occasions by Don Warren; driven by M Clarice/Simes went onto win CPTC Winter Oaks (3/6/1914), NZMTC Members Hcp (13/2/1915) and NZMTC Sockburn Hcp (11/11/1915); all winning performances in trotting races except for Greymouth Cup.
Mystic was dam of Clarice (unraced Rey de Oro filly), dam of Premier Royal, 2:12.1, winner of Henry Mace Memorial, Forbury Park Presidents Hcp.
LAW CHIMES (1909, Abbey Bells/Jewells Heiress), born Australia, imported dark bay filly, about 15 hands. Breeder Allandale Stock Farm, Melbourne; owner M Clarice (Simes), Christchurch, registered 18 April 1912.
Career record : two unplaced starts at two before racing until end of eight year old career – 56 : 8-5-5, 577½ sovs, 2:15.2MR. Wins came at Greymouth TC Labour Day Hcp (30/10/1913), Forbury Park TC (FPTC) Advance Hcp (29/11/1913), Greymouth TC Hurricane Hcp (2/1/1914), driven by Don Warren on these occasions; NZMTC Halswell Hcp (3/4/1915, first saddle winner for Freeman Holmes at Addington), FPTC Farewell (15/5/1913) and St Kilda Hcps (26/11/1915), NZMTC Railway Hcp (9/11/1916) when driven by Freeman (FG) Holmes and finally FPTC Au Revoir Hcp (27/1/1917) driven by Eugene McDermott when recording her best time of 2:15.2 for 1 mile journey.,
Eugene (EC) McDermott had a fatal heart attack 2½ furlongs from the finish of the 1939 NZ Cup when driving Colonel Grattan. His grandson is John McDermott, a Director of Addington Raceway Ltd, trainer and amateur driver (2016 NZ Amateur Championship winning driver).
The NZ Referee of 31 January 1917 reported that “out of a field of fifteen … in saddle … the stables presided over by E. Carolyn (Queen Patch and Law Chimes) and F. Holmes (The Bronzewing, OIC and Dalwhinnie) sent five to the post, these brackets receiving solid support…. Entering the straight , Law Chimes came with a well-sustained run, and had the race is safe keeping a hundred yards from home. It was a smart performance on the part of the winner, the time registered being the best for the meeting.
After the race Mr WE Simes, owner of Law Chimes, was called before the stewards and fined £10 and severely cautioned for being on the track during the race without permission. He is appealing to the Association against this fine, on the grounds that the decision was based on incorrect information.
Law Chimes put up two good performances on the concluding day in the last two races, being third in the Royal Handicap and winning the Au Revoir Handicap. Although bracketed with Queen Patch, the daughter of Abbey Bells returned a nice dividend to her supporters.
During the two day Summer Meeting the Forbury club distributed £3400 in stakes, the principal winners being : …. W.E.Simes £276 10s …. “.
Law Chimes was the dam of three foals for Simes – Legal Point, Jewel Pointer/Lady Barrister (see part two under horses bred by Simes), before being shipped to Robert (RC) Simpson, Sydney on 18 August 1922 (purchased for £250). She left Don Juan for Simpson in 1923. Law Chimes and many of Simpson’s broodmares succumbed to an outbreak of strangles during flooding at his Windsor, NSW property.
PAX (1910 Prince Imperial/Patchwork), bay gelding, 16 hands. Breeder AE Lawrence, Christchurch, owner WE Simes, Christchurch, registered 25 May 1913.
Career record : two unplaced starts at three before racing until ten year old although twenty starts as nine/ten year old were unrewarding – 102 : 8-7-8, 1,551½ sovs, 2:19.2MR. Wins came at FPTC Second Amateur Hcp (30/1/1915), Wanganui TC Dominion Hcp (1/3/1915), Greymouth TC Greymouth Cup (4/1/1916), driven by Simes/Clarice on these occasions; Manawatu TC Manawatu Cup (19/2/1916), FPTC Telegraph Hcp (27/1/1917), Auckland TC Members Hcp (26/4/1917), when driven by Freeman (FG) Holmes; FPTC Royal Hcp (2/2/1918) driven by Simes and CPTC Telegraph Hcp (3/6/1919), recording his best time for one mile journey of 2:19.2 driven by Freeman (FG) Holmes. He also finished second to Whispering Willie in the NZ Trotting Gold Cup , Wellington TC at Hutt Park.
As reported in the NZ Referee, Pax had little luck at the Wellington meeting, “ Pax was one of the most unfortunate horses racing at the Wellington meeting. He suffered interference in the big race from Red Prince, which no doubt cost him several seconds”. In the concluding race of the day, Electric Trot in harness over one mile “Pax was somewhat unfortunate in not being able to run out the distance, as going out of the straight the first time the sulky collapsed and F. Holmes had a narrow escape from a nasty accident. He retained his hold of the horse and eventually managed to pull him up”.
Next Time : Part two Muriel de Oro and horses bred by Simes
Peter Craig
3 January 2017
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
