11 September 2014
Over the past few weeks, we’ve brought you some of the nominations for the phantom call of “The Greatest Ever Bathurst Showground Paceway Cup”, a highlight of the last-ever meeting at that track on Sunday, September 21.
Many present-day experts, along with long-time followers, have been searching memory banks, libraries and computer records, to ensure a field worthy of the track that has served Bathurst trotting for the last 104 years.
Points have been allotted, on the basis of 5 points for a first selection down to 1 point for a fifth selection, with the points total used to determine places in the field, and the finishing order in the race itself.
No-one will know the result of the race until the Craig Easey-Mark McNamara-Kevin Thompson call of the race, run from the mobile over the testing 2520 metres (three lap) distance. It’s sure to be graphic, highly entertaining and nostalgic.
Obviously, the Bathurst HRC is keeping the outcome of the race a closely-guarded secret, but National Trotguide is pleased to release today, in alphabetical order, the selected field.
And what a line-up it is. Try this lot for size!
Cocky Raider: (“Cocky”), driver Gordon McWilliam, 78 starts, 38 ½ wins (18 at H.P.) 19 places, prizemoney of $70,000 plus. Renowned for his devastating final sprint, he was Australia’s most popular horse of the late ‘sixties and early ‘seventies, and achieved special fame when he scored a thrilling victory in the Australia Day Cup, ending Lucky Creed’s sequence of 24 straight wins. He was selected for the 1969 Miracle Mile, and won the 1970 Inter-Dominion Consolation off 24 yards around the tiny Melbourne Showgrounds, to a resounding ovation.
First Kiss: (“John” ), driver Joe Turnbull, complete details unavailable, but one of the real stars of the early years of night trotting, and a brilliantly fast horse.
At one time, the record-holder for most wins in a season at H.P. he competed in three successive Inter-Dominion series, qualifying for two finals – Melbourne, as a 4YO in 1959, and in Sydney the following year, when he won a heat and led the field out before the biggest-ever crowd of 50,346 , for that famous final won by Caduceus. His driver was requested to time-trial him at Christchurch, so impressed were the Kiwis by his high speed.
Grogan : ( “Jack” ), driver Barry Stocks , prize money unavailable, but a record of 18 wins from just 21 starts is enough to indicate that this 1957 son of Bruce Hall was a champ-in-the-making. He won the W.D. Derby in ’61, smashed the Bathurst track record in the W.D.T.A. Cup in ’62 and ran up a big string of wins at H.P. including a brilliant effort in a 13 furlongs and 98 yds stand that established him as one of the favourites for the 1963 Inter-Dominion series in Adelaide. Sadly, colic caused his scratching from that series, and he raced very little after that. “The best horse I ever drove” said Barry Stocks, who drove plenty of good ‘uns.
Hondo Grattan : ( ‘the Bathurst Bulldog” ), driver Tony Turnbull, 120 starts, 58 wins, 35 places, $215,432, an Australian stakes record when he retired in 1976. He became the first horse to win successive Inter-Dominions, at Sydney in 1973 when he was undefeated, and at Perth the following year in a controversial race marred by an early fall. He made a third successive final, when he was the 25 metres backmarker at Auckland in 1975. His victory in the 1974 Miracle Mile over Paleface Adios (one of his three invites to the race) is regarded as one of the most captivating and exciting in the sport’s history.
Karloo Mick: (“Mick” ), driver Barry Lew, 159 starts, 64 wins, 59 places, $1,493,155 . One of the most enduring, and endearing, horses in modern times. He’s fronted up everywhere, against the best, in each of his nine seasons of racing: twice placed in Inter-Dominion finals (Tasmania 2006 and Gold Coast 2009) and winner of the Consolation (Adelaide 2007) ; twice placed in Miracle Miles, at H.P. in 2009 and Menangle in 2011; and between those runs, he secured a place in history by winning the coveted last-ever race at Harold Park, in December 2010.
King Frost: ( “Ned” ), Ian Mutton and Jim Turnbull at Bathurst, some other drivers away. Race starts unavailable, prizemoney of $135,984. A February foal who was lightly-raced as a juvenile, he matured into a very tough aged performer who competed at the highest level, including wins in the Australia Day Cup and the 1975 Victoria Cup (with Brian Gath aboard), a placing in an Inter-Dominion heat in Adelaide in 1976, and an invite into the 1974 Miracle Mile won by his arch-rival from Bathurst. He exacted some revenge by “spoiling the party” at Hondo’s farewell to racing, at his home track, in April 1976, but he’s remembered in his own right, as a top-class racehorse.
Master Musician: ( “The Master” ), Robert Mitchell, 110 starts, 34 wins, 37 places, $1,926,810 . Successful in the Gold Crown in 1990, he’s regarded by many as the best-ever winner of that race. His time has only been bettered once. Other Aussie wins included the Victoria Cup, and the Hunter Cup, off 40 metres. He contested an amazing seven N.Z. Cups, three Miracle Miles, and qualified for three Inter-Dominion finals, Melbourne 1992, Christchurch 1995 and Perth in 1996. All this, despite serious injuries along the way, earned him enormous respect and affection.
Our Sir Vancelot : ( ???????? ) , Brian Hancock, 97 starts, 48 wins,26 places, $2,197,990 . He moved the bar up a notch by becoming the first to win three Inter-Dominions, and for good measure, he did it in succession, 1997-1999, at Adelaide, Hobart and Auckland. He had made the final at Perth the previous year, and won five heats in all. He was successful in the Miracle Mile in 1997 (driven by Howard James) and placed the following year. Brian Hancock generously raced all his good horses at Bathurst, and in March 1999, he selected the Bathurst Gold Cup as the final race start for his celebrated three-time Inter-Dominion winner.
Rowleyalla : ( “Rowley” ) , Keven Rivett, 110 starts, 38 wins, 32 places, $602,873. Rowleyalla won plenty of good races – the NSW Sires Final, NSW and Queensland Derbies , for example – to merit his standing as one of the best juveniles of the late ‘eighties, but it was a pair of time-trials that created his special place in racing history. His 1:55.0 around Harold Park set a world record for a 2YO gelding on a half-mile track. The next year, his 1:52.6 at Albion Park established an all-age Australian record that lasted for the best part of 20 years. He qualified for the Inters. Final at Perth at four, and was invited to the 1988 Miracle Mile. “Rowley” was a horse years ahead of the speed development in Australian racing.
Smooth Satin: ( “Sox” ), Steve Turnbull, 122 starts, 46 wins, 48 places , $1,428,490. A “gun” right from the start, winning the NSW Sires finals at both two and three, he went on to become the best horse in the country, by taking out a very special H.P. trifecta, of the Chariots of Fire, Miracle Mile and then the ultimate, the 2002 Inter-Dominion final, after earlier winning two heats. He was runner-up in the Miracle Mile later that year, and won his hometown Gold Cup twice, one of 11 wins at home, the second time after being brought out of a retirement paddock he didn’t take kindly to. Steve Turnbull has never been big on salutes, but “Sox” was good enough to draw a couple from him!
The stats supply part of the measure of this field. Between them, they won 17 Inter-Dominion heats and two Consolations, and participated in 16 Grand-Finals, winning six of them They scored up in 14 Miracle Miles, winning 3, and the only two not to make it into that race – First Kiss and Grogan – raced before the Mile commenced in 1967, but were clearly among the fastest horses of their time. They boast a $2 million earner, and three millionaires in their ranks, and that’s before we convert Hondo’s record stakes earnings. For the 8 horses whose complete records are available, the 344 ½ wins represent a 42% win rate.
The other measure of the quality of this field is the list of some of those that missed out: Courage Under Fire, winner of six Derbies and his first 24 starts; Inter-Dominion champions James Scott, Golden Reign, Thorate and Weona Warrior; wonderful juveniles like Lombo Pocket Watch, Express Post, Frith and Lombo La Fe Fe; and any number of open-class stars like Idle Raider, Neutrodyne, Raider Globe, Nikalong Shadow, Apmat and Washakie.
The barrier draw for “The Greatest Ever Bathurst Showground Paceway Cup” will be conducted trackside tomorrow night at the Bathurst meeting, and reported here next week. Whichever way the marbles come out, we’re in for an intriguing and exciting call, at the Showground’s last hurrah.