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JJ Flash

Ashvegas Drive of the Day

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Goes to B Barclay for his drive on Bring on the Muscle. From the unruly to getting parked behind "im not going forward R May" on a favoured runner, he snuck up the inside to gain both cover and an easier  run when one presented. 

Not one to travel too far, he also drove Barrons other horse to place in an earlier race so he must have had confidence in their chances

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Plus B Barclay and Empire City's driver, who just happens to be the aforementioned R May, found a fast lane out very wide when many back runners had appeared to almost get bogged down when trying to make a late run mid-track all day. It appeared for many races that the pegs was the only place to be all day, but that race [R8] proved if you went wide enough you could go fast enough [to win].

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4 hours ago, Charlie E said:

Brent Barclay such an underrated driver and glad he won that race . I have been racking my brain trying to think of that good young horse he drove when he just started out driving . Started with C maybe someone out there will know 

Must be this one Charlie in this snippet Charlie. Must be a very good driver as not far off 1000 wins now (passing 900 wins this year)

Barclay’s feature wins have been the New Zealand Welcome Stakes (Corumba), the Southern Supremacy Stakes (Corumba, Looksaflyer and Duke Of Wellington), the Southland Oaks Final (Windermere Girl), the New Zealand Kindergarten Stakes (Bought In The Pub and Waikiki Beach), the Cheviot Two Year Old Fillies Stakes (Western Dream and Natal Franco), the New Zealand Sapling Stakes (Jackson Street) and Invercargill Cup (Dadndave).

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2 hours ago, Pure Steel said:

Must be this one Charlie in this snippet Charlie. Must be a very good driver as not far off 1000 wins now (passing 900 wins this year)

Barclay’s feature wins have been the New Zealand Welcome Stakes (Corumba), the Southern Supremacy Stakes (Corumba, Looksaflyer and Duke Of Wellington), the Southland Oaks Final (Windermere Girl), the New Zealand Kindergarten Stakes (Bought In The Pub and Waikiki Beach), the Cheviot Two Year Old Fillies Stakes (Western Dream and Natal Franco), the New Zealand Sapling Stakes (Jackson Street) and Invercargill Cup (Dadndave).

Corumba that's the horse thanks PS . Wow I didn't realize how many winners he has had . The way he is going no doubt he will hit the 1,000 in the near future 

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2 hours ago, JJ Flash said:

IMO hes the best driver to come out of Southland since Henry Skinner

Henry Skinner . That's a blast from the past. He won the Auckland Cup with Sapling in my first year in the game.

Here he is 4th from left standing, amid a fantastic line up of drivers at the time. ( TonyH, MarkP , and David Butcher still juniors at this point lol 😄

4 of these blokes went to Oz in the end to live  (2 of which are still  paddling around with horses to this day ) any guesses from anyone Who ? 

A few NZ Cups for these blokes too. Anyone remember any ?

And who do you think/guess  WON this Driver's Championship from this Extremely Talented Field of some of the driving Greats ? 

 

DSC03281.JPG

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20 minutes ago, Pure Steel said:

Henry Skinner . That's a blast from the past. He won the Auckland Cup with Sapling in my first year in the game.

Here he is 4th from left standing, amid a fantastic line up of drivers at the time. ( TonyH, MarkP , and David Butcher still juniors at this point lol 😄

4 of these blokes went to Oz in the end to live  (2 of which are still  paddling around with horses to this day ) any guesses from anyone Who ? 

A few NZ Cups for these blokes too. Anyone remember any ?

And who do you think/guess  WON this Driver's Championship from this Extremely Talented Field of some of the driving Greats ? 

 

DSC03281.JPG

Richard Brosnihan is one whose still going, seen here 3rd from bottom right

Wondering if that's Henry's brother beside him to the left- looks like him and those were his colours?

Winner was  at a guess PTW

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12 minutes ago, JJ Flash said:

Richard Brosnihan is one whose still going, seen here 3rd from bottom right

Wondering if that's Henry's brother beside him to the left- looks like him and those were his colours?

Winner was  at a guess PTW

Yep . Richard Brosnan is still going. He had already won the Interdominion with No Response not long before the photo here , and won it again training Maori Law in 2021 over 40 years later. Now training in Victoria with son Emmett co-trainer.

(Maori Law won the Grand Final at Menangle and Greg Sugars drove it for them . And humorously Just Believe ran 3rd in that before he (Greg) took it over , and has now won the last 2 Interdominion trotting Championships clean Sweeping the last 2 series. Must be a chance of doing that 3 times in a row in December too)  Go Greg !!

Yep.  Maurice Skinner is 3rd from left.  

Nup. Not Wolfie winning this championship. (although the champion man withDiamond colours in photo ) just about doubled nearest rival on the Years National driving ladder. 

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5 hours ago, JJ Flash said:

IMO hes the best driver to come out of Southland since Henry Skinner

It`s probably hard to put any of them ahead of "The King" Ken Barron.

I agree that Brent Barclays drive was a beauty, but if you want to see The King in action there is no better example than this ...

Result - Harness Racing 

How a positive drive can win a race.

 

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6 hours ago, Pure Steel said:

Yep . Richard Brosnan is still going. He had already won the Interdominion with No Response not long before the photo here , and won it again training Maori Law in 2021 over 40 years later. Now training in Victoria with son Emmett co-trainer.

(Maori Law won the Grand Final at Menangle and Greg Sugars drove it for them . And humorously Just Believe ran 3rd in that before he (Greg) took it over , and has now won the last 2 Interdominion trotting Championships clean Sweeping the last 2 series. Must be a chance of doing that 3 times in a row in December too)  Go Greg !!

Yep.  Maurice Skinner is 3rd from left.  

Nup. Not Wolfie winning this championship. (although the champion man withDiamond colours in photo ) just about doubled nearest rival on the Years National driving ladder. 

My old boss John Langdon such an awesome guy . He went to live in Aussie . I recognize Owen Purdon and Peter Jones he won the cup with Borana paid heaps too . Is that Bob Cameron ? If so he trained Iralis to win the cup from memory . Is that Mike De Fiilipi bottom left PS ? Is that Dennis Nyhan up top 3rd from the left ? If so Robalan maybe ?

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14 minutes ago, Charlie E said:

My old boss John Langdon such an awesome guy . He went to live in Aussie . I recognize Owen Purdon and Peter Jones he won the cup with Borana paid heaps too . Is that Bob Cameron ? If so he trained Iralis to win the cup from memory . Is that Mike De Fiilipi bottom left PS ? Is that Dennis Nyhan up top 3rd from the left ? If so Robalan maybe ?

John Langdon there with Maltese cross (won the Cup with NEROSHIP , with Bob Cameron Next to him in the IRAKLIS chequers. Then the Skinner brothers are next 2. at the back in photo .  .

That is Mike De Filippi front left Charlie (passed away 2 years ago this week ) His brother Colin up there at the back in between the 2 x Purdon brothers.

Owen Purdon was a great driver ! one of my favorites and drove a lot of winners in the 80's, and should of gone on with it. Now living it up at the Gold Coast with his family. might retire there myself one day soon 👍 .top spot.

Graeme Harris (Harry the horseman) is next to Owen with his white Spots silks on. He did All Charlie Elliot's horses there at one stage including Derby winner Alba's Reign.

'Harry' still prepares the odd horse he breeds himself here in QLD. When they're racing well he gives them to one of our leading trainer driver's in Shane Graham to do the work with for him and get some wins. . 

Peter Jones must of got 2 Cups then 🏆🏆 as Drove HANDS DOWN for his dad to beat Delightful Lady , before Borana started up.

 

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Thanks PS I didn't realize Neroship won the NZ Cup . Bob Cameron he was very talented as we know with both training and driving . I will never forget Ermis one day at Addington who did everything wrong and went over the fence halfway down the straight , it was a wonder Bob wasn't badly injured .

Hands Down forgot about him too what a tough horse he was . You are right when you talk about Owen . When I worked for Len Bayer and Brian Barlett he was the junior driver from memory who drove for them . I used to back a horse he drove called Remarkable am sure you would remember him . I wondered what happened to him , he was unlike his brothers and just had enough of driving and from memory he had a farm in Pukekohe not sure if he stood a stallion there or not . But I love the GC as well I have been there many times and wouldn't mind retiring there myself one day .

Old Harry didn't recognize him in the pic . I remember drinking with him and a few others Barry Nyhan etc at the Hutt Park Hotel when we used to go on the circuit , talk about pissed , couldn't handle that these days lol

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2 hours ago, Charlie E said:

You are right when you talk about Owen . When I worked for Len Bayer and Brian Barlett he was the junior driver from memory who drove for them . I used to back a horse he drove called Remarkable am sure you would remember him

Absolute gentleman like his dad and brothers. The problem with Remarkable (with Owen in photo)  is he was by 'Mark Lobell', and they were all a bit Loco in the Coco 😋.

That same year Remarkable did well as a 3 year old , Jim Smith was driving another 3 year old named Mountain Haze to a few wins for Murray Miller of Manurewa. Owen ended up driving Mountain Haze as it was clashing with Lee Nandina. we nearly all fainted when some yank paid $100,000 for Mountain Haze . 💰 a huge amount of money at the time. 

Made us ALL try and get a few more racing anyway 😄🤣

 

 

 

DSC03282.JPG

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Still One to Get Charlie .. you'll have to try and go back 40 years lol 😅

The bloke in Bottom right of photo. He definitely wouldn't of won a NZ Cup but you may have driven against him probably. A very funny man.

The 2 gents getting Cups beside him Wolfie (with many)  and Then Richard Brosnan,  who won the NZ Cup with Bonnie's Chance.

BTW the winner of this Drivers Championship (in photo earlier in this thread).  was the the TALL man at far right 😁. He might be winning this years Nz Cup as a Trainer very soon as well. One of the greatest Trainers of all time. 

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1 hour ago, Pure Steel said:

Absolute gentleman like his dad and brothers. The problem with Remarkable (with Owen in photo)  is he was by 'Mark Lobell', and they were all a bit Loco in the Coco 😋.

That same year Remarkable did well as a 3 year old , Jim Smith was driving another 3 year old named Mountain Haze to a few wins for Murray Miller of Manurewa. Owen ended up driving Mountain Haze as it was clashing with Lee Nandina. we nearly all fainted when some yank paid $100,000 for Mountain Haze . 💰 a huge amount of money at the time. 

Made us ALL try and get a few more racing anyway 😄🤣

 

 

 

DSC03282.JPG

You know it was really funny . I was working for Jim at the time and Murray used to work Mountain Haze at Jims Place . Anyway Mountain Haze lined up for his first race and Jim said to me this horse goes alright . I thought oh ok it's not that good , well you would remember he won and paid $20 and I didn't back him lol . 

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1 hour ago, Pure Steel said:

Still One to Get Charlie .. you'll have to try and go back 40 years lol 😅

The bloke in Bottom right of photo. He definitely wouldn't of won a NZ Cup but you may have driven against him probably. A very funny man.

The 2 gents getting Cups beside him Wolfie (with many)  and Then Richard Brosnan,  who won the NZ Cup with Bonnie's Chance.

BTW the winner of this Drivers Championship (in photo earlier in this thread).  was the the TALL man at far right 😁. He might be winning this years Nz Cup as a Trainer very soon as well. One of the greatest Trainers of all time. 

I just can't place that last guy and I must know who he is lol . Barry what a trainer / Driver he is and he deserves everything he has got . I first met Barry when I worked for Len Bayer and took a horse called Monkey Bar to Wellington (useless it was too lol ) I remember we all stopped for Breakfast ( went down in the horse float Win Stenning was the driver back then ) Anyway went to pay and the guy said its already been taken care of , Barry paid for me , that's the type of guy he is .

 

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9 minutes ago, Keneperu said:

Best driver to come out of Southland.

 

Ken Balloch by a country mile🙂

Interesting but im sure that Henrys record at major meetings north of Southland was far better but each to their own.

That said he was the driver of the great pacer Holy Hal which won many races on both sides of Tasman. Also drove Blue and Local chance to some wonderful victories

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1 hour ago, Spikecity said:

Graeme Reeks and Kerry OReilly middle front?

 

lol. Yes  😁. That's Kerry from the famous O'Reilly Clan . and better put the correct spelling in case we think he 'stinks 😋  , there was Graham Reaks at the front there. 

Graham Reaks had just been doing well with Katy's Command around the time of that photo of the NZ Driver's Championship. winning all sorts of things, Not sure if Graham Reaks had a crack at a NZ Cup or not,  but did take 'Katy' to Harold Park to take on Pure Steel at the Interdominion . no easy feat 😉

'Katy' didn't make the Grand Final, but Lord Module and Locarno did for the kiwi's . Locarno a brave 2nd to Koala King after nearly stealing it with a fabulous Robin Butt drive. Locarno had won the Miracle Mile in the lead up to the Interdominion for Nz though , in a brilliant Win defeating the great Paleface Adios. Pure Steel was 3rd in both those races  after racing without cover and wide both times.

Kerry O'Reilly's dad (Patrick) won the Nz CUP with SPRY, not sure how Patrick O'Reilly's son's have fared in the great race ?. Kerry, Gerard, Pat and Leo .  The NZ Cup is probably the Everest of Harness Racing. or the Interdominion.

 

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24 minutes ago, Pure Steel said:

lol. Yes  😁. That's Kerry from the famous O'Reilly Clan . and better put the correct spelling in case we think he 'stinks 😋  , there was Graham Reaks at the front there. 

Graham Reaks had just been doing well with Katy's Command around the time of that photo of the NZ Driver's Championship. winning all sorts of things, Not sure if Graham Reaks had a crack at a NZ Cup or not,  but did take 'Katy' to Harold Park to take on Pure Steel at the Interdominion . no easy feat 😉

'Katy' didn't make the Grand Final, but Lord Module and Locarno did for the kiwi's . Locarno a brave 2nd to Koala King after nearly stealing it with a fabulous Robin Butt drive. Locarno had won the Miracle Mile in the lead up to the Interdominion for Nz though , in a brilliant Win defeating the great Paleface Adios. Pure Steel was 3rd in both those races  after racing without cover and wide both times.

Kerry O'Reilly's dad (Patrick) won the Nz CUP with SPRY, not sure how Patrick O'Reilly's son's have fared in the great race ?. Kerry, Gerard, Pat and Leo .  The NZ Cup is probably the Everest of Harness Racing. or the Interdominion.

 

Didn't even recognize Graeme Reaks what a nice guy he was . He actually worked down the road from us in Pukekohe . What a lot of people don't know is and this is from memory . He has finger or two missing so it was amazing how he could drive at all . But what a good trainer / driver he was . His name brings back some good memories with horses such as Ben and Crescent Moon 

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18 minutes ago, Charlie E said:

His name brings back some good memories with horses such as Ben and Crescent Moon 

and little Sam Evander , the trotter. little bloke that tried hard we all used to cheer on for Reako. closest he got was 5th to Stormy Morn in the Rowe Cup in a Big race though.

Charlie , Did you ever see Mountain Gold go for Jim Smith ?  you were just talking about Barry Purdon earlier . (and also Mountain Haze reminded me of him too) 

1999 Jim had his Best horse ever. MOUNTAIN GOLD . and the biggest race of all was at Alex Park , the Interdominion that year. Jim Won a Heat too . Defeating the eventual Grand Final winner ''Special Force' of the Mcgowan's.  Jim tragically hemmed in 3 back the fence and locked in throughout nearly.  Mark Purdon had 1/2 the field in it, and ran placings with Africa and Pride of Petite

The Crowning achievement of his (Jim's) career slipped by in a sad moment in a way. Jim had a Huge Chance to retire on a huge Win.

But Jim had a NZ record money offer from Barry Purdon after . $150,000 . for Barry's clients of a group of galloping blokes including Sir Patrick Hogan. I hoped he wouldn't take it as the Interdominion at Moonee Valley in 2000 was going to be for an Incredible 1/2 mill prize ($300k to the winner) but Barry purchased him.

Mountain Gold (Rocky I think they called him) made that final at Moonee Valley , but a young upstart from the South Island had turned up . LYELL CREEK 🤣 . so Ant's Butt took the win for trainer brother Tim and pocketed the $300k . Mountain Gold  (and Special Force) unplaced. 

Come 2001 and the Interdominion was here in BrisVegas (the Ashvegas equal lol)  and Yulestar from the North Island won the Grand Final for Pacers. could MOUNTAIN GOLD win for the NI  in the trot Final ?. But not meant to be for Barry . (This trotting series was only a much cheaper $200k as well)  

Mountain Gold off 30m handicap  finished 2nd for Barry, defeated by Ant's and Tim Butt again 😎 , with TAKE A MOMENT (20m) this time) with Special Force (30m) 3rd.  

I remember it well as was squashed in the Massive crowd. Margins were about 1 length by 6 lengths as the locals were pretty shit compared to the strong kiwi trotters, got a few bob of the trifecta.  NZ had Won All the Interdominion Trots of the 90's . 10 straight . and were getting even better into the 2000's . with Lyell Creek and that. 🏆👍

Actually feels very Surreal now that JUST BELIEVE is winning everything (including in NZ ) past couple of years as an Oz trotter has never done that to NZ previously for a Very Long time in Big Trots. Scotch Notch in the 80's was the last really Top Oz trotter to win in NZ.

Just Believe might pop over for the Dominion H'cap soon?. a real 'gift' for him with No handicap FFA conditions . should be 30m behind really.    

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1 hour ago, Pure Steel said:

and little Sam Evander , the trotter. little bloke that tried hard we all used to cheer on for Reako. closest he got was 5th to Stormy Morn in the Rowe Cup in a Big race though.

Charlie , Did you ever see Mountain Gold go for Jim Smith ?  you were just talking about Barry Purdon earlier . (and also Mountain Haze reminded me of him too) 

1999 Jim had his Best horse ever. MOUNTAIN GOLD . and the biggest race of all was at Alex Park , the Interdominion that year. Jim Won a Heat too . Defeating the eventual Grand Final winner ''Special Force' of the Mcgowan's.  Jim tragically hemmed in 3 back the fence and locked in throughout nearly.  Mark Purdon had 1/2 the field in it, and ran placings with Africa and Pride of Petite

The Crowning achievement of his (Jim's) career slipped by in a sad moment in a way. Jim had a Huge Chance to retire on a huge Win.

But Jim had a NZ record money offer from Barry Purdon after . $150,000 . for Barry's clients of a group of galloping blokes including Sir Patrick Hogan. I hoped he wouldn't take it as the Interdominion at Moonee Valley in 2000 was going to be for an Incredible 1/2 mill prize ($300k to the winner) but Barry purchased him.

Mountain Gold (Rocky I think they called him) made that final at Moonee Valley , but a young upstart from the South Island had turned up . LYELL CREEK 🤣 . so Ant's Butt took the win for trainer brother Tim and pocketed the $300k . Mountain Gold  (and Special Force) unplaced. 

Come 2001 and the Interdominion was here in BrisVegas (the Ashvegas equal lol)  and Yulestar from the North Island won the Grand Final for Pacers. could MOUNTAIN GOLD win for the NI  in the trot Final ?. But not meant to be for Barry . (This trotting series was only a much cheaper $200k as well)  

Mountain Gold off 30m handicap  finished 2nd for Barry, defeated by Ant's and Tim Butt again 😎 , with TAKE A MOMENT (20m) this time) with Special Force (30m) 3rd.  

I remember it well as was squashed in the Massive crowd. Margins were about 1 length by 6 lengths as the locals were pretty shit compared to the strong kiwi trotters, got a few bob of the trifecta.  NZ had Won All the Interdominion Trots of the 90's . 10 straight . and were getting even better into the 2000's . with Lyell Creek and that. 🏆👍

Actually feels very Surreal now that JUST BELIEVE is winning everything (including in NZ ) past couple of years as an Oz trotter has never done that to NZ previously for a Very Long time in Big Trots. Scotch Notch in the 80's was the last really Top Oz trotter to win in NZ.

Just Believe might pop over for the Dominion H'cap soon?. a real 'gift' for him with No handicap FFA conditions . should be 30m behind really.    

Its funny I don't remember too much about Mountain Gold with Jim but remember him with Barry . Lyall Creek , Stormy Morn and Special Force I remember them well . When I was with Jim he had Alpine Peaks ( I think maybe related to Mountain Gold ? ) and a trotter called Derna who could have been anything but his feet were so bad it was heartbreaking seeing the pain he used to go through . One night at the Park Even Speed only just go up to beat him in one of the big races . 

Yulestar he was such a good horse . I was pissed off when Tony Shaw got the drag from what I thought was a nasty move by the trainers after what he had done for them  . Poor Tony as well getting that serious injury which I believe made him retire from driving 

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