Hokitika right handed ?

[Leggy 4,076]

Just now, Midget said:

I know,but no names,but Turney may be able to help us on this

lol

[Shad 1,554]

Mick blackadder did train that horse midget, was talking to him the other day. Also had oldtimer won 4 or five. Not many  of that generation left now, but always enjoy there stories about the horses they raced. And good how you never forget those that helped you in the early days. My haven't things changed in the game we love. Not even a shadow of its former glory days. But the highly paid powers that be have  lost all touch with reality.

[TOM(the other Molloy) 1,774]

1 hour ago, Midget said:

I see a Mr Bryce Hallaran as President,really nice man.I rode a horse for him called Zend Avista,he explained that it was a nice horse and would be a chance.I said that's all good,but what about the naming of the horse,Where the hell did that come from,he again explained to me again,that it was named after his wife who was Hungarian.

I am certain it was trained by another Reefton icon Mick Blackadder.When you see the names,I think how much did these locals help me when I was starting off.Thank You Reefton

You would be correct Morty.  I am sure Micky Blackadder did train it and though it was a little before my time Bryce Hallaran was a very popular and capable Club President. Your association with the Jim Lalor stable in particular earned you a winner or two at Reefton in your time?

Zend Avesta - grey with gold crossed sashes wasn't it?

I remember Leo winning the Reefton Cup when I was a kid on a horse called Audacitor (by Mellay) the next on Zam (by Zamazaan) and another on the circuit on Editorial (by Sovereign Edition) all owned by a bloke called Les Ling. Nor all the horses racing on the Coast in those days were by Afghanistan and Turon!

In the last race of that circuit (1975) I got my racing education furthered brutally when Editorial went head over heels at Omoto snapping a leg right in front of us and sending Leo flying. While he wasn't seriously hurt (broken collarbone) it was another trip following the ambulance for my mother and was one of the reasons Mum longed for the day he gave up riding.

Beautiful black horse summarily destroyed right in front of the crowd - no screens or horse ambulances in those days just an old tractor and tray they rolled the unfortunate horse onto and carted him away.

 

[TOM(the other Molloy) 1,774]

1 hour ago, Leggy said:

One of our current top jocks did the same thing over there. Might have also been at Hoki from memory. Think he was still asleep in the gutter at daybreak.

Not sure about one of our current top jocks but I know a prominent race cafe contributor got picked up doing it one day at Hoki and got a holiday as a result. That was in the days of M C Thornley and KW Morton.

[TOM(the other Molloy) 1,774]

5 hours ago, Leggy said:

Is the finish line still at 45 degrees to the inside rail?

Until recent times Reefton was no better. I remember Mr K W Morton demanding to see the photo finish print there one day when he posed for the photographer confident that he had a good two lengths on the one flashing  home down the outer only to be called in second.  Highly indignant he was.

Still three days later he broke the 1600m track record at Kumara on the same horse - I think the time was 1.42 for the mile or something like that which shows what a swamp Kumara used to be even after a legendary coast drought. The record stood for years till they drained the track.

[Turny 1,224]

My lips are sealed Midget - but as they say only on the Coast - from memory he rode 2 winners after waking up 

[Guest 2Admin2]

13 hours ago, Shad said:

Such a shame isn't it. Just looking at a reefton race book from 1978 13 stewards, guess its committee these days. President was mr a.b. hallaran. Full fields that day  local trainers the cutbushs'  blackadders. Grants, wildbore,  williams,  o'malleys, kennedys, buchanans, colemans, collins, shields, hurrens, mcdonalds,  all trained on the coast be afew more to. The late jim lalor trained there abit earlier. Feature race on the day was Reefton handicap.The top horses that day were hi roona , firpo,  robanna,  sovereign cloud, binkie to name a few. A trip down memory lane and to think it could be all lost. I often sit down at nite and study race books from yesteryear. And to think sum people throw them in bin. Amazing what you can find.

I remember Robana, Firpo and especially Sovereign Cloud.  Sovereign Cloud was owned by Joe Hill a stalwart of the Nelson Harness Racing Club and long time trotting trainer - a grey mare she was.  I used to spend holidays working in his stable and I saw her foals being broken in.  I'm pretty sure that from time to time either her or her yearlings were jogged up behind the tractor with the harness horses.

[Counter Punch 256]

Three for today, 2 I really like and 1 who is well over the odds. 

R1: #8 Okagbare Looked like she blew out a bit at Kumara. Is three times placed at Ellerslie and gets into a winnable sort of race. 

R3: #3 Davone Code: Odds runner for the day, has had two starts here for two placings. Has won second up and is slipping under the guard a bit. 

R9: #2 Tukawa: Really liked the run at Kumara. This is no easier, but does draw well enough to get a cushy run close to the speed and the longer straight should suit. 

[Ohokaman 5,830]

13 minutes ago, Counter Punch said:

Three for today, 2 I really like and 1 who is well over the odds. 

R1: #8 Okagbare Looked like she blew out a bit at Kumara. Is three times placed at Ellerslie and gets into a winnable sort of race. 

R3: #3 Davone Code: Odds runner for the day, has had two starts here for two placings. Has won second up and is slipping under the guard a bit. 

R9: #2 Tukawa: Really liked the run at Kumara. This is no easier, but does draw well enough to get a cushy run close to the speed and the longer straight should suit. 

Walsh got off Rogersons to ride Arapito which beat a race winner at the trials.....

[Counter Punch 256]

1 minute ago, Ohokaman said:

Walsh got off Rogersons to ride Arapito which beat a race winner at the trials.....

Should be an easy quinella to start the day then. 

[chelseacol 2,488]

4 minutes ago, Counter Punch said:

Should be an easy quinella to start the day then. 

Would be nice to see Pam get another winner after Kumara. Seems this one is pretty smart. Will need to be though as Rogies horse from 1 draw, right handed...looks very hard to beat.

For what it's worth...

R2 - Pinzano - won right handed up North and is pretty talented.

R3 - once again Rogie horse draws one and leads and has won right handed. One Direction looks overs at $10 though.

R7 - Leeds - big on saturday and looked a very good horse early on.  Werio right handed will be in multis

R8 - if track was no worse than dead 5 I would be prepared to have a go EW on Brah Spring at odds due to the right hand factor (and she has run in decent races). Watching the track though.

R9 - Curli  was much better last time and was close on the line. Won right handed. Needs rain - but once again at decent $.

Hope the Club has a great day

[Midget 4,489]

1 hour ago, 2Admin2 said:

I remember Robana, Firpo and especially Sovereign Cloud.  Sovereign Cloud was owned by Joe Hill a stalwart of the Nelson Harness Racing Club and long time trotting trainer - a grey mare she was.  I used to spend holidays working in his stable and I saw her foals being broken in.  I'm pretty sure that from time to time either her or her yearlings were jogged up behind the tractor with the harness horses.

I am sure i won a race on this horse,i think it paid $60 plus and was at Riccarton and believe Jim Wilson of Susan Jane fame trained her and raced in blue colours with a diagonal stripe,Mr Hill,s colours

[We're Doomed 4,855]

1 hour ago, turny said:

My lips are sealed Midget - but as they say only on the Coast - from memory he rode 2 winners after waking up 

He probably wanted to get to the finish as quick as possible in case he threw up

[Guest 2Admin2]

1 minute ago, Midget said:

I am sure i won a race on this horse,i think it paid $60 plus and was at Riccarton and believe Jim Wilson of Susan Jane fame trained her and raced in blue colours with a diagonal stripe,Mr Hill,s colours

Yep they were - black sleeves and I think there was a purple cap.

[elbow 50]

42 minutes ago, We're Doomed said:

He probably wanted to get to the finish as quick as possible in case he threw up

i rekon he rode as well half cut as he did sober...he was that good...and thanks for all the ''misty crystal revelations'' i was taking horses to race on the coast from 1975 on (ownertrainer) and loved the style and ambiance of the place and still do and remember and can relate to everything thats been said so far

[elbow 50]

1 hour ago, Midget said:

I am sure i won a race on this horse,i think it paid $60 plus and was at Riccarton and believe Jim Wilson of Susan Jane fame trained her and raced in blue colours with a diagonal stripe,Mr Hill,s colours

cyril pfefferle trained for the hills too midget cant remember if he had this one tho n yea your right about the colours used the same ones on his harness horses

[Guest 2Admin2]

I realise this is the Galloping section of RaceCafe but like elbow I've started remembering things.  My old man had trotters and pacers - even then the thoroughbreds were expensive but I think he liked being able to sit in the cart and work them when he visited the trainer.  Anyway he wanted to race one on his home track in front of his mates - in those days there were two or three harness races on the programme (may have even been division races!) at Hokitika.

So they lined up a horse called Secombe - all setup for the punt however the horse was a speed freak and mad as a meat axe.  Soon after the start he had hit the front and going out of the front straight couldn't negotiate the bend and headed for the car park which at Hokitika is right next to the outside fence.  The field went past and the driver got him sorted and took off again up the hill - by the time they approached the home turn he was in front again - yep again he runs off.  The pattern continued for the next circuit.  The commentator I think was Jack O'Donnell was having a great time with a very colourful commentary - the crowd and the "mates" were in hysterics.  Anyway the final runoff was a little bit too much to recover from especially when the field had fanned out for the race to winning post.  

Needless to say the big punt failed and a red faced owner never raced a pacer at Hokitika again.  I believe the ribbing went on for weeks if not months in good West Coast fashion.  

[TOM(the other Molloy) 1,774]

1 hour ago, 2Admin2 said:

I realise this is the Galloping section of RaceCafe but like elbow I've started remembering things.  My old man had trotters and pacers - even then the thoroughbreds were expensive but I think he liked being able to sit in the cart and work them when he visited the trainer.  Anyway he wanted to race one on his home track in front of his mates - in those days there were two or three harness races on the programme (may have even been division races!) at Hokitika.

So they lined up a horse called Secombe - all setup for the punt however the horse was a speed freak and mad as a meat axe.  Soon after the start he had hit the front and going out of the front straight couldn't negotiate the bend and headed for the car park which at Hokitika is right next to the outside fence.  The field went past and the driver got him sorted and took off again up the hill - by the time they approached the home turn he was in front again - yep again he runs off.  The pattern continued for the next circuit.  The commentator I think was Jack O'Donnell was having a great time with a very colourful commentary - the crowd and the "mates" were in hysterics.  Anyway the final runoff was a little bit too much to recover from especially when the field had fanned out for the race to winning post.  

Needless to say the big punt failed and a red faced owner never raced a pacer at Hokitika again.  I believe the ribbing went on for weeks if not months in good West Coast fashion.  

Great commentator he was too Jack.  the Greymouth Cup on Friday is named in his honour - it will be the first Greymouth Meeting in many many years without his presence.

I remember them running those trotting races at Hoki and at Kumara too.  Some of those wobblys were not too gifted in the speed department especially when the tracks got a little bit damp and even worse when, as they did then, they were going around for the second time on the one day.  It filled up a programme though and I was quite keen to have a couple fo them at Reefton but these days a galloping Club cannot run them - they need to be run under the auspices of a Harness Club  and they probably would have turned us down anyway given how close Reefton was to Nelson trots last Friday.

My favourite Hoki story concerns two characters no longer with us in Boomer Bailey and Ray Hewinson.  Boomer had a likely type(Beau Wyn or some name like that) in with Hewie to ride(no doubt to keep the price juicy though Hewie was certainly capable enough around the Coast tracks).  The night before the races Boomer goes into each Hoki pub and cashes a cheque to let him have the punt(As many will know Boomer lived on the edge financially).  Anyway home it rolls and off around Hoki goes Boomer to buy the cheques back. 

Now Boomer Bailey was a character!

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest 2Admin2]

Well one thing I remember about Hokitika was the Race Day Judge also ran the local TAB agency.  Not sure that would be allowed now a days.

[Midget 4,489]

Another friend no longer with us, Paul Gosling, mistook the number of laps at Hokitika one day and enthusiastically rode his horse out all the way down the straight the first time, splendidly posed for the camera ( as the Murfitt apprentices tended to do ), eased himself out to the outside rail whilst enjoying his uncontested success, standing up in the irons, then went a slightly pale colour as the rest of the field caught up at about the 1000m mark, all railing well and galloping on in an orderly fashion, with Gos copping a fair gob full from all other jockeys to " join in Gos, there's a lap to go ".

[We're Doomed 4,855]

They must be a bit disappointed today with all of the scratchings despite the good stakes. It just goes to show the stake levels don't mean a lot to most owners and trainers. Hokitika could have saved $50,000 and put up the same stakes as the other clubs on the circuit

[elbow 50]

26 minutes ago, TOM(the other Molloy) said:

Great commentator he was too Jack.  the Greymouth Cup on Friday is named in his honour - it will be the first Greymouth Meeting in many many years without his presence.

I remember them running those trotting races at Hoki and at Kumara too.  Some of those wobblys were not too gifted in the speed department especially when the tracks got a little bit damp and even worse when, as they did then, they were going around for the second time on the one day.  It filled up a programme though and I was quite keen to have a couple fo them at Reefton but these days a galloping Club cannot run them - they need to be run under the auspices of a Harness Club  and they probably would have turned us down anyway given how close Reefton was to Nelson trots last Friday.

My favourite Hoki story concerns two characters no longer with us in Boomer Bailey and Ray Hewinson.  Boomer had a likely type(Beau Wyn or some name like that) in with Hewie to ride(no doubt to keep the price juicy though Hewie was certainly capable enough around the Coast tracks).  The night before the races Boomer goes into each Hoki pub and cashes a cheque to let him have the punt(As many will know Boomer lived on the edge financially).  Anyway home it rolls and off around Hoki goes Boomer to buy the cheques back. 

Now Boomer Bailey was a character!

 

boomer used to come on the nelson /marlborough circuit with a station waggon full of cut price clothes and sell them all by circuit end to all the trainers n stablehands etc he was certainly a character

 

 

 

 

[Tool no. 1 92]

Jason Teaz called Alice Webb Ellis into 4th ahead of Waitino Biscuit in race 4. The official margin between them was 3.2 lengths in favour of Waitino Biscuit. Clueless.

[TOM(the other Molloy) 1,774]

32 minutes ago, Tool no. 1 said:

Jason Teaz called Alice Webb Ellis into 4th ahead of Waitino Biscuit in race 4. The official margin between them was 3.2 lengths in favour of Waitino Biscuit. Clueless.

Cut him some slack.  We can't all be perfect all the time.

[TOM(the other Molloy) 1,774]

Clearly Jason reads Race Cafe because I just hear him apologize for errors made today. If you are reading this Jason I would have to say if that is the biggest cockup you make in your calling career it is bugger all.

Like all your contemporaries you are doing a great job and if anyone thinks they can do better let them line up and have a go.