RaceCafe..#1...Tipsters Thread.... Share Your Fancies For Fun...Lets See Who The Best Tipsters Here Are.
JJ Flash

The Williamson's Clean up

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Majestic Man was crowned Otago Horse Of The Year on Saturday night following his breakout season in the open trotting ranks.

The Phil Williamson-trained squaregaiter was crowned 4yr-old male trotter of the year before claiming the top prize at the Otago Harness Racing Awards at Forbury Park.

Williamson took home a boot-load of trophies, including trainer of the year.

Liberty Stride, (3yr-old trotting filly), Kenny's Dream (4yr-old trotting mare), and Jen Jaccka (aged trotting mare) each won their categories for the Oamaru trainer.

Williamson stables drivers and fiances, Matthew Williamson and Charlotte Purvis, won driver of the year and junior driver of the year, respectively.

Williamson was denied another win by his son, Brad, when Cracker Hill edged out Ultimate Stride in the 2yr-old trotting category.

 

What a fantastic performance. A lot of traveling involved form their Oamaru base but they seem to be always involved from Canterbury to the deep south.

 

Greg

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Phil for many years didnt train a winner. Got Role Model and has not looked back. Deserves every award he gets. Apparently as a young lad watching the mare Thurber Frost/ Stella Grattan being trained on the beach in front of his home got Phil interested in harness racing.

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5 hours ago, Value Bell said:

Phil for many years didnt train a winner. Got Role Model and has not looked back. Deserves every award he gets. Apparently as a young lad watching the mare Thurber Frost/ Stella Grattan being trained on the beach in front of his home got Phil interested in harness racing.

I recall him as a very good driver in his day, great judge of pace. Drove some good horses; Enterprise was it? And something like Royal Illusion, I might be totally wrong there. Strangely enough I never really associated him with trotters as a driver.

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1 hour ago, We're Doomed said:

I recall him as a very good driver in his day, great judge of pace. Drove some good horses; Enterprise was it? And something like Royal Illusion, I might be totally wrong there. Strangely enough I never really associated him with trotters as a driver.

Enterprise was trained by Doug Heffernan from memory. Very good youngster who let the team down very badly one day at Waikaouiti when it swung around at the start and literally went the other way.

 

Greg

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5 minutes ago, JJ Flash said:

Enterprise was trained by Doug Heffernan from memory. Very good youngster who let the team down very badly one day at Waikaouiti when it swung around at the start and literally went the other way.

 

Greg

Yes, Enterprise was a good Lordship stallion (another stud failure)  who raced against the likes of harness legends Roydon Glen and Hands Down. I think Williamson drove him a couple of times early in the horses career but his regular driver when the horse was trained by Doug Heffernan was Peter Shand. 

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On 9/18/2019 at 9:39 AM, Toblerone said:

It seems silly that a small (harness racing wise) area like Otago would have 27 awards.

I agree, what trainers other than Phil train in that area. I don't mean to disparage Phil, he's a great trainer but it's a farce really

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2 hours ago, Thejanitor said:

Colin de Filippi drove Tisdall's horse

Also the man himself drove a bit too.....plus some of those close to Waimate.....Cleave,Langford,RBrosnan.FKirk dove Idolmite in Auckland.There were more than one Heffernan , Doug and Vince I think were two.

Enterprise was driven by Peter Shand mainly .

I did a quick check on HRNZ website after a few Tisdall and Heffernan horses flashed before my eyes.......namely Idolmite ,Dannymite ,Tom Pepper ,Enterprise and Cardinal Star.

Other drivers named include Phil Williamson ,John Hay and Ali Malcomson [RIP] ,and of course Colin DePhillipi mentioned earlier as main Idolmite pilot. 

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5 hours ago, Stables said:

I agree, what trainers other than Phil train in that area. I don't mean to disparage Phil, he's a great trainer but it's a farce really

G Anderson ,A Hoffman,G Knight come to mind immediately

As for the farce, its a bit like a race you only have to beat what opposition there is

 

Greg

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3 hours ago, tasman man 11 said:

Also the man himself drove a bit too.....plus some of those close to Waimate.....Cleave,Langford,RBrosnan.FKirk dove Idolmite in Auckland.There were more than one Heffernan , Doug and Vince I think were two.

Enterprise was driven by Peter Shand mainly .

I did a quick check on HRNZ website after a few Tisdall and Heffernan horses flashed before my eyes.......namely Idolmite ,Dannymite ,Tom Pepper ,Enterprise and Cardinal Star.

Other drivers named include Phil Williamson ,John Hay and Ali Malcomson [RIP] ,and of course Colin DePhillipi mentioned earlier as main Idolmite pilot. 

PT Wolfendon won the Auckland Cup on Enterprise with a jem of a drive(surprise) in 1984✔️

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1 hour ago, CosmicBlackie said:

PT Wolfendon won the Auckland Cup on Enterprise with a jem of a drive(surprise) in 1984✔️

Yes, possibly his only drive on horse who won $101 k of $180 k stake.Not bad for 1984 !

Later in the year and early 1985 AG Herlihy won 4 x races behind the horse at Auckland ,for a total purse of about $40 k.

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14 hours ago, JJ Flash said:

Enterprise was trained by Doug Heffernan from memory. Very good youngster who let the team down very badly one day at Waikaouiti when it swung around at the start and literally went the other way.

 

Greg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pat Heffernan - or red Pat as he was often called from Moonlight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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43 minutes ago, We're Doomed said:

You could use the same argument for saying why bother having an award for national harness trainer of the year.

I'm pretty sure they have held those awards for decades and it is one way of recognising excellence and promoting Harness in the region.

The good thing about awards night is that they are not compulsory:rcfe-happy-3:

 

Greg

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On 9/19/2019 at 11:08 PM, napier said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pat Heffernan - or red Pat as he was often called from Moonlight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes indeed it was Pat Heffernan that owned and trained Enterprise (not Doug). His son David still lives in Otago and is/was the president of the Harness Racing Club there. Pat was born in Moonlight at the family farm and started out there, but I believe Enterprise went out to stud at his farm in Morven.

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3 hours ago, Poppy1974 said:

Yes indeed it was Pat Heffernan that owned and trained Enterprise (not Doug). His son David still lives in Otago and is/was the president of the Harness Racing Club there. Pat was born in Moonlight at the family farm and started out there, but I believe Enterprise went out to stud at his farm in Morven.

 

I remember when Enterprize won the Auckland Cup and he was staying at Bob Clark's Ruby Lodge - now AGH's property - and Bob suggested he shout a few of those who had helped him out to dinner. Although reticent he did agree but said Peter Wolfenden (who drove the horse to win) would not be one of those invited, because "he got enough out of the drivers fee"

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