Top 50 Western Australian Pacers of All TimeHarness & Greyhounds

JayJay

Riders, way back before security was a buzz word and you didn't get frisked at the gate, kids used to hang around the float park at GP and we would give them a gear bag to carry in or wheel a spider in to get them in for nicks. No-one bothered too much and no harm done. We used to give some of them a ride home becauses the buses would not run after 11 o'clock. Next thing you know we had Sunday morning "free stablehands" turning up to help muck out the boxes. All good fun and got a few kids interested. Nowadays, they would need licences, police clearances, public liability insurance and a substantial wage but that's progress for you.

Ridersonthestorm33

One other thing about the trots of those days and I never underestimate was the fantastic race calling ability of George Grljusich...what a character he must have been... When his voice came on and he called the trots the world would seem a better place. Had no idea then that he loved a punt and the binoculars went flying a few times!

JayJay

George was the best trot caller I ever heard ...without peer for accuracy.... but a tragic punter. Funny as buggery at times and downright illogical at others but a great and colourful character. Get his book by Baden Pratt ...great insight.

VillageKid

Was that Albany horse you were trying to remember Nixons Creed Riders? 

I also remember backing him myself on his first up race at GP for Colin Reeves after having a picket fence of wins down at Albany, he won too.

Gary Hall eventually took him over and he raced in first class ranks for a while after.

Ridersonthestorm33

I do recall Sir Thomas , Nixons Creed and Smithdale Lad it could easily be any of those 3. Just had another name in mind though. I'm leaning to Sir Thomas for now. Somebody mentioned Snakes and Ladders he was a handy horse I had forgotten about him. I used to back a horse called Maxmore a fair bit. Was on big for a place one night he got run off the track from inside the circle until the finish ran 3rd I think but no third dividend..protested...dismissed. Robinson I think was the name of the driver.

JayJay

By Nixons Law, was owned by Peter Page in Albany. Ended up an M4 winning 16 from 58. He was hopeless early on down at Albany but Colin sorted him out, winning 4 or 5 in a row and Hall Snr ended up with him. A brother to Liquid Sunshine who was very handy.

VillageKid

Mike Reed has always had a good horse or 2. 

Manageable, Time Symbol Tricky Vic? and briefly Bonnavista Bay spring to mind but I am sure has had other gooduns.

Ray Duffy was another trainer who always had a good free for all pacer or 2 back in the day.

The Harlem Boy, Microfiche, Another Dustin, Sneakyn Down Under to name a few.

Piston_Broke

Black Irish running 3rd behind The Frog

JayJay

Rich and Spoilt I think and got Just Packapunch of Phil and won plenty, Hanover Lad was a good juvenile and din't he have Another Party at one stage. I know his first winner because we sold it to him ...Dormans Circle..actually Betty and Mick bought it for him to kick start his career.

Ridersonthestorm33

I remember being in the birdcage when the late Vin Knight threw the gear and kicked a few things after a big race either the Derby or Nugget , he let Chris Lewis out of a pocket and was filthy on himself. Absolutely livid.

matt

Knighted , Riders?

JayJay

Riders, Maxmore was a handy type. Raced by Dick Moore who mostly drove it himself but son Shane also sat behind it. Might have got Laurie Robinson to drive it once or twice although I'm thinking LJ had retired from race driving around then (1990 'ish).

G-Mac

Superb thread this

JayJay

Vinny was never happy losing ....Riders, it might have been the Golden Nugget when Vero Prince beat Alpine Fella in 1987. He came back and won it the next 2 years with Our Maestro and Sinbad Bay.

Ridersonthestorm33

JJ I am sure LJ Robinson drove Maxmore at least a few times because I remembered being a bit annoyed with the drives a few times! And it's a name that stayed with me. He was a handy horse your right. Anna's Ann was a favourite of mine. Just had a feeling she went off a bit though and lost a bit of form ? But she was great at her best. I noticed you mentioned a Froyland earlier I remember Lyndsey Froyland as a driver.

JayJay

Yes, your memory is spot on ...Laurie did drive him 3 times that I can find including your NTD 3rd placing. Laurie was a top driver for many years and an even better blacksmith from Station Street in Cannington. Warren (W.J) is his son and Michael (M.J) is his grandson.  Won a Pacing Cup for Phil Coulson on Hy Craft about 1964 and was on Color Glo for Coulson when Binshaw won the Inters in 1967. He had all those Admiral Way horses for old Mr Bele. Coolup Way, Placid Way, Haddock, John Silver etc and was a sought after freelance driver...Fast Rate for George McAlpine...they won an Oaks and one year a couple of heats of The Band H Pacing Cup, an unlucky 4th in the final. Haddock of course got skittled in the famous Hondo Grattan Interdominion race at GP when half the field fell...he was a top horse. Anna's Ann for George Pyburne .....almost unbeatable juvenile but did race on very well. Lindsay Froyland has passed away but he was a very good driver and trainer and a chirpy little bloke as well. We did a number of Country jaunts with Lindsay and he was always great fun and always gave our horses every chance.   Warrick was his son and looked to be a very promising young driver before he sadly passed away at a very young age in tragic circumstances.

Chariotsonfire

Annas Ann found its way to Free For All company as a three year old filly under the handicapping system that was in place in those days. Probably would be able to race in a CO these days.

Ridersonthestorm33

JJ that's incredible about the NTD third placing... Something's stay in the punting memory a lifetime and I was fuming that night...Me and Maxmore parted ways after that. I'm sure he protested too was desperately unlucky. Don't know anything about Pacing Lawn how good was he/she. ?

JayJay

Valley Champ and Des Parr is a great story. As is the Spring Well situation, a famous disqualification. It was his first start as a 3yo having had just one unsuccessful 2yo start. It was December 27th 1998 and he was backed out of existence only to be disqualified....the Sheehy's were not amused. He then went on to win his next 3 starts, In fact, he won 13 of his next 19 starts including 2 sequences of 5 in a row  along with 2 seconds and 3 thirds, being out of the money just once (in the Australian Derby at Moonee Valley). He was an outstanding horse who won the 4 yo championship at Albion Park. However after that, it was all over for him...I think injury finished him but it was great ride while it lasted.

Riders, Pacing Lawn almost deserves a thread of his own. A great looking speed machine in his day - a striking black. Both he and the 1964 Cup Winner Hy Craft (Pacing Lawn ran 3rd in the same race)  were by Pacing Power and both trained by Coulson but you wouldn't find two more differing types. Pacing Lawn held the State Record for a mile (2.01) whereas Hy Craft held the two mile record, set in the cup of 2.07.25 from the stand. As previously stated, LJ Robinson steered Hy Craft and Phil drove Pacing Lawn. How he got him to run out the 2 miles is remarkable as he was an out and out sprinter. In 1965, Phil took him to America (by plane) stopping off in Hawaii for a swim in the Pacific Ocean. Upon arrival in New York to contest the $100,000 Yonkers International, Pacing Lawn became famous as "the first horse to swim in a pool in New York (Publicity bull **** I would suggest) but it did happen. I have a press photo of a young looking Phil Coulson "aged 32 from 25 Herdesman Parade, Wimbley" (sic) leading the 9yo down a wooden ramp to swim in the heated (80 degree Fahrenheit) pool of the Idlewild Health Club at the Holiday Inn near Kennedy Airport. The accompanying article states that back home in Perth, the weather is too hot to work horses as it is over "100 degrees for 9 months of the year" - they obviously had advanced warning of global warming or something got lost in the translation. He won loads of fast class/cups - August Cup, Winter Cup, State Sprint Championship (forerunner to Mount Eden Mile ....running the amazing time off 2.6.5 of 12 yards over 13 furlongs. Hy Craft was a distance specialist winning the 14 furlongs 156 yards New Year Handicap and running 3rd behind the great Mercedes in the 2 mile Easter Cup. I'd better stop - i'll start boring people to death.

VillageKid

Your recollections are far from boring JJ, I for one am enjoying the reminiscing immensely.  

Do you by any chance know the records for both Go Go San Marco & Aladdins Lamp JJ?

JayJay

Hmm the challenges are getting harder. Especially when there is about 14 Aladdin's Lamps scattered throughout the data base, all spelt the same.
So, some recollection, some guess work, some facts. I do know that Aladdins Lamp was no spring chicken when he arrived from the Normans in SA to FRK's. An old gelding by Aachen, tough as cheap steak. He had some success in SA, ran 2nd in the SA Guineas and the SA St Leger - not usually a great recommendation but a horse called Yo Yo Time beat him in the guineas and he also came to WA and won a stack of high class races for Wilf Powell and Phil as a 4 year old. Was touted as a super star at one stage. (around the Trial Flight, Pride of Kentucky days for Wilf.) Aladdin's best years were probably 1984/1985 as a 9 year old. He won the Brennan Memorial, 2nd to Village Kid in the Stratton Cup (GoGo San Marco 3rd), 2nd in a Botra Cup to Elteei, 2nd in a Lord Mayors Cup to Village Kid and was 3rd to Preux Chevalier and Village Kid in the New Year FFA. He qualified (along with GoGo San Marco) for the B&H Cup final where Village Kid knocked off Preux Chevalier in the big upset.Video link below.



GoGo San Marco was a perennial placegetter who ended up striking his best form with Bill Horn. Earlier, he ran 3rd to Yarracoola in the Golden Slipper, 3rd to  Gay Boyden (Val Pereira) in the Derby and thereafter, he ran a lot of places as well as winning 9 races in his career. 3rd in a Bunbury Cup, 2nd to Gap Road in a Parliamentarians Cup, 3rd to Village Kid in a Stratton Cup. Can't confirm but I think he was a Lombardo horse with Trevor Warwick earlier but one of my data bases has been belligerent today and that is purely based on my fading memory. Bill certainly got him going very well.

Both won around the 80 to 90k mark which was a fair whack in the 80's.

JayJay

I've labelled Aladdins a gelding ....very clever gelding because he went back to SA and sired a few winners!!!! Whoops. Can confirm Mick Lombardo bought Gogo from NZ where he was originally named just plain "San Marco". Name changes make life tricky for us history nerds.

VillageKid

As always great work JJ.

Gee's Bill Horn had a great patch in the 80's starting with an old fav in Black Irish, then came the likes of Go Go San Marco, Governor Guinness, Our Pow Wow, Sunshine Forever, Ballantines and the unforgettable Village Kid won a race or 2 for Bill as well. 

JayJay

Yes, Bill's story is a great one...I can still clearly see him hurtling around York on some crab....Prince Brino or something like that.......looking for the life of me that he was going to fall out the cart....and then later on watching him scurrying around the betting ring trying to get set.....and then along came Black Irish. Remarkable really......with all due respect, he was the chubby bloke who was never ever going to make it but make it he did....big time...and he never changed one little bit. Bill was and always will be just Bill. Sunshine Forever rarely gets a mention but he was a damn good horse...another one of Lombardo's. I had Jay Dee Two coming up for a result one night...an August or winter Cup and Sunshine rolled him. Bill took him to Sydney for the Inters...he placed in a heat or 2 but he left him there and he won a fairly big Invitation race shortly after. I don't think he ever came back to WA after that. He won the Sires as well but I think that was before Bill got him.

Ridersonthestorm33

JJ tell me about George James I can remember him as a pretty big bloke with grey curly hair, rocking in the sulky! Also seeing him in the bookies ring sitting down chatting to various people. I remember him getting some winners..he would have been towards the end of his career when I first took an interest, but remember him and backing a few roughies he would drive. Was he a trainer/driver ?

GLAMOUR

Village Kid will allways be a favourite of mine,just that brilliant acceleration he had,

JayJay

George "The Baker" James....geez, where do I start. I went to school with his son Garry who also went on to drive a number of winners. George was a biggish bloke, didn't look like a driver at all, sat awkwardly in the cart but he was as shrewd as they come and had a great personality......a laugh a minute, a great story teller. He was at ease behind a microphone and did quite a lot of Radio work tipping winners and discussing the trots. Behind that jovial exterior, he was one smart operator. Pulled off an amazing betting coup with a horse called Two Wells at Gawler in SA...emptied the Bookies Bags. Probably best known as the trainer driver of No Dill who zoomed past the mighty Mt Eden in the famous Christmas Handicap Final in about 1971....complete with George giving Jack Miles a tune up on the way past...only for Mt Eden to lift amazingly in the final 50 metres to claim an astounding win. No Dill was a very good horse and won successive Bunbury Cups, a Pinjarra Cup and many other races. George also trained Ayr Rowan (Gary drove) to 4th in the 82 Inters Final behind Rhetts Law. They got him off the Wilsons in Victoria, and in typical fashion, picked up some petrol money for the trip back west by winning the main race at Stawell on the way home. They also had fast class performer Dallas Brigade who ran in Gammalites Fremantle Cup win. He was a proven horse from Victoria but they improved him. George was a permanent fixture at Alby Harmans blacksmith shop for morning tea in Cannington.....good tea, excellent sticky buns and copious telling of questionable stories was the order of the day. George was in his element. He was late one morning.....came out the house, started up his ute, bunged it in gear and it went nowhere. Someone had put it on blocks during the night and stolen the wheels. Old Jack Jones, who was recovering from a shocking race fall at Wagin right when Royal Vance was absolutely flying, and whose duty it was to collect the buns each morning from Queens Park Bakery, sat there and said nothing but he had a slight grin as George told of his tale of woe. Great character was George.....the fun police would have had him arrested on sight nowadays.

Ridersonthestorm33

JJ don't know if you remember this name from the past but my first memory of a pacer that I backed was a horse called Captain Forlese all I know is that it was trained and driven by a Treasure... They would have to be the same Treasure family involved in trotting today , it consistently would find it's way into a placing getting through the pack to run into the money invariably at good odds. Don't know if he ran in free for all company or what he ran in , I was in primary school I think! Trots were my favourite subject. Thanks for the info on George James I liked the guy he had character written all over him and no fool. Seen replays of the No Dill Mt Eden race. Can remember his son driving now too. Old George can still see him clearly to this day discussing trotting at GP and dying to know what he was saying!

JayJay

Alex (Sparksy) Treasure is your man Riders. The Treasures are an old trotting family from Cannington with strong links to the Kersleys and even further back, to Mr Clark. Alex's Dad, Bob (R.E.Treasure) was WATA President in the late 70's after years as a committeeman and Vice President. They ran, and probably still do, a large stock transport company. Captain Forlese was a NZ import who raced very consistently. Placed in some features and a handsome type but not quite top class. Their best horse was Captain Elect who they bred from a really good producing Belmont Hall mare called Lass's Daughter. Lass's Daughter was from a sister (Jack's Lass) to standout sire Jack Oro and prolific feature race winner of the 60's King Capri who raced at Interdominion level for Fred Kersley Snr - a real top knotch horse. Lass's Daughter produced Little Captain, Captain Oro, Captain Elect, Captain Tucky and Argent Faire, all of whom won plenty of races. Feature race wise, Captain Elect was placed in a heat of the 1982 Inters in Perth (Rhetts Law), won the New Year Handicap in 1979, 2nd behind Mint Condition in the 1981 Pinjarra Cup (Johhny Toledo 3rd), beat Society Guy and Pallaton in the 1980 Christmas Gift final, 3rd in the 1979 Derby behind Adios Brad and East of Eden, 2nd in the 1984 Easter Cup to Gold Rowan and won the 1977 WA Sires Produce. So from 1977 to 1982, he was racing in top company. I think he went to stud afterwards with limited success, as did Captain Forlese. Not to familiar with current day Treasures but I see their name pop up occasionally - Glen had some success a while back.
Old George was a beauty - It was claimed he said "I'll see you in the showers Jack" as he zoomed past Mount Eden" - I understand it was somewhat more colourful than that. But George copped it sweet, he just got a bit anxious that night - No Dill - Goerge was indeed No Dill.

squid69

This is one of the best threads I have read. The names bring back memories of listening to the ABC radio coverage on a Friday night, also watching the replays later on.