Comments worth a post but not a thread of their own

Chariotsonfire · October 2022

JayJay I know that you very close to Phil Coulson but did you realise that he was a State Schoolboy footballer. I went to a reunion at Fremantle Oval around 2006 and one of the first people that I ran into was Phil. I believe that he was also a very good boxer (sat Hall Snr on his ars with ease) so he had a few strings to his bow as an all round sportsman.

getthechange · October 2022

JayJay said:
Yes Col, that's the "Meteor Mile" referred to above, February 15th, 1969....$3,000 for first and $500 for 2nd and 3rd. Dainty's Daughter (4/6) beat Renaud (4/1) and Radiant Oro (2/1)in a world record 1.58.8 for mares on a half mile track. From memory, just the third sub 2 minute race mile ever in Australia behind Halwes and Robin Dundee.
Other winners on the night were Browned Off(1/1) J.T Blackburn, Master William (12/1) Alan Woodworth, Dark Rauen from 12 yrds(12/1), the $1,800 Country Derby to New Gallant (6/1) who I think only ever won one more race up at Kellerberrin for Laurie Groves, Yardon (3/1) Jack Retzlaff and Fortress (9/2) Rod Starkie. My racebook for the night records just two collects... Dainty's 20/25 and Yardon $60 to $20....last of the big punters.

didnt pick up on the three horse race being the meteor mile - thought Renaud - Daintys - radiant oro were the horses but the more I thought about it the less convinced I became -

clearly remember backing radiant oro with cover bet on Renaud on the theory that Renaud would want the front ( think he drew bar 1) and that daintys would have to breeze but instead I think she rolled to the lead and it was game over

JayJay · October 2022

Chariotsonfire said:
JayJay I know that you very close to Phil Coulson but did you realise that he was a State Schoolboy footballer. I went to a reunion at Fremantle Oval around 2006 and one of the first people that I ran into was Phil. I believe that he was also a very good boxer (sat Hall Snr on his ars with ease) so he had a few strings to his bow as an all round sportsman.

Yes Chariots, around 1946 or 47, when he was at Perth Boys.....it was the first one after the war, I think 1946 was a non event so Im thinking more 1947. The carnival was in Perth I think, I have a team photo floating around somewhere. Pretty sure they were victorious in the carnival, Ned Bull was in the team, he went on to be a star with East Perth. The late Ben Jefferyes, aka "The Whistle Blower" that I have written about a lot on here, was one of Phil's teachers at Perth Boys. Ben was a unique individual, I have never met anyone remotely like him, and there is a great book in his life story. He was "rescued" as a young lad from Pemberton by his headmaster Mr Cyril "Sticky" Glew who arranged a scholarship for Ben at Christchurch where he was captain of Cricket, Football, Swimming and Boxing. The war intervened, he joined the Navy, ended up in "Z" force, somehow survived and then returned to study teaching at Graylands prior to his appointment to Perth Boys. There he met a young Coulson and coached him in football. Ben had also been the Inter-forces Middleweight Boxing Champion and runner up in the Australian Open welterweight division, he was extremely deft in the square ring. He took Coulson under his wing and he became a Junior Golden Gloves Champion. Those two were joined at the hip throughout their lives and later on, Ben, an astute horseman from his days on the Coastal Cattle Drives to Windy Harbor (and from riding his horse to school with Dave "Taffy" Evans (MLA for Warren and Agricultural Minister in the Tonkin Government and a finer man you would never meet), became a semi permanent fixture at the Herdsman Lake Stables, with Ben living just around the corner. Some years back, when Ben turned 80, an ailing Phil Coulson made the trip down and was guest speaker at the function. He approached teh stage blowing an umpires whistle...loudly....and repeatedly. That plunge was very important to Ben. Some of the proceeds went to purchasing his beloved cattle block on Pumphill, a property that is still in the family to this day. I knew Ben for decades, I fortunately worked with him in his later days of teaching, I idolised him and smile broadly every time I think of him. Ask anyone, absolutely anyone who lives in this region, they will all smile warmly at the mention of his name. He was also a WAFL Umpire and a stalwart of the Southerners Football Club. A wonderful character.......and sorry for waffling on.....Snr weren't the only one to be sat on his backside over the years. A punter who was ferociously slagging him off in the birdcage post race one night after Extra Sly got beaten was one that I witnessed "tripping over" in a flash....close up vision, I was undoing the horses head check!!

JayJay · October 2022

Just reminded me...Phil was also a champion equestrian rider. Back in the day, the Osborne park and Wanneroo Show circuit was very big and his Mum, old Mrs Duncan, was herself an Australian Champion and she schooled him through dressage and show jumping as a teenager, winning all number of awards and blue ribbons and so on. She was of course a Thomas prior to marrying Charlie Coulson and when he died prematurely, she took over the training of his team after a special dispensation was granted allowing her to be licensed to train when females were barred from holding a license. She worked on the grooming of all the champs that went through the Herdsman Stables up to a ripe old age, I remember her well with all her grooming brushes and the little stool she stood on. Horses were like butter in her hands.

Chariotsonfire · October 2022

JayJay you mentioned the name Sticky Glew. My brother Mick (18 years older) went to Pemberton High School and after one of many run ins with Sticky he told him that there was not room enough for both of them in the school so he was leaving and duly did.

JayJay · October 2022

Yep, that's the same bloke. Ben Jefferyes also left Pemberton High School when his mother shifted to Collie. Alas, Sticky Glew was appointed Principal at Collie. Ben left school to work down the mines to support his now single mother. Some older bloke had a go at young Ben, he promptly dropped the bloke. Sticky was running a boxing club in Collie and coaxed Ben out of the mines (no place for a 14 year old kid) and back to school with the offer of some support for his mother and some free lessons.Upon finishing 3rd year (year 10 as it is today), he somehow pulled some strings and arranged a boarding scholarship at Christchurch for year 11 and 12. It was to be his making as he was academically very clever. Sticky was, according to many reports, a difficult customer, but he also had a kind side which worked very much in Ben's favour. I first came across Ben as a young kid, watching him break in a horse to the cart. bare foot, checkered shirt, trousers tied up with binder twine and a mad horse with white in it's eye and froth streaming from its mouth. Lap after lap it did....until Ben calmly walked it up to the tie rail completely exhausted and said "That one won't cause you any more trouble, tame as a cat". I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Got a million other "Ben" stories and Ben sayings. As I said, he and Coulson were like blood brothers and right until the end, Phil and Delma regularly made the journey to visit Ben and his dear wife Gwen, and many an afternoon was spent reminiscing the past. It was a privilege to sit in and listen on many occasions. Ben labelled them "The food on the table" sessions where I suspect, tall tales grew a little in stature.

Markovina · October 2022

I saw Phil once - this would be 40 plus years ago - South Cottesloe - right at the end of it - to get onto Stirling Hwy - but still in a residential Street

And i thought to myself theres Phil - and he was crouched over the steering wheel - ha - and he was

JayJay · October 2022

Chariots, no doubt you are aware of the excellent website detailing past history and results of State Schoolboys....chances of there being two bookies emerge from the 1961 side, yourself and Bob Howat? Running a book on the final result I would hope lol?

A few old "trotting" names emerge....an Albert Softley of Kalgoorlie in 1948? Surely that must be Bert Softley??? Some years were rich and the picture of Toddy in his first year (1951) of schoolboys (he played twice, the next year as Captain)....he is scarily tiny, literally a skinny little kid. Gee, he must have been something else as a junior.

Fair class in 1950....Oscar Howard, Les and John Mumme and Barry Shepherd, 1956 had Frank Pyke, Ray Lucev and familiar trotting name Ivan Wunnenberg?, 1960 was an undefeated side....Greg brehaut, Fred Lewis, Wayne Richardson and trevor Sprigg might have had some say in it and 1963 became an East Perth benefit year with John Garnaut, Ken McAullay, Ian Miller and Hans Verstegen. That's as far as I got but no doubt some other stars have emerged through the years.

Chariotsonfire · October 2022

JayJay I seem to have lost the link to State Schoolboy site can you send it to me.

JayJay · October 2022

Go to:

https://www.schoolsportwa.com.au/interstate/afl/boys-15s/

History and results tab is at bottom right of the page.

savethegame · October 2022

Jay Jay the 48 team that won the carnival had two players from Kalgoorlie both who finished up trainers at different stages. Bert Softley was a trotting trainer& driver had magnificent black stallion Inimitable looks out weighed his ability

Bert was the son of legendary blacksmith & Farrier Herb Softley who use to make his shoes out of the spring steel bands that encased the orIginal Kalgoorlie pipeline. His shoes would last three shoeings with minimal wear.

Hannans Hcp Winner Vornette Herb couldn't get a back shoe on kept dragging him underneath' So he made up this poultice within a couple weeks a apple core sized entrapment cameout from its hindquarter, once it healed no more problems went from a maiden to winning a Hannans Hcp in the same season.for trainer John Stacey

Herb,s other son Peter had good horse callled Padraig. The other Footballer was Brain Forrest who trained Gallopers couple i can remember Red Reason& Dawn Service.

JayJay · October 2022

Did Peter have Vita Patris.....pretty good young horse?

curmudgeon · October 2022

Peter (John) Softley ie PJ Softley but usually known as John was a fitter & turner who had a place on Larsen Rd Byford. He was one of the earlier residents on the complex. Worked as did many harness enthusiasts at the Cardup brickworks. I drove a couple of horses at Wagin & Narrogin for him circa 1982 when giving him a hand around the stables. Phrynie was a nice filly and may have won a heat of the Oaks from memory ...Padraig won a WA Sires final & got to FFAll class ...Magnavita was by Vita Patris who was in the vacant block next to Johns place...the land may have been owned by John Oldroyd.

Vita Patris was a beautiful chestnut by Leyoro ...I think he won the WA Sires as a 3 y/o for John & his owners who were Kiara Davies maternal grandparents but this was well before Kiara was around ..Bill (Williamson ?) &his wife I think from memory. They owned quite a busy Deli business.

Vita Patris was retired early with a hind leg suspensory problem & Magna Vita was his only foal to race...he ended up in Kalgoorlie where he won a couple for my father & Jim Rowatt.....Neville Harris & Steve Burton drove him up there. I bred a colt by VP out of a mare from Gordon Rothackers called Jeannie Seb....who was a stunning chestnut mare by Gordons brother to his champion mare Angelique called Sebastian. Lost the colt in a stable accident @ Greg Miles place in Armadale & the mare slipped to him the following year. As far as I know that was all she wrote for Vita Patris & he passed away from colic a couple of years later. At the time the golden cross in WA was Captain Hook over Leyoro mares ( San Simeon etc) & I was going to reverse it with a Captain Hook mare I owned by putting her to VP but his demise put paid to that.

curmudgeon · October 2022

Watching Leonora races on Sky 2 brings back memories of driving in harness races conducted by the GMTC there in the mid to late 90's. The track was ok then & looked even better today judging by the vision.

Markovina · October 2022

A couple of names their - give the memory a bit of a jolt

Angelique - i can rember it - it was a beautiful Chestnut mare - im trying to think - did it win a NSW or Vic Oaks - or its sister did - or it threw one which did - Silver might have been in its name - but its a long time ago

Steve Burton - know theirs someone who hasnt been mentioned on this forum for along time - he had a top horse - might have lost form near the end - but Ryan Warwick used to drive it i think

JayJay · October 2022

Gee Whiz Fizz....won everything as a 4 year old, The Nugget, The 4YO Classic, that 4/5 Year old Championship thing......also had Phar From either a Fake or Kalahari or something like that won an Easter Cup.

Chariotsonfire · October 2022

JayJay it was pointed out to me that Chestnuts in harness racing are very much a thing of the past.

Any explanation?

curmudgeon · October 2022

Angelique won a heat & final of the Vic Oaks in 1962.

138 starts for 45 - 29 -21 incl

Winning 2 x heats of Inters & 2nds in both the Inters Final & Hunter Cup plus 3rd in a Miracle Mile.

Winner of numerous FFAlls & Cups

curmudgeon · October 2022

JayJay said:
Gee Whiz Fizz....won everything as a 4 year old, The Nugget, The 4YO Classic, that 4/5 Year old Championship thing......also had Phar From either a Fake or Kalahari or something like that won an Easter Cup.

Comnharry who won today @ Bunbury was bred by Steve Burton & is a half brother to Gee Whiz Fizz etc

savethegame · October 2022

Gee whiz Fizz for what he achieved finished up in claimers in s.a.

JayJay · October 2022

Chariotsonfire said:
JayJay it was pointed out to me that Chestnuts in harness racing are very much a thing of the past.

Any explanation?

There is....and it would take pages and pages to fully explain the genetics, which wouldn't achieve much unless familiar with homozygous/heterozygous/allele terminology. But at its simplest, I'll give it a go.

Chestnut is a recessive colour and is dominated by bay or black. It is genetically allocated a gene type b whereas the Bay or Black is allocated a gene type B. Two gene types control coat colour, so a chestnut will always be bb. A bay or a black could be "pure" BB or hybrid Bb.....the capital letter dominant gene will mask out the lower case b chestnut recessive. So, a Bb will NEVER be chestnut in coat colour, So in any population of horses, chestnut will always be the lowest proportion.

However if a Bb (Black or bay) stallion and a Bb (black or bay) mare mate (or vice versa), there is a chance of a bb (chestnut) foal but much lower probability. Another complicating factor is "brown" colour where incomplete dominace occurs.....in simple terms, a "mix between the black and the bay. There are further complications form "intensity" genes I will call them, which give shades of brown and shades of chestnut eg Liver chestnut verses the gold "palomino" chestnut and allshades in between. the prevalence of chestnuts in the past was boosted by human interference....a lot of well heeled society ladies thought chestnut to be very eyecatching and alluring and they were selectively bred in higher proportions than would naturally occur.

Nowadays, a more hard headed approach endures with speed and endurance being selected for above coat colour. Intensity genes can also 'flatten" the black hair gene to produce very occasional grey horses but it is a different mechanism to the chestnut recessive outcome. Simples!

Not many chestnut stallions around to give a bb cross with a Bb mare which produces a much higher ratio of chestnut horses of about 50% chance. Romeo Hanover was one I can recall producing a very pretty (and capable) chestnut for Laurie Robinson and weather man John Barnett, Redeemer King and that was an example of a bb x Bb mating.

Markovina · October 2022

Football has been mentioned in this thread so i will post it here

WAFL Flag/Premiership count after West Perths win last week

East Fremantle 29

West Perth 20

East Perth 17

Subiaco 16

South Fremantle 14

Claremont 12

Swan Districts 8

Perth 7

Just a few comments/observations

For all Georges ravings about Souths this and Souths that - Old Easts have allways had them covered - as the flag counts suggests - just the better club

Subiaco 16 - but theve probably won 8-10 recently because theve got all the money - so they had a poor tally for a fair while - and i barracked /and went to their games - Subi were an absolute joke late 70s /early 80s and it was embarrassing telling anyone you barracked for them - big Laurie Keane - he was one of my favourites

Not being a smart aarse but Swan Disticts have got a very paltry tally - only Perth below them and Perth have been non competitive/hopeless for 40 years

VillageKid · October 2022

Probably because Swans only came in to the WAFL in 1934 whereas the likes of EF, SF, SU, PE, etc first seasons were in the 19th century.

For as paltry as Swans 8 Premierships are we did give Perth and the others nearly 50 years head start!

Also I am pretty sure since 1960 Swans have won pretty much the same amount of Premierships as most of the established WAFL clubs like EF etc!

Not sure what this has to do with being on the trots page though............................??????????

AbbysAce · October 2022

Can anyone explain how Mega Mach got behind the leader around the 1st corner at Bunbury friday?

Gilgamesh · October 2022

Markovina said:
Football has been mentioned in this thread so i will post it here

WAFL Flag/Premiership count after West Perths win last week

East Fremantle 29

West Perth 20

East Perth 17

Subiaco 16

South Fremantle 14

Claremont 12

Swan Districts 8

Perth 7

Just a few comments/observations

For all Georges ravings about Souths this and Souths that - Old Easts have allways had them covered - as the flag counts suggests - just the better club

Subiaco 16 - but theve probably won 8-10 recently because theve got all the money - so they had a poor tally for a fair while - and i barracked /and went to their games - Subi were an absolute joke late 70s /early 80s and it was embarrassing telling anyone you barracked for them - big Laurie Keane - he was one of my favourites

Not being a smart aarse but Swan Disticts have got a very paltry tally - only Perth below them and Perth have been non competitive/hopeless for 40 years

Interesting to see how Germo goes at Perth, some mates that played under him have said he is the best coach that they had by a mile and are adamant that he will be the man to turn the club around.

Gilgamesh · October 2022

Try to keep the winning run going,

Tux And Tails R6 today to lead and win. Hard to assess its gate speed given the run of back row or bad draws but I thibk I have seen enough to say it can hold up.

VillageKid · October 2022

Gilgamesh said:

Markovina said:
Football has been mentioned in this thread so i will post it here

WAFL Flag/Premiership count after West Perths win last week

East Fremantle 29

West Perth 20

East Perth 17

Subiaco 16

South Fremantle 14

Claremont 12

Swan Districts 8

Perth 7

Just a few comments/observations

For all Georges ravings about Souths this and Souths that - Old Easts have allways had them covered - as the flag counts suggests - just the better club

Subiaco 16 - but theve probably won 8-10 recently because theve got all the money - so they had a poor tally for a fair while - and i barracked /and went to their games - Subi were an absolute joke late 70s /early 80s and it was embarrassing telling anyone you barracked for them - big Laurie Keane - he was one of my favourites

Not being a smart aarse but Swan Disticts have got a very paltry tally - only Perth below them and Perth have been non competitive/hopeless for 40 years

Interesting to see how Germo goes at Perth, some mates that played under him have said he is the best coach that they had by a mile and are adamant that he will be the man to turn the club around.

It will be interesting to see how he goes at Perth Gil.

But word of warning Perth do not have the cash cow that Subi had called Subiaco Oval where they were able to buy the best players outside of the AFL system due to having the bar trade and seats deal for every event that happened at Subi Oval in that era- AFL games x 22 plus Finals a year, International Rules, WAFL GF, Super Rugby, Rugby Tests, A-League GF's, Soccer Internationals, Concerts, Monster Trucks etc etc etc..........

Chariotsonfire · October 2022

I believe that Subiaco despite their early free kicks are now broke.

Markovina · October 2022

Gilgamesh said:

Markovina said:
Football has been mentioned in this thread so i will post it here

WAFL Flag/Premiership count after West Perths win last week

East Fremantle 29

West Perth 20

East Perth 17

Subiaco 16

South Fremantle 14

Claremont 12

Swan Districts 8

Perth 7

Just a few comments/observations

For all Georges ravings about Souths this and Souths that - Old Easts have allways had them covered - as the flag counts suggests - just the better club

Subiaco 16 - but theve probably won 8-10 recently because theve got all the money - so they had a poor tally for a fair while - and i barracked /and went to their games - Subi were an absolute joke late 70s /early 80s and it was embarrassing telling anyone you barracked for them - big Laurie Keane - he was one of my favourites

Not being a smart aarse but Swan Disticts have got a very paltry tally - only Perth below them and Perth have been non competitive/hopeless for 40 years

Interesting to see how Germo goes at Perth, some mates that played under him have said he is the best coach that they had by a mile and are adamant that he will be the man to turn the club around.

Perth have had some coaches in between - a couple of former Carlton Premiership players - Earl Spalding just recently

And i can remember way back David Glascott - who was a top class wingman for the Navy Blues - but he had no joy with Perth

And i can remember John Todd - they were trying to basically to push him into coaching Perth to get them out of the rut - he gave it thought but declined

The last 40 years - it would be interesting how many times Perth made the finals - it would be very few one would think

Subi are broke are they - well West Perth were 2-3 years back

And FWIW - i dont want to see any of the clubs broke - and i wouldnt be posting that with joy - and i certaintly wouldnt be giving that post a like

Maybe what we should do is send Don Martin the ex bookie and very passionate Subi supporter around to them - and Don would go bang - bang - bang - and the 3 of them would be sitting on their aarse pronto

Chariotsonfire · October 2022

Facts are facts Marko.

Swans were broke and traded out, West Perth were broke and paid 10c in the dollar and Subiaco were very unpopular when they had access to a revenue stream that the other clubs did not have.

The point is that they managed it poorly to be in their current situation.

G'day Punter!

In this Discussion

Who's Online

Comments worth a post but not a thread of their own

Comments