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savethegame · November 2025

The famous race Kalgoorlie round on
old 649m track,sure Gift Final Gary Lilleyman horse was heavily supported into Favourite Junior Forman galloped away .Mates horse won the race called Deer Hunter,Don Harper what I can rem mber him yelling out don't come off the track you have done extra lap,Then this part was told to me Lilleymans punter
.started performing Rosco ________ it finished a Norace.Tb Warwick drove Deer Hunter we still call out mate Deer Hunter.

JayJay · November 2025

Chariotsonfire said:
On second thoughts the horse may have been Jester King which trialed as Jest A King.

I think it was the Ross Keys horse Chariots, Justaking, that you may be referring to.? The one they took to Moonee Valley and pulled off a monster plunge. Brian Castledine I think? A military like operation. Brilliant coup.

JayJay · November 2025

Arapaho said:
For memory thought Sharach was a bit of a bridesmaid before winning a pacing cup,but hard to find any form pre computer days.

Arapaho, Sharach reads like the Never Ending Story. Found my file of stuff on him. Little black horse by Armbro Del.

Started racing as a 2yo January 30th 1975, won the Sapling Stakes at Northam for trainer/driver Bernie Cushing. I was there that night, timekeeper, the race book tells the story. Pure Steel won a 3YO that night from 30m, beat Johnny Toledo from 40m. It was in the days of those stupid kilometre rates but i used to write the conversion into the race book and Sharach ran a very respectable 2.9.7 from the stand.

He then ran a series of 2nds to Mister Karamea and company, won the Juvenile Plate at GP and was unplaced to Watergate in the Golden Slipper. 10 starts, 2 wins, 4 seconds and 2 thirds, $4313 in stakes.

As a 3 year old, things didn't go to plan, 10 starts, won a heat of the Sires Produce but overall, disappointing. 10 starts, 1 win, 2 placings, $2,366.

At 4, he had 29 starts, 8 wins, 4 seconds 3 thirds including wins at the Kalgoorlie round, Bunbury (2), and Cunderdin for both Bernie and Robert Cushing before winning a Qualifying Stakes at R.R for John Iwanyk (I have no idea why John drove him). He followed that up with 3 more city wins for Robert and Alan Woodworth progressing to a 2.18 mark, banking $13,271 for the season.

A few more runs as an early 5 year old (making it an arduous 33 start campaign) and he was finally spelled. When he resumed in February 1978, Ben Geerson was training and driving and they had almost immediate success winning at GP. 24 starts, 1 win, and 4 thirds for $4,050.

Back as a 6 year old he won two in a row at GP for Ben and was now on a 2.15 mark in fast class after banking a further $9796 from his 2 wins, four thirds and seven fourths.

Transferred to Frances Taylor with Graham Tavlor doing the driving, he had 22 starts as a 7 year old for just the one win in a FFA beating Timely Score, and as an 8 year old just the single win in the August Cup again beating Timely Score banking $13,558 across the two seasons. Decent enough but if someone had said he would be winning a Pacing Cup as a 9 year old, gentlemen in white coats would have knocked on your door asking you to pack your pyjamas..

He was obviously just warming up, as he won a FFA off 10 metres, ran 3rd in each of his two qualifying divisions of the WA Cup, and then won the Cup with Lou Austin driving him. Graham Taylor resumed after the Cup, winning an open stand of 25 metres, another FFA and a consolation of the Interdominion (Rhetts Laws year). Astonishing year, 24 starts, 5 wins, one second and three thirds, banking $91,880. How did that happen? True, the ranks were not the strongest beating Willadios and Neeron Boy in the Cup Final, no Steelo, San Simeon or Satinover but the race still had to be won, and the cheque in the mail was not discounted.

Fronting up as a 10 year old, his 11 starts produced just the one win in a discretionary stand off a generous 10 metres and you might have thought that's it, find a nice paddock and pamper him for the rest of his days but nope, off he went to Queensland with his trainer, and now driver, Frances Taylor.

25 starts, 8 wins, all driven by Frances at places like the Gold Coast, Tweed Heads, Redcliffe and Albion Park in fairly low staked Free For Alls earned him another $7251 and at 12 years, he had another few starts earning just $345 to take his life time earnings $154,437 (Early 1980's remember, a lot of money....I bought a decent house in Carlisle early 1980's for $28,000). He had 1 unplaced run as a 13 year old but was retired after that.

All up, 195 starts, 29 wins (17 metro, 14 at GP 3 at RR), 38 placings, for the Group 1 winner who also had half relations Rose Of Tralee and Paura Del Mare race in WA.

JayJay · December 2025

Been a while, so with FRK's 70th anniversary of taking his first drive approaching, some notes from the 1950's.

January 1956, F.R Kersley Jnr had his first drive in a reinsmen's school trial. It would be 2 years later, February in 1958 before he had his first race behind Rocklee Lass in February 1958. She finished 16th in a field of 17. "Young Fred" was thought to have not been the most gifted of the Kersley clan at the time.
The Porter family bought two colts at the New Zealand sales...Beaudale for 60 Guineas and Gallantry for 160 guineas. Beaudale was the better race horse winning the 1952 Fremantle Cup but Gallantry (by Light Brigade) turned out to be one of the most influential sires and broodmare sires in WA. His name still regular appears in the pedigrees of many locally bred stars.
The practice of using "pen names" for sporting writers was discontinued by The West Australian and the Daily News in 1954Follower (Charlie Ammon), Melfort (Alf Dunn), Corinthian (Ted Collingwood), Trento (joe O'Halloran and Lexington (Jack Lee) were permitted to use their own names. The one exception was The West's track expert and clocker, Kevin Murphy, who continued to write under the name of "Philock" well into the 1980's. Philocks son Craig, a very successful trainer driver, is still involved as President of the Byford Trotting Complex.
When Grey Louis won at Collie in 1952 starting at 5 to 4 on, he was the outsider of the field. The only other runner was Dahlita who started at 6 to 4 on.
When young driver Phil Coulson won the1952 Easter Cup on Super Junior (trained by his step father Norm Duncan), he was opposed by 3 uncles. Arthur Hough ran 2nd on Double Note, Athol Robertson ran 3rd with Happy Man and Don Thomas finished 4th on Plunderer. The "family" filled the first 4 places.

Markovina · December 2025

Ok lets see if we can stump Jay Jay , i mean he knows anything and everything about Trotting

And anyone else can have a go as well - i need to know the name of the pacer and its driver

I will give you 2 clues

(1) It did win a nice race at Harold Park in the 1970s

(2) This is more of a side clue , you have to think about the connection , but what was the late John Todd by trade or profession

warrenrobinson · December 2025

John Todd was a butcher by trade.

warrenrobinson · December 2025

Jay Jay will know the answer. Tony Peacock the driver wore brown boots

JayJay · December 2025

Brown boots are a bit of a give away, Tony Peacock wore them in Perth in the 1981 first edition of the Golden Nugget with Justin Hanover? Just my guess.

warrenrobinson · December 2025

In WA you had to wear black boots and had to be clean and polished.

JayJay · December 2025

Actually, 1970's too early for Justin Hanover I think? So that may be way off the mark.

Markovina · December 2025

No one is even warm so far

This horse had a great record and a great strike rate and it raced against and at times beat the real top liners in some nice races

But amongst others it had to contend with Paleface Adios and Hondo Grattan

JayJay · December 2025

Yep, well no idea then, could be one of 50 horses.

Arapaho · December 2025

One of my favourites from that era

Royal Gaze K Pocock

Markovina · December 2025

Yes Royal Gaze , Ken Pocock based at Shepparton

My pictured horse probably beat Royal Gaze and other top line pacers , when it won a big race at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds one night - that is clue number 3

After Warren correctly posted that John Todd was a butcher by trade , im most surprised that Chariots hasnt come on and said , look that is Mince Meat driven by S Sausage - hah - but in that jest of mine is clue number 4

sonny · December 2025

I am going for King Frost.. Ian or Ivo Mutton..

warrenrobinson · December 2025

When you look back at that era of Harness Racing 1950/60/70/80s and the amount of top line pacers Australia wide no wonder Harness was the king. It was a numbers game in WA alone we bred on average between 1977-1989 1179 foals so Australia wide using the 10% WA figure we would have bred 10000+(Jay Jay would know the correct figure). Since then it's been a rapid fall and in WA last year we bred only 330 foals. Today we still have our top line pacers but certainly well below the numbers back then. They were household names. Surely HRA should hold a inquiry into Harness Racing Australia wide based on all the facts not opinions to try and get this one great industry back on track or is it to late.

JayJay · January 5

Beefy T NZ cracked a mention in another thread, so this post revolves around NZ trainer John Green and his shift to the West to eventually set up shop in the South West at Bunbury. Grren was a fomer gallops trainer but switched to harness.

Green had on sold numerous horses to WA in the past and in 1995, he lobbed with a pretty decent line up headed by 4yo Beefy T and The Suleiman with the upcoming Interdominion in mind. He also had in mind selling off some of the lesser lights that he bought to Perth. Though not from the top shelf, he banked on Gloucester Park's half mile putting off some of the better NZ horses from coming over. He came over early to acclimatise the horses.

His first starters went around on November 10th.....Beefy T, The Suleiman and Advance Tempo, all 3 were driven by New Zealander Michael Langdon and all three won. Langdon has set up shop training in Victoria. Beefy T, just a bit off the very best 3 year olds in NZ the previous year, had improved and Green set him for The Golden Nugget at Gloucester Park in December.

Tabaret, second to the great Il Vicolo in the Great Norther Derby the previous year for Geoff Small, was a leading contender and when the heats were run on December 1st, he was 4/7 favourite but Jesse Moore's Pro Armbro just edged with a 57.4 last half, very slick for the day (30 years ago). Classy Colt NZ was a successful 4/6 favourite in his heat beating Shattering Class but the 3rd heat saw the 4/7 favourite Riwaka Vance NZ (Trevor Warwick) go under to Beefy T who easily handled him.

Post his close up 2nd in the heat, a high profile syndicate headed by leading miner Ausdrill (Ron Sayers), sponsors of the upcoming Interdominion, paid a "motza" for the horse (reported north of $100,000) and engaged the Magic Man, the legendary Maurice McKendry, for the final. Tabaret would start the 2/1 favourite in the final with Beefy T out to a 4/1 chance. The syndicate intended to use Tabaret as a "flagship" for promoting the Inters and Ausdrill. Unbelievably, the then WATA bought shares in Ausdrill Mining.

In the final of the Golden Nugget, turning for home, Beefy T was last and John Hunt has gone the "Bill Collins"...He can't win"....only for Rod Chambers to steer him to the outside fence and run down Tabaret (by a half head) and Riwaka Vance with an unbelievable burst.

Green, on a wave of success, then purchased land and opened stables in Bunbury with a view to staying on to at least 1997 and later operating it as a satellite stable. He still had the Fremantle Cup in his sights with The Suleiman but Ross Olivieri would torpedo that outcome when John Albert and Mark Craig gave him the quinella in the then Grand Circuit event. John Albert had a high profile ownership group including tennis player Arthur Marshall, Bruce Francis and Bob Bloffwitch, a fellow parliamentarian of Marshall's.

As a footnote, despite Beefy T's barnstorming finish, his form did taper for a while but he would go on to Sydney and win the Chariots of Fire with Michael Langdon back driving him, beating Il Vicolo. He then ran 3rd to Norms Daughter in the Miracle Mile before returning back to WA for a win in the Stratton Cup with Andrew DeCampo driving for Green.

A win in a minor stand race at Northam was to be his final success in WA. In the 1997 WA Cup prelude, he did run second to Flashing Star with old nemesis Tabaret back in 3rd place, and ran 6th to Our Sir Vancelot in the final. After that, his form fell away badly and he went to Queensland and pottered around unsuccessfully prior to retirement in 2000

A bit of a sad ending for a very nice horse, if you saw him you wouldn't forget him. A Holmes Hanover special.

JayJay · January 6

Material for this article originated from Chief trotting writer, John McGrath's various reports and recollections from The West Australian Newspaper:

In November 1974, when handicaps for the 1975 WA Pacing Cup Series were released, the was much consternation and debate over who was treated favourably and who got the rough end of the pineapple.

10 entries were received from the Eastern States, and star NSW horse Mitchell Victory seemed harshly treated on 15 metres. Those who were allocated front marks were Al's Holiday, Don't Retreat and King Frost from NSW, Flying Heel from Victoria and High Adios from SA.

Champions Adios Victor and Just Too Good were adjudged to be favourably treated off 10 metres along with Paleface Adios and Tarcoola Frost also said to be well in off 15 metres along with local stars James Eden, previous years winner Local Product, 13 year old veteran Binshaw and Tasmanian Speedy Ben.

WA best product was said to be Haddock off 10 metres along with Wee Cent, Red Vicar and the up and coming Aboukir also handicapped off 10 metres.

Kevin Newman was complaining loudly about Mitchell Victory's harsh assessment. Remarkably there were 62 nominations (not a typo)......with established stars in addition to the above like Miss Dundee, Sign Again, Tanaka, Willoson, Young Robbie, Shanagar, Royal Force, Range View, Royal Vance, Rusty Eden, Lord Anstey, Karamea Snow, Fast Rate, Dillonson, Boss Adios, Darfield and Flagship......plus many others. What a magnificent line up? It was Chief Steward Don Thomas who had the onerous task of handicapping the nominations and selecting the final 36 horses to make up the series. Good luck there.

For the record, (the race was actually contested on December 27th 1974 but is recorded as the 1975 Cup), it was NSW pacer Just Too Good (Keith Pike) who narrowly held off Adios Victor (Arthur Bray), Speedy Ben (Les Poyser) and Royal Force, whose driver Jack Retzlaff lodged an unsuccessful protest against Adios Victor for alleged interference in the home straight. Both of the first two drivers drove with their foot out of the rest all the way up the straight and wielded the whip feverishly in the tight finish (a nose margin). Others in finishing order were High Adios, Rusty Eden, Sign Again, Flying Heel (who lead and was pressured non stop by Rusty Eden), Local Product, Flagship and Shanagar (DNF). There were many murmerings post race about some of the driving tactics and their success or otherwise.

Two consolations were run with Bangalore (Ray Grantham) defeating defeating Aboukir and Lucky Nick and Wee Cent (Lyle Lindau)defeating Young Robbie and Rangeview.

Other winners on the night were Sheer Express (Cyril Caffyn), Beau Rivage (Ron Buswell), Blue rebel (Joe Miller) and Adios Cliffe (Ray Sweetman). Needless to say, it was a full house, standing room only, as was always the case.

Chariotsonfire · January 9

Remember it well I was working in the change box at the main gate at GP (very busy) and managed to sneak away from the counting of the entry proceeds to watch the race.

JayJay · January 10

First memories as a very very young kid were of my Dad working the "Change Box" at the WACA for Night Baseball, which was huge for a long time in the late 1950's/1960's. They used to get bank employees to do it. The change box at the WACA was in the old entry gates facing Queens Garden but disappeared about 5 "redevelopments" ago.

Markovina · January 10

What id give for the WA Trots media to have a few members with a bit of get up and go , and a bit of bottle in them , like the Kiwi press after they held an interdominion their back in 1979

This is what the Kiwi press said , courtesy of the May edition 1979 Harness Horse with a beautiful picture of the great Paleface Adios on the front cover

Quote " I have never seen a press coverage of an Inter-Dominion like the one fellow scribes in New Zealand presented this year . Full credit goes to them and their editors . Its a pity the hierarchy of New Zealand Trotting didnt think so "

" It was most dissappointing to hear 2 seperate speeches - one at a press night , and the other as a TOAST- ( really a roast ) to the press - canning the local press "

" The New Zealand establishment should remember that they need the press more than the press needs them. The press will still be going a long time after they are gone "

Oh wouldnt it be beautiful , quite magnificent actually if WA Trots had a couple of media blokes with a bit of spirit in them , prepared to rock the boat now and again , and ask the important and difficult questions , instead we have got yes men , yes men and even more yes men , they are all terrified of M Radley , and when Radley tells them to jump , they all say , how high Mick .

warrenrobinson · January 10

That's a comical comment about Radley.

savethegame · January 18

Sad to hear the passing of Noel Lee Life Member GMTC. Noel started as committeeman in 70s

,

Then President of GMTC in 85/86 ----- By 88/89 GMTC Had 21 meetings, was the highest stake paying country trotting club in Australia, Rated the best President the club has had.

His Son Mick played around150 games for Subiaco.

Noel was over the moon when SUBIACO won the 1988 premiership and Mick won the Simpson Medal. bog in grand final.

RIP NOEL

JayJay · January 18

Some interesting facts on turnover:

In 1974 at the WA Pacing Cup Meeting, the combined on and off course turnover was $471,000. Bookmakers holdings are not included. Perth's population was 804,000 people. The venue was packed.

There were 7 races. There was very little novelty forms of betting, no first 4 and no carryover top ups (as per this years Cup where a kick start from somewhere? boosted the first 4 pool to $134,000)

In today's dollars, that 471,000 is equivalent to $3.11 Million.

Leap forward to 2025. The combined TAB touch turnover was $504,000, seriously boosted by the First 4 top up on the Cup. There were 10 races. Bookmaker holdings are not included. Perth's population is around 2.3 million. The venue, whilst not deserted had a very modest turnout.

So, the population is roughly 3 times larger and the TAB turnover is 6 times smaller.

For the Inters held 3 months later, the combined on and off course turnover was around $746,000 or $4.9 million in today's dollars.

Ivorytrunkey86 · January 19

Housing market in the 70s the average house price was 4 times the average annual income,2026 the average house price is 10 plus times the average annual income,not to mention cars are more expensive kids sports fees are ridiculous,people simply can’t afford to punt big anymore or punt at all.

Markovina · January 19

Following on from that Jay Jay , it would be good reading if you had access to the following figures

Re Ascot , what they pay out in Stakemoney and the return they are getting re Turnover , like you do with GP . On face value you would think Ascot is far more healthy than GP , I m quite envious of the gallops pools for the quin/tri and 1st 4

And getting back to Trotting history , last night i stumbled accross the 1985 Kilmore Pacing Cup , and to show how much Trotting has fallen , they had on the one video , 3 replays of the race , one with Bryan Martin , then someone else , then Greg Miles . Game Oro won the Cup for Ken Pocock of Royal Gaze fame , it beat Jack Brandon and Popular Alm ran no where . And the replay of the Cup , were the sports news on the Commercial /Abc TV that evening

JayJay · January 19

Already done it...see "Return On Investment Thread".

JayJay · January 19

Ivorytrunkey86 said:
People simply can’t afford to punt big anymore or punt at all.

Not the case at all.

Both the Annual Report To Parliament , a glossy "keep the pollies happy" load of spin and old tosh, and the far more factual Industry Status report show otherwise.

Total Betting Income received by the TAB rose from $379.7 million in 23/24 to $396.45 million in 24/25.

However the bad news is that the increase rode on the back of a 25% increase in "sports betting".

The success of "multis" across numerous sports and codes was highlighted. (first goal in Premier League into winner of Saints v Freo (margin) into fastest F1 Qualifier into drunkest passenger on a Floating Gin Palace Cruise to Bali etc with maybe, maybe a 5th leg into a gallops race at Hanging Rock).

So people are betting, not quite like the Waterhouses, but it is just not on racing. On course betting across all codes has rapidly declined, so even when they rock up to Ascot or the Fireworks at GP, they are not betting (moreso at the trots because of almost nonexistent attendances). At least Ascot can draw 6 to 10 thousand patrons per meeting across the Pinnacles.

JayJay · January 19

JayJay said:
Already done it...see "Return On Investment Thread".

Good thing I don't know what GAGF means but there you go.....

warrenrobinson · January 19

JayJay said:

Ivorytrunkey86 said:
People simply can’t afford to punt big anymore or punt at all.
Not the case at all.

Both the Annual Report To Parliament , a glossy "keep the pollies happy" load of spin and old tosh, and the far more factual Industry Status report show otherwise.

Total Betting Income received by the TAB rose from $379.7 million in 23/24 to $396.45 million in 24/25.

However the bad news is that the increase rode on the back of a 25% increase in "sports betting".

The success of "multis" across numerous sports and codes was highlighted. (first goal in Premier League into winner of Saints v Freo (margin) into fastest F1 Qualifier into drunkest passenger on a Floating Gin Palace Cruise to Bali etc with maybe, maybe a 5th leg into a gallops race at Hanging Rock).

So people are betting, not quite like the Waterhouses, but it is just not on racing. On course betting across all codes has rapidly declined, so even when they rock up to Ascot or the Fireworks at GP, they are not betting (moreso at the trots because of almost nonexistent attendances). At least Ascot can draw 6 to 10 thousand patrons per meeting across the Pinnacles.

Bloody cost of living crisis.

G'day Punter!

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