Adelaide Hill Stud Farm
Huntly, just north of Bendigo, was once home to some of the best harness racing horses in Australia.
From two stud farms within a half mile of each other came horses that were the stars of trotting and pacing in the early 20th Century.
From Adelaide Hill Stud just over the Bendigo Creek at the corner of Wallenjoe and Adelaide Hill Roads, came Direct Home, the champion that set a young Bill McKay on the road to greatness, and Adelaide Direct which as a 10yo mare became the first ever Australian horse to win the 1917 New Zealand Cup. Both were sired by the US import Directway, which still appears in the back reaches of many harness racing modern pedigrees.
He sired the dams of no less than 5 Interdominion winners including the first winner Evicus and the local great Gentleman John. Directway can be found in the dam line of champions Minuteman and Master Dixie.
Adelaide Hill was owned by Sandhurst businessman Robert Matchett, with Andrew Scott as farm manager and Bob Crowe as stud master. It featured a training track, and purpose-built stables that remain standing today.( see photo)
The opening of Richmond track in Melbourne boosted the breeding of trotters and pacers in Victoria. Robert Matchett went to a lot of trouble and expense in importing horses from the USA to stock his stud farm
Directway, was imported as a 2yo in 1912. He had seven starts in Victoria for four wins, including one at Boort, before embarking on his siring career. He was extremely successful, siring 193 different winners.
In addition to Directway, the farm stood All Style, selected for Matchett by Bob Crowe on a visit to the USA in 1913. All Style left 70 winners. Others imported were Direct Argot sire of 27, Rex Derby 8 from only 1 season at stud and Tennessee Direct who sired 39 winners.
Tennessee Direct, imported as a 2yo was trained before his stud career by young schoolteacher George Daniels. He trained under the nom-de -plume of D. George, as to not upset the education authorities of the time. Daniels went on to train the winners of two Richmond Thousands (Percy Direct and Dianna Wood) before achieving further fame by training the international thoroughbred champion Sailor’s Guide.
Robert Matchett died in 1928 and the property ceased to be a trotting stud.
Belmont Stud Farm at Huntly
In Pitt Street, on the eastern side of the Bendigo Creek at Huntly was Belmont Stud Farm. The original home has been incorporated into the current brick residence, the stables are gone, but the property is still known as Belmont.
Mr G.R.Greaves operated the original Belmont Stud in Mandurang, 6 miles south-east of Bendigo, and in 1911, purchased the imported First Voyage from an Allendale Stock Farm (Mentone) sale for 235 guineas.
The colt was educated by Alf Williams a prominent Bendigo galloping trainer.
Mr Greaves sold the business to wealthy Bendigo businessman Mr H. Busst and his trainer Paddy Glasheen, whose family originated in the Charlton area.
The farm relocated to Huntly, where they stood the young First Voyage along with another US import Billy Mac, at stud. First Voyage sired 136 winners, before passing in 1936. His last 12 years were spent at Melton. Billy Mac sired only 11 winners.
The mare Blonde Grattan (USA), also purchased from Allendale Stock Farm was put to First Voyage. The resulting 1913 foal, a trotting colt named Bonnie Voyage later had its name changed to Grand Voyage.
Grand Voyage raced at Richmond in Melbourne, Epping and Victoria Park in Sydney, and also New Zealand where he won the prestigious Otahuhu Cup against pacers. He won one of the three Bendigo Trotting Cups raced at the Epsom Racecourse in 1924. He won a total of 37 races driven in all of them by Paddy Glasheen.
He later stood at stud at Belmont in Huntly in 1924, and was then sold to north-eastern Victoria where he stood at stud from 1926-1930. Disappointingly, he left only 34 winners, only 10 of them trotters.
George Gath, master trainer of trotters was known to regard Grand Voyage as the best trotter he had seen prior to Maori’s Idol.
Grand Voyage raced mostly against pacers as his handicap against trotters was often over 112 yards behind scratch.
PICTURED BELOW
The Belmont Stables prior to demolition:
From two stud farms within a half mile of each other came horses that were the stars of trotting and pacing in the early 20th Century.
From Adelaide Hill Stud just over the Bendigo Creek at the corner of Wallenjoe and Adelaide Hill Roads, came Direct Home, the champion that set a young Bill McKay on the road to greatness, and Adelaide Direct which as a 10yo mare became the first ever Australian horse to win the 1917 New Zealand Cup. Both were sired by the US import Directway, which still appears in the back reaches of many harness racing modern pedigrees.
He sired the dams of no less than 5 Interdominion winners including the first winner Evicus and the local great Gentleman John. Directway can be found in the dam line of champions Minuteman and Master Dixie.
Adelaide Hill was owned by Sandhurst businessman Robert Matchett, with Andrew Scott as farm manager and Bob Crowe as stud master. It featured a training track, and purpose-built stables that remain standing today.( see photo)
The opening of Richmond track in Melbourne boosted the breeding of trotters and pacers in Victoria. Robert Matchett went to a lot of trouble and expense in importing horses from the USA to stock his stud farm
Directway, was imported as a 2yo in 1912. He had seven starts in Victoria for four wins, including one at Boort, before embarking on his siring career. He was extremely successful, siring 193 different winners.
In addition to Directway, the farm stood All Style, selected for Matchett by Bob Crowe on a visit to the USA in 1913. All Style left 70 winners. Others imported were Direct Argot sire of 27, Rex Derby 8 from only 1 season at stud and Tennessee Direct who sired 39 winners.
Tennessee Direct, imported as a 2yo was trained before his stud career by young schoolteacher George Daniels. He trained under the nom-de -plume of D. George, as to not upset the education authorities of the time. Daniels went on to train the winners of two Richmond Thousands (Percy Direct and Dianna Wood) before achieving further fame by training the international thoroughbred champion Sailor’s Guide.
Robert Matchett died in 1928 and the property ceased to be a trotting stud.
Belmont Stud Farm at Huntly
In Pitt Street, on the eastern side of the Bendigo Creek at Huntly was Belmont Stud Farm. The original home has been incorporated into the current brick residence, the stables are gone, but the property is still known as Belmont.
Mr G.R.Greaves operated the original Belmont Stud in Mandurang, 6 miles south-east of Bendigo, and in 1911, purchased the imported First Voyage from an Allendale Stock Farm (Mentone) sale for 235 guineas.
The colt was educated by Alf Williams a prominent Bendigo galloping trainer.
Mr Greaves sold the business to wealthy Bendigo businessman Mr H. Busst and his trainer Paddy Glasheen, whose family originated in the Charlton area.
The farm relocated to Huntly, where they stood the young First Voyage along with another US import Billy Mac, at stud. First Voyage sired 136 winners, before passing in 1936. His last 12 years were spent at Melton. Billy Mac sired only 11 winners.
The mare Blonde Grattan (USA), also purchased from Allendale Stock Farm was put to First Voyage. The resulting 1913 foal, a trotting colt named Bonnie Voyage later had its name changed to Grand Voyage.
Grand Voyage raced at Richmond in Melbourne, Epping and Victoria Park in Sydney, and also New Zealand where he won the prestigious Otahuhu Cup against pacers. He won one of the three Bendigo Trotting Cups raced at the Epsom Racecourse in 1924. He won a total of 37 races driven in all of them by Paddy Glasheen.
He later stood at stud at Belmont in Huntly in 1924, and was then sold to north-eastern Victoria where he stood at stud from 1926-1930. Disappointingly, he left only 34 winners, only 10 of them trotters.
George Gath, master trainer of trotters was known to regard Grand Voyage as the best trotter he had seen prior to Maori’s Idol.
Grand Voyage raced mostly against pacers as his handicap against trotters was often over 112 yards behind scratch.
PICTURED BELOW
The Belmont Stables prior to demolition:
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GRAND VOYAGE
Year List or Race Name Where 1916 Vic Sires Produce -2T Richmond F 1917-2 Vic Richmond Handicap (Jan) Richmond F 1918 Vic Richmond Handicap (Jun) Richmond F 1918-1 Vic Richmond Handicap (Aug) Richmond F 1919 Vic Richmond Handicap (Jul) Richmond F 1919-1 Vic Richmond Flying (Aug) Richmond F 1920-1 Vic Richmond Flying (Sep) Richmond F 1920-2 Vic Richmond Handicap (Sep) Richmond F 1920-2 Vic Richmond Flying (Aug) Richmond F 1921 Vic Boort Cup Boort F 1921 NSW Epping Handicap (Nov) Epping F 1921-2 Vic Richmond Handicap (May) Richmond F 1921-2 NSW NSWTC Flying (Nov) Epping F 1922 NZ Otahuhu Cup Alexandra Park (NZ) F 1924-1 Vic Richmond Handicap (Jun) Richmond F 1924-2 Vic Bendigo Cup (original) Bendigo Racecourse F 1925-2 Vic Richmond Handicap (Apr) Richmond F |
