31 October 2012 - Maiden Gully trainer Paul Campbell is banking that Dual Agent Tabman’s good Bendigo record will get him over the line in Saturday night’s $10,000 Major In Art Alabar Anniversary Cup (2150m) at Lord’s Raceway.
Dual Agent Tabman was a beaten odds-on favourite at his most recent Bendigo start but that was one of the few occasions that the seven-year-old Rustler Hanover gelding has finished out of the cheques at his local track. Campbell who drove Dual Agent Tabman at his last win, which was on the Bendigo track in September, is back in the driver’s seat for the Cup. “I have the horse as well as he can be for the feature race and it would be a nice one to win,” Campbell said.”The owners have been very patient and understanding with the horse, he has a great record overall with a better than 54% strike rate at picking up top three prizemoney, he and they (the owners) deserve to win a race like this.” Dual Agent Tabman has raced 80 times, earning prizemoney on 43 occasions, winning 9 races and finishing top three 34 times. His Bendigo record is excellent too with 5 wins and 9 top three performances from 23 races starts on the track. On Saturday night the winner of $65,000 will start from an ideal gate three position in the seven horse Cup field. Lightly raced 8-year-old Bad Cat, drawn at gate one for Ian Dornauf is in form and looks the horse to beat. Bad Cat showed good speed to lead and win at Shepparton last Saturday night and from the ideal draw driver Matthew Dornauf will be again keen to adopt the same tactics. Djibouti (Ruth and Chris Shinn) which had no luck when he finished midfield in the Gammalite won by Carribean Blaster at Melton in September also looks a top Cup hope, despite his outside draw. The Anniversary Cup marks 58 years of racing at Lord’s Raceway and is one of four feature races at Bendigo’s outstanding event, the other features are the Qantas Holiday’s Veteran Drivers Challenge Trot, the Travel Centre Bendigo Victorian Monte Trot Championship and the Ken Pocock Memorial. Race for Fun Club members are invited to enjoy the big race night for and cheer on the Bendigo’s charity filly Addy aka Spirit Of Bendigo which lines up as number one in the last race of the night, the Race For Fun Club pace. Spirit Of Bendigo trained by Paul and Maree Campbell started favourite last week at Shepparton when beaten a half neck in a three way photo finish. Daryl Douglas will drive the filly. The first of 10 races starts at 6:20pm with gates open at 5:00pm for the event entertainment which includes and family carnival with free children’s rides including Rainforest Activity Centre, Quad Bikes, Pig Train Ride, Swinging Chairs and kids Plasterrama plaster painting. There’s major prizes to be won in the club’s competitions including the fabulous Travel Centre Bendigo/ Qantas Holidays “Win a New York Holiday for 2” prize draw plus cash prizes in the Owner for a Race competitions and Busking Competition. There is something for everyone with Pony Trotting, Ag-Art Fashion Parade, trackside interviews with MC Tanya McDermott and all the action on the on track screen. The club has catering and betting covered too with restaurant, bistro, and food vans, bars, lawn picnic area, bookie, tote betting and the tote van.
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30 October 2012 - The fallout from Sunday’s spectacular collision at Kilmore continues, with all three drivers involved requiring significant medical intervention.
Worst affected has been Damian Wilson, who was aboard Gotalotofspeed in the final race on Kilmore Cup day. Wilson suffered a broken tibia and fibula along with a severe laceration to his calf which will keep him at the Royal Melbourne Hospital for the foreseeable future. Doctors were originally hoping to release Wilson within a fortnight but potential complications associated with the laceration in particular mean his stay may be a month or even more. Bendigo's Scott Dyer, who partnered The Numbers Man, had a plate inserted in his broken wrist and also suffered a broken and dislocated shoulder which requires further scans to determine how it will be treated. George Batsakis also suffered two broken wrists, one of which has been plastered, along with a fractured patella (knee cap). He was released from hospital on Monday but will return for further treatment on both his unplastered wrist and broken patella. Despite their serious injuries, all three drivers were in good spirits when contacted by Harness Racing Victoria. Sunday’s incident, which was set off by Gotalotofspeed falling with 400m to run, is the worst Victorian crash since December last year when Lance Justice, Ross Payne, Kylie Sugars and Chris Alford were all injured at Melton's Tabcorp Park. 18 October 2012 - Bendigo will turn back harness racing’s clock with a driver’s list that could be right out of a Melbourne Showground or early Moonee Valley racebook, when the Club celebrates the 58th year of racing at Lord’s Raceway on Saturday night 3 November.
The Bendigo Harness Club has assembled one of the best lists of ‘master’ drivers available in Victoria to compete in the Qantas Holidays Veteran Driver’s Challenge Trot, one of three feature races at the Anniversary Cup meeting. The other features being the $10,000 Major In Art Alabar Anniversary Cup C5-C7 Pace and the Travelcentre Bendigo Victorian Monte (Ridden Trot) Championship (1st Leg). The Veteran Drivers Challenge Trot, a TAB race is certain to be a great spectacle on the big harness racing card with the drivers’ list including well known reinsmen who have played a significant part in Harness Racing’s Inter Dominion history and Victorian racing in general over the past four decades. The veteran competitors driving records read like a ‘Who’s Who’ of major race wins with six Inter Dominion victories, Hunter Cups, Breeders Crowns, Oaks, Derbies, Country Cups and just about every other major race feature listed on their career records. Victoria’s oldest licensed driver Eric Hurley is a starter. Hurley from Parwan near Bacchus Marsh tuned up for the race last Saturday night at Bendigo. The 85 year-old reinsman is best remembered for his partnership with the great Minuteman, a champion that raced more than four decades ago. Hurley and Minuteman won the Inter Dominion final in 1964 and had dual success in the world’s richest standing start event for pacers the Hunter Cup, in 1964 and 1966. One of Victoria’s most celebrated drivers Jim Barker is also on the starting list. The Gordon Rothacker Medallist for 2004, Barker hails from Hamilton. Longlea master reinsman, Brian Gath who has more than 3000 wins to his credit, and dual Inter Dominion winning driver Jim O'Sullivan who recently relocated to Maiden Gully from Queensland are also in the star studded line-up at Bendigo. The wizard of Great Western Peter Manning, a perpetual state leading trainer and on several occasions topping the national rankings and super veteran Peter Wells who made his name on the tight Royal Melbourne Showgrounds circuit along with Tatura-based Russell Thompson will don their silks along with Inter Dominion winning driver Cliff Powell (Elmore) and well known locals and respected horsemen Keith Pratt from Junortoun, Graeme Dalton (Sedgwick), and Colin Redwood (Bridgewater). The emergency in the star studded field is Inter Dominion winner Graeme Lang. Harness Racing Victoria got behind the spirit of the Anniversary race meeting and supported the Veteran Drivers race, a trotting handicap, substituting the event into the 3 November program, instead of a restricted race that was previously programmed. Victoria’s Coalition Government has also put their weight behind the celebrations providing funding for entertainment through the Raceday Attractions Program. On the Anniversary Cup night, one lucky race fan will win a Trip for Two to New York, with Qantas Airfares and accommodation at the Holiday Inn on 57th Street included, simply by being on track and entering the competition using the Bendigo Advertiser coupon. There is also Cash Prizes in the Owner for A Night Competition to be won. The Anniversary Event includes a Children’s Carnival, Fashions, a Busking Competition, Pony Trotting and much more. Bendigo’s Veteran Driver’s Challenge field: Jim Barker A long time Western District (Hamilton) trainer-driver, Jim commenced his career as a hobby trainer in the 1960s, and has been training professionally for some four decades.Jim won his first Melbourne race at the Showgrounds in 1974 with Colleen Moss. He has won five Mount Gambier Cups, a Hamilton Cup and a heat of the Victoria Oaks. Best horses include Athol Bret, Morello Lad, Blurrmidge and Jolaura. Graeme Dalton, Belongs to a three generation harness racing family. Father Lester trained Dollar Gift among others at Lord’s Raceway. Graham Dalton trained and drove Wendy Robin when she won the 1979 Shepparton Gold Cup, and the 1979 Maryborough Cup. Graeme made his name with Family Silver, Rathsilver and Wendy Robin, while nephews Leigh and Ross Graham have made successful careers in the harness racing industry. Brian Gath A member of the famous Gath dynasty, Brian drove his first winner at the Royal Melbourne Show in 1960. Brian has trained and driven multiple champions from Corop McEwen, to Rocknrolla. He won the 1978 Inter Dominion Pacers Final with Markovina and finished second with Franco Tiger (1992-2nd) and Shakamaker (2002-2nd) and he has driven at the Meadowlands in the U.S.A. Eric Hurley Born in South Australia 1927, Eric won his first race driving Modulation at Kadina, S.A. in 1952. He went on to win the 1964 and 1966 Hunter Cups and the 1964 Melbourne Inter Dominion with the great Minuteman, winner of over 30 races. Other top line horses in Eric’s team were Modulation and Ballon D’Essai. Peter Manning. Master trainer of juveniles before expanding to train a large team at Great Western, Peter has been the leading state and national trainer on a number of occasions His three training/driving daughters include world record setting driver and emerging trainer Kerry Manning. Standout horses include Kathryn Dancer, Pelicanrama and the champion international trotter Knight Pistol. Russell Thompson Former Kiwi, based at Tatura. Russell trained and drove Banana Spring in 1971 to wins in the Central Victorian Championship and HR Boyd Cranbourne Cup. Holy Smoke was a star of the stable in 1987-88 when it won the Victorian Sires Stake and Nyah Cup. Holy Smoke’s trotting relatives Son Of Flair and a Touch of Flair each won Victoria Trotting Derbies, while Might Maori won the rich Vicbred 4yo Trot. Jim O’Sullivan Jim was the leading Australian trainer in 1978 and 79. Jim recently relocated to Maiden Gully from Queensland. During his outstanding career Jim has trained and driven standout horses including Margaret Shannon, Quite Famous and Its Motor Power. He is a dual Inter Dominion winning driver winning the 1987 Inter Dominion Pacers Final with My Lightning Blue and the 1989 Trotting Final with Yankee Loch. Cliff Powell Cliff trains at Elmore. His first winning drive was at Bendigo behind Convive. He drove Derby Royale to victory in the 1978 Inter Dominion Trotter’s final Melbourne. Cliff also educated the champion Tony Bear, and has trained and driven top notchers Our Grattan, Modern Man, Belgian Accent, and Taronga. Keith Pratt Keith’s father Cyril was the original Lord’s Raceway track curator. Keith, a HRV Distinguished Service Award recipient in 2011, was a long time Clerk of Course at Lords Raceway. He drove his first winner at Echuca in 1966. Still trains and drives a team from his property, less than 2km from the track. Keith rates Crystal Sunset, Pannoo Lass, Torvanger and Arrogant Al among his best horses. Colin Redwood . Colin first drove in 1954 and is a member of Bridgewater’s Redwood family, immortalized by the annual Redwood 2yo trotters’ classic at Maryborough, named after Colin’s father Hugh. Colin and his brothers all trained and drove successfully. Colin’s trotter Rock N Dale raced in two Inter Dominions: 1976-4th and 1978-8th. Other trotters of note including Mount Alm, He represented Australia at the 1996 World Amateur Drivers Championship in Italy. He is best known these days as a trainer having prepared over 200 winners since taking out his licence in the mid-1970’s. Peter Wells Peter is best known for his long-time association with trainer Charles Bell as a trainer-driver partnership at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds, they were responsible for Noir Fille. Peter Wells won the 1964 Geelong Cup on Waitaki Hanover, and the 1966 NSW Sapling Stakes on Meadow Lad. He drove for the strong “Skipper” Taylor stable.One of his better horses was Koranui. More recently, late in his career, Peter is driving smart young square-gaiter Donkiri. Graeme Lang (Emergency) Graeme started in our industry as a teenager at Watchem in the Mallee. He dairy farmed while training and driving at Wonthaggi, before moving to Romsey and then Melton. He was the leading Australian driver in 1979. Graeme is the father of leading trainer/drivers Gavin and Chris, grandfather of Chris Jnr. Graeme trained and drove Inter Dominion standouts Billboard (1980-4th), Scotch Notch (1983-1st, 1984-2nd, 1985-1st), Dark Edge (1992-8th), Wagon Apollo (1996-3rd, 1997-2nd), Desperate Comment NZ (1997-5th). Took Champion Scotch Notch after she recorded 156.6 to the US.in 1986. 9 October 2012 – Victoria’s oldest reinsman, 85 year-old Eric Hurley who is best remembered for his partnership with the great Minuteman, a champion that raced more than four and a half decades ago will drive at Bendigo Lord’s Raceway on Saturday night.
Hurley and Minuteman outstayed the gallant mare Angelique in the Inter Dominion grand final at the Melbourne showgrounds in 1964 and had dual success in the world’s richest standing start event for pacers, Victoria’s Hunter Cup, in 1964 and 1966. Born in South Australia in 1927, Hurley won his first race at Kadina, north of Adelaide in 1952 driving Modulation. 60 years on Hurley teams with 5yo gelding Steaming, a son of Artesian which trains and owns with his son Jeffery, in the Alabar Pace. The pacer has drawn barrier one in race one at 6:22pm. This season Steaming has raced five times placing third twice at Melton and Hurley’s wife Jeanette said today that the horse just loves Eric. “He whinny’s if Eric leaves him alone for five minutes when they are at the races together,” She said. “Horses have been Eric’s whole life, he loves them and they love him.” Steaming, which last won for Hurley at Geelong in January this year, is one of two horses currently being trained by Eric at his Parwan stables near Bacchus Marsh. The other is a young horse not yet racing and the Hurley’s also have two broodmare’s on their lot that are ready to foal this week. “It’s been a big week, Eric had his birthday yesterday, we have the mares about to foal and we’re racing at Bendigo,” Jeanette said. Jeanette said Eric is really looking forward to Bendigo’s big race event on Saturday night 3 November. Hurley is one of 11 veteran drivers that have been invited to compete in the Veteran Drivers Challenge at Bendigo’s Anniversary Cup night. “Our industry does not acknowledge our veterans enough, we think it is terrific that Bendigo has organised this race on such a big night,” Jeanette said. - David Aldred |
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December 2012
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