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.
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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      ​

23 August 2012 - Make Mine Cullen has made a habit of proving people wrong in her distinguished career and trainer Glenn Douglas is hoping his mighty mare can do it one more time tomorrow night.
Make Mine Cullen will have her final start before heading to the breeding barn at Melton tomorrow night in a Free For All against champion pacer Smoken Up. “We all know Smoken Up’s a champion, but we’ve got a favourable draw," Douglas said yesterday. “I’m sure no-one will tip her again and, hopefully, she’ll prove them wrong again.” With 39 career wins and more than $860,000 in prizemoney, Make Mine Cullen has had many career highlights. But there’s one race in particular that stands out for Douglas. “Winning the Breeders Crown 4YO final sticks with me," he said. “Everyone wrote her off in the lead up to the final. They said she couldn’t win. “She came from a bad draw, but still won impressively. I was more than happy to tell everyone about it.” Make Mine Cullen started her career in Sydney where she had seven starts for two wins before being transferred to Douglas’ Strathfieldsaye stables. “When we first got her I thought she was going to make a nice horse, but I never thought she’d go as far as she has," Douglas admitted. “We did a fair bit of work with her and then one night at the trials at Bendigo, (driver) Daryl (Douglas) got off her and said “this horse can really run”.
“She’s never let us down.” Douglas has been in talks with Make Mine Cullen’s owners about racing the mare for another season, but he lost the debate.  “We’ve known this has been coming for a while and Friday night’s it, I think,” Douglas said. “We’ve been fortunate to get another year as it is. She (Make Mine Cullen) was supposed to retire last year, but we got a reprieve then. I would like to have had another one, but I totally respect why she’s finishing up. “I’ve got no ill feelings about it; I just hope she’s as successful in the breeding barn as she was on the track.” Win or lose tomorrow night, Make Mine Cullen goes out at the top of her game. This season she’s won 12 of her 28 starts, including a last start win at Melton.She holds the record for the most number of wins at Melton – 28 – which includes two Breeders Crown final wins and a victory in the Group One Queen of the Pacific. Other career highlights include stunning wins in the Group One Kilmore Cup and the Group One Ladyship Mile at Harold Park. - Adam Bourke (Bendigo Advertiser)

10 July 2012 - Saturday night’s Loddon Valley Stud 2yo Classic at Bendigo will springboard Australian Pacing Gold winner Musical Delight into next week’s heat of the Australasian Breeders Crown and trainer Gary Quinlan is quietly confident that his star filly can extend her four race winning streak.
With the barriers drawn on class, Musical Delight will come from the outside gate in an interesting seven horse line-up. “My filly is versatile and Nathan (Jack) knows he can use her gate speed or take a sit and sprint home, so the gate start isn’t an issue,” Quinlan said. “She’s a winner at Bendigo two runs before the APG Final victory and she races well on the track, so I’m pretty happy about her chances.”  Goulburn Valley reinsman Jack is driving in career best form and has been on Musical Delight at each of her five wins. Quinlan knows that Musical Delight has a tough month ahead of her as she targets the main goal, the $303,000 Group 1 Australasian Breeders Crown at Tabcorp Park, Melton on Sunday 19 August. “She goes into Saturday night’s race off the back of two trials, one a Warragul and one at Cranbourne, my filly finished second in both her trials and last Saturday was beaten by Glenferrie EJ at Cranbourne,” Quinlan said.  “I clocked her breaking 57 seconds for the last half mile and I haven’t had her too wound up as she has the Crown ahead of her. “I can tell you that she has taken a lot of benefit from the two trials.”Seven days after Saturday’s Bendigo race, Musical Delight will contest a heat of ABC at Shepparton. Musical Delight is hot property in Victorian harness racing. The daughter of Bettors Delight and the former outstanding Victorian race mare Top Tempo, put together her four consecutive wins in a month, the wins including the $307,000 Final of the Australian Pacing Gold (Fllly Division) at Tabcorp Park Melton at her last start on 27 April.  Sprinting home along the markers, Musical Delight won the 1720 metre race in a career best 1:57 mile rate to beat Patchitupbaby and Major Joy and for that victory collected $150,000 for her owners, Lauriston Bloodstock's Bill and Anne Anderson. Despite the filly’s excellent record, Quinlan recognises that Bendigo’s Loddon Valley Stud Classic is far from a one or even two horse race. “Glenferrie EJ is an obvious danger and the Ballarat filly Bit of A Babe and the New South Wales filly Perfezione are going to provide plenty of competition,” he said.  The Craig Demmler trained Glenferrie EJ (Jodi Quinlan) will start from gate six. She was runner up to Musical Delight in the Youthful Stakes at Melton in March after winning her first two starts at Maryborough and Melton.
In the Colts & Gelding division of the Loddon Valley Classic, Nathan Jack will drive Fiddlers Three for Yanco trainer David Eurell. Fiddlers Three, a son of Mach Three won the Joe Kennedy Memorial at its only race start at Cobram last week. Rating 1:59.1 for the mile Fiddlers Three led all the way to beat the luckless Perfezione.  With a nice gate draw Fiddlers Three could well emulate that run in this race. Former New Zealander Flaming Flutter makes its Australian debut for trainer Geoff Webster with Greg Sugars taking the reins. Flaming Flutter, a son of Bettors Delight is an Addington winner. The winners of the two $7,000 Loddon Valley Stud Classics will get a bonus stallion service to a Loddon Valley Stud stallion of the owner’s choice, with the prize provided by John and Kay Campbell.      Racing at Bendigo commences at 5:27pm with the 10 race card concluding with the Redwood Weekend Trot at 10:00pm. - ​

28 June 2012 -A filly purchased in Europe to be trained in Australia by our foremost squaregaiting trainer Chris Lang. It’s a match made in heaven. 
Swede Dreams is set to make her local debut after being primed for her first Australian start with a trial at Bendigo's Lord's Raceway on Monday night. She will have her first race start at Shepparton tonight.
In her trial Swede Dreams finished third behind the Mick Carbone pacer Sparken Up and the Ross Graham trained trotting mare Bohemian Queen. Trotting writer Blake Redden reports that a plan was hatched to buy Swede Dreams way back in 2009 when Lang was in Sweden with his mighty trotter Sundons Gift. It wasn’t long before the now three-year-old by Varenne was at the Lang’s door. She might not have been the sale topper at around $A25,000 but her breeding says she will be able to trot. Her father is widely renowned as the greatest trotter to ever grace the earth; he retired with 62 wins from 73 starts. He was also crowned the champion US, French and Italy horse of the year in 2001 after an extraordinary season in which he captured the Elitlopp, Prix d’Amerique and American Breeders Crown. Lang recounts how the original purchase came about. It may have seemed a fleeting thought at first but as time now tells that wasn’t the end of the story. Bryant and her father were determined to bring over a squaregaiter from Europe and they made their intentions clear almost a year later. “When we got back from the Elitlopp in 2009 a month or so later Janice Bryant rang me who is the daughter of Michael Bryant, and between the two of them they’re very well-known equine chiropractors,” he said. “Janice rang me and I spoke to her for about 40 minutes on the phone about buying a filly at the next years Elitlopp sale but to be quite honest I thought I’d never hear from her again. “About six weeks before the Elitlopp 2010 Janice phoned and says we’re booked, we’ll meet you over there. So I met up with Janice and her dad Michael in Stockholm and we went out to a couple of the studs,” he said. If the name Michael Bryant rings a bell it’s because he has been in the news as the chiropractor of Black Caviar throughout her career and particularly for her recent assault on Royal Ascot. After an exhaustive search the team had found their filly – by Varenne out of the Grand Lobell mare Reality As – named Swede Dreams. “She went into quarantine and it took about four months to get her her, then we broke her in. The thing to remember is she is about six months younger than our three-year-olds so she’s still maturing but I wanted to give her a run,” Lang said. The reason she is so much younger than her rivals tomorrow night is the fact that she was born and bred in Europe. They plan their mating’s, like us, around summer time which is effectively our winter in the southern hemisphere. Her immaturity may stop her from dominating as a young horse but as Lang points out when she grows and develops she has enough ability to win a few races in Victoria. “I believe she will win races – that’s all I’m saying – I’m not saying how many at this point in time,” he said. Lang knows he will have to win a few races with her just to keep the owners happy with a number of high profile horse people amongst them. Joining the Bryant’s are a financial planner, and Arabian horse importer, a thoroughbred trainer – Tony Noonan – a greyhound trainer, an eventing rider, an ex-Gold Coast Harness Club President and an owner of major media and racing website. “Tony Noonan dropped in here one day and we made an agreement – if I got her to trot I get a trotting trainers fee but if I get her to gallop I get paid what he gets paid.”