Harness Heroes - looking back at our stars of the past

Adaptor (Jack Hargreaves) winning the 1969 Craven Filter Miracle Mile in 1.59.1 at Harold Park NSW. Shortly after Adaptor went to the YSA to race in the International Pace at Yonkers Raceway

Adaptor - Winner of the 1969 Bendigo Pacing Cup

 
Adaptor had a remarkable year in 1969

In the summer of 1969,   the 5yo Adaptor won the Apollo Mile at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds, The Bendigo Pacing Cup at Lord’s Raceway Bendigo, and the Miracle Mile at Harold Park in Sydney. In the process, he defeated the best pacers in Australia and New Zealand.

Five days after the Sydney victory, he was on a plane to the USA, having been bought by patrons of the leading New York and New Jersey trainer Stanley Dancer. Dancer paid $120,000 plus a $75,000 contingency. Converted to 2013 currency, the sale price equates to approximately $780,000 with a $487,000 contingency. Adaptor became the highest-priced Australian Standardbred ever sold.

During his career Adaptor handicapped himself with poor standing start performances, but the Miracle Mile was started from a mobile barrier enabling him to lead all the way, and win easily in 1.59.2, as a 2/1 on favourite.

His effort in the Apollo Mile at the Showgrounds was equally as impressive as he scorched around the small 3 furlong track in a world record 2.00.4.

His 1969 Bendigo Pacing Cup win was remarkable. He was last, after being slowly away from the standing start off his handicap of 24 yds. behind, and was checked at the bell with a lap to go. He was pulled four wide along the back straight on the old Lords Raceway track (the back straight was where the current front straight is). Adaptor and driver Jack Hargreaves made their run around the home turn, circling the field of top class horses to record an exciting victory.









Adaptor Fact File:

• Brown horse foaled in 1963 by Dick Adios (USA) from Mirthful Lass
  
  
• Bred and owned by the Touhey family at Serpentine
  
  
• Trained and driven by Jack Hargreaves at Korong Vale
  
  
• Trained on a track  in a wheat paddock at Korong Vale, appropriately called Rocket Raceway by the Hargreaves family
  
  
• Brian Touhey, Adaptor’s usual strapper, played football for Golden Square in the Bendigo Football League.  Adaptor’s race colours were the same as a Golden Square football jumper
  
  
• As a 3yo Adaptor won a heat and the final of the NSW Sires’ Produce Stakes, and heats of the Victoria and NSW Derbies. He was second to Ardrossan in the final of the NSW Derby
  
  
• Adaptor’s Australian racing record was 45 starts for 27 wins, eight placings and $36,000 in prize money (now worth ($234,000 approx.)
  
  
• In the USA, he competed at Yonkers, Liberty Bell and Roosevelt tracks, winning a further $122,000  ($793,000) and recording 1.58.2
  
  
• Retired to stud in the US
  
  
• His great-grand dam Miss Mirth was sired by Tennessee Direct (USA), a stallion that stood at the Adelaide Hill Stud in Huntly, but was moved to Dalton NSW on the death of the Adelaide Hill owner, Robert Matchett in 1928.
  
  
• Adaptor’s sire, Dick Adios (USA) stood at Fern Hill stud, conducted by the late Bill and Margaret Hansen, life members of the Bendigo Harness Racing Club.
  
  

 




 

Harold Park's Miracle Mile was the race which Adaptor scored perhaps his greatest win