Rolling Back The Years

[Midnight Caller]

Just thought that with all that is going on, that people might want to reminisce with some of your  favourite memories and stories in racing, sport, betting coos and oh so close stories etc.

I got the racing bug when in the school holidays,I would go to my grandparents and go with my grandfather (owner/trainer)morning and  night to the stables,feeding,separating(shit)and cleaning!Loving every minute of it,especially walking the horses to the track through the gap in the hedge at the 600m mark of the Waipa track and watching them work, priceless!My reward from memory was a 50c double on a Saturday 😊

[Hesi]

Some names that will live forever there Maxi.  The dynasty of never ending Pakistan 11 sprinters.

New Moon, she won her first start at Woodville

Can anyone remember Tatua, won the Great Northern Guineas in 1962.  We lived in Belmont on the North Shore, and my father would frequent the Esplanade pub in Devonport each Saturday, I would have to sit outside as a youngster.  The one memory I have is hearing the races on the radio and Tatua being called.

Another great memory, is when they had The Auckland Star, and it used to have every Friday, about a 4 page lift out racing section, with in depth coverage on every race and every runner

[pete]

20 minutes ago, Hesi said:

Some names that will live forever there Maxi.  The dynasty of never ending Pakistan 11 sprinters.

New Moon, she won her first start at Woodville

Can anyone remember Tatua, won the Great Northern Guineas in 1962.  We lived in Belmont on the North Shore, and my father would frequent the Esplanade pub in Devonport each Saturday, I would have to sit outside as a youngster.  The one memory I have is hearing the races on the radio and Tatua being called.

Another great memory, is when they had The Auckland Star, and it used to have every Friday, about a 4 page lift out racing section, with in depth coverage on every race and every runner

I was a cadet reporter at the Auckland Star in 1977. That was until I wrote off one of their staff cars driving drunk.

Young people eh?

 

[pete]

We arrived in New Zealand in December 1966.

My Dad took me to the 1968 Auckland Cup which Bright Chief won. I was hooked after that. Pretty much saw the race every year until they fucked it all up in the infield.

Great memories when you look back at some of the winners from 1968 - 1996. I loved Sailing Home. Huge mare trained by a Miss Joyce Edgar-Jones I think. By Dogger Bank out of Chocolate. The dam Chocolate was notable because she was a twin and was tiny and then she gave birth to a giant sized mare.

• 1996 – Senator
• 1995 – Royal Tiara
• 1994 – Miltak
• 1993 – Ligeiro
• 1992 – Castletown
• 1991 – Star Harvest
• 1990 – Miss Stanima
• 1989 – Spyglass
• 1988 – Sea Swift
• 1987 – Kotare Chief
• 1986 – Kerry Lane
• 1985 – Secured Deposit
• 1984 – Stylish Dude
• 1983 – Fountaincourt
• 1982 – Chimbu
• 1981 – Drum
• 1980 – Blue Denim
• 1979 – Tamboura
• 1978 – Stylemaster
• 1977 – Royal Cadenza
• 1976 – Perhaps
• 1975 – Kia Maia
• 1974 – Rose Mellay
• 1973 – Apollo Eleven
• 1972 – Sailing Home
• 1971 – Artifice
• 1970 – Il Tempo
• 1969 – Il Tempo
• 1968 – Bright Chief

[Hesi]

10 minutes ago, pete said:

I was a cadet reporter at the Auckland Star in 1977. That was until I wrote off one of their staff cars driving drunk.

Young people eh?

 

Surely not Rose

[pete]

1 minute ago, Hesi said:

Surely not Rose

No it was three large bottles of cider. Managed to drive all the way from MT Eden to Glen Eden then fell asleep at the wheel and slammed into a parked Holden Kingswood.

The little Honda Civic I was driving folded up completely. They managed to save the radio. Probably lucky to be here.

[Hesi]

9 minutes ago, pete said:

We arrived in New Zealand in December 1966.

My Dad took me to the 1968 Auckland Cup which Bright Chief won. I was hooked after that. Pretty much saw the race every year until they fucked it all up in the infield.

Great memories when you look back at some of the winners from 1968 - 1996. I loved Sailing Home. Huge mare trained by a Miss Joyce Edgar-Jones I think. By Dogger Bank out of Chocolate. The dam Chocolate was notable because she was a twin and was tiny and then she gave birth to a giant sized mare.

• 1996 – Senator
• 1995 – Royal Tiara
• 1994 – Miltak
• 1993 – Ligeiro
• 1992 – Castletown
• 1991 – Star Harvest
• 1990 – Miss Stanima
• 1989 – Spyglass
• 1988 – Sea Swift
• 1987 – Kotare Chief
• 1986 – Kerry Lane
• 1985 – Secured Deposit
• 1984 – Stylish Dude
• 1983 – Fountaincourt
• 1982 – Chimbu
• 1981 – Drum
• 1980 – Blue Denim
• 1979 – Tamboura
• 1978 – Stylemaster
• 1977 – Royal Cadenza
• 1976 – Perhaps
• 1975 – Kia Maia
• 1974 – Rose Mellay
• 1973 – Apollo Eleven
• 1972 – Sailing Home
• 1971 – Artifice
• 1970 – Il Tempo
• 1969 – Il Tempo
• 1968 – Bright Chief

The old man got the tip for Perhaps, paid 20 or 30 bucks, so it was a great Xmas/New Year

[mardigras]

I haven't been to many Auckland Cups - but was at Fountaincourt's, and as Thomass would say, I backed him (which I did). At the time, he was considered a miler (even though milers have a pretty decent record in the Auckland Cup). From memory, although that is fading, he paid around 40s. Only other cups I've been to in that era would be Drum's.

[pete]

1 minute ago, mardigras said:

I haven't been to many Auckland Cups - but was at Fountaincourt's, and as Thomass would say, I backed him (which I did). At the time, he was considered a miler (even though milers have a pretty decent record in the Auckland Cup). From memory, although that is fading, he paid around 40s. Only other cups I've been to in that era would be Drum's.

There was always this theory that a good miler could win the Auckland Cup. Never quite worked out why.

I backed Miss Stanima in 1990. Think Murray Baker trained it.

[pete]

2 minutes ago, mardigras said:

I haven't been to many Auckland Cups - but was at Fountaincourt's, and as Thomass would say, I backed him (which I did). At the time, he was considered a miler (even though milers have a pretty decent record in the Auckland Cup). From memory, although that is fading, he paid around 40s. Only other cups I've been to in that era would be Drum's.

Drum was one of the easiest wins you'd see. With a round to go McNab had him jogging right behind the pacemaker and you knew he was going to ace it that far out.

[Midnight Caller]

1st January 1987, biggest collect in the eighties for me!🤑

[Hesi]

21 minutes ago, pete said:

No it was three large bottles of cider. Managed to drive all the way from MT Eden to Glen Eden then fell asleep at the wheel and slammed into a parked Holden Kingswood.

The little Honda Civic I was driving folded up completely. They managed to save the radio. Probably lucky to be here.

https://aa.org.nz/contact/

[pete]

1 minute ago, Midnight Caller said:

1st January 1987, biggest collect in the eighties for me!🤑

What a performance too!

[pete]

Just now, Hesi said:

https://aa.org.nz/contact/

[Midnight Caller]

1 minute ago, pete said:

Theme tune by Elton John

[ngakonui grass]

59 minutes ago, pete said:

We arrived in New Zealand in December 1966.

My Dad took me to the 1968 Auckland Cup which Bright Chief won. I was hooked after that. Pretty much saw the race every year until they fucked it all up in the infield.

Great memories when you look back at some of the winners from 1968 - 1996. I loved Sailing Home. Huge mare trained by a Miss Joyce Edgar-Jones I think. By Dogger Bank out of Chocolate. The dam Chocolate was notable because she was a twin and was tiny and then she gave birth to a giant sized mare.

• 1996 – Senator
• 1995 – Royal Tiara
• 1994 – Miltak
• 1993 – Ligeiro
• 1992 – Castletown
• 1991 – Star Harvest
• 1990 – Miss Stanima
• 1989 – Spyglass
• 1988 – Sea Swift
• 1987 – Kotare Chief
• 1986 – Kerry Lane
• 1985 – Secured Deposit
• 1984 – Stylish Dude
• 1983 – Fountaincourt
• 1982 – Chimbu
• 1981 – Drum
• 1980 – Blue Denim
• 1979 – Tamboura
• 1978 – Stylemaster
• 1977 – Royal Cadenza
• 1976 – Perhaps
• 1975 – Kia Maia
• 1974 – Rose Mellay
• 1973 – Apollo Eleven
• 1972 – Sailing Home
• 1971 – Artifice
• 1970 – Il Tempo
• 1969 – Il Tempo
• 1968 – Bright Chief

John Riordan the rider of Sailing Home arrived in TA 72 years ago yesterday.

11 YEARS OLD but couldn't go to school as there was a polio epidemic so he started back at school the next year.

Rode his 1st winner when he was still at school.

Now living in Queensland

Edited March 31, 2020 by ngakonui grass

[Hesi]

41 minutes ago, Midnight Caller said:

Theme tune by Elton John

I'm Still Standing?

[VC!]

On 3/31/2020 at 9:10 AM, Midnight Caller said:

Waipa 

I have two Waipa experiences 

Welcome to Rose City home of the Finn brothers

1) I was in form 3 at Hamilton Boys High (PE teacher Kit Fawcett) my best friend his dad did the photo finishes around the Waikato he was like the reserve photo finish bloke in case the bloke who done the photo finish his equipment failed we were like a back up, so I used to go to many races sit in the box directly below Keith Haub, when we arrived at the races we used to get passes which entitled us into the birdcage jockeys room etc, so this one time I thought I would tour the jockeys room it was at Te Awamutu I was 14 and I looked like a jockey, they had a canteen inside so I got myself a free mince pie, then I decided to go sit on the jockey scales and I remember Toby Autridge was standing in front of me while I was weighing myself and he said“ wish I was that weight” I tipped the scales at 41kgs I thought wow this is the life I’m going to do this one day

2) 3 years later I was back at Waipa 17 years old this time as a punter (reckless one at that) I had fur filled my shattered dreams as becoming a jockey entering Wexford Stables at15 leaving at 17 years old 57kgs 
Back in the day I took some on course treble tickets I took 3 in each leg so I had 27 tickets after the first leg came in you would have to go back to the window to exchange your 2nd and 3rd legs so after getting the first two legs in both double figure winners I knew I was in for a decent collect with 5 minutes left to the start of the 3rd leg I went to the window to exchange my 3rd leg

I had thrown the 3rd leg tickets away at this time I was frantic searching madly on the ground I couldn’t find them, they were moving into the gates, so I raced back to the tote windows told them I had 3 live tickets the lady called over the race course inspector who confirmed there were 6 live tickets going into the last leg and 3 hadn’t been exchanged so he took down the 3 numbers I wanted, 

I got the last leg by myself so I returned to the tote he had the money all elastic banded up and told me to go to the end of the tote room where there was a door, he then asked me how old are you? to which I replied 19, of course I was only 17 under age, he then said you have to be 20, of course I knew you had to be 18, so a heated argument exchanged between himself and myself an argument I was never going to win, but I was not going to let the club get away with the winnings.

Cutting a long story short I ended up attending the Waipa general meeting and donated all the winning to a handicapped charity that was down the road from where I lived (Christopher Park) I was also refunded by treble outlay

Those were the days🤔

[Midnight Caller]

Here is part one of a story to get the blood flowing before some good weekend  racing.

In the 90's,a good mate of mine rings to inform me that I am a silent partner in his share( What!!) of a horse left in the stables after the races(What!!).Pack your bag we are off to the winterless north for seafood,drink and racing!(Sure!😁). We arrive raceday and head to the stable area where we clap eyes on our "investment" for the first time!

At that point I was feeling a wee bit queasy,and it wasn't  from the weekend festivity!Ears like a donkey and hoofs like dinner plates! 🤔 Cowie, the trainer in the next stall reckons his horse will run in the first three!🙄 I think the race was The Cup that day, trainer(top man) says he is fit,the field is not overly strong,and could be handy for the country circuit in the coming months!But the horse is a "grumpy old bastard "so we are not sure who is going to turn up on raceday!(What!!)

Race time and confidence was not brewing on my side of the table,but we had a couple of nice collects in the betting pool in the earlier races.So we spread it over w/p, quins and trif boxed.

Rolls home at big money and Cowies horse runs 2nd🤑.Go you  donkey ear, dinner plated good thing!!

The horse of course is....Midnight Caller😁

 

 

Edited April 3, 2020 by Midnight Caller

[Hesi]

9 hours ago, Midnight Caller said:

Here is part one of a story to get the blood flowing before some good weekend  racing.

In the 90's,a good mate of mine rings to inform me that I am a silent partner in his share( What!!) of a horse left in the stables after the races(What!!).Pack your bag we are off to the winterless north for seafood,drink and racing!(Sure!😁). We arrive raceday and head to the stable area where we clap eyes on our "investment" for the first time!

At that point I was feeling a wee bit queasy,and it wasn't  from the weekend festivity!Ears like a donkey and hoofs like dinner plates! 🤔 Cowie, the trainer in the next stall reckons his horse will run in the first three!🙄 I think the race was The Cup that day, trainer(top man) says he is fit,the field is not overly strong,and could be handy for the country circuit in the coming months!But the horse is a "grumpy old bastard "so we are not sure who is going to turn up on raceday!(What!!)

Race time and confidence was not brewing on my side of the table,but we had a couple of nice collects in the betting pool in the earlier races.So we spread it over w/p, quins and trif boxed.

Rolls home at big money and Cowies horse runs 2nd🤑.Go you  donkey ear, dinner plated good thing!!

The horse of course is....Midnight Caller😁

 

 

For a second there MC, I thought you were going to say Mr Ed......a horse is a horse of course of course etc etc

[Midnight Caller]

Maybe I should have left the answer out and posted on the mega quiz!😁

Only Globe would have guessed it!