Melbourne, Vic (March 9th, 2010) -  News out of New Zealand from the Hall of Fame dinner last Friday evening that welcomed in 10 new inductees at the black tie affair at Ellerslie before an audience of 400 people.

The new inductees are:

Ray Verner
Became a Master Trainer, renowned for his conditioning of horses and named NZ Racing Personality of the Year in 1978. Trained top stayers such as Good Lord (two Wellington Cups, Sydney Cup); sprinters Blue Blood and Gold Hope; and weight-for-age horses Prince Majestic and The Gentry.

John Wheeler
More successful in Australia than any other New Zealand trainer of modern times.   Trained three near-champions - Poetic Prince, Rough Habit and Veandercross (in Australia) and won major Australian races (including a dozen Group Ones) with all three.  Wheeler had dominated Australia’s jumping scene for years (winning seven Great Eastern Steeplechases at Oakbank); and won the Nakayama Grand Jump in Tokyo with St Steven.

Linda Jones MBE
Led the 1970’s fight for the right of women to be jockeys.  Media sensation in her first riding season, 1978-79; was equal-second in NZ Jockey’s Premiership when a race fall halted her season. Her success and celebrity status took pressure off young women who were to follow.  First female jockey in the world to ride a recognised Derby winner; to ride winners at Ellerslie and Trentham; and against male jockeys at a registered Australian meeting.

David Peake
First appeared on winning jockeys’ list 1962-63; retired 40 years later as the winner of 2,085 races in New Zealand, the third highest-winning jockey in New Zealand history.   Won six NZ Jockey Premierships, rode most winners of any jockey in the 1970s (794) and held the course record for winners at Ellerslie (392) until topped by Lance O’Sullivan.

Grenville Hughes
Other jockeys bettered Grenville’s lifetime tally of 1,278 wins, but none equalled his popularity with the public. Grenville had charisma.  A master stylist and judge of pace, he excelled in weight-for-age races and is especially remembered for his partnership with chestnut champion Mainbrace, on whom he won 23 races from 24 rides.

 Grey Way (Grey William (GB) ex Waybrooke by King’s Command (GB)).
164 starts, 51 wins, 27 seconds, 21 thirds, NZ$235,020 & A$8,400.
First win at Rangiora October 1972, his last win was on the same racecourse eight years later. His 50 wins in New Zealand, often against outstanding opposition, beat Black Duke’s previous NZ record of 46.  Won from 1200m to 2000m but probably best at 1600m, at which distance he scored great wins in the ARC Easter Handicap and the WRC George Adams.

Defaulter (Defoe (GB) ex Expense by Paper Money (GB)). 
28 starts, 22 wins, one second, one third, 11,890 pounds. 
Outstanding performer at the end of the 1930s; won last seven at two years and 10 straight as a three year old, a first-up defeat at three interrupting a sequence of 18.  Beat the best in Australia as well as New Zealand, winning five weight-for-age races in Sydney against vintage opposition and at distances  from seven furlongs to two and a quarter miles. He was a successful sire.

Horlicks (Three Legs ex Malt by Moss Trooper (USA))
40 starts, 17 wins (six at Group One), 10 seconds, 2 thirds. NZ$3,411,682 & A$625,000.
Won 16 in Australia and New Zealand, including New Zealand’s first two $1million races and the L K S MacKinnon Stakes in Melbourne. But career highlight undoubtedly the grey mare’s defeat of a strong international field in the Japan Cup, in which she ran the 2400m in world record time.  Later successful broodmare, Melbourne Cup winner Brew being her best progeny.

Eulogy (Cicero ex Kelibia by Upas)
Imported to New Zealand 1915, bred 13 winners of 70 races.
Her four best foals (Commendation, Esteem, Epitaph and Homage) between them won 10 three-year-old classics and 10 prestigious two-year-old races.  Eulogy’s eight daughters bred some of the best racehorses of the era. The family has bred on, later descendants including champions Show Gate, Il Tempo, Kingdom Bay and Bonecrusher. Miss Potential ushered the family into the new millennium.

Bonecrusher (Pag-Asa ex Imitation by Oakville (GB))
44 starts, 18 wins (nine Group One, six of these in Australia), five seconds, 12 thirds; NZ$674,225 & A$1,679,495.
Champion NZ 3YO, home wins including NZ Derby and Air New Zealand Stakes, followed by stunning Sydney wins in Tancred Stakes and AJC Derby.  Following spring won a memorable Cox Plate duel with Waverley Star.  He beat At Talaq in Australian Cup, again displaying huge will to win.  Won another Air New Zealand Stakes at five, despite injury problems.

Congratulations to all inductees from STALLIONS.

Tags: Group I, Hall of Fame
Permalink| Mar 9, 2010

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