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Top 50 Western Australian Pacers of All Time

Harness & Greyhounds
JayJayJayJay    7,629 posts
edited June 2013 Harness & Greyhounds
A similar thread on Perth racing has evoked some wonderful responses/memories.

Here's 10 pretty obvious ones to get the ball rolling (no particular ranking)

Mount Eden
Pure Steel
Village Kid
I"m The Mighty Quinn
Binshaw
San Simeon
Satinover
Dainty's Daughter
Red Vicar
Pacing Lawn
Frosty Nelson
Blue Pennant
Colour Glo
James Eden
Roscott
Radiant Oro
Baltic Eagle
Bin Oro
Renaud
Beau Don
+1 -1

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Comments

  • VillageKidVillageKid    2,275 posts
    Good topic & it would be fair to say the quality of WA Pacers well & truly would have the WA Gallopers covered thats for sure. 
    The best 10 ive seen in my time the last 30 odd years which counts out absolute Champs like Mount Eden, Beau Don, Daintys Daughter, Binshaw etc would be-

    Village Kid
    Im TheMightyQuinn
    Preux Chevalier
    Pure Steel
    San Simeon
    Baltic Eagle
    Jack Morris
    Norms Daughter
    Satinover
    The Falcon Strike


     


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  • VillageKidVillageKid    2,275 posts
    edited June 2013
    Special mention to those WA champs who just missed my Top 10 since 1980 are in no particular order-

    Morgan James
    Rhetts Law
    Classic Garry
    Jay Bee's Fella
    Line On
    Mysta Magical Mach
    Lincoln Storm
    Paavo
    Palimar
    Justaboyden
    Black Irish
    Sinn Fein
    Rite
    Gap Road
    Valley Champ
    Hilarion Star
    Another Party
    Indian Chant
    Elteei
    Morano Magic
    Tricky Vic
    Zakara
    Manageable


  • JayJayJayJay    7,629 posts
    Preux Chevalier, Classic Garry, The Falcon Strike were bad omissions off my first attempt.

    Might add Fastease, Bangalore, Wee Cent, Typhson and Kolworth to the list.

    There are heaps of worthy nominations when you get to thinking about it. Velocipede, Sign Again, Satanas, Speedy Cheval, King Oro, Royal Vance, Royal Force (whoops, fancy forgetting him) .......Interesting to see what others turn up and then might try a ranked order just for interest????

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  • VillageKidVillageKid    2,275 posts
    Some brilliant juveniles who got injured or ill fated & never reached the great heights thereafter were- 
    James Matthew, Pardon Me Boys, Paavo, Lively Medley, Yarracoola etc
  • JayJayJayJay    7,629 posts
    Shattering Class - when I looked up his record, he has to get a guernsey - 4 James Brennan Cups, 2 August Cups, 4 J.P.Strattons, 2 Village kid Sprints, 2 Winter Cups, Battle of Bunbury, FTC Members Sprint, BOTRA Cup, Lord Mayors Cup - remarkable durability.

    Via Valencia won just about every juvenile fillies/mares classic as a 2, 3 and 4 year old with Phil Coulson up. Will do some research on her record before posting her as a definite nomination. Mercedes, Kiwi Dillon, Young Robbie, Zakara (3 August Cups) Jack Morris for sure, Virgil Queen, Kellett and the legendary Dark David and lets not forget Juniors Image (how could we?).

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  • FastmoneyFastmoney    4,912 posts
    Has The Answers has to be on the list.
  • Piston_BrokePiston_Broke    2,047 posts
    As a kid sitting outside the fence on the hill I loved the red hots. Not in any order but some Favs of mine when I a kid. Wee Cent, James Eden, Rosscot, Red Vicar, Binshaw, High Adios, Sign Again, Stitchintime, Typhson. 
    What a shame Richmond Raceway closed down, some great characters from Freo way

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  • JayJayJayJay    7,629 posts
    Yes, Richmond was unique. The stable I worked for had heaps of success there over many years and just as many laughs at some of the shenanigans that went on. Trivia Question: Who won the last ever race there?

    Yes Has The Answers and Mr Magical Mach both absolute iron horses, a trait of the standardbred that I love.

    High Adios - had forgotten about him - Alan Woodworth up from recall - high quality and enduring horse. Stitchintime - I think Fred Snr drove him and George Gruljisich used to love him. Wee cent winning the 3200m Fremantle Cup after being a brilliant juvenile was a testament to her and how she was handled ...and she was wee - barely 14 hands. Lyle used to look too big for her in the cart. And old Sign Again, tough tough horse.

    Keep em comimg, making up the final 50 will be interesting, if not impossible. Just some fun, some on the racing thread are getting serious and argy bargy with their nominations but to me, its a much needed wander down nostalgia avenue.

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  • JayJayJayJay    7,629 posts
    Answer: Speedy Cheval for Ross Olivieri and Phil Coulson April 12, 1991.

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  • JayJayJayJay    7,629 posts
    Footnote Sign Again. Old colonial breeding - Jidaluk out of Hilda May. Had a very handy brother Young Burma who could really run for Bill Prentice (I think) and his sister Amanda May (by Radiant Oro) was the dam of Manageable, a very high class horse for Mike Reid.

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  • Piston_BrokePiston_Broke    2,047 posts
    Sign Again was originally trained by Lyle Lindau but when he was thought to be finished he was give to an old Freo Gentleman Stan Andrews, who won quite a few races with Woody driving him. I remember Wee Cent had a brother was also a very smart 2  and 3 y/o for Rocker Lindau and owned by the Torre bros, Santos Carlos I think it's name was
  • Piston_BrokePiston_Broke    2,047 posts
    Yarracoola as Andrew Carter would say was a "freak" :)

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  • VillageKidVillageKid    2,275 posts
    Not in my Top 10 but worthy of mentions...

    Saab- won both the WA Pacing Cup & the Golden Nugget
    Havago- WA Pacing Cup & Fremantle Cup
    No Blue Manna
    Lookslikelightning
    Garry John

  • JayJayJayJay    7,629 posts
    Cheers PB, I had forgotten about Stan - indeed a champion old fella who did a great job with Sign Again. Bit of a Tommy woodcock/Reckless deal.

    AC wouldn't like Yarracoola - potential plus performance, he could really run. Only 31 starts (nothing for most standardbreds) and 28 times in the money with 18 wins.

    Wee Cent had two brothers Santos Carlos and Santos Adios. The Torre's and Santo Cipriano were dead keen on Royall Dollar progeny with Lyle - Dollars Double, Asti Spumante. We actually raced a son of Asti Spumante who won a few races before injury. Had high "potential" I could claim but in reality not much good, just handy.

    VK Saab was all class - 600k in stakes back in the 90's. Also Garry John won plenty for Wilf Powell. Keep the worthy mentions coming, its a great memory jogger.

    I'll throw in The Rogue for Dan Egan/Phil Coulson - a brother to Gammalite!!! and Alphalite and Betalit and Amative ......., Via Vista for Bill Duffy, Chryso Mou for Allan Mitchell/Phil Coulson, Lord Mina, Miss Dundee and Kiwi Dillon for Max Johnson. Kiwi Raider for Laurie Groves/FRK strung together an amazing sequence of wins in 1974/75/76 and Nixon Adios was a real top horse around the same time.

    None top 10 but I'd happily have fed all of them.

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  • ChariotsonfireChariotsonfire    2,829 posts
    Some great horses have been named and many champions in their own right but if you are using the word "freak" as a description in my opinion only one fits that category - Mount Eden.

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  • AmyquilAmyquil    250 posts
    edited July 2013

    Some great horses have been named and many champions in their own right but if you are using the word "freak" as a description in my opinion only one fits that category - Mount Eden.



    There was another freak - Chandon


    Definitely top 50 in my 30+ years of watching is Allwoods Chief

    re: Saab - Only horse to win Golden Slipper, Derby, Golden Nugget and Pacing Cup.

    If he started in the first ever Nugget San Simeon would have done it too - not bad company.

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  • AmyquilAmyquil    250 posts

    Good topic & it would be fair to say the quality of WA Pacers well & truly would have the WA Gallopers covered thats for sure. 

    The best 10 ive seen in my time the last 30 odd years which counts out absolute Champs like Mount Eden, Beau Don, Daintys Daughter, Binshaw etc would be-

    Village Kid
    Im TheMightyQuinn
    Preux Chevalier
    Pure Steel
    San Simeon
    Baltic Eagle
    Jack Morris
    Norms Daughter
    Satinover
    The Falcon Strike


     


    Yes, far better than the WA thoroughbreds.

    Village, 9 of your 10 are standouts in my time but I'll swap your Satinover for Chandon.

    For me it's an easy ten.

    On top of that, Classic Garry's work as a stallion probably makes him the most important of them all.

    Until Christian Cullen, probably the only colonial bred sire of any note and he was far better than that. Chandon, Saab etc etc.

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  • JayJayJayJay    7,629 posts
    PB - Doing some searching - Santos Adios the better with wins in The Champagne Stakes and the Golden Slipper.
    Other emerging nominations:

    Talladega - Australian Pacing Gold, Champagne Stakes, Golden Slipper, Sales Classic all as a 2 year old, WA Derby, Western Gateway Pace as a 3year old,Pinjarra Cup
    Saab also won Western gateway Pace, 2yo Sales Classic
    Via Valencia - Gold Bracelet, Sires Stakes as a 2yo, WA Oaks, Sires Produce Stakes at 3yo, Easter Cup etc
    Update on Zakara - 4 August Cups, FTC Members Sprint, 4 year old Championship
    Chandon - how did I miss him?  and Salinger - both top top horses.Definites.
    Allwoods Chief -lots of Grand circuit racing plus Pinjarra Cup, August Cup, Easter Cup and Stratton Cup
    Pyramus - WA Oaks, State Sprint Championship, WA Pacing Cup for Les (The Rifleman) Marriott
    Chryso Mou - Champagne Stakes, WA Oaks, 2x Breeders Stakes etc
    Update on Yarracoola - Golden Slipper and a sensational Golden Nugget win
    Mazzini Magic was first rate for Tricky Warwick

    Better stop there I think - I'll try and assemble a top 50 as difficult as that may be and its just an opinion, so no hand grenades please. Its been great having input and doing a bit of research, so I will have a crack and see what comes up.



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  • ChrisChris    5,218 posts
    Falcon Strike my #1
  • JayJayJayJay    7,629 posts
    Great horse - do you rate him higher than Quinny, Steelo, Village Kid or Mount Eden? There is a good case for it - there is a good case for lots of them. My Dad is 91 years young, still sharp as a tack. He worked at GP on race nights for decades and he cant go past Happy Man and Dark David from the old days (too long ago even for me), Beau Don and Frosty Nelson in the next era, Binshaw for presence, presentation and performance in the 60's,  Mount Eden as the greatest of the "next era" and is amazed at what Quinnie has done this era to surpass Village Kid and Steelo. I've never seen anything quite like Mount Eden but acknowledge that there were better racing propositions than he was. Freak is what he was.

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  • VillageKidVillageKid    2,275 posts
    Fond memories from a lot of the Great Pacers named on here and havent we all been blessed to see them first hand at Gloucester Park & Richmond Raceway over the years. 
    There have been so many Champs in my time let alone those lucky enough to see the stars from the 50's, 60's & 70's.
    I could name another 100 or so very good Fast Class horses but at the end of the day my Top 10 is impossible to change.
    Well done on starting this topic JJ it has been a great read so far.
  • RoisinDubhRoisinDubh    42 posts
    Pardon Me Boys could have been anything. Unbeaten until he was 'boned'. Long story...
  • JayJayJayJay    7,629 posts
    Been really positive, hasn't been derailed, as you say literally hundreds of nominees. I wonder why Harness racing has so many standouts that stick in our minds. Perhaps its just the nature of this wonderful, tough, enduring breed - they race on and on, year after year from juvenile races and many still going at double figures. My experience is generally they are kind animals that respond well to care and attention (many in "small" family run stables of 3-6 horses), they try and try and then keep trying to do their best, the Standardbred is just a wonderful breed (I hasten to add "generally speaking - have had some bad tempered ill willed cats that wouldn't do their best but overall, even ones with very limited ability try their hearts out). They also tend to recover from injury a lot better. I'm not criticising thoroughbreds - the excitement of watching So You Think or Might and Power is a given - but your quality Standardbred really gives the public a great sighter over many years, Tough as teak to go with it - none of this 3 or 4 start caper and then a spell.........and they can be tied up when shoeing them and in stalls on race days!!!! Long may they endure.

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  • Piston_BrokePiston_Broke    2,047 posts
    edited July 2013
    JayJay don't know where I got Santos Carlos from, but Santos Adios was the one I was thinking about.

    One I forget is Mr Karamea, what a sensational 2 y/o he was, bloke called J Deane owned and trained it (Orange and Red quarters), had another handy horse called Zaruma, Mr Karamea was sold to USA and died in a stable fire.

    One of my Favs was a piebald pacer called Karamea Snow, used to sit at home as a kid on a friday night waiting for the last 2 trots to be on TV with a replay of the rest in between, I think Dennis Cometti use to host it

    As far as turn of foot the quickest I saw was Royal Force, TMQ included

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  • Piston_BrokePiston_Broke    2,047 posts
    Didn't Yarracoola win a big race in SA just before he broke down
  • lamelame    1,757 posts
    from the hall of fame
  • lamelame    1,757 posts
    noms

    Horses

    1. Kola Girl (1920s)


    Kola Girl won 19 races in Perth and following
    her 1918 WA Pacing Cup win she was regarded as WA's best horse. At the
    1923 Royal Show she set a State Pacers Record with a mile in 2:07.8. It
    stood as the Australian Mile Record until 1941. Kola Girl is the only
    female to have held this record in the last 100 years. In 1925 she held
    the WA records over one mile, 10 furlongs, 11 furlongs and two miles.


    2. Frosty Nelson (1950s)


    Frosty Nelson won 50 of his 104 career starts
    including the 1955 WA Pacing Cup. Frosty Nelson travelled by ship to
    Sydney for the 1956 Inter Dominions and was placed in two heats and the
    5000 pound Harold Park Cup behind Caduceus. Frosty Nelson won two heats
    of the 1957 Inter Dominions but fell in the final. He won the inaugural
    State Sprint Championship in 1957 defeating Village Chief and Beau Don
    in a near national record of 2:04.25.


    3. Binshaw (1960s/1970s)


    Foaled in 1961, Binshaw earned a special place
    in harness racing as the first WA bred winner of the Inter Dominion when
    he won in 1967. He also won the 1970 WA Easter Cup. Despite an injury
    interrupted career Binshaw won 29 races and was retired as a 14yo in
    1976 winning the FHRC Members Sprint at his last start. Binshaw died in
    1996 at the age of 35 and his remains were placed at the Gloucester Park
    winning post.


    4. Sam Simeon (1970/1980s)


    San Simeon still holds the Australian record for
    consecutive wins having proved victorious at his first 29 race starts
    as a 2yo, 3yo and 4yo. He also recorded four wins at Group 1 level which
    included a WA Derby, Australia Derby and WA Pacing Cup. He was voted
    Australian 2yo Pacer of the Year, Australian 3yo pacer of the Year,
    Australian Harness Horse of the Year and he won the 1981 Inter Dominion
    Championship in Hobart.


    5. Preux Chevalier (1980s)


    Preux Chevalier first came to public notice when
    he was placed in the 1983 Golden Nugget. Preux Chevalier scored a
    stunning win in the 1984 WA Pacing Cup and also won the 1985 Inter
    Dominion and NSW Miracle Mile on his way to 1985 Australian Harness
    Horse of the Year honours. Preux Chevalier was the first of only two WA
    trained horses to win at Group One level in New Zealand when he won the
    1985 New Zealand FFA.


    6. Norms Daughter (1990s)


    At the 1995 Inter Dominion, Norms Daughter
    amazed fans when she sat outside NSW champion Our Sir Vancelot and set a
    new Australian record over 2100 metres. Later that year she became the
    second mare to win the NSW Miracle Mile, assuming the mantle of the best
    mare in Australasia. Norms Daughter was voted Australian Pacing Mare of
    the Year in both 1996 and 1997, in addition to being the fastest mare
    in the country in both years.

  • JayJayJayJay    7,629 posts
    Santos Carlos could run a bit as well but yes, Santos Adios was the real deal.

    Mister Karamea was a real speed horse - went 1.58.8 as a 2 year old when those times were unheard of for owner trainer John Deane with Jimmy "the Jet" Schrader in the cart. Was sold to a syndicate for big bucks and Phil Coulson trained and drove. Won some big races here and Phil took him to the USA. Won for Phil in very fast time (around low 54's as I recall) was placed with an American trainer and yes, you are right, the barn caught fire and he died. Could have been anything.

    Zaruma was a high quality fast class horse. Yankee Rhythm, Roc Eden and Mount Mist just popped into my mind  as handy types.

    Karamea Snow - the "horse in pyjamas" for E.J (Jack) Miles of Mount Eden fame. Came from Queensland and was no champ but pretty handy. Those Chanel 7 telecasts wer tops - the daily double - you'd be in the middle of some explosive war scene from "Combat" or Mario Milano was just about to smash a chair over the head of Skull Murphy in the Wrestling and hey presto, we were suddenly watching the Free For All from GP. Great days indeed. Gary Carvolth might have done some hosting as well.

    When Royal Force let down, look out - he could run unbelievable sectionals. Won a Miracle Mile with Boof Anderson I think. Jack Retzlaff the normal drivel for George Kennett. The Black Flash. He won a heat of the pacing cup one night after never seeing clear passage until about 150 m from home and then he just mowed down a real quality field and won running away. George Grljusich nearly fell out of the commentary box that night - he might have backed a rare winner haha.

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  • JayJayJayJay    7,629 posts
    Yarracoola won 8 races in SA at Globe Derby Park and Murray Bridge - FFA class in the late 80's in SA wa about 2.20 and better (on the old handicapping system) - best time of 1.59 or thereabouts over 2200 m. But no big wins (from 1987 -1989). Now he won the Golden Nugget in 1984 at GP, so that is a big gap - don't what exactly happened to him and how he came to be in SA????

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  • JayJayJayJay    7,629 posts
    Lame, from the Hall of Fame notes:

    Kola Girl 2.7.8 in the 1920's around the Claremont Speedway Track - unbelievable.

    Frosty Nelson - went to the Sydney Inters by SHIP - traveling in style, none of that Nullabor dust for Frosty. A lap of the top deck each morning to stay fit??

    Binshaw wins the Members Sprint at 14??? he broke 2 minutes as well. Lived to 35.

    San Simeon - absolutely fool proof.

    Preux Chevalier - looked to have a pacing cup at his mercy until along came a rising star 4 year old Village Kid. Coulson's best ever Cup drive - watch it on Youtube.

     
    Norms Daughter - driven by Kellie Kersley to win the Miracle Mile.

    Thanks for posting.

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