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JayJay · July 2025

A thread that may interest some, others not so. Fair enough, don't open, don't read and keep your ageist pies in the oven.

I have recently been gifted vast quantities of historical documents, scrap books of Newspaper clippings and a massive unpublished manuscript covering the History of Trotting in WA from the very beginning up until 1980. The manuscript was commissioned by the WATA but when presented, they objected to descriptions of J.P Stratton, that although balanced, factual and truthfu,l were occasionally not very complimentary.

The cache' of material contains original signed letters of support for the author vouching for his accuracy from some of the most prominent trotting participants to ever sit behind a horse.

So, on occasions, like today, 70km winds, 30 plus mm of rain and an outside temp of 6 degrees, I will put up snippets of interest, using the language and writing style of the day.

March 1954:

A Royal Visit from the Queen and The Duke caused a frenzy in social circles. A to forefront was the Racing Industry and on Monday March 29th, special events were put on at both Ascot and Gloucester Park. I have the racebooks, form guides and results. The comparisons between the 2 codes are very interesting.

Firstly Ascot, where the feature was the "Royal Visit Cup", 21 acceptors, one and a half miles, weight range 9.0 stone to 7.0 stone, no claim for apprentices. Stake was £2,100 pound on a programme that had maidens racing for £300 pound, the Standard Handicap and the Trial were also £300 pound and the Welter was for £400 pounds. the Cup was race 3 on the card.

At Gloucester, it was the Queen Elizabeth Stakes for Open Class horses, Race 6 at 10.15pm, 2.12 and better, 14 furlongs, 15 starters, 5 off the front, 5 off 12 yrds, 2 off 24 yrds, 2 off 36 yrds and 1 off 48 yrds, the reigning Inters Champ Tennessee Sky. Stake was £5,000 pounds on a programme that had the £1,000 pound Duke Of Edinburgh Final over 13 furlongs for 2.17 and better. There was no "maiden" or Qualifying stakes, and the 2.21 races were worth £425 pounds whilst a 2.17 and better race was worth £475 pounds.

The support races for both codes were the same the next week, so the stakes were not inflated.

For the record, top weight Moderniste won at Ascot for trainer Ken James ( of Northam) and was ridden by Eric Treffone, a drifting favourite on account of "rumours" of lameness in the days leading into the race. The Cup was presented by the Chief Justice, Sir John Dwyer. The Royal couple where elsewhere.

Happy Mint, driven by Fred Kersley (Snr) won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at 25/1 and the Gold Cup was presented by Her Majesty to owner breeder Watty Clark. The Queen was introduced to all drivers prior to the race and watched the Birdcage parade. She was said to be "most interested" in attending her first night time trotting meeting and the Duke was "particularly keen" watching the race through a set of binoculars.

Fred Kersley's brother Frank (F.E) drove a treble on the night and Billy Collette won race one off 48 yards for driver Bernie Cushing. Billy Collette was owned and trained (and often driven) by "Chariotsonfire"s father Mick Cooper. He progressed to be a star Free For All horse.

The perennial question for trotting folk will always be how on earth did the code fall to the depths it currently occupies.

It is very clear as to which code was dominant in 1954.

Markovina · July 2025

5000 pound back in 1954 that is serious money - you could buy id say 5-6 houses in the elite Western suburbs with that money at that time

JayJay · July 2025

A little over the top Marko but in the ball park. Average Perth House price 1954 around 3,000 pounds. In 1950, my parents bought a quarter acre in Bentley (rather salubriously titled "St James Park") for 150 quid, built a small brick and tile 2 bedroom and back verandah converted to a sleepout. Jarrah floorboards throughout, indoor bathroom, dunny and laundry for 2,080 pound.

Sadly for my future, trotting trainer George Boot had stables just around the corner, with an SP bookie shop a two minute bike ride away. The die was cast but we had the most marvelous childhood. Didn't have much but had plenty.

savethegame · July 2025

Harness racing very similar to a shooting star across the Country now near the end of its journey.

Little snips that have put harness racing into freefall in IMO. now 70 years from 1954.

These not necessarily in order.

No doubt the amount families that had real connections with horses -.---- horse & carts--- riding to school with all household essentials being delivered by horses, lifeblood on farms the list goes on. were used from 1900s 1930s., so people in the 50s were all over the industry

Then Advent of T.V In 59-60 was initially the biggest hurdle Harness faced nightime competition---Remember been told champion reinsman & Bloke Max Johnson who i got to know years later, they reckon he would be driving four favourites at G.P. Saturday night truck running had to drag him away from TV.

1963---1978 saw a small group do very well out of harness racing leave it at that.

1974 Was 5833 drivers 6908 trainers in Australia, Now 2900 drivers 4000 Trainers

Actual numbers W.A. 1987--88 FIGURES 762 DRIVERS 1057 TRAINERS

19 77/78 W,A RACING TURNOVER % Was 30.65

NSW /VIC RACING % 39.68

W.A TROTTING % 21.16

GREYHOUND RACING % 3.26

OTHER % 0.84

MANDURAH DOGS STARTED 5TH JAN.1979

40/50 THOUSAND TURNOVER WAS LOST FROM TROTTING TO THE DOGS.FRIDAY NIGHTS

1978/79 RACING % 34.77

NSW /VIC RACING % 38.10

W.A TROTTING % 20.55

GREYHOUND RACING % 4.23

OTHER % 2.35

Harness Racing President Dr Manea reduced country clubs subsidy by 50%. 80-81 because g.p, was under pressure to maintain reasonable minimum stakes. took about rinse and repeat now. to hold g.p. together. lucky most of infrastructure was in place years ago

1989 ---ceased the stakes to race format the year Golden Mile Trotting was announced as the highest paying country club regards stakes in Australia.

GMTC Was reduced to b grade stakes except at the round, due to other country presidents couldn't compete with their success.

Getting RSI will tightin it up. People paying between 17-20% interest on house loans early nineties didn't help,

CASINO NIGHTTIME FOOTBALL, NIGHTIME GALLOPS LOTTO MOBILE DEVICES,

Then Racing Minister Nick Griffiths had to pull rank on G.P. 2001-02,

Then the pied piper arrived Ray Bennetts with the inception of' ''Really What We About' throwing money everywhere, which had been mentioned it was Stake money increases that the codes hadn't received previous two years.

Then COVID--- TABTOUCH went from 55,000 account holders to 110,000 ---The betting spike was back slapping material for the HIERACHY.

Punters are the most important, part of all the codes IF YOU BELIEVE DIFFERENT, THE CARNIVAL IS OVER.

JayJay · July 2025

Covers the story pretty much spot on STG.

If push comes to shove, I can narrow the demise down to:

Letting the mobile barrier anywhere near a trotting track in Australia
Allowing Artificial Insemination anywhere near the trotting breeding industry
the reduction of "stakes to race" killed country clubs by removing incentive
Self interested administration which has been in place ever since the Stratton/WATA days

Chariotsonfire · July 2025

JayJay I was only six when the Queen went to GP but I can remember being told of the events that night. Dad was actually the owner of one of the winners that night, a pint sized pacer named Warren Lad (that should strike a chord with you). Warren Lad won his first race at Manjimup and when he was ready to race in the city he was sent to a Turvey (don't know his first name) to train and he was driven by Bernie Cushing.

At one stage he ran 19 placings from 21 starts without winning.

I am not sure about Bernie Cushing driving Billy Collette as before Dad took him over he was trained and driven by Fred Hough. He ran 3rd in a WA Trotting Cup behind Jackie Scott and Taxi Boy when trained and driven by Dad.

Great memories.

Ivorytrunkey86 · July 2025

Interested in the small group that did very well 63-78?

JayJay · July 2025

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/49625879/3828382

Link to the results details Ross, Tuesday's West March 30th. Also an article announcing the "pint sized 8 year old" winning at 50/1. Definitely states Bernie training and driving the then Richmond raceway specialist.

Chariotsonfire · July 2025

Great find JayJay and you are obviously correct about Warren Lad but Billy Collette doesn't appear in the results.

JayJay · July 2025

Nope, he doesn't...because he weren't there ....becauseI have stuffed up horribly .....confusing the two horses. My humblest apologies. I don't know how I did that, Billy Collette was much later than Warren Lad, running 3rd to Jackie Scott and Taxi Boy in the 1960 Cup.

Clearly, the Alzheimers test I took the other day that confirmed I had the cognitive capacity of a Golden Syrup Dumpling was correct. I shall have to find a better proof reader. My draft that I hand wrote had "Warren Lad".....and I knew all about Billy Collette?? Dunno, a wiring issue. Thank you for getting things straightened out.

savethegame · July 2025

Hi JAY JAY was George James of No Dill fame was a Poet of any note. Old Driver told me he would produce in stewards' inquiry, have actually come across one of his poems regards The Kalgoorlie Round

JayJay · July 2025

Not aware of Geoge's Poetry writing skills STG but he could tell a good story. One night as he was leaving the course, a couple of security blokes were ejecting a rowdy patron. It was at a time when crowds and turnover were falling.

"Hey mate", says George, "you'd be better off out in the street throwing them back in than throwing them out."

I am told his son Garry, a very competent driver from my memory, bore the nick name "Javed" as he was always talking about "me and dad".

JayJay · July 2025

It would be hard to imagine these days, just how strong the objections to gambling were, both pre- and post World War II. Every "wowser" group under the Sun...all the Churches, Christian Scientists, the Temperance Union, the CWA, the YMCA, the Kindergarten Union, the Ugly Mens Society to name just a few.

Petitions to Parliament, huge public meetings, Bill after Bill being presented to Parliament, and failing, all aiming to rid society of the scourge of "off course" illegal SP bookmakers.

24 representative organisations protested most strongly to the Parliament of the perils of legalising off course gambling.

It seemed that there was an almost continuous running Royal Commission into the WATA Control of Trotting and off course betting. Off course, there were actual Laws against SP Bookies operating but about all that ever happened was the "runners" and "lookouts" on street corners got pinched for the minor offence of "obstructing traffic" (not much of that was around) and the "big boys" got off maintaining clean records, luxury shops, quality apparel, flash cars and untaxed profits. As the saying goes, often a blind eye was turned.

Spies were posted outside the Police Training Academy to take photos of new recruits, so that the lookouts could spot an approaching copper and blow the whistle. The lookouts knew all the regulars, often on a first name basis, identifiable by their plain "civvies" clothes and the large stock of brown paper bags they carried, to be later filled with "largesse" to avoid the shop from being closed down, or any prosecutions proceeding

The 1946 Commission into Betting had two distinct camps.....supporters in favour of extending and legalising verses the abolitionists....and on course bookies in the middle with a suggestion that 1.00pm closing on race day would not affect their on course turnover. Sure thing it wouldn't!

Tate's Press And Telegram Agency, which disseminated all the information on fields, form and trainers and drivers, to each SP bookie each week had 175 official accounts, 91 in the metro area and 84 in the country and that was just the tip of the iceberg as enterprising operators on sold the information to countless other operators, including one desperado operating at a "Sustenance Camp" for the unemployed in Manjimup. (True story, the old bloke painted my house many moons ago. He had 3 outlets, the Camp, the Manjimup Pub and the local Barber Shop).

Tate's had 40 telephone lines and employed 18 telephonists.....it was no backyard operation, it was servicing a large and booming "industry".

Illegal shops would advertise access to a "Hobart Communication", a coded reference to the ability to order tickets in Tattersall's Lottery from the Tasmanian Capital, tickets that were not available for public sale in WA.

The outcome of the Commission recommendations....and the subsequent bill presented to Parliament...and passed,in spite of acrimonious opposition...was the setting up in 1954 of a "Betting Control Board" which basically licensed every off course SP bookie, provided they had a registered premise.

This lead the West Australian, and it's esteemed Trotting writer "Lexington" to state that "A greater Evil Has Replaced A Lesser One". Despite the fierce opposition and a turnover tax of 1.25% along with a tax of 1 penny per betting ticket, there was one group ecstatic at the Passing of the Bill...the Illegal SP Bookies,just about all of whom were given licenses as a matter of course. "We will be legitimate at last" they declared.

Regulations were in place to ban "singing, dancing and drinking" (would have cut me out when I backed my annual winner) in betting shops after calls from the Methodist Conference to:

keep shops away from hotels (never happened)
keep youth away from the vincinity (fat chance)
limit the trading hours (open all hours)
close the shops during meetings (dream on)

None of the above, in practice, ever eventuated, much to the relief of young trotting followers trying to top up their pocket money on weekends as "runners" near the Boomerang Hotel (Thank Christ).

Of course, did this Bill eliminate illegal operators from practicing their trade? Of course not, it simply created yet another flourishing underground conga line of illegal operations, many of them mobile, as in 1954, motor vehicles were now far more prevalent. One infamous operator had a Indian Motor Cycle with sidecar (and a well tuned motor), which was both his mobile ledger and office. It could duck down side alleys and avoid the pursuing cop car......and in Fremantle, there were plenty of side alleys and plenty of customers down by the wharf. He did a roaring business for years after betting shops "were legitimised".

Everyone involved in the Industry denounced the legalisation of the shops; the owners, the trainers, the drivers, the WATA, on course Bookies....but guess what, they all patronised them, turnover took off, every man and his dog frequented the off course shops.

Alas, yet another Royal Commission was called in 1959. Their needed to be a way of directing funds back into the Industry and thus, the TAB was born. A story for another day.

Finally some names...on course bookmakers of the day included Wyn Brown, Arthur Wilson, Alec Blair, Roy Fenwick, Bill Frew, Francey Friedlander, Bill Kirby, Danny Leighton, Bill Maloney, Pat Maloney, Eric Mack, Dave Mickle, Alec Patman, Abe Rubins, Jack Sears, Ken Walton, Jack Wright and Manuel Kalaf.

savethegame · July 2025

The pulling Power of MOUNT EDEN when he went to sydney as three yearold for Derby..

1970 betting shops didn't open fridays special permission was given to open in five locations for two hours.Kalgoolie,--Bunbury --, Northam,. -- Geraldton-- One in the city. he broke down his last workout on the Wednesday, prior.

Wonder if they still opened?

JayJay · July 2025

Don't know, I think they were only doing it for his heat race and were paying NSW tote prices. Wouldn't have been a problem, there were still plenty of sly SP operators and licensed bookies who would have gladly taken your business.

Chariotsonfire · July 2025

To illustrate just how small Warren Lad was when Dad trained him in Pemberton he was transported to meetings in a wooden crate on the back of a Model T ute.

The crate only extended over the ute tray less than one foot.

Imagine trying to get Mount Eden or Magnificent Storm into the crate.

JayJay · July 2025

I have a couple of racebooks from Manjimup when they raced at the Recreation Ground (Imperials Football Club home ground in the middle of town) which feature Warren Lad (by Nelson Direct out of Betty Mac (Phillips), foaled in 1945) but not the results. When I find a minute, I will cross reference the dates against the Trove Newspaper files.

Would have been a huge job for the Model T ute to negotiate the hills on what was basically a goat track on a 2 degree night and/or in pouring rain, all to race for 25 quid. Tough buggers, both horse and human.

JayJay · July 2025

Forgot to add that Warren Lad 's sister Flighty Sue was the dam of Worthy Bin, Worthy Scout and Worthy Red (for Charlie Rifici) which may be a prompt to go for a wander to 54 Lake Street in Northbridge, home base for the Rifici family. No shortage of stories about Charlie.

savethegame · July 2025

Charlie Rifici, has got 5 years has always stuck in my mind, when olds were talking about him must have been about 55years Ago horse was Worthy Red.Caf.

JayJay · July 2025

53 years ago STG, looks like you have prompted an early start on Charlie. It was August 20th, 1971 in an era rich in positive swabs. Worthy Red won a Qualifying Stakes at Richmond Raceway and went positive to caffeine from being fed a substance called "Codlivine".

He received the standard penalty of the day, 5 years, to join Urosevic (Doug and Nancy Watson) who went positive for Theobromine in the Winter Cup (Driver Trevor Warwick exonerated), and Court Talkin (Terry Purnell) on August 13th.

Charlie went on an overseas holiday, returned and appealed and his 5 years was halved. The horse, a seemingly innocent party, got 12 months. Both the Watsons and Purnell faired better on appeal, each having their 5 years reduced to one year.

When doing the research, apparent anomalies throw you off track. After winning a Qualifying Stakes, Worthy Red's assessment would automatically have been 2.21 but then you come across him winning a 2.26 assessed race at Merredin 18 months later for Driver Laurie Robinson (Trainer Mrs Clem Robinson?) and you ask yourself "How can that be?" And then some time after that, Worthy Red wins it's "second" Qualifying Stakes, this time with Charlie back at the helm...and you go nup, something is not right here.

The year books are a terrific resource but they didn't cover disqualifications and later relegations. The newspaper clippings of the day are a great back up for that sort of thing and my recent acquisitions from John McGrath are just brilliant.

To illustrate that point, the year book still shows the Teddy Breese driven Golden Time as the very well supported winner of his $663 maiden at Pinjarra on November 14th, 1974, in spite of trainer Ron Del Basso being outed for 5 years after the horse went positive. He was said to have been treated for colic 2 days prior to the race, a breach of the then 7 day rule. The treatment must have contained caffeine. The inevitable appeal wasn't heard until the following April but it was dismissed with no penalty reduction. By that stage, there was to be no amendment to the year book and Golden Time won his "second" maiden worth $650 at Northam on July 24th 1976 for trainer/driver F.R Kersley Jnr.

Ross Elliott's Trotting Registers also complement both the Newspaper clippings and the Year books but sometime, it takes a bit of a Sherlock Holmes pursuit to garner the facts.

JayJay · July 2025

JayJay said:
Forgot to add that Warren Lad 's sister Flighty Sue was the dam of Worthy Bin, Worthy Scout and Worthy Red (for Charlie Rifici) which may be a prompt to go for a wander to 54 Lake Street in Northbridge, home base for the Rifici family. No shortage of stories about Charlie.

Chariots, Warren Lad, in an August 21st, 1954 Newspaper report, was in the stables of J.G (Gil) Starkie and was running in a trial with current day Champion "Bible" Jack Sheedy driving him. Sheedy was in the process of going through the reinsman's school whilst stiil playing footy at East Fremantle. He hadn't seen the light (or the brown paper "sandwich" bag) as yet, it was prior to his move up Canning Highway to Perth Oval and Mr Book's free lunches. He would later win a race for Gilbert who publicly acclaimed the little horses improved form on Sheedy's handling of him in the school trials.

Chariotsonfire · July 2025

I must say I was not aware that Gil Starkie ever had Warren Lad.

I was in a discussion with Jack Sheedy and Fred Castledine (who also dabbled in harness racing) over ten years ago in the Perth racing Committee Room and Jack told me how my father provided a horse for him to go the reinsman's' school.

Fred was also my coach during my brief league career at Swan Districts.

savethegame · July 2025

SHES A MARE, raced yesterday.---- Remember a horse called PAURA DEL MARE which meant afraid of the sea, Confident the fishermen from Fremantle owned/ Trained & Driven Lyle Lindau.Reckon one night they went from go to woa. and it broke a record was odd long distance, they use to pronounce it different

JayJay · July 2025

I know that horse STG, was a brother to Sharach and another pretty good one.....pretty sure it underwent a name change when it came to Australia. Definitely one of Lyle's, I'll look it up later when I get back from Bunbury.....maybe by Lordship?

JayJay · July 2025

Chariotsonfire said:
I must say I was not aware that Gil Starkie ever had Warren Lad.

I was in a discussion with Jack Sheedy and Fred Castledine (who also dabbled in harness racing) over ten years ago in the Perth racing Committee Room and Jack told me how my father provided a horse for him to go the reinsman's' school.

Fred was also my coach during my brief league career at Swan Districts.

I actually saw Fred drive a winner at Katanning one night...early 70's, maybe 1973 or 1974....I have looked it up before but got messed about with its name. Either Avion Frost or Avian Frost, one by Ike Frost, one by Frosty Nelson. It also won at Wagin for Fred. Never solved the puzzle as to whether it was one and the same horse, or two different horses. I'll look for the racebook because Eringa Bay won that night at Katanning. Regardless, it was before Fred trained Meliador to his Perth Cup win.

Fred was a big man and the sight of him sitting up in those old fashioned carts with hickory shafts is clear, he looked extremely awkward.

He and his brother Brian, in cohorts with Ross Keys, engineered a remarkable betting coup in 1985 with Justaking, a King Armbro horse from a daughter of Harry Bele's prolific broodmare Light Breeze. They won a huge amount of money for the day. It was a huge story, first up at Moonee Valley, won by a nose.

LightningJake · July 2025

Hey JayJay and other folks.
I'm REALLY enjoying reading about all this history. Please keep it up :-).

JayJay · July 2025

Cheers LJ...bit of interest for some.

Some homework to catch up on prior to going to "54 Lake Street".

Paura Del Mare was definitely one of Lyle Lindau's, he was NOT by Lordship, he was by Noodlum out of a mare called Good Times.

Was a half brother to Sharach (WA Pacing Cup winner and multiple, multiple race wins for Ben Geerson, Bernie Cushing and Frances Taylor), was also a half to Kevin Batt's Rose Of Tralee (she was by Lordship).

Paura Del Mare was originally named Trevallen (NZ) and was bred by the famous Christchurch breeders, the Rhodes Family (Fallacy, True Averil). It had 62 starts in NZ prior to coming to WA for just two wins.

I have absolutely no idea why a gelding named Trevallen (there was no name clash with any previously named Australian horse) would be renamed.

JayJay · July 2025

"54 Lake Street"

Lake Street in Northbridge is famous for all number of reasons, some of them not exactly Kosher as per the vagaries of the Northbridge district with it's nightclubs, gambling joints (past tense of course), gentlemen's entertainment services and so on.

The connection to the Trots was very prominent back in the day. At 53 Lake Street was Spiro "Ginger" Mallis's Hamburger Joint where young ladies in minimal attire would deliver hamburgers to patrons on roller skates. The famous Re Store was (and I believe still is) at number 72 and number 54 housed Errichetti's Electrical and White Goods store, owned by Dom Errichetti. Dom would later claim fame for setting up and running the Scarborough Beach RocknRoll "Snake Pit" but his store was run by Rosina Rifici.

The Rifici family arrived in Perth from Messina in Italy in 1933 with children Rosina and Sam (later to be "Hairdresser to the Stars") and Charlie Rifici of trotting fame was born in 1934. The Rifici family ran a Deli and Grocery Store in...of course...Lake Street.

The number 1 sales lady in Errichetti's shop was an alright blonde by the name of Merci, later to become Charlie's wife of many years.

Charlie played a bit of football for Subiaco in between operating his own electrical goods store, in Lake Street of course, over the road from Errichettis (and Merci), specialising in the PYE brand of floor polishers, radios and TV's. His display also included all manner of harness gear as Charlie had been bitten by the trotting bug. Charlie was never one to get too excited and rarely stood up from his seat behind the counter, a pacifist with a good sense of humour. The Rificis were very good friends of my parents and were honorary "Uncles and Aunties" to us kids when we were growing up. My first haircuts came courtesy of the Rifici's.

Charlie had good success early days with Billy Brandy which was a clever horse, it could read tightening market prices on Bookmakers boards. Other winners from the early to middle 60's included Ed Travis, Bonny Bannister and Hector Willwyn. An omnipresent figure at Charlie's stable was renowned horsewoman "Mrs Robbie" (Mrs Clem Robinson), also an unflappable person who didn't bat an eyelid when Charlie copped 5 years when Worthy Red returned a positive to a supplement containing caffeine. Charlie took an over seas holiday, an appeal against penalty succeeded and after a couple of years off, during which Mrs Robbie assumed training duties with the likes of Kia Ora Ku, it was business as usual.

Charlie did get excited in the 70's when he purchased a cheap horse from Victoria called Scott Mint with a view to taking it to Kalgoorlie for the round. It jogged up like a champion and after its first hoppled run, a betting coup on opening night of the round was in the air. "This will bolt in a 2.28 front" declared Charlie. And it would have, if it was the correct horse. Mick Taylor bought Clever Lass (for a good amount of money) at the same time, delivered on the same transporter but they got dropped off at the wrong stables. Mick had been very disappointed with his "Clever Lass" and had sent it back to Victoria. Charlies "Scott Mint" was sent back to Mick and Charlie missed out on his "Kalgoorlie Coup".

Charlie moved on and ended up driving 275 winners including Look Twice, Brunette ,famously 2nd to Red Vicar in a memorable Qualifying Stakes when Georgie G declared her (beaten 70 metres after a huge Coulson betting plunge landed), probably his best horse in fast class mare Maid Aachen (winner of The Navy Cup) and his last driving winner Count Aachen (8 wins) on December 7th 1979.

There was one final chapter in the Charlie Rifici story when he and Merci, along with Marcus Michael, raced a horse named....Lake Street. He was a top class horse, a winner of 18 races including the WA 4&5 Year Old Championship and $166,000 in stakes as well as a runner up in the Golden Nugget

However, he was always considered just shy of the best and there were many raised eyebrows when Charlie and his great friend Phil Coulson headed to Harold Park with Lake Street (and a brand new set of glossy colours) for the 1994 Interdominion Series. Unsurprisingly, he performed at his best off economical Coulson steers, running, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in his three heats and qualifying for the final at any old odds. However he drew poorly and ran 8th to Weona Warrior, Ultra Jet and Valley Champ.

Charlie retired and continued to give back to the Industry through his 20 year term on the BOTRA Committee and his sponsorship of the Junior drivers Awards.

Other well known winners for Charlie throughout his career included Dark William, Irish Brandy, Stylistic, Babes score, Lincoln Jet, Custer, Pyramus First and The Joker.

There was a lot more to Lake Street than dodgy strip clubs, gambling dens and "Wog Deli's", and unlike today, you could walk the streets in safety...well relative safety....so long as you didn't get caught up in a raid at "Gingers" or "Il Travatore". The Casino ruined everything. :))

Chariotsonfire · August 2025

Your recall of the mare Brunette revived memories of the first horse that I ever bought.. I purchased a yearling from the first crop of imported stallion Captain Hook out of Brunnehilde, a half sister, to Brunette for $2500.

The horse raced as Pirates Cove and whilst no San Simeon he was a very handy horse for me getting to M1 level and had the knack of winning in suitable races.

One of those races was a CO at York when I backed him from 33/1 to 6/4 and he sizzled around the track in 2:15.0.

He was trained by Colin Smith and at the end of his career by Colin's father Lindsey. Lindsey actually had him in the best form of his career but he broke down and had to be retired. He spent the rest of years as a family pet on a property just out of Manjimup.

JayJay · August 2025

Good purchase Chariots, I remember Pirates Cove well. The other half to Brunnehilde was Mystical Rose, a good mare trained by Paddy Walker for noted market pincher John Sullivan of Nile Street. Coulson won a number of races with her at GP under the glare of the Irishman.

The Brunette story associated with the Red Vicar plunge is covered very well in Baden Pratt's book on George. Ken Casselas tipped the Vicar to the visiting English press in Perth for the first ever Test at the WACA and gained great respect, whilst George was cussing and raging post race in the commentary box. I was there that night, the 70m margin might have been an exaggeration but he won by panels.

Just about everyone had a good Captain Hook story, some moreso than others, but not us. At $700 service fee, a small fortune back then, he enjoyed the company of Gleaming. The resultant handsome colt wouldn't have sizzled on a hot day at Marble Bar, an extraordinarily slow horse. Coulson drove him once...just the once...at Trackwork at Richmond Raceway one morning. His recommendation was sell, not tomorrow but that morning, do not hesitate. I think he staggered around Katanning for the Wegner's at about a 2.18 rate for his only win.

Funny game the breeding caper. Gleamings next foal to the relatively unheralded Race Time Boy up at Stan Ennis's was Lady Be Cool who won 14, most of them in town.

savethegame · August 2025

Gleaming had daughter called Gleaming's Gem, going up to the gate Rubber bit snapped Driver Rod James yelled out, they brought the mobile to stop at winning post
One rein was turned into halter lead rope all in one, was taken off the track new Bridle,
Rod asked me could I duck up to the tote put 100 on it, believing how lucky he was ,sure enough it won.

G'day Punter!

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