The Centaur Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 Noticed Alan Baker winning today with Guertlyn. Hate to think when last time trained a winner but trained in New Plymouth in the seventies. Best described as battler but one autumn got hold of Blue Nile and the horse was just unbeatable that year. I thought it won the Thompson Handicap but the records prove me wrong. Maybe before your time but Alan's parents raced Grand Win which was probably Brian Deacon's first really good horse. Really fantastic mare and I remember riding her to and from the track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chimbu Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 I'm not sure if it was his last winner but he did train a chestnut horse, from memory owned by his long time client Alec McKay, to win a race in the depths of a Wellington winter. Stable name of this horse was 'Tiger' and I think it in winning that race, he might have become the holder the slowest time ever seen at Trentham over a mile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Bloggs Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 2 hours ago, The Centaur said: Noticed Alan Baker winning today with Guertlyn. Hate to think when last time trained a winner but trained in New Plymouth in the seventies. Best described as battler but one autumn got hold of Blue Nile and the horse was just unbeatable that year. I thought it won the Thompson Handicap but the records prove me wrong. Maybe before your time but Alan's parents raced Grand Win which was probably Brian Deacon's first really good horse. Really fantastic mare and I remember riding her to and from the track. Gee, you're pushing my memory TC, I remember Rapid Win, I used to ride her work, she was either a half sis, sis or out of Grand Win, you might know better than I. I hit Deacs in 68, wouldn't put me on a horse for 3 months, just did waters, run feeds and watched. Lasted 3 1/2 years, big blue with Deac, ended up friends, he asked me to find a jock when I was training at Flemington, for Sky Flyer in the Cup, he didn't want to run him, Jarvis made him, he was year too soon Deac said, a year later he wins the Brisbane Cup in a canter......Deac had a temper, he was hard, but boy could he train a horse and an apprentice.......I'm so glad we patched it up, my last memories of Deac and Pauline were from Rosehill when he brought Sky Danza over for the Lord Mayors Cup, she won of course and we had a great old time....Pauline was ecstatic.......good memories TC........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Centaur Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 I thought Grand Win would have been a great broodmare but I don't think they put her to any good stallion. There was a horse you might remember Grand Marnier which was very impressive first up at Otaki but didn't go on. I just spent one school holidays at Deacon's but it was a huge experience. The buzz in the stable was an unraced two year old which Brian was having problems curing a swollen leg. Anyway all my wages (which weren't great) went on Mr Mink when he first started. Maurice Campbell who wasn't even riding races then was the track rider for Mr Mink. Now that jackpot day at Marton you got beat on Kartika and they threw a pie at you maybe that was the race the $130 outsider called Great Luck led all the way and knocked everyone out. I had all the winners except that one and in that race had the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th horse. Pity I had already eaten mine !!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Bloggs Posted December 19, 2020 Share Posted December 19, 2020 Just missed Mr Mink, I asked Deac when I last saw him, ''who was the best horse you trained''.......Copper Belt he said, I never saw Copper Belt, he must have been some horse as Deac had a lot of good ones. BTW, Maurice is still riding work here on the Goldie, not as agile as he was let me tell you, aren't we all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomates Posted December 19, 2020 Share Posted December 19, 2020 1 hour ago, Joe Bloggs said: Just missed Mr Mink, I asked Deac when I last saw him, ''who was the best horse you trained''.......Copper Belt he said, I never saw Copper Belt, he must have been some horse as Deac had a lot of good ones. BTW, Maurice is still riding work here on the Goldie, not as agile as he was let me tell you, aren't we all? My two cents worth , i grew up on the Copper Belt / Grey Way battles , it seemed every time there was a big mile it was those 2 scrapping it out , both iron horses , they don't make them like that anymore . Or that kind of racing . I'm getting all misty now . P.S. I see Alan Baker around town occasionally , talked to him about his winner about 6 months ago , said she could gallop , still into motels , has a few horses around him at the moment . Rough and ready describes Alan , and a bit grumpy . Had a tough little mare called Firenza , i think , about 20 odd years ago , won 4/5 . 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.