Chief Stipe Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 6 minutes ago, Reefton said: yes well it isn't helping much with my search for info re jockeys originating from the West Coast I did find one. His name was Young Barton. The son of a Westland Racing Club committee member. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefton Posted March 2, 2021 Author Share Posted March 2, 2021 I had a great great Uncle Maurice Doolan who was the judge at the Totara Flat (between Greymouth and Reefton) races in the late 1800's. Some bloke(presumably pissed) objected to the order he placed the runners in one event. Maurice Doolan promptly took to him and gave him a decent hiding. For his efforts he got two weeks on Cobden gaol with hard labour. Upon being released the bloke had another crack at him in the Ahaura Pub and got another hiding. Wonderful entertainment that papers past website Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefton Posted March 2, 2021 Author Share Posted March 2, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Chief Stipe said: Hell look at the crowd at Greymouth! This doesn't look like Omoto - Reefton might know but was the original course where Victoria Trotting Park was? looks rather like Victoria Park Edited March 2, 2021 by Reefton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 8 hours ago, Reefton said: Canterbury. Michael was the son Graeme the father and there was another brother Philip who roade a winner or two and another brother Paul who was a journo for a long time. Michael Mein - what a wasted talent he was Very true, not sure but he may have ridden mr ay bee and miles better in some of their wins, very nice family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 7 hours ago, Chief Stipe said: The track is cutting out a bit Reefton! Been along time since they had the semaphore board in centre track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefton Posted March 2, 2021 Author Share Posted March 2, 2021 13 minutes ago, Shad said: Very true, not sure but he may have ridden mr ay bee and miles better in some of their wins, very nice family. Rode them in the best of their wins. The Chalmers for Miles Better and (I think) the Avondale Cup with Mr Ay Bee. Mellseur was another top liner he rode, Blue Sage, John Peel and The Twinkle(on occasion). Top rider, natural lightweight and a good bloke but I think fair to say lacked a little motivation 12 minutes ago, Shad said: Been along time since they had the semaphore board in centre track. The semaphore board is still there just not used any more (does anyone use a semaphore board now?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 Remember a young rider from the coast who slipped off the saddle, may have been at hokitika, looked nasty until one T.P Mathews who was along side grabbed him and hoisted him back on his horse, a time later he died riding a horse in a trial at Westport when the horse fell., Dean morel was his name, not a notable, but a nice pleasant young man, taken way to soon, was apprenticed to Ray Harris if my memory serves me correct, same as Tane Mathews, another tidy rider taken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 4 minutes ago, Reefton said: Rode them in the best of their wins. The Chalmers for Miles Better and (I think) the Avondale Cup with Mr Ay Bee. Mellseur was another top liner he rode, Blue Sage, John Peel and The Twinkle(on occasion). Top rider, natural lightweight and a good bloke but I think fair to say lacked a little motivation The semaphore board is still there just not used any more (does anyone use a semaphore board now?) Yep, you got me on a technicality there, I think Micheal either won or placed in one of the top Aussie race back in the day, do stand to be corrected though, the old memory not like it used to be, any idea who the horses are in the photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 Miles better placed 2nd in taats cup to coe placed 3rd in the 4x both in 82. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 13 hours ago, Shad said: Remember a young rider from the coast who slipped off the saddle, may have been at hokitika, looked nasty until one T.P Mathews who was along side grabbed him and hoisted him back on his horse, a time later he died riding a horse in a trial at Westport when the horse fell., Dean morel was his name, not a notable, but a nice pleasant young man, taken way to soon, was apprenticed to Ray Harris if my memory serves me correct, same as Tane Mathews, another tidy rider taken. Hi Shad Your memory is very good but the incident you refer to was at Waterlea Racecourse in Blenheim, not Hokitika Dean's saddle slipped whilst in front and Tane came alongside and hoisted him back upright as Dean was nearly going to hit the deck in front of the field Grant Norman Davison came alongside on the offside and steadied Dean although Tane 's effort was the majority of the save I was the Racing Secretary on the day and I have always kicked myself for not grabbing the head-on video down the back straight Bruce Craik was the Stipe on the day and we watched the video countless times, it was an amazing effort by Tane Mikie 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shad Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 Cheers for that, no sure why I thought it on the coast, but a good story with a happy ending, a very likeable boy Dean was, just one of the many fallen ones the industry has lost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billy connolly Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 On 2/03/2021 at 9:11 PM, Reefton said: I have had a guy ring me this morning seeking info about West Coast Racing identities and in particular Jockeys who hailed from the Coast.. The old Turf Registers of yesteryear were a good source of jockey/trainer information, they listed every calendar race including horse, jockey and winning trainer each season dating back to the 1940's. Many of those successful jockeys would've hailed from the Coast. Here's a few: - Ned Thistoll, Acka Cowan, Spider Fox. On 2/03/2021 at 9:11 PM, Reefton said: Rode them in the best of their wins. The Chalmers for Miles Better and (I think) the Avondale Cup with Mr Ay Bee. Mellseur was another top liner he rode, Blue Sage, John Peel and The Twinkle(on occasion). Miles Better, Mr Ay Bee and The Twinkle (all chestnuts) had a turn of foot over any distance and Miles Better could also handle very wet tracks, had a good collect off him one day at Riccarton! Mellseur also a very good galloper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefton Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 44 minutes ago, billy connolly said: The old Turf Registers of yesteryear were a good source of jockey/trainer information, they listed every calendar race including horse, jockey and winning trainer each season dating back to the 1940's. Many of those successful jockeys would've hailed from the Coast. Here's a few: - Ned Thistoll, Acka Cowan, Spider Fox. Miles Better, Mr Ay Bee and The Twinkle (all chestnuts) had a turn of foot over any distance and Miles Better could also handle very wet tracks, had a good collect off him one day at Riccarton! Mellseur also a very good galloper. All four of those were outstanding gallopers really in a time when NZ had a bunch of outstanding gallopers thanks for the info re riders - Acka Cowan and Spider Fox a couple I was not aware of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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