The Kaikoura Cup will celebrate its 100th running this year. To mark the occasion Kaikoura Trotting Club historian Phil Gourdie is looking back at the history of the great race.
This is the sixth and final part – The Kaikoura Cup / New Zealand Cup double.
By Phil Gourdie
In Cup number 43 in 1968 Humphrey was off a handicap of 36 yards over the 12-furlong journey (2400m). A solid pace was set, W E Lowe and Humphrey were required to cover the 12 furlongs in 3min 6.1seconds, the last 800 in 59 seconds. Humphrey in winning showed that he would take beating off 6 yards in the 2-mile NZ Cup the following week and that’s how it turned out. He went out favourite and won by over a length in 4:16.0.
Ten years later Trusty Scott (Cup No 23) was the early fancy for NZ Cup when he made his rivals look third rate in this year’s Kaikoura Cup. Pushed out with 1100 metres to run, Henderson Hunter sent him forward and took control 900 metres out. From then he was pacing comfortably 5 lengths clear of the field, easing down to win by 2.25 lengths.
Il Vicolo in Cup No 70 in 1995 finished with a brilliant final 800m in 54.7 secs to win the final lead-up race at Kaikoura before claiming the NZ Cup. Il Vicolo ran the 2400m in a smart 2.59.6 only 1.8s outside Master Musician’s race, track and national record. Mark Purdon commented at the time that Il Vicolo’s cup preparation had been perfect.
The following year the headline read “Il Vicolo equals Master Musician’s world record time of 2.57.8 when winning at Kaikoura”. Defending Kaikoura and NZ Cup champion pleased trainer/driver Mark Purdon in his final lead up run before the Cup. Il Vicolo worked to the front in the middle stages and held on to win by half a head.
In Cup No 90 in 2015 the now Australian-based Arden Rooney moved into NZ Cup calculations after his gritty effort at Kaikoura. Arden Rooney lost several lengths when he galloped away from the tapes, before working around the field three wide and sitting parked for the last 1600m. He was still too tough.
Two years later Lazarus travelled well throughout the race in the parked position and was simply too good. When Mark Purdon asked Lazarus for the extra effort at the top of the straight, the champ surged clear and it was game over. Lazarus paced the 2400m in the world record time of 2.54.3, a mile rate of 1.56.8, home in 54 and 26.8 seconds around the South Bay track.
The Kaikoura Cup / New Zealand Cup double in the same year has been achieved on six occasions by five different horses. Hands Down, 1980 NZ Cup and 1981 Kaikoura Cup, is the only other horse to have won both cups albeit in different years.
