The Kaikoura Cup will celebrate its 100th running this year. Over the next few weeks Kaikoura Trotting Club historian Phil Gourdie will look back at the history of the great race. This is the second installment – Records are made to be broken!
By Phil Gourdie
On October 29, 1973 Royal Ascot, breed, owned and trained by Colin McLaughlin and driven by Felix Newfield set a New Zealand record of 3.03, off the 30m mark, for the 2400m stand. The field did not have an answer to the spirited finish of Royal Ascot as he was driven out to win by a length and a quarter.
Eight years later, on November 2 1981 Hands Down, bred and owned by Mr and Mrs Bill McAughtrie, went even better. Trained by the great Derek Jones (MNZM) and driven by his son Peter, Hands Down displayed awesome power to overcome his 25m handicap, and a rocky run over the last 600m, to win the Kaikoura Cup in a new national record time of 3.02.2.
A new world record was set on October 29 1990. Tight Connection, bred by G J Gardner and Mrs A Collie, owned by R J O Ellis, R M Weavers, Horseplayers Syndicate, Club Connection Syndicate, trained by Roy and Barry Purdon and driven by Tony Herlihy (MNZM), set a world record of 3.00.9.
Records are not just about time.
In 1984 Diamond Moose (pictured above) became the first horse to win two consecutive Kaikoura Trotting Cups. He was bred, owned and trained by All Black #553 George Nelson Dalzell (Nelson) and driven by the Butt brothers, Robin (1983) and Murray (1984).
The 1983 win – a minor upset – thwarted the attempts of others to quality for the NZ Cup the following Tuesday.
Diamond Moose, a horse of massive proportions took control 1000m from home. Once in front he showed his normal free going style and fought back tenaciously when challenged.
A year later Diamond Moose settled in the trail behind the Colin DeFilippi-driven Tarlad. They tried to slip the cutter rounding the last bend, however Diamond Moose came on resolutely to win and become the first horse to go back-to-back.
Footnote: Phil Gourdie is currently writing a history on the Kaikoura Cups which will be published to mark the centenary.
