Colin Plum Owner/ Trainer/Driver

Hi All
I was in a conversation recently and I brought up the name Colin Plum who Owned/trained and drove for himself exclusively during the 60s at the Melbourne Showgrounds, the group I was with could not recall him but I know he had a very smart horse named Young Officer and from memory I think he started off with the grand campaigner called Adieu, who later went to Bob Parker and was driven by Bryan Delaney I think.

If anyone can shed some light on the man in question i would be appreciated.

I think Colin had a house re-blocking business around the Essendon area if that is any help.

Regards
Bob

Gee, straining the grey matter now Bob! I met Colin once back around 1975 when he sent a horse to a mate of mine to sort out at Ascot Vale. I can't remember the horse (don't think it amounted to much) but I remember my mate talking about Young Officer. Colin and Young Officer pre-dated my interest in the trots, which was started around 1970.

Can't help you much, but thanks for bringing up some names from the past. I note Brian Delaney died in recent weeks.

Thanks Trev, that mate of yours he sent the horse to sort out wasn't Les Turner was it ?? Now there was a great horseman, Trev I go back a fair way at Melb Showgrounds, I think my first trip there as a kid a horse named Flexible won with Dal Fitzpatrick in the cart, Bill McKay trained it who was at the time a master of young horses as you will recall. as a kid I lived in Kensington and can recall George Gath training out of an old barn in Kensington off Epsom Rd and had a great trotter Bingen Redmond, he used to work him in a paddock between the City Abbatoirs and the Army depot on a track made from dragging a matress behind his ute with all us kids sitting on it for weight. On the other side of Epsom Rd was jack bryant who had a handy FFA hosre called Prince Regent, also in the area was a guy called Jimmy Brock who was a legendary figure at trotting meetings. Just a little in sight on my past at the trots, Good Luck and Best Wishes.

Great stuff Bob. I reckon you would find this forum thread interesting

http://www.harnessracingforum.com/sh...rotting+Tracks

I expect our resident 'historian' on the forum - Noel Ridge (Adaptor) will eventually see your posts and may have something to add

Quote:

Originally Posted by Messenger

Great stuff Bob. I reckon you would find this forum thread interesting

http://www.harnessracingforum.com/sh...rotting+Tracks

I expect our resident 'historian' on the forum - Noel Ridge (Adaptor) will eventually see your posts and may have something to add

I did read them, but I'm not old enough to remember Coin Plum unfortunately.
I do remember one night that Jim Brock won at astronomicl odd with Violoncello ( 140 to 1??)
And the roar of the crowd...20,000 was the usual on a Saturday night..was amazing.

Believe it or not we have his colors and leather skull cap in Bendigo's collection thanks to Heather and Wally Newton of Marong, where Jim trained as a very old man.

My favorite at the time was Alphalite with Neville Welsh..a striking chestnut half brother to Gammalite.
1974 Vic Kilmore Guineas
1974 Vic Victoria Derby
1974 Vic Derby (heat)
1975 Vic Mildura Cup
1975-6 Vic Melbourne S/G Free For All
1976 Vic AA Lancaster Cup

Nice to hear from you Noel, your note on Jimmy Brocks win on Violoncello reminds me of a horse named Mad Hatter who won at cricket score odds in a Qualifying Stakes driven by Les Turner,
a mate of mine who is still in the game, Peter Robertson purchased the horse from a bloke named "Scotty" McDonald, back to Jim Brock he also had a horse called Teleceles who I think may have won a Geelong Cup at the old Geelong track on Portarlington Rd.
You mentioned Alphalite, yes a brilliant pacer, I actually backed him in the 1974 Vic Derby after a great effort in the heat previous.

I saw in a link regarding old tracks about a track in Kensington owned by WF Cox can you give me more information about that please Noel.

Regards
Bob

Colin Plum

Quote:

Originally Posted by PremiumEdition

Nice to hear from you Noel, your note on Jimmy Brocks win on Violoncello reminds me of a horse named Mad Hatter who won at cricket score odds in a Qualifying Stakes driven by Les Turner,
a mate of mine who is still in the game, Peter Robertson purchased the horse from a bloke named "Scotty" McDonald, back to Jim Brock he also had a horse called Teleceles who I think may have won a Geelong Cup at the old Geelong track on Portarlington Rd.
You mentioned Alphalite, yes a brilliant pacer, I actually backed him in the 1974 Vic Derby after a great effort in the heat previous.

I saw in a link regarding old tracks about a track in Kensington owned by WF Cox can you give me more information about that please Noel.

Regards
Bob

Hi Bob.

Colin Plum drove
Schedule, (Loreto from Wonder Glory, also the mother of Adalia and Smokey Armagh) to win the 1963 Victoria Breeders Association Plate at the Showgrounds.

Other notable winners of this race were:
The first winner Convivial in 1951, Explicit 1954, Dusty Miller 1957, Arabian 1959, Royal Dollar 1964, Richmond Lass 1966 through to the last winner in Safe and Sound when the race was discontinued in 1998.

Young Officer ( Petty Officer- Step In Time)
1959 Vic Derby (heat) Showgrounds
1960 Vic Samuel Justin Cup Terang

I'll chase up notes on the Kensington Track...It certainly was THE W S Cox, before he started at Moonee Valley.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PremiumEdition

Nice to hear from you Noel, your note on Jimmy Brocks win on Violoncello reminds me of a horse named Mad Hatter who won at cricket score odds in a Qualifying Stakes driven by Les Turner,
a mate of mine who is still in the game, Peter Robertson purchased the horse from a bloke named "Scotty" McDonald, back to Jim Brock he also had a horse called Teleceles who I think may have won a Geelong Cup at the old Geelong track on Portarlington Rd.
You mentioned Alphalite, yes a brilliant pacer, I actually backed him in the 1974 Vic Derby after a great effort in the heat previous.

I saw in a link regarding old tracks about a track in Kensington owned by WF Cox can you give me more information about that please Noel.

Regards
Bob

The Argus, June 4, 1877
KENSINGTON-PARK RACES.

From Classic Families: Tracks: Kensington, Victoria. Adjacent to the Kensington Railway Station) 7 1/2 fur Opened 10/10/1874 - closed 6/1/1883

A very pleasant race meeting wa held on this course, adjacent to the Kensington Railway Station, on Saturday afternoon.
The weather was beautifully fine, and the attendance above the average. Six horses started
for the Hurdle Race, which was won in good style by Sweetbriar, who showed himself
very handy across hurdles.

The June Handicap brought out eight starters. Monk, who was made a strong favourite, went to tho
front after going about a quarter of a mile,arid led all the rest of tho distance. Zoe ran a good
second.

Only four horses started for the Steeplechase. Plover fell at the sod wall,
soon after starting, and rolling ove M' Donald, broko his thigh. In the second
round Bellman baulked most persistently at the fence opposite the stand. Electricity
beat Planet very easily in the rest of the race.

Haidee easily disposed of the three others brought out against her in the Selling
Race. She was bought in for £45.

HANDICAP TROT,
Of 10 pounds , with a nomination of 2 pounds. each added.
Two mileB and a halt. Weight, list.
Mr. P. G. Dlxon's b g Wanderer, aged, scratch
(Giles). .. .. 1
Mr. H. Goldspink's b m Betaie, aged, SOJOC. (Owner) 2
Mr. G. Wright's g g Teviot, aged, 25soc. (Dixon) .. 3
Mr. T. A dome's b g Dexter, 0 yrs, 4Gsoc (Adams). 0
Mr. B. Connoll'e br g Tom Moore, aged, COseo.
(Connell). .. _. "0
Batting.-C to 4 on Wanderer.
Wanderer gradually caught his opponents,
and won very easily. Betale was second, and
Teviot third.

Wanderer was a pretty smart horse: Won off longest handicap (900yds) ever recorded in Australia. ( from John Peck)

1874 Vic Ballarat RC All Saints Trot DowF S
1875 Vic Geelong Winter Trot GeeR S
1877 Vic Bendigo JC Open BenR S
1878 Vic Ballarat RC All Saints Trot MineR S
1882 Vic Bendigo JC Open BenR S

I knew Les Turner well from the Showgrounds days, he came to my 21st birthday. Les (much) later broke in the two best fillies I ever bred; I was giving them a cuddle in the paddock tonight as we wondered where their next feed was going to come from. Not a blade of grass in sight. One is now 26 the other 25. If we don't get an autumn break I hate to think what they'll think of me.

Graeme Christiansen was my mate and I think Colin Plum's horse came on the recommendation of Syd or Johnny McLean.

Jim Brock and Violincello stabled at Dale's stables at Marybyrnong. I don't know whether Jim had a drivers licence or a horse float. The trot at the Showgrounds was usually the last or second last in those days and, when Violincello raced, we would pass Jim driving the old mare home down Epson Road with a torch and a red lamp on the sulky. Try doing that today!

Thanks Trev great stuff, we were blessed to have so many great horsemen in the area in those days, I reckon Les Turner and a fella named Allan McPhee were two of the greatest horse handlers that ever put a bridle on a horse. The Hurricane Lamp was a familiar sight on the back of sulkies as the locals went home the trots in those days.
All The Best
Bob

W.S.Cox and Kensington

Quote:

Originally Posted by PremiumEdition

Nice to hear from you Noel, your note on Jimmy Brocks win on Violoncello reminds me of a horse named Mad Hatter who won at cricket score odds in a Qualifying Stakes driven by Les Turner,
a mate of mine who is still in the game, Peter Robertson purchased the horse from a bloke named "Scotty" McDonald, back to Jim Brock he also had a horse called Teleceles who I think may have won a Geelong Cup at the old Geelong track on Portarlington Rd.
You mentioned Alphalite, yes a brilliant pacer, I actually backed him in the 1974 Vic Derby after a great effort in the heat previous.

I saw in a link regarding old tracks about a track in Kensington owned by WF Cox can you give me more information about that please Noel.

Regards
Bob

Bob:
William Samuel Cox (1831-95) opened his first venture, Kensington Park Racecourse, in 1874, and it operated with considerable success until 1882. Cox took pains to ensure that the racing was honest and to offer sufficient prizemoney to attract a good class of horse. He also had a flair for timing, and he secured an October meeting on the Saturday before the VRC Derby, which remains today as the meeting at which the Cox Plate and Moonee Valley Cup are run.

Looking for a larger property Cox bought land at nearby Moonee Valley, and opened his new racecourse there in 1883. When Samuel Cox died in 1895, his son A.H. Cox, one of the first VRC stipendiary stewards and an acknowledged expert on racing, took over as Secretary of the private Moonee Valley Racing Club. \\V

Private entrepreneurs also developed racecourses. Croxton Park in Northcote opened as a proprietary track in 1869, was not successful and closed in 1873. W.S. Cox, however, established a successful career based on his courses at Kensington Park (1874), Brighton Park and Elsternwick (1882) and the new and larger Moonee Valley in 1883. Other proprietary racecourses opened at Oakleigh Park (1888, renamed Sandown Park in 1892), Mordialloc, Mentone (1888), Epsom (1889), Maribyrnong and Aspendale (1891) and pony tracks at Thornbury (called Fitzroy), Oakleigh (1891) and Ascot (1893).
Cheers,
Noel

Hi Noel,
Thanks very much for that wealth of information very much appreciated.
Best Wishes
Bob