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Ross got himself on the trainers scoreboard when he won the 3rd at Ballarat tonight
and I know he sold the very promising Mister Wickham for a tidy sum after only a couple of starts last year
BUT the name keeps ringing a bell for me.
As I have stated before I have followed the trots closely or from very much afar for 45yrs so I was wondering if a consistent follower can set me straight on Ross
What do you want to know? Has bred and raced many, many good horses over the journey and sold just as many after getting them going. Nicholas Branach probably his best, Jonells Son was out of the same mare as tonight's winner.
Ross and his family steeped in harness racing history. Son of Maurie, bookmaker and stud master from Hopetoun. Like Stu said, Ross has bred and raced many, many good horses, a lot of black type Kev. Will never forget Ross's beautiful filly Copper Satin (1975 Bon Adios - Genex). Maria Vassallo is another that comes to mind and type Voight into Classic families Kev.
Thanks men, I remember all the horses you mention - no wonder Ross Conway was ringing a bell
I grew up in St Arnaud so followed Ross's horses. Most of the horses Ross has bred he has trained / driven himself at some stage.
I can't comment on all of his horses as I only remember his later quality types in Jonells Son and Nicholas Branach.
Jonells Son - Ross originally trained him before he went to Kerryn Manning. He won a few good races and was good enough to race in Hunter Cups. He raced against some top line horses over his time in Sokyola and Mister DG.
Nicholas Branach - His record was fairly impressive as 2/3/4 year old. He went on to win a Yarra Valley cup, coca cola cup, a Vic cup consolation, Kilmore cup and Hamilton Cup.
His had a fair few others which his bred and most have won races but haven't been the quality of these two. Mister Wickham which Ross bred himself could well be as good as Jonells Son and Nicholas Branach. His sure is exciting to watch.
From Classicfamilies.net
Some of the Conway bred and raced horses:
Maternal Line Descendants for Maldanna (1967)
Bon Titian 1972 (M A26 ) by Bon Adios - 2:04.6 $33,856
Katie Mulhulland 1975 (F A26 ) by Future Monarch - 2:11.8 $1,057 [2]
Aberdeen 1985 (M A26 ) by Tarport Low - 1:59.3 $225,089
Shanagarry 1986 (F A26 ) by Kentucky - 2:03.1 $13,349
Libby Low 1977 (F A26 ) by Tarport Low - 2:08.4 $22,417 [4]
Classic News 1997 (F A26 ) by Classic Garry - 1:59.7 $56,560
Pinkstwotter 1999 (F A26 ) by Equitable - T2:01.1 $141,403
Kettering 1996 (F A26) by Whats Next - 2:01.1 $17,345 [1]
Bronte Jones 2002 (F A26) by Thackeray - 2:00.6 $3,825 [1]
Mister Wickham 2011 (M A26) by Julius Caesar - 1:55.9 $44,725
Nicholas Branach 1988 (M A26 ) by Kentucky - 1:58.1 $350,498
Voight 1982 (G A26 ) by Adios Vic - 1:57.7 $206,546
Low Man 1983 (M A26 ) by Tarport Low - 2:00.4 $127,743
Maria Vassallo 1973 (F A26 ) by Avian Again - 2:03.8 $26,714
Nicholas Branach was a decent horse:
History for Nicholas Branach (1988)
1991 SA Golden Nursery
1991 Vic Breeders Plate
1991 Vic Sires Stakes
1992 Vic Coca Cola Cup
1992 Vic Kilmore Guineas
1993 Vic Kilmore Cup
1993 Vic Victoria Cup (consolation)
1994 Vic Hamilton Cup
1994 Vic Yarra Valley Pacers Cup L
1991 2:00 2YO Pacers (First 100 in ANZ) MV 1:59.9 (1940m)
Thanks again men, Bon Titian, Libby Low, Maria Vasallo, ...... all great memories
I followed Mister Wickham from his first start but did not realize he was from this line
Sonya Malai and Copper Satin from another family. Amazing success from just two families. Bon Adios and Tarport Low were 2 of the stallions that the Conways stood at Hopetoun....how far away from mainstream harness racing was Hopetoun !!
You're not wrong about Hopetoun Noel. Had heard of it but I had to look it up - half way between Warracknabeal and Ouyen folks
A lot of mares trekked up to Hopetoun, no Artificial Insemination back then. As a kid in the back seat, wasn't too bad heading up early in the season, bringing them home in Summer, 100F, a different story. HG Holden no air con, bonnet released to safety catch to let more air through the radiator, 35mph 'laughing now'
And Ross's niece, singer and harpist Alana Conway, has sung at the Bendigo Cup.
Bendigo Harness Club's memorabilia collection was recently boosted by two spectacular items from the Conways mentioned in earlier posts about their many top clacs horses.
One is a near new Royal Speed race sulky, built by the Brown brothers in Adelaide, painted in the Conway colours of purple and gold. The sulky has Danny Conway's name sign-written on it.
Apparently Maurie Conway ordered a Royal Speed each year to be given as a prize at the Hopetoun Show.
This one was given to Danny (Ross's brother). It has been in the ceiling of a shed at Danny''s property in Strathfieldsaye (Bendigo) for over 20 years. It is a wonderful example of he sulky building craft of the Adelaide Brown brothers.
Danny has been a racing steward and recently joined Greyhound Racing Victoria as a steward, but was associated with the family horses with father Maurie and brother Ross.
In addition, he handed us a lovely hand coloured photograph of Columbus, trained by his father Maurie Conway winning a heat of the 1969 Interdominion in Adelaide, driven by George Gath.
Columbus owned by Albert Rothacker was formerly trained by Gordon, but as many of the Rothacker horses met their mark at the Showgrounds , they were sent to the Mallee to continue racing at Ouyen and Mildura. Columbus had 30 plus wins when he went north, but ended with a lifetime total of over 60.