Superstars from the seventies

[Messenger]

What about the trotters: Tony Bear, Easton Light and Petite Evander?

Was Tony Bear dual gaited?

(ps Very funny Kyle)

[Richard prior]

Was Tony Bear dual gaited?

(ps Very funny Kyle)

Having a chuckle Kev but not at your expense mate.

[teecee]

Seeing as how I have been asked via PM my view is..
We have about 1030 members to the forum and each could nominate a different horse from the 70's.
We would be hard pressed to dismiss the opinions of any.
I think that this decade is probably THE vintage decade for harness racing horses in this part of the world.
I was just reading a book about Australasia's great trotters last night when I came across an article on Bold Biami. It confirms Danno's view IMO a true star not just from what he won but also who he beat doing it. I guess that really applies to all good horses.
But my superstar of the seventies among a galaxy of stars was undoubtedly "Garbage". So named because he would eat anything in front of him. He was really named after a champion shearer..one of the toughest of professions.
The top ranked 2yo of his year in NZ, he turned in some pretty average efforts at 3 (a la Follow the Stars), improved at 4 without really reaching the heights of his 2yo days. But at 5 he carried all before him against the cream of his vintage.
A clean sweep of the 1975 Interdominions three heats setting national times for 2200m and 3200 m, then in the final rating 2:03.6 for 2700m after starting from 15metre handicap. This was the fastest ever recorded rate in the history of ID finals.
I can still remember all the experts/pundits claiming it totally impossible to win the Miracle Mile from gate 6 when only 6 of the very best were invited,yes that's right, they were ALL invitedby a committee with balls. Picking six of the very best in those days is hardly comparable to picking 8 today when todays 8 would hardly hold a candle to the greats of the 70's. The six best horses in Australasia. There was no having to line up and win a specific race like NZ Cup / FFA, Newcastle / Cordina mile etc.. to get the invite like IMO the nonsense today. If the 6 best were ozzies then they got invited. If a Kiwi was in the mix then he or in the case of Robin Dundee, she got invited. (This should not be taken as an indication of my age, just how long I have been interested in Harness racing.) Garbage got in because he was one of the best. He didn't understand that he couldn't win from out there in gate 6 so he did win after coming from the rear and circling the whole field.
In 1974-75 he became the first horse to earn $100,000 in one season racing in Australasia. Then he went on to tackle the best USA free-for-allers putting a record 1:55 in 1976. For those of you who haven't work it out by now and I guess there would be few here his name was YOUNG QUINN.

[Richard prior]

Young Quinn was as good as any Great horse I've ever seen, Jumped onto You Tube this afternoon and watched his Miracle Mile win and the film was a bit grainy but scrolled down a bit further and his win in the 1975 Inter Dominion final in NZ is crystal clear, It's a hell of a story Tony, Thanks very much.

[Danno]

Young Quinn sure was a superstar no doubt, his arrogant win in the Miracle Mile was really something to watch and if he had come from the Hunter Valley NSW he would certainly got my vote...just a tad parochial is Danno...BTW can anyone tell me if there was EVER a NSW Pacers Derby field stronger than this one...you guessed it Bold Biami sat in the death and beat them all...they reckon Hondo was tough and he was, but no tougher and with less top speed than this bloke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlnM5dpvJHM

He beat virtually the same field in the RC Simpson Sprint the week after.

oh and I just thought about something you will struggle to find anywhere, as a 3YO he donkey licked a great field of older pacers in the Inter-City Pace at Maitland which included Just Too Good.

[Richard prior]

Young Quinn sure was a superstar no doubt, his arrogant win in the Miracle Mile was really something to watch and if he had come from the Hunter Valley NSW he would certainly got my vote...just a tad parochial is Danno...BTW can anyone tell me if there was EVER a NSW Pacers Derby field stronger than this one...you guessed it Bold Biami sat in the death and beat them all...they reckon Hondo was tough and he was, but no tougher and with less top speed than this bloke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlnM5dpvJHM

He beat virtually the same field in the RC Simpson Sprint the week after.

oh and I just thought about something you will struggle to find anywhere, as a 3YO he donkey licked a great field of older pacers in the Inter-City Pace at Maitland which included Just Too Good.

Hell of win by Bold Biami in the Derby Dan, Sat in the breeze dropped off and came again to get the chocolates, Nicotine Prince would have been 25/1 on approaching the corner, Maybe the weight of Tubby's cash slowed him down.

[arlington]

Because I had my pocket money on him not a super star but an Inter Dominion champ and a young fella that kicked on a bit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHK6jBiDq6U
And for our South Aus members, I didn't realise Don Dunstan followed the trots so closely https://carclew.com.au/Our-History

[arlington]

They were both fantastic horses Wayne, IMO just short of superstar status, Mitchell Victory was a sensational juvenile but was unfortunate enough to be foaled in the same year as Paleface and Al's Holiday was competitive in the one or two ID's he competed in without blowing the top notchers away.

Thanks Danno, I see Colin and Paleface's place is being sold.

[Messenger]

Mount Eden the broodmare sire of Race 4 winner at Stawell today - Cryptic Chance (a half bro to Wenbro)

[Lenem]

Superstar no doubt Rich, he was trained just over the hill at Maitland and many argued he was better than Bold Biami but I wasn't one of them, but he truly was a superstar, won everything as a 2yo and 3yo, won on the grand circuit as a 4YO but Pure Steel sat outside him and destroyed his self belief at GP, he was never the same horse after that, it truly ended his career. A few people had an opportunity to buy shares in him quite cheaply before he went to the races, and they were all kicking themselves for the rest of their lives.

I think you'll find that that "massacre" took place at Moonee Valley.
He may not have been the best of his stellar generation (although he did win a Hunter Cup) but I will also have a soft spot for Royal Gaze.