NEW LIGHT ON N.Z. STEEPLECHASES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 88, 14 April 1945, Page 7 (Supplement)

NEW LIGHT ON N.Z. STEEPLECHASES

Stan Reid's Reminiscences

Jockey Belted With Whip When He Held A Bridle: Classic Winner Who Became A Champion Hurdler

MOST sensational race in my memory was the Wellington Steeplechase of 1918 in which I rode Bon Reve, winner of the Great Northern Hurdles at Ellerslie the month previously. Bon Reve was a high class animal, having won the New Zealand Derby, and he was an ideal jumper. Class horses abounded in those days and there were four national winners in the Steeplechase field.

For the purposes of this story I shall confine myself to Master Strowan (R. McSeveney), Coalition (McSweenev), Sleight of Hand (A. McDonald)" and Bon Reve, ridden by 'myself. By the way, McDonald was the trainer of Catalogue when that horse came to Australia and won the Melbourne Cup.

Between the last two fences McSweenev grabbed McSeveney's bridle and held Master Strowan's head behind his back. McSeveney shouted in protest, but McSweeney refused to let go.

McSeveney then began to belt McSweeney across the head and shoulders with his whip. I sat in behind, much amused, and wondering how the duel would end. I had both of them covered. Master Strowan eventually pulled away from McSweeney and swung out.

I went to the last fence intending to jump in between the two horses, but just as Bon Reve took off they came together again and obscured my mount's view of the fence. He crashed and brought Sleight of Hand down. I was sent spinning in one direction and Sleight of Hand's rider (McDonald) in another. Both of us were winded. Fortunately neither of the horses was injured and the animals displayed remarkable sagacity in coming to us as we lay on the ground and whinnying until we rose and took charge of them. Master Strowan won the race and there was no further argument. But 1 had something to say to McSweeney. The Best Horse I Ever Rode That Bon Reve was a good thing beaten was borne out a few days later on the same course when he won the Wellington July Steeplechase from practically the same field with 11.13 on his back. I'd say Bon Reve was the best horse I ever rode. He belonged to the Stead brothers and as a three-year-old was a smasher, winning the Wanganui Guineas, Derby Stakes,

G. G. Stead Memorial Cup, and Great Northern Derby, and dead-heating in the Stewards'" Handicap, over distances from six furlongs to a mile and a half. He came to Australia as a four-year-old and won the Cogee Handicap with Myles Connell in the saddle.

On returning homo he broke down—and, remarkable to relate, strayed and was lost while spelling in a paddock. Eventually finding his way into the town he was sold without the owner knowing. The lucky purchaser was Bert Neagle and he got the horse for £28. I won at least £3000 on lion Reve for the new owner. But lie wasn't an immediate success for him. Did Not Require Trainer's Advice I had my first ride on the horse when he was eight years old in 101.7. It was in the Grand National Hurdles won by Sleight of Hand. Bon Reve was fourth all the way. Held up early he wouldn't go when I called on him for an effort at the finish. Yet he was not distressed; in fact, I had a job to pull him up.

When mounting the horse for a hurdle race next day Neagle commenced to give the instructions, but I cut him short. I told him I thought I knew the reason for Bon lieve's poor form. He was broadminded enough to "take it," and I was then allowed to ride my own race. This time Bon Reve went much better and easily won the race. I did not disclose what I had found out about Bon Reve and I went elsewhere to other engagements. Bon Reve then had three outings and was second each time when ridden by the Maori jockey, Ranji Thompson. ♦ Next season, 1918, I received an S.O.S. to go to Auckland to ride Bon Reve in the Great Northern Hurdles and also in the Remuera Hurdles. He won the first day with 10.6 and cantered in on the second day with 11.6.

A Ruse That Was Successful

I discovered that Bon Reve had to he kept, on the move at the barrier. tie had to race at his top to the first jump, where he liked to have his head. I allowed the rein to slip through my hands and grabbed them as he landed. It seemed to me that he liked to think he was bolting. That was the only way he could be successfully ridden.

At that meeting I was engaged to ride Jack Fryer's Collector in the big steeplechase. I suggested to the owners of Bon Reve and Collector that they should couple them in a double. 'They did this, but failed to collect through no fault of mine. Waim'ai, ridden by F. Flynn, was leading Collector, the favourite, and, as we came to the hill at Ellerslie, Waimai swerved on to the course proper. Flynn had to jump his mount over a 2ft bank to get back on to the steeplechase course. I was just behind, swinging along Collector. Then Waimai ran out and jumped the outside panel of the last fence. It was a low hurdle with brush tucked through it. Collector took off too far from the obstacle and his forefeet went through the two top battens. The horse somersaulted and threw me so far that I nearly landed at the winning-post with the tired Waimai. No bigger certainty ever failed in a jumping race. Collector was never out of a canter throughout. In another steeplechase in which Bon Reve competed—it was at Hawke's Bay—all of the runners fell or made mistakes. Flynn, rider of Foeman, caught Bon Reve and rode him over the remaining fences, but when Bon Reve finished first Flynn couldn't draw the weight and the race was awarded to the horse, Polth'ogue, which finished second.

I had a remarkable experience at Riverton. I was riding Percy Elsworthy's Sou'-wester. I was leading by 30 lengths as I came to the last fence. I swung wide so that my mount could make a straight approach to the fence. I glanced back to see Bob Cray cutting oft corners. What he gained in the approach would be lost when his mount, Tolstoi, landed. The worst happened. My mount fell and was winded. I was on my feet in a moment, and waiting to put my leg across Sou'wester when he got up.

Sight Of Water Jump Upset Great Jumper Tolstoi jumped the last, and had to be pulled up nearly to a walk before Gray got him back on the course. The fact that my mount was beaten by a head uV that race tells what a good thing he should have been. On the same day as the Sou'-wester incident I rode The Brewer in the Riverton Grand Annual Steeple for Sam Lindsay. Lindsay claimed that The Brewer was the best jumper ever foaled. He would turn the horse into a padclock, and invariably he would set sail to make a tour of the fences from one paddock to another. He never laid a toe on a fence. But The Brewer had not seen a | water jump, and Lindsay didn't tell me. Had he done so I would not have taken the horse to have a look at it on the way to the post. That would have been a surprise for him in the race. He flinched when I showed him the water. 1 knew he didn't like it. In the race The Brewer was looking for the water-jump a half-mile before we came to it. I rode him hard at it, but he pricked his ears and made a half-hearted attempt to jump it. He slipped in the mud on the landing side and rolled over. Had he not seen it he would have cleared it like a bird.