Thirty Years Over Steeplechase Fences and Hurdles

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 110, 12 May 1939, Page 4

Thirty Years Over Steeplechase Fences and Hurdles

Alan McDonald, who has been riding horses all his life, started his racing career as an owner when still in his ’teens. Next he became an amateur rider and, five years later, in 1914, ho joined the ranks of the professionals. Since then, except for an enforced holiday, the result of injuries received when Omeo fell with him at Riccarton, he has had an unbroken run. He now suggests that he has been over more fences and has had more spills than any other horseman in New Zealand or Australia. It is certain he is one of the most highly esteemed men in his profession and it would be hard to believe that he has ever lost a friend except by the hand of the grim reaper. Alan McDonald, tho son of Mr. and Mrs. J. A. McDonald, was born in the Rangitikei, and, with medicine on one Bide of the family, he could easily have followed some other walk in life. Hia father, however, was a fine horseman, and it would bo through him that he inherited his love of horses.

To his associates Alan is a grand chap, but to others he is reserved to a degree and extremely modest about his own exploits. It lias been common conjecture as to the real man behind the silent individual one is accustomed to meet. Chatting with him the other day about his racing career and getting, mostly, facts about races in which his mount tipped out at the first fence, this writer’s attention was drawn to three martingales and a bridle. A closer inspection brought the remarkable discovery that these were exquistely handwrought; that they were the work of a master craftsman; museum pieces, in

fact, and worthy to adorn a king’s charger. But the most astonishing discovery was that Alan himself was the artist. Hero was the clue to the real man. Asked why he had taken to riding as a profession, his reply was that ho did not know and that he might just as easily have taken up some other vocation.

Further inquiries brought a visit to the well-ordered work-room and the Beene of many hours of activity, all concerned with the welfare of his beloved horses. Much of the gear required by the big racing stable and most of the repairs are carried out by the intrepid worker. All his own gear for riding he makes for himself and it is worthy of note that the only thing that failed to stand up to the work for which it was designed was a stirrup iron, which he did not make. Ho made the 2slb. saddle he used when he piloted Aurora Borealis to victory in the Great Northern and Winter Steeplechase and it will be news to many to learn that the bridle which Catalogue wore in his Melbourne Cup triumph was made by Alan McDonald, also that he cut, fitted and rivetted leather pads to the plates Catalogue wore on that momentous occasion. He has made boats, stables and horseshoes, and it is hard to believe there is any task which would prove beyond him. At present he is building a trailer. Alan’s father, who, as a young man was on a cattle ranch in the River Platte Basin, United States of America, for some time, picked up the art of plaiting from some of his cowboy associates, and he passed it on to his son, Alan proving an apt pupil as demonstrated in the class of work he has turned out. One set of bridle and martingale indicated the infinite patience and skill of this master-craftsman. Both

Alan McDonald's Record Is of Outstanding Merit In His Spare Time He is a Master Craftsman When the history of New Zealand racing is being written and reference is being made to our outstanding horsemen, it will probably be found that the most famous of them all is Alan McDonald, who, with close on thirty years over hurdles and steeplechase country, has established a record that cannot be surpassed by any other horseman in any part of the world. What is more to the point is that McDonald is still going strongly and is keenly looking forward to the coming winter season. There are good horses in the McDonald stable, too, and, who knows, Alan might yet ride the winner of the Grand National Steeplechase.

pieces are of leather stitched by hand and faced throughout with black and white horsehair finely plaited in diagonal design. This must have taken many, many hours of painstaking endeavour, no detail having been overlooked to produce perfect work. Another facet of the plaiter’s art is revealed in a black and white horsehair breastplate, part being flat plaiting as in the iirstmentioued set, and the remainder round, forming two effective thongs. Another gem of the collection is a kangaroo-hide martingale which would be the joy of a cavalry leader’s heart. From the girthloop to the breastplate there is a double line of flat plaiting into which a scroll pattern has been interwoven. Continuing on to the shoulder there is double plaiting of an intricate design, the terminal points being finished off with Turk’s heads, the other straps being ■ingle plaiting. It is interesting to note that though it is generally considered necessary to have an odd number for flat plaiting, Alan has broken the tradition and achieved his objective with an even number. It was a great privilege to see this wonderful work, but Alan would be the last person to broadcast his prowess, even Mrs. McDonald having charge of the most treasured pieces a whole year before Alan confessed that he had made them. Small wonder that this horseman has achieved such outstanding success, for his charges have eu Jeavoured to repay some of the kindness that undoubtedly surrounds them.

As mentioned previously, Alan McDonald ’s first association with racing was as an owner, and his first ride as an amateur, in silk, was in 1910 when he rode Ngawaka in the Bracelet at the Egmont-Wanganui Hunt meeting. Ngawaka was owned by Mr. Jim Beilis, father of the famous All Black, ‘Moke” Beilis, and the horse was trained by E. W. Watson, of Awapuni. He rode with considerable success as an amateur and his first winning ride was on Envoy, a Musketry horse bred by Mr. G. M. Currie and trained by Billy Homes —it was at the summer meeting of the Egmont Racing Club. His first win over hurdles was on Ingenkender, a mare by St. Paul, and owned by a sister of D. Croker, now in charge of the course at Hawera—it was at the Egmont-Wanga-nui Hunt meeting on August 23, 1913. He won the Bracelet on Ingenkender later on the same afternoon and he still has the gold-mounted whip though th« inscription is now very faint. Nineteeneleven was a good season for him as he competed against the professionals on a number of occasions. It was at Marton that he had his first ride over country It was on a mare called Maid Marion owned by Miss Mildred Fitzherbert, a member of a keen hunting family in the Rangitikei, and he finished fourth in the Rangitikei Hunt Cup. Tho same day he rode Mt. Cook, the horse he owned in partnership with another young man, into second place in tho Hack Steeples. At Bulls he rode Mt. Cook into second place in the Rangitikei Steeples. Next he took on the Wanganui Steeplechase, finishing third to Corazon, owned by Sir William Russell. His worst spill as an amateur occurred when he was schooling a hunter called Red Kea, owned by tho late Noel Wilson. Red Kea turned over on top of him and laid him out for several weeks. In that schooling bout Red Kea’s companion was ridden by Ted Copestake. Alan rode his last race as an amateur in November, 1914, and the horse was The Diver, owned by tho late W. Phillips and trained by Jack Cameron. The race was the Bracelet at Masterton. At the Marton summer meeting tho same season The Diver gave him his first winning ride as a professional. It was not long after that that Mr. James Bull approached Alan to do his riding and it was the beginning of a happy association with Mr. Bull and with Jim Morris which lasted for many years. Mr. Frank Armstrong later had second call on Alan’s services and it is an undoubted tribute to his worth that he is still riding for the Akitio sportsman.

During the twenty-five years ho has been riding as a professional, Alan McDonald has won most of tho principal jumping events in the Dominion, but Ellerslio seems to have been his best course. In 1919 he was associated with Master Lupin. Master Lupin started by running third in the Great Northern Hurdles, rain, which fell the previous night, not having improved his chances. The conditions were to his liking, however, when he paraded for the Steeples and Master Lupin bolted in despite the fact that before he started in that race he had never jumped a steeplechase fence. In tho same year Master Lupin ran second to Lochella, in receipt of over two stone, in the Grand National Steeplechase, though he was so sore that he could hardly walit. On the third day of that meeting he broke a leg.

Mixed fortunes have attended Alan’s : visits to Riccarton though in 1922, the year Ngata collapsed when he appeared i to have the National Hurdles iu his keeping, he accomplished the “hattrick” by winning the Styx Hurdles on , Rowan, owned by Mr. C. T. Keeble; tho Sydenham Hurdles on Passenger, owned by Mr. S. V. Rodney; and the Lincoln Steeplechase on Ouialiu, owned by Mr. James Bull. That year Ngata was an | easy winner of the Hurdles coming to

the penultimate fence. There he trade his only mistake but he recovered and ho was still on the bit after negotiating the last fence. Half-way down the runuing, however, Ngata collapsed for some unexplainable reason and his rider dismounted two strides past the post. In 1917 McDonald rode Sleight of Hand to victory in the National Hurdles, the hprse never being off the bit. That year Sleight of Hand would have gone to Australia and Alan would have goue over to ride him but for the shipping strike. Nineteen-nineteen was a great year for him for it was during that season that he headed the list over hurdles and country. He headed the list for five consecutive seasons and for six all told. It is believed that the next best sequence was one of three years by Alt. McFlynn. It was in 1925 that he won the Great Northern double with Sir Rose berry, but few know that he sprained an ankle when Bourne, trained by Tom Morris, fell with him in the ITunters’ Hurdles on the first day. Next day, in a desperate effort to undo some of tho damage, that ankle was treated to a succession of hot fomentations but without much effect, and Alan had only one

sound leg when he rode Sir Koseberry ever the steeplechase country and to vic-

1934 was another good year for he rode Aurora Borealis into third place in the Great Northern Hurdles and followed by winning the big steeplechase and the Winter Steeples. In that year Aurora Borealis was beaten a head in tho Wellington Steeplechase, but she went on to win the Grand National Steeples with Corneroff, for whom Alan had been engaged, in second place.

Though the Wellington and National Steeplechases have eluded him so far he has finished in the minor places. Apart from them he has won most of the big jumping events. In addition, he has won his share of flat races, among them boing the Feilding Easter Handicap on Catalogue.

Asked if any particular races stood out in his memory, ho remarked that he would always remember the ride he had on Mountain Crag at a Dannevirke Hunt Club meeting. He considered it his worst ride. Mountain Crag won but, with trying to run off, baulking and stopping, the race was a nightmare and the only thing Mountain Crag omitted to do was fall. Among other things, he stopped between the stand double and was just going to jump the rail when a spectator rushed him waving his coat. Mountain Crag elected to go on. Asked about accidents he had had, Alan did not think he had ever been really hurt. Then he remembered that when Omeo cauio down with him the injuries he received consisted of cracked ribs, punctured lungs, a split shoulder blade and a cracked vertebra. It would have been more than enough for mo6t people. Again, at Napier Park Peneus jumped over tho inside fence, hit tho guard-rail and smashed Alan’s knee-cap in half-a-dozen places. He added that he had to thank Doctor Wilson, of Hastings, for saving that knee. The story is told, though Alan might not subscribe to it, that on one occasion at Hastings, he found himself among the fallen in a big smash involving half the field, and he was running for the rails and safety and making really good time when someone asked him if he was hurt. His answer is reputed to have been, “Yes, can’t you see my leg is broken.”

During his long career over hurdles and fences, McDonald has had a number of horses killed under him, among them being Master Lupin, Yellow and Black, Slow Coach, Puwhero and Gyserland, & half-brother of Sleight of Hand. Several of these were killed at Wanganui, but Gyserland, the makings of a really good horse, broke his neck in the Hunt Cup at Auckland. It was after Omeo put him out that Alan took Inflation to Australia, but after winning first time up and running third in the Warwick Stakes, Inflation burst a heel and had to come back to New Zealand.

Alan returned with Inflation the following year and after winning two races, unsoundness again developed. He mixed in some riding on that trip and, after several seconds, he won tho hurdles at Randwick on Bayacre, and later, on the same course, he won with another New Zealand horse, The Mirror.

In all he made four trips across tha Tasman, three being to Sydney and tho other to Melbourne. He says that although all were good trips the outstanding one was to Melbourne with Catalogue. Asked if he ever had any doubts about “Jerry’s” ability to win the Melbourne Cup, Alan would not commit himself beyond saying that he knew Catalogue would run & good race. He fully realised that it w*as the hardest race Catalogue had ever tackled, but it had turned out to be his easiest. In regard to the Hotham Handicap Catalogue should never have been beaten, Sheehan declared that had he known the horse was w r ell before as after the race he would have won. Incidentally, A. W, McDonald will go down to posterity as the trainer of the winner of the 1938 Melbourne Cup. Space does not permit an adequate chronicle of the thirty years already to Alan’s racing career, but his many friends throughout the Dominion will join in wishing him many more years of “Happy Hunting.” LITTLE IDEA AN ACCEPTOR AT GISBORNE Per Press Association. GISBORNE, May 10. Little Idea was omitted from the acceptances for the Maiden Race at the Poverty Bay Turf Club’s meeting on Saturday. ORATE AWARDED 0.0 STEWARDS’ HANDICAP IMPOST The weight allotted to Orate iu the Stewards’ Handicap on the first day of the Waikato Racing Club’s winter meeting is 9.0, not 9.10, as it appeared In the telegraphed list.