John Phyland It was during 1890 to 1918 that John Phyland, son of Irish immigrants, born in 1866, ran a 2000-acre sheep station. The property, Lake Vale, was south of Balranald, towards the Murray River town of Swan Hill. This would seem to be an unlikely location for a harness racing breeding operation, being more than 400km from Melbourne, where harness racing was centred on the Richmond track. But, undeterred by distance, Phyland purchased his first trotter in 1882 and proceeded to acquire expensive, high quality standardbred mares and stallions and embark on a venture that saw him: • Breed and race winners of major races including The Melbourne Thousand, Bendigo JC Handicap (raced almost continuously on the grass track at Epsom, Bendigo, from 1867 to 1946), Boort Cup and numerous races at the Melbourne metropolitan tracks at Richmond and Ascot; • Acquire Soultline Villa and training stables adjacent to the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds so he could race at metropolitan tracks; • Develop a large self-contained training facility (including resident blacksmith) and home at 19 Raleigh St, Essendon; • Become the chair of the Victorian Trotting Horse Owners and Breeders’ Association, which lobbied strenuously for night trotting in the 1930s; • Breed from imported and locally bred mares that left families that are still active today. Heaven Rocks, the Ballarat Cup, New Zealand Jewels three and four-year-winner, and 1:49.6 ($554,529) export to the US, is six generations on from the Phyland bred mare Dusky Ribbons; • Saw the start of the training career of colourful and controversial Cedric (Ced) McLean, Phyland’s son-in-law, with a mare left when Phyland died.Blue with yellow starsbalranald, trotting, phyland, richmond trotting

KEVIN ‘BOOFA’ INNES By Lucy McCormick Kevin was a member of the celebrated Innes clan from Inglewood, in Central Victoria. “I think the first Innes’ came to Inglewood in 1851. My daughter used to say she can’t marry anyone from Inglewood, because she’s related to them all,” says Kevin. ‘Boofa’ is enjoying some well-earned relaxation on the couch after breaking a kneecap six or seven months ago in a track work incident. Not that it seems to be bothering him too much; he’s got plenty of time to keep up with the trots on television. “I do follow them,” Kevin says. “I don’t miss many, and I do have a bet. I like to sit in the chair and drive a race as much as anyone.” With an illustrious career both as a trainer and in the sulky, it’s a safe bet that Kevin Innes is a more than handy ‘grandstand driver’. His name is associated as a trainer/driver with many handy horses, including Lea Sands, Imatoff and Stormy Morn to name a few. Kevin is typically circumspect about his bigger triumphs, however that doesn’t seem to be what interests him the most. “I’ll tell you something,” he declares, doing just that, “I like winning with the horses that were no good. Some people never get a good horse. Imagine that. Luck is a very, very important thing. You have to have luck to buy a good horse at the sales, to get it going, keep it sound, find a race for it, find and owner and get a draw. And they still make a liar of you.” Funny, interesting or quirky stories seem to be of greater interest to Kevin, such as the time he had a strong chance in a standing start race – the favourite in the race being his only worry. “I told the owner it only had a 20-metre handicap – I couldn’t beat it off that,” he remembers. “So I was leading, waiting for the favourite to run past me. Toward the finish, I heard it coming, and it ran straight past all right – minus the driver. He’d fallen out of the cart and I won the race. Just lucky.” The Innes family have always been heavily involved in one sporting pursuit or another – Kevin himself being a champion bike rider of his time. “My Uncle Roy was a good bike rider, so he dared me to have a go. It turned out I was quite good at it as well.” So good, in fact that for many years Kevin was able to make a living from bike riding, riding the ‘board track’ for many years. “We trained hard. Bike riding was very big back then, we’d train and ride three or four times a week.” Kevin’s riding career spanned four Herald Sun Tours, a Warrnambool to Melbourne and a Sydney to Melbourne race, to name a few. “It definitely gets you in – it was long hours,” he muses. “But like anything, horse racing included, you only get back what you put in. We trained hard. I never drank, and I still don’t. I’ve seen that many athletes, great ones too, brought down by alcohol.” Lucky with injury too, Kevin can only remember a sore ankle – as well as the requisite scrapes and abrasions from tumbles on the wooden boards of the velodromes. He still enjoys watching all the big bike races when he can. “You can watch them race all over the world – France, Sweden, Germany. “To be honest I sit up and watch them with my son and we get just as much of a kick looking at the countryside than anything else. It’s so different to when I was racing.” Betting on the bike racing was big in Kevin’s day as well, and some of the bookies Kevin saw betting on the bike racing, he saw at the Showgrounds betting on the trots on a Friday or Saturday night. “Racing was different back then. There would be twelve thousand people at the showgrounds – they don’t have to come anymore, it’s just as easy to watch it on the TV.” Kevin remembers in those days that drivers had to ‘weigh in’ as well – everyone who drove needed to weigh ten stone (just under 65 kilograms). It’s something he remembers fondly. “I know not everyone will.” Kevin won’t be drawn on the subject of favourite drivers, either. “Look. Driving is different now. No disrespect to current drivers, but you had to think a lot more on a three furlong track than they do now on the bigger tracks. You had to drive with brains. And I really believe that good horses make good drivers. The horses are very good these days. Today’s drivers – your Gavin Langs, Chris Alfords – they’re thinkers, and brains will beat brawn every time. The girls are just as good now too. You only have to look at Kerryn Manning.” A garrulous and popular character, Kevin has trained horses for the likes of legendary Richmond player Jack Dyer, and also spent his fair share of time hosting sportsman’s nights, holding his own with the likes of Ron Barassi. On one such night, they had flown in a light aircraft to their destination. During their show, Kevin noticed their pilot, sitting in the front row, laughing appreciatively. There was one problem. He had a beer in his hand, and was consuming it with some enthusiasm. As the night wore on, the pilot became more and more inebriated, and Kevin became more and more disturbed, knowing that this was the same pilot who was to fly them home when they finished. Unbeknownst to Kevin, however, the flight had been cancelled and the pilot hadn’t told anyone, instead deciding to take full advantage of his client’s hospitality. For now, Kevin is happy living in Inglewood with partner Barbara. Son Grant and daughter Carla aren’t far away (both work at the Bendigo Harness track, and Carla has held both a trainer and driver’s licence). His granddaughter, Barclay Sands, was born on the same day of the demise of their star performer, Lea Sands, and may give the biggest hint yet just how important the world of harness racing is to Kevin ‘Boofa’ Innes. Blue with white yolkKevin Innes embroidered on left side chestkevin innes, k innes, bendigo harness racing club, bhrc, bendigo, horses, race colours, trotting, pacing, harness racing

Eric Rothacker from Bridgewater, represented Australia at the 1964 World Amateur Trotting Drivers championships in Italyworld champion, amateur trotting drivers, eric rothacker, italy

The race colours of the Hall of Fame trotter Maoris Idol. Trained at Marnoo in Victoria's Wimmera by Rick Healy, and driven in all his races by his son Bryan. Maori's Idol (September 1972 – 20 October 2006) was an Australian Standardbred racehorse. He was the first Australian trotter to break two minutes with a time of 1:59.3 on 19 November 1977 at Moonee Valley. Maori's Idol became one of Australia's greatest trotters, with a record 24 successive race victories before placing third in the 1978 Melbourne Inter-Dominion Final. He is still the trotting record holder with 22 wins in a season.He was so superior to his rivals that he may have gone through his career unbeaten had he been placed to advantage by his connections. He was by Ike Frost US (by Adios) his dam was Maori Miss by Grand Monarch. Maori Miss won a heat of the 1966 Inter DominionTrotting Championship and was selected as the Australian Broodmare of the Year in 1977, 1978 and 1979. Maori's Idol older half-brother Maori Monarch won the Victoria Trotters Derby and the Australasian Trotting Championship. Maori Miss has founded a very successful family of her own and is the third dam of Sumthingaboutmaori.bryan healy, ric healy, r healy, maori's idol, bendigo harness racing club, bhrc, bendigo, horses, race colours, trophies, trotting, pacing, harness racing, br healy, b healy, r mcd healy

Jack Moore, Maryborough trainer-driver won the first Bendigo Pacing Cup with Kalama's Peak. Among the top class horses that he trained was Richmond Lass who won 35 races and went on to win the 1969 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship. The horse was owned by Fred Miller, from Richmond House, Bung Bong, Victoria and driven by "respected local horseman Jack Moore.Light blue with red starbendigo harness racing club, bhrc, bendigo, horses, race colours, trotting, pacing, harness racing, jack moore, j moore, jp moore

Large hand colour photograph depicting a driver on his sulky and horse.New Derby / Globe Derby New - Zealand Greta / Owner L. King - Trainer and Driver C. Robertson Jnr / Winner of Ascot £500 Trot 1932trotting, new derby, boort, jack king, globe derby, new zealand greta, ascot, 1932, charlie robertson jnr, c robertson jnr, charlie robertson, c robertson

Large rectangular black and white harness racing photo finish mounted on white paper and framed in a thin wooden frame (probably remounted and reframed)Bottom centered in black ink: Richmond 3/11/1919 / Ladies Bracelet / Won by "Akeley" At the back stamp in blue ink: BG / Bethany Gallery / 116 Bridge Street, Bendigo, Vic 3550/ Ph: (054) 42 4771 Fax: (054) 42 3480trotting, richmond, akeley, ladies bracelet, joe hillier, 1919, harness racing

trotting, richmond, vic dullard, joe hillier, meadow lark, shepparton, 25/2/1929

Fair Admiral won Vic.Trotters DerbyWooden framed race finish photoAscot 23/9/1935, Progressive Handicap (Trotters Div), Won by Fair Admiral, Owner and Trainer, C Robertson Snr, Driver C Robertson Jnrtrotting, fair admiral, ascot, c robertson, 23/9/1935, charlie robertson, c robertson jnr, charlie robertson jnr

The original lithograph by American artist John Cameron was published by Currier & Ives around 1891.Large monochrome print in guild framed reproduction of John Cameron artwork depicting a harness racing finish in America.A Fair Field and No Favorgraydon, trotting, historic print, america, john cameron

Tom Beecham (1926-2000) was an American painter and illustrator known for his scenes of wildlife. Large gilt framed monochrome print of trotting horses.Flora Temple, A Brush on a Country Lanetrotting, flora temple, historic print, tom beecham

Richmond ThousandLarge rectangular colour harness race photo finish in gold frame.Richmond 4/11/1929, Trotting £1000, Won by Diana Wood. Owner and trainer G Daniel. Driver owner. Distance 1 1/2 miles. Time 3 mins, 28 sec. Winners Rate 2 min 18 2/3 sec.diana wood, george daniel, richmond thousand, trotting, 1929, g daniel

Gold framed, glass covered, Trotting race finish photoRichmond 5/11/1928,Trotting £1000, Won by Percy Direct, Owner W.Hyatt, Trainer Driver "D.George" (G.Daniel). Distance 1 1/2 miles, Time 3 min. 27 3/4 sec, Winners to the mile 2 mins 18 1/2 sec.trotting, richmond, thousand, george daniel, wally hyatt, percy direct, harness racing, 1928, g daniel

Race sulky used on Hall of Fame trotter Grand Voyage by trainer-driver Paddy Glasheen. Passed on to his son Jack and then to grandson Fr Brian Glasheen. From Historian John Peck: This article was on page 2, 19th May 1954. Reading the article it seems to me that the sulky is celebrating its centenary birthday in 2021. GRAND VOYAGE'S SULKY When Major Miracle won a race at the Melbourne meeting on Friday night he was attached to a very historic sulky, the being none other than the one which Grand Voyage pulled to success on many occasions. Made in New Zealand to the order of the late Paddy Glasheen during a trip to the Dominion late in 1921 with the famous trotter, the vehicle is thus over 32 years old. Constructed of hickory, it is now owned by Jack Glasheen, the son of the late Paddy figuring as the trainer and driver of Major Miracle.This sulky was purchased by trainer Paddy Glasheen during Grand Voyage’s New Zealand campaign in 1922. It was also used by Paddy’s son Jack Glasheen who trained at Preston. The Jack Glasheen trained Major Miracle won 8 races at the Showgrounds using this sulky. Owned and trained at Belmont Stud, Pitt St Huntly (Bendigo), Grand Voyage was an outstanding Australian trotter. Some claim he was greater than Fritz and the equal of Maoris Idol. Foaled in New South Wales in 1913, and trained and driven throughout his career by Paddy Glasheen, Grand Voyage commenced his preparation at the tender age of nine months at Glasheen and Busst’s Belmont Stud Farm Pitt St. Huntly. By a prolific sire of trotters in First Voyage, Grand Voyage was from Blonde Grattan (imported by the Tye brothers), a daughter of the great Canadian sire Grattan. Grand Voyage’s reputation preceded him to the racetrack, and when he was produced for the main Victorian classic for young trotters, the Futurity Stakes, all of his opposition had pulled out of the race except one rival, whom he beat at 20 to 1 on in the first heat and again disposed of easily in the second heat, in which there was no betting. The potential of Grand Voyage was recognized by all, including the handicapper who saw to it that the black champion won no race easily. After his Futurity win, Grand Voyage was spelled and did a light season of stud duty. At his second start, in January 1917, the three-year-old won from 60 yards behind against older horses at the Richmond (Melbourne) track in a time barely slower than in which the Richmond Cup, run the same day, was decided. In subsequent starts he raced from 85 and 115 yards behind, the latter occasion producing another fantastic winning performance. As a rising five-year-old Grand Voyage defeated the hoppled pacers for the first time, subsequently a common sight. In June 1919 he won twice on the day at Epping (Harold Park) in Sydney, each time setting a record, then at the Melbourne Showgrounds where he set a mile record of 2:16 3/5 after a tremendous battle from even marks with the very good pacer Sarilla the winner of 23 races at Ricmond. In 1921, back in Sydney, Grand Voyage reduced the winning record at Epping to 2:13. Grand Voyage won the first Boort Pacing Cup in 1921, starting from 280 yards behind ! 1921 BOORT CUP – 50 pounds – One & half miles GRAND VOYAGE**, 280yds (P Glasheen) 1 Red Rock, scr (I Kelly) 2 Mayfield, 75yds (M Quinn) 3 Others: Artist (scr), maxim Direct (scr), Road King (scr), Emmie Direct (75yds), Tearaway (165yds), Straightaway (195yds) **Raced as Bonnie Voyage Margins: 6 lgths X 10 lgths Time: 3m 54s He was then taken to New Zealand. His 1922 Otahuhu Cup worth 1000 Sovereigns ($2000) against the best New Zealand pacers from 48 yards in a race record 4:31 3/5 was considered by Glasheen his most outstanding effort. On return from New Zealand, he won further races including the original Bendigo Cup at the Bendigo Jockey Club track at Epsom. In all, Grand Voyage won 37 races, driven in all of them by Glasheen.Race Sulky from 1910-20 era, purchasedd in New Zealand, used on Hall of Fame Trotter Grand Voyage by Paddy GlasheenPainted deep red.trotting, grand voyage, paddy glasheen, sulky, belmont stud, jack glasheen, brian glasheen, harnes racing

Vintage race sulky , Black Pearl, 1924 Boort Cup. Believed used on the winner of the 1924 Boort Cup, Black Pearl, W Marshall.Vintage race sulky with green wooden undercarriage and shafts..Wire spoked wheels with rubber inflatable tyres.trotting, boort cup, black pearl, w marshall, sulky

Gentleman John won the 1956 Sydney Inter Dominion using this race sulky, with Eric Rothacker driving. Race sulky with red painted metal undercarriage, red painted wooden shafts.trotting, sydney, interdominion, eric rothacker, gentleman john, 1956, harold park

Vintage wooden shaft, metal undercarriage race sulky. Used by the Conway family from Hopetoun.A good example of wooden shafted sulkies used in trotting races before being banned for safety reasons.Royal Speed, hickory shafted race sulky in yellow and purple. Chromed metal undercarriage, hickory shafts, metal fittings.Wire spoked wheels with rubber inflatable tyres.Royal Speed, D Conway.trotting, sulky, royal speed, brown brothers adelaide, danny conway, ross conway, copper satin

high quality race sulky manufactured by Royal Speed, Adelaide. Royal Speed Sulky, Pinevale Stud Hickory shafted , chromed metal undercarriage and fittings. Wire spoked wheels with rubber inflatable tyres. Yellow frame with blue seat.Pinevale Studtrotting, sulky, royal speed, pinevale stud

Hammill Brand race sulky, manufactured by Wes Hammill, coachbuilder, Kangaroo FlatWes Hammill was a coach-builder in Kangaroo Flat, a suburb of Bendigo.Spotted gum race sulky Hammillsulky, trotting, race sulky, spotted gum, wes hammill

1934 Victoria Trotting Derby, Pacers Division1934 Victoria DerbyLarge rectangular black and white race photo finish in wood frame.Written in black ink : Trotting Derby / Pacers Division / Winner " Grand Harold" / Owner: A Lee - Trainer: G Gath - Driver: A Gath / Richmond Vic. 5/3/1934trotting, grand harold, a gath, richmond racecourse, victoria derby, 1934, harness racing, g gath, george gath, albert gath, a lee, ar gath

First Voyage won the first £200 2 mile Trotting Cups in successions, contested in Victoria, driven by T HardmanLarge rectangular black and white photo of horse and driver mounted on cream paper.Centered at the bottom: Belmont Stud Farm's / "First Voyage" (Imp) / "Bon Voyage," - "Elsie Downs" / Who won the first two (£200) 2 mile trotting cups in succession / Contested in Victoria / Driven by T.R. Hardman Bottom right corner: Sutcliffe & Akers / Cromwell Bldgs / 366A Bourke St / Melbournetrotting, first voyage, belmont stud farms, bon voyage, elsie downs, t.r. hardman, brian glasheen

Champion sire First VoyageFirst Australian stallion to sire 100 trotting winners. Wooden framed black and white photograph of a horse.Bottom center, handwritten in black ink: First Voyage, Record 2.19 ½ / Bon Voyage - Elsie Downs Bottom right corner handwritten in black ink: Vincent Kelly - Bendigotrotting, stallion, belmont stud, first voyage, bon voyage, elsie downs, horse

Race winning colours Bendigo Cup, Empire fella 1990, Driver Peter Ward,Bendigo pacing Cup 1990,Race colours, Pink with black bandtrotting, peter ward, bendigo, pacing cup, 1990, p ward, empire fella, pacing, bhrc, bendigo harness racing club, harness racing, horses, race colours