Historical information

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.

Significance

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.

Physical description

Race Sulky from 1910-20 era, purchasedd in New Zealand, used on Hall of Fame Trotter Grand Voyage by Paddy Glasheen

Inscriptions & markings

Painted deep red.