Minuteman... SA Legend.
MINUTEMAN
Despite being troubled throughout his career by leg injuries the great South Australian pacer Minuteman stamped himself as one of Australias best ever pacers.In the 1964 Interdom series at the showgrounds in Melbourne handicapped of scratch he lined up against the likes of Cardigan Bay & Robin Dundee. He won a heat
on night 2 beating Robin Dundee on his way to winning the final. Minuteman found the lead on the saucer like track & went on to win by 2 Yards in a mile rate of 2:08.6 the Gordon Rothacker driven Angelique finished second with a further 4 yards back to Tactile. Cardigan Bay found the 48yard hcp on the tight circuit too much finishing 6th.Robin Dundee of 12yrds Cracked a pedal-bone on the journey, she finished a lack-lustre fifth .Minuteman also started in the 1966 series at Harold Park but was handicapped of 24 yrds & although making the final could only manage 8th. Amongst Minuteman's other notable wins was the 1964 A G Hunter Cup of the front & The 1966 A G Hunter Cup of 12 yards. The South Australia Trotting Club Cup .South Australia Guineas. South Australia Sires Produce. South Australia St Leger. As well as a string of top quality free for all's. Minuteman Bay h 1959 by Field Battery from Adistar Breeder ER Hurley, SA Trainer ER Hurley Driver ER Hurley 75 Starts: 30 Wins, 12 Seconds and 6 Thirds $66,306 in Prizemoney |
POPULAR PORT 1987 Kilmore Cup glory.One of the unsung hero of days gone by was Popular Port who was purchased from the Adelaide Yearling Sales for $3200 by owners Merv King, Kevin Francis and Georgina Letts he was a topline two year under the care of original trainer Bill MacNamee.
Popular Port in March of 87 was transferred to leading SA trainer Ross Sugars after MacNamee broke a vertebrae in a race fall, Popular Port went into the Kilmore Cup after beating another local star Neat Lad in three consecutive free for all races. In the Cup sugars sat him back behind the leaders and when Quite Famous took the front Sugars cut the ribbons and Popular Port ran to the front and held on to beat Bon Marche and Jay Ar Ewing later those placing were reversed in the steward’s room but no issue with the South Australian. Three weeks prior to the Kilmore Cup Popular Port time trialled at Globe Derby Park in 1.56.5 and Sugars could not hear of him getting beat in the Cup. Neat Lad another South Aussie was also in the race and finished fifth. After the Kilmore Cup victory he went onto run second to the Bob Knight trained Ima Orphan and then travelled to Sydney for a tilt at the $100,000 Treuer Memorial at Bankstown in which he ran third in the prelude to Son Of Chris and a super effort to finah second in the Treuer to champion Village Kid. Popular Port was by Happy Talk a Most happy Fella stallion the Aachen mare Port Aachen and from 71 starts Popular Port was in the winner’s circle 20 times and also finished in the placings 34 times |
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