Welcome to Harness Racing Interactive and The Addington Raceway Hall of Fame.


At Harness Racing Interactive, we aim to preserve the great moments of the past at Addington Raceway by providing an interactive virtual presence using the internet to reach millions of people world wide and our local harness racing industry here in New Zealand.

Harness Racing in New Zealand is one of the most popular forms of equestrian sport. There is nothing more exciting than owning and racing a harness horse.

Harness Racing Interactive is proud to be a part of this wonderful club and venue and we will be there for many more years to come bringing you the great moments of the past and those of the future.

Enjoy your visit and thank you for supporting Harness Racing Interactive and the Addington Hall of Fame.

 
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ALLAN HOLMES: Leading Reinsman

ALLAN HOLMES

Allan Holmes, son of the legendary Free Holmes and brother of 'the Maestro' Maurice, died last Wednesday. He was 78.

Allan became the equal-youngest reinsman to drive a NZ Cup winner when at age 21 he partnered Harold Logan, then trained by Dick Humphreys, to win the Cup from 60 yards. He joined James Bryce jnr, who was the same age when he drove the 1923 NZ Cup winner Great Hope.

Mr Holmes, won his second NZ Cup with Gold Bar, who he bred and trained. Gold Bar, who became the first NZ-bred pacer to break 2:00 for a mile with a 1:59.6 time-tial at Addington in 1942, won the Cup at his fifth attempt. The Grattan Loyal entire netted 22 victories in all, and later became a successful sire.

Mr Holmes was joint leading reinsman in the 1945/46 season, during which he drove Great Northern Derby winner, Local Gold. He at one stage employed notable Templeton trainer Derek Jones.

Mr Holmes part-owned and trained NZ Derby winners Congo Song and Blue. Congo Song later won an Inter-Dominion heat; Blue was renowned for setting a world mile record for a yearling of 2:09.2, and ran fourth as a 3-year-old in an Auckland Cup. He also had shares in 1952 Dominion Handicap winner Precaution, and 1987 NZ Trotting Stakes victor, Kami. The last good horse he trained was Brase, who won eight including the Forbury 4-year-old Championship.

About Photo:

Credit: NZ HRWeekly 14Mar98
 
Facts Box - Dexter Dunn
  • 2008/9 Season - 204 wins
  • Employed in the stables of Cran Dalgety.
  • From 1263 starts 204 wins, 139 seconds, 120 thirds and $1,951,274 in stakes. Most successful horse partnerships were drives on Smiling Shard, Band on the Run and Diomedes with six wins each.
  • Six times this season has won four or more races at one meeting.
  • Best performance was at Forbury Parkwith 8 starts, 6 wins and 1 second. Won 2 Group One races during the 2008/9 season with Smiling Shard.
Helen Pope
Helen Pope continued a grand family tradition on the race track and created one off it by being elected to the Addington Hall of Fame. Helen is the daughter of Bill Doyle a famous horseman in his own right in the history of the trotting horse in New Zealand as View More
Bob McArdle
BobMcArdle has always maintained his major involvement in New Zealand Harness Racing as a founding partner in the iconic Nevele R stud happened more or less by accident after a casual meeting with Wayne Francis in the early 1970�s, but it is certain that sooner or later the native of Tasmania would have played a major role on this side of the Tasman. It is the nature of the man. View More
Wayne Francis
Wayne Francis inherited his love of trotting from his father, Geroge, who raced a number of good horses including the high class pacer, Brava. After building his fortunes in property development Wayne started up Nevele R Stud from scratch after a chance meeting with Bob McArdle in the early 1970�s. The aim of Nevele R was to lift the standard of breeding to a new high in this country and it was achieved in remarkable fashion. View More
Derek Jones
Derek Jones needs little introduction to most harness fans for besides being a highly successful horseman and trainer as well as an administrator he was one of the great characters of harness racing with friends in every part of the country.

Christchurch born Jones trained as a hairdresser but was always interested in horses. View More
Two new members in Hall of Fame
Two men whose importation of quality, highly performed stallions transformed the standardbred breeding industry in the Australasia have been recognised by the Addington Raceway Hall of Fame. Bob McArdle and the late Wayne Francis, who established Nevele R Stud at Prebbleton in 1973, join Maurice Holmes, Jack Carmichael, Helen Pope, and Derek Joins as Select members.