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REG STOCKDALE Trainer
 REG STOCKDALE
Reg Stockdale, who died suddenly last week aged 68, was seldom without a good horse in his Yaldhurst stable. He never went to a big team, always turned his horses out in top order, and was renowned for his attention to detail.
His first good horse was Gentry, although he was six and near the end of his career by the time he came into Stockdale's care. He won 13 races in the previous two seasons for Peter Stewart, who trained him for Bob Barry, but Stockdale won first-up with him at Auckland where he was off 48yds and beat Lucky Briton and Gaelic Prince.
He was followed by Blue Prince, who raced initially out of Davey Todd's stable and was driven by Ken Balloch before being bought by Barry. Based at Mangere then, Stockdale won five races with Blue Prince as a 5-year-old including the Allan Matson Handicap from Sun Chief and Aldora. He was still at Mangere when he won the New Zealand Derby for Barry with Student Prince, who defeated King Hal, Jay Ar and Flying Note. On the same day, False Step came from 48yds to beat Lookaway (30) and Sun Chief (12) in the Allan Matson and Moon Boy won the NZ Trotting Free-For-All from Ordeal and Au Fait.
Stewart Hanover, a roan by Garrison Hanover, won eight races in three seasons during the early 60's, and his place in the higher grades was taken by Bramble Hall, a dark brown gelding by Flying Song. Bramble Hall won 10 races, mostly driven by his former employer Maurice Holmes, who knew the big horse performed best when saved for a short, sharp sprint at the end. His major win was the Canterbury Park Free-For-All, a walk-up start which he won from Thurber Scott and Torrent.
In 1971, Stockdale won the New Zealand Oaks with the Garrison Hanover filly Shalimar who upset the favourites and beat Gay Hal and Candy Frost. That night, George Shand won with the big trotter Bambi, Doug Watts won with General Idea, Gavin Hampton won the New Brighton Cup with Radiant Globe who was off 30m, and Felix Newfield won with Blak Label.
Other good horses he trained were the trotter Southern Comfort, Lemrac, who upset one night in the wet at Addington and later ran 1:54 in the US, and Canis Minor, a big winner later in his career for Trevor Thomas.
Eulogies to the former President of the NZ Trainers' and Drivers' Association were given by Derek Jones, Jim Dalgety and Stockdale's son-in-law, Peter Jones. Stockdale is survived by his daughter Lois, son Graham, and grandchildren Phillippa and Mark Jones, Natasha and Jessica Stockdale.
About Photo:
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 10May00
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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. |
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