In late December at the very time when Addington curator Charlie Anderson was personally carrying out the planting of 520 dozen flowers that from experience he knew would be in full and colourful bloom for the carnival’s opening on March 3, Australia’s chances of even proving competitive at this carnival were looking rather grim. Injury had drastically sidelined all but one of the nations proven pacing stars. And it seemed like years since our line-up of classy trotters had looked so depleted.

Despite being off the scene for so long, early comments emanating from the Franco Ice NZ camp suggested this gelding might be ready to resume its career with a trip to Christchurch. But time was running out in December for what had surely become one of the most controversial horses of modern times. Desperately unlucky when

third in the 1991 Auckland Grand Final, Franco ice NZ had been sold to Australia for big money. When the gelding had won races on the Grand Circuit, his connections were confident their horse was poised to become the best in the land. Injuries prevented the opportunities for this step to be taken, rather than any shortage of ability on the part of the horse.

In years to come though it may not be his ability that Franco Ice NZ is best remembered for, but rather the behind the scene discord that existed between owners, with this son of Bo Scot’s Blue Chip USA having more trainers in two years in Australia than any other well known standardbred. Franco Ice NZ had undergone operations on both fore tendons and a hind fetlock bone chip. Because of his undoubted class, a trip to Christchurch had been planned for the horse, but in December, this was seemingly more wishful thinking than a reality.

It had been another Kiwi bred pacer that had claimed the crown "King" of the Australian pacers when Jack Morris NZ ascended the throne. But his reign was to be all too short, with a tendon injury hastening his exit from the scene on the eve of the horse defending his Inter Dominion title at Harold Park. Unlike the connections of Franco Ice NZ being forced to abort several attempts trying in vain to bring their horse back to racing, it was decided to give Jack Morris NZ time to recover.

At a time when the latest Grand Circuit was opening in Queensland, Jack Morris NZ was being sent across to the Victorian stables of Andrew Peace for the express purpose of being brought up slowly for a tilt at the Christchurch Inter Dominion. Late in December it was obvious these plans would have to be scrapped because the horse needed more time, and thoughts of his return to racing had to be put on a back burner.

When Chandon had come out of the west to stake his claim of possessing the stuff champions are made of in winning the first two Grand Circuit races in the way only great horses can do, it seemed only natural for racegoers to assume that here was the horse likely to serve it right up to those Kiwis. Of course, there did seem a possibility of Chandon not being seen at his brilliant best racing in four tough races in just two weeks. This line of thinking would never be tested, as the young stallion broke down badly in November, never to race again.

Then there was Warrior Khan, second in the 1993 Brisbane Inter Dominion behind Jack Morris NZ. A year later he had accounted for Blossom Lady NZ and Christopher Vance NZ in the opening round of the 1995 Sydney Inter Dominion. He went to be fourth highest on the points table for the Grand Final, only to have an interrupted passage in that race, preventing the Andrew Peace trained pacer finishing closer than sixth. He too was to be injured, and though it was the hope of the connections to have him ready for the trip to Christchurch, these plans also had to be shelved in December. This further depleted the hopes of Australia doing well on New Zealand’s home ground.

When it comes to any test of ability on a racetrack, class is what sets the stars apart from the handy performers. It expresses itself as speed, stamina and the ability to find that little extra when under pressure. Among environmental influences, which can assist or hinder class to be brought to the surface are nutrition, illness and injury, the variable wisdom of trainers, veterinarians and drivers. To demonstrate class in a single event is one thing. To be asked to repeat the effort three further occasions in a fortnight takes a special kind of class. This is what sets the Inter Dominion apart from other Grand Circuit events.

There are horses of considerable class whose speed can match it with the best when set for any one race. But it can be another matter over four hard fought races in so short a period. Pressed to the farthest limits of both speed and endurance, for a horse to come through it needs class and the assistance of a horseman who can help keep the animal injury free in this arduous campaign. A horse cannot communicate in words with its trainer should all not feel right, and it takes a keen and knowing eye for groom and trainer to play their part assisting the animal to remain sound in earning sufficient points to make it into the Grand Final.

A problem facing most hosting clubs of Inter Dominion Carnivals is the increasing difficulties securing major sponsorship. Gone are the days when cigarette companies are allowed to climb aboard, and the usually lucrative beer business seem to think it is no longer suited by an event that each year has to jump state and even national boundaries. So the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club at Addington went with the idea of using different sponsors for each race on its four meetings that went to make the "Battle of the Stars" Carnival.

Heading the depleted list of Australia’s nine pacing representatives was the Victorian Golden Reign, already the winner of six Group 1 races, picking up the Grand Circuit Championship on the way. The other eight Aussie acceptors were more than handy pacers. Whether they had the class to be rated along the best in New Zealand was open to question.

Also from Victoria was the ageing Sinbad Bay and Innocent Flight NZ. New South Wales would be represented by Weona Warrior, Young Mister Charles NZ and Tallowood Pursuit, and from Western Australia were Norms Daughter, Valley Champ and Southern Knight. Weona Warrior was the defending champion having been a surprise winner on his home track of Harold Park.

However, he had not won a race since, and it was stretching the imagination to imagine he or any of the other eight being in the same class as Golden Reign. And while the latter had handled Chokin NZ in the Victoria Cup, the following week he had been beaten by Blossom Lady NZ in the A.G. Hunter Cup. This provided some food for thought on how he might perform on New Zealand soil.

Australians could be forgiven believing there were two Chokins. On what they had seen from this son of Vance Hanover on visits to Australia, he had a habit now and then of failing to deliver the goods. In a total of 16 starts in Australia, he had won just seven of these with three seconds and one third. Yet, on New Zealand tracks his record was simply awesome. Until his effort in the New Zealand Cup in November, Chokin NZ had never been beaten around the spacious Addington track in eight starts there.

Chokin NZ had won 26 of his 39 New Zealand starts, taking his total earnings to $1,696,060. In one of his two Miracle Mile wins he had scooted around Harold Park in 1:56.2. Most of his appearances at home had been over staying trips, but back in 1991 he had won a mile at Franklin in 1:56.5. There may have been a few New Zealanders bold enough to have entertained thoughts that four hard races in two weeks might be his "Achilles heel", but in the main, Chokin NZ had an army of supporters who thought his class would leave his rivals lamenting at Addington that March. Among them was trainer Barry Purdon. His Auckland stable had taken eight pacers to the Inter Dominion, with Purdon rating Chokin NZ the best of the eight.

As the visitors began arriving for the "Battle of the Stars", Centrebet’s market on the Grand Final for Kiwi punters was a very much different to that being offered by bookmakers to their clients back in Australia. (Centrebet was an operation based in Alice Springs created for the purpose of accepting phone betting from known clients. With no registered bookmakers in New Zealand, Centrebet had established a good clientele among many Kiwi punters keen to test their early opinions on the likely outcome of the Grand Final).

Centrebet on February 28 listed Master Musician NZ the 4/1 favourite, from Victor Supreme NZ 5/1, and Chokin NZ and Bee Bee Cee NZ each 6/1 hopes. Golden Reign (a 7/2 favourite with most Australian bookmakers) was rated a 8/1 chance with New Zealanders. However, the South Island trotting writers viewed things a little differently again to the Centrebet market.

While they gave their local hopes Bee Bee Cee NZ, Blossom Lady NZ and Master Musician NZ good chances, these usually well informed writers viewed the Championship as a clash between Chokin NZ, the improving mare Victor Supreme NZ, and the visiting Golden Reign. If Christchurch officials thought of adding a little theatre by delaying the clashing of Chokin NZ and Golden Reign until late in the series, they threw this script out the window when making the barrier draw for the opening round of heats. Chokin NZ and Golden Reign were drawn to meet on opening night in the last of the three heats.

New Zealanders are usually quick to respect a top horse, and following the impressive winning effort of Golden Reign on opening night, they were not backward in acknowledging this horse had turned in the outstanding effort of the first round of heats. However, among the widespread praise for the Victorian horse in the Christchurch media was a note of criticism towards its trainer having elected to remain in Australia, entrusting this five year old stallion to Jayne Davies on such an important crossing of the Tasman.

Noel Alexander had long operated with a short fuse, and woe-be-tide anyone who might criticise a horse from his stable, or for that matter, one of the staff of nine (and reinsman Chris Alford) that it takes to keep the stable functional. When word reached the trainer that some Kiwis found it curious he would remain home and allow Jayne Davies to be in charge of the champion in New Zealand, he was quick to respond.

"Jayne Davies is the boss around our stables, make no mistake about that. While I might look to be the stable frontman to the general public, they need only spend a morning down at our stables to see who it is who runs the show." In defending the decision to remain at home at Cranbourne, Alexander was placing on record the input of this remarkable woman. "Golden Reign is Jayne’s property, having done most of the work with him."

The bond between Alexander and this 35 year old horsewoman who shuns publicity like the plague, is a special one that has endured its share of lows and highs. She had first served her apprenticeship with one of the best possible teachers, the highly successful horseman "Darkie" Wilson. Even as a young teenager she had ridden her pony to the Wilson stable before and after school just to be around standardbreds. On leaving school and to appease her parents she had tried her hand at hairdressing. But her heart was never in it, and Jayne left to work full time for Wilson.

That 10 year apprenticeship taught her a lot. After Wilson had been left a paraplegic following an accident at the Melbourne Showgrounds, Jayne Davies spent several months with Epsom thoroughbred trainer Arthur Clarke (father of jockeys Michael and Gary) before going back into harness racing hoping to attract owners to her new stable. After two frustrating years struggling to find owners, she accepted an offer from Alexander to join his operation. At least it did have owners - but of horses virtually worthy of racing only in the nearby country circuit of Gippsland.

They say that the school of experience offers no free scholarships and that one must suffer the painful lessons of loss before becoming a winner. If so, then Alexander had endured much pain as the horses he trained had simply lacked the ability to win their way into better class. Before long a somewhat disillusioned trainer sold his property in Ballarto Road Cranbourne and transferred the stable to Kilmore, hoping a change of scenery might change their luck. But with the clients they did have coming mainly from the Cranbourne area, it was only a matter of time before realisation hit home that they were going nowhere. Moving back to the district they knew so well, Alexander and Davies purchased 27 acres and set about building a house and stables.

The late 1980’s were a difficult period for most people who had borrowed from the banks, as interest rates skyrocketed, blowing out the extent of their loans. Facing increasingly tough times, Alexander went back to driving trucks for a time to help ends meet, working some days up to 14 hour shifts. Jayne Davies channelled her efforts into long hours training the horses, including a newcomer to the stable, Remo Gold, the first of the horses the Alexander stable prepared for partners Don Collins and John McLeish. Alexander’s ill fortunes were about to change dramatically, as these two owners provided the stable with several further pacers that could win handy races. Then came the horse that was to dramatically thrust Noel Alexander into the big time - a colt Collins and McLeish named Golden Reign.

The turnaround in fortune for the stable in only a matter of months was nothing short of remarkable. With Noel Alexander educating the colts and fillies that were then passed on to Jayne Davies to put the polish on for their racing careers, and a youthful Chris Alford becoming their driver; the trickle of winners from the stable became a flood. Before long other owners suddenly were finding it to be fashionable sending a horse to Alexander. Within two years such giants among Australia’s most influential owners as Perth’s Mick Lombardo and Pacers Australia (owners of Chokin NZ etc.) were sending horses to the team of Alexander, Davies and Alford.

Because of continued efforts by Jayne Davies to shun the limelight, it was not surprising New Zealanders might wonder why the colourful Alexander had not accompanied the stallion to Christchurch himself. He had insisted it was time for his partner to share in some of the triumphs with the horse that had done so much to improve life for them. After all the pair had gone through in their battle to become a highly successful partnership to have anyone now dare question whether Davies would be equal to the task in looking after the horse all Australians were pinning their hopes on, was pulling out the pin on Alexander’s patience and his temper.

Racing on the second night moved up in distance to 2600 metres. Centrebet’s pre-post market published in Christchurch that morning suggested the first heat of the night was a two-horse affair, with Bee Bee Cee NZ and Chokin NZ both extremely tight odds, with Montana Vance NZ the only other runner in single figures. When Sydney reinsman Dennis Wilson took Young Mister Charles NZ onto the track to start from barrier 10, he took along for the ride with him the glorious uncertainty of horse racing. Chokin NZ and Bee Bee Cee NZ did have a hard fought battle to the line, but both were astern of surprise winner Young Mister Charles NZ at the post.

Wilson had good reason to be overcome with emotion after the race. he had been the trainer of this horse in 1992 when it had beaten Golden Reign by a nose in the New South Wales Derby. Later he lost the horse when connections transferred it to another stable. It had only been returned to Wilson six weeks prior to the Inter Dominion for him to campaign in Christchurch. "I’ve won a lot of races, but personally for me, with this horse, is a real highlight," he said, brushing a tear from his eye. "They will have to carry me off the track if he happens to win the Grand Final," the charismatic Wilson predicted.

Chokin NZ had turned in another sound effort, pacing his last half in 55.6 seconds. Bee Bee Cee NZ was picking up points for his inclusion in the Grand Final, though the horse had not fought on as well as his supporters would have expected. Norms Daughter, Montana Vance NZ and Weona Warrior would each need to improve considerably on their latest efforts if they were to play a significant role in deciding the Championship.

Heat 4 - 2600m: Young Mister Charles NZ (Dennis Wilson) 1, Chokin NZ (Tony Herlihy) 2, Bee Bee Cee NZ (John Curtin) 3. MR: 2:00.7

Golden Reign looked the goods in the following heat, with Victor Supreme NZ tipped to be his only real danger. There was to be a sensation on the home turn when Sinbad Bay broke a hopple and crowded Burlington Bertie NZ, checking that horse and sending it back onto the favourite knocking Golden Reign out of the event. Meanwhile, Victor Supreme NZ, which had earlier swept past the early leader, Sinbad Bay, was never in any real danger of losing up the home straight, going on to beat Lento NZ and Nippon Home NZ in a tight finish.

Heat 5 - 2600m: Victor Supreme NZ (Glen Wolfenden) 1, Lento NZ (C Barron) 2, Nippon Home NZ (Tony Herlihy) 3. MR: 2:01.0

Backers of favourites who felt a little hard done by with the interference suffered by Golden Reign, threw in on Master Musician NZ for a quick return of their money in the third and final heat that night, with old Blossom Lady NZ the only other pacer in the betting. But it was to be a dirty night for those prepared to take cramped odds as a fired up Master Musician NZ and Southern Knight set a furious pace taking the field through the first mile in 1:57.7. Master Musician NZ hung on well after his tough run to be fourth, while Southern Knight only downed tools within sight of the post.

Such suicide tactics played right into the hands of the more patiently driven Desperate Comment NZ who finished on solidly to defeat Blossom Lady NZ and Ginger Man NZ. So fast had been the early pace that the time of 3:08.5 returned a mile rate of 1:56.6, slicing almost two seconds off the previous record for the distance.

That fast pace set when Robert Dunn was not prepared to hand over the lead and risk being carted back had the other horse stopped, resulted in some quick sectional times being achieved. The final mile was put behind in 1:55.9. The Australian owned Kiwi Ginger Man NZ, which ran on solidly for third, was timed for its last mile in 1:54.7. Local trainer Cran Dalgety was extremely pleased with Desperate Comment NZ’s win, believing the recent rip across to Melbourne for the Grand Circuit races, though unsuccessful, had helped "make" this stayer.

Heat 6 - 2600m: Desperate Comment NZ (Peter Jones) 1, Blossom Lady NZ (Anthony Butt) 2, Ginger Man NZ (Tony Herlihy) 3. MR: 1:56.6.