Captain Sandy
Encyclopedia
Captain Sandy was a New Zealand
-bred Standardbred racehorse. He is notable in that he won two Inter Dominion Pacing Championship
races and two Auckland Cup
s. He was inducted into the Inter Dominion Hall of Fame
, being the first horse to win two grand finals of the race.
He was foaled in 1942 at Oamaru
, in the South Island of New Zealand, and reared as a poddy foal, owing to an uncaring dam. Captain Sandy was by Sandydale (USA) P.2:01 ¾ from Waikaura (F1931) by Guy Parrish (USA) tracing through mares by imported sires to the ex-Australian mare Ella G (F1897) by Vancleve (USA) from Rosebud by Tempest (F1885 by Childe Harold (USA)).
Captain Sandy also set a new world record on a half mile track of 1:59, breaking Greyhound
's record established in 1937. Captain Sandy amassed a total of £43,000 breaking the record of the time held by Highland Fling
. He was also the highest stakes winning Thoroughbred
or Standardbred, in both Australia
and New Zealand until the Thoroughbred, Hydrogen won a higher amount.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
-bred Standardbred racehorse. He is notable in that he won two Inter Dominion Pacing Championship
Inter Dominion Pacing Championship
The Inter Dominion is a harness racing competition that has been contested since 1936 in Australia and New Zealand. The host of the series is rotated between the six harness racing states of Australia and the North and South Islands of New Zealand. The rotation of the Championships is fixed...
races and two Auckland Cup
Auckland Cup
The Stella Artois Auckland Cup is an annual race held by the Auckland Racing Club . It is an Open Handicap for thoroughbred racehorses competed on the flat turf over 3200 metres at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. The race is graded as a Group One and was first contested in 1874...
s. He was inducted into the Inter Dominion Hall of Fame
Inter Dominion Hall of Fame
The Inter Dominion Hall of Fame is an organization created to recognise and honour those whose achievements have enriched the world of the Harness racing industry, particularly in the Inter Dominion series. The Inter Dominion is a horse racing series for standardbred horses which takes place every...
, being the first horse to win two grand finals of the race.
He was foaled in 1942 at Oamaru
Oamaru
Oamaru , the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is 80 kilometres south of Timaru and 120 kilometres north of Dunedin, on the Pacific coast, and State Highway 1 and the railway Main South Line connects it to both...
, in the South Island of New Zealand, and reared as a poddy foal, owing to an uncaring dam. Captain Sandy was by Sandydale (USA) P.2:01 ¾ from Waikaura (F1931) by Guy Parrish (USA) tracing through mares by imported sires to the ex-Australian mare Ella G (F1897) by Vancleve (USA) from Rosebud by Tempest (F1885 by Childe Harold (USA)).
Major wins
He won the following major races:- 1948 Auckland Trotting CupAuckland Trotting CupThe Auckland Trotting Cup or Auckland Cup is a race held at Alexandra Park in March in Auckland, New Zealand for Standardbred horses. It is one of two major harness races, along with the New Zealand Cup, held in New Zealand each year. It is notable as it is a Group 1 championship race over...
- 1949 Auckland Trotting CupAuckland Trotting CupThe Auckland Trotting Cup or Auckland Cup is a race held at Alexandra Park in March in Auckland, New Zealand for Standardbred horses. It is one of two major harness races, along with the New Zealand Cup, held in New Zealand each year. It is notable as it is a Group 1 championship race over...
- 1949 NZ Stake Earner of the Year (Pacers) $21,458
- 1950 Inter DominionInter DominionThe Inter Dominion is a harness racing competition that has been contested since 1936 in Australia and New Zealand. The host of the series is rotated between the six harness racing states of Australia and the North and South Islands of New Zealand...
- 1953 Inter DominionInter DominionThe Inter Dominion is a harness racing competition that has been contested since 1936 in Australia and New Zealand. The host of the series is rotated between the six harness racing states of Australia and the North and South Islands of New Zealand...
- 1953, 1954 Easter Cup (Lord Mayor's Cup)
Captain Sandy also set a new world record on a half mile track of 1:59, breaking Greyhound
Greyhound (horse)
Greyhound was a grey Standardbred gelding by Guy Abbey out of Elizabeth by Peter the Great. Born in 1932, Greyhound was the outstanding trotting horse of his day and arguably the most outstanding in the history of the sport...
's record established in 1937. Captain Sandy amassed a total of £43,000 breaking the record of the time held by Highland Fling
Highland Fling (horse)
Highland Fling was a New Zealand bred Standardbred racehorse. He is notable in that he won two New Zealand Trotting Cup races, the richest harness race, and sometimes the richest horse race in New Zealand. Highland Fling was a leading performer in the years 1947 and 1948...
. He was also the highest stakes winning Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
or Standardbred, in both Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand until the Thoroughbred, Hydrogen won a higher amount.
See also
- Harness racing in AustraliaHarness racing in AustraliaHarness racing, also colloquially known as trotting, is an important spectator sport in Australia, with large amounts of money wagered annually with bookmakers and the Totalisator Agency Board . In Australia there are 91 harness racing tracks, which hold over 1,900 meetings annually...
- Harness racing in New ZealandHarness racing in New ZealandHarness racing in New Zealand is more often called trotting in the "old school" rather than the more fashionable name of "harness racing". The sport is long standing with events being held as early as 1864...
- Inter Dominion Hall of FameInter Dominion Hall of FameThe Inter Dominion Hall of Fame is an organization created to recognise and honour those whose achievements have enriched the world of the Harness racing industry, particularly in the Inter Dominion series. The Inter Dominion is a horse racing series for standardbred horses which takes place every...