New Zealand Free For All

Group one (G1) race
New Zealand Free For All
Location	Addington Raceway Christchurch, New Zealand
Inaugurated	1914
Race type	Standardbred - Harness racing
Website	Addington Raceway
Race information
Distance	2,000 metres (1¼ miles)
Track	Oval dirt, left-handed
Qualification	Three-year-olds and up
Purse	NZ$200,000

The New Zealand Pacing Free For All is a major New Zealand harness race. It is notable as it is a Group One championship sprint race and has been won by nearly every champion pacer in New Zealand. It was valued at $300,000, but was reduced to $200,000 due to economic pressures.^[1] Horses which have won the Free-for-all include hall of famers and champions who later shone in the United States and Canada like Cardigan Bay and Caduceus. The latter who won the Free For All three times. The race has also been won three times by Robalan, Harold Logan, Lordship and Author Dillon.^[2]

The race is contested at Addington Raceway on the Show Day public holiday on the Friday of New Zealand Cup week in mid-November. With the New Zealand Trotting Cup run on the Tuesday of that week, the Free For All attracts most of the same horses as the Cup, and is often won in the same year by the same horse. Unlike the Cup, it is run over a sprint distance and from a mobile start. The 2008 race was won in record time (1.54 mile rate) by Auckland Reactor.

Records

Most wins:

• 3 - Arthur Dillon (1918, 1919, 1920)
• 3 - Caduceus (1956, 1958, 1959)
• 3 - Harold Logan (1931, 1934, 1936)
• 3 - Lordship (1962, 1964, 1967)
• 3 - Robalan (1972, 1973, 1974)

Most wins by a driver:

• 6 - Tony Herlihy (1987, 1991, 1993, 1997, 2006)
• 5 - D D Nyhan (1962, 1964, 1972, 1973, 1974)
• 4 - Mark Purdon (1988, 1995, 2003, 2008)
• 4 - M F Holmes (1934, 1952, 1957, 1965)

Winners list

NEW ZEALAND FREE FOR ALL

(Mobile Barrier, 2000m, $200,000)

Run annually in November at Addington Raceway

Year	Horse	Owner	Driver	Time
2011	Smoken Up	A P Kay, P G Gadsby, A B Bonney, M J Van Rens, R J Kay, V MacDonald & L D Locastro	Lance Justice	2:25.3
2010	Monkey King *	Cavalla Bloodstock Ltd	Ricky May	2:23.7
2009	Monkey King *	Cavalla Bloodstock Ltd	Ricky May	2:22.4
2008	Auckland Reactor	Auckland Reactor Ltd	Mark Purdon	2:21.8
2007	Waipawa Lad	R K Bennett, F C Bennett	Mark Jones	2:22.0
2006	Sly Flyin	G W Brodie	Tony Herlihy	2:25.0
2005	Howard Bromac	Michelle Larsen, Mrs L Philpott, D Hardie	Kirk Larsen	2:23.3
2004	Just An Excuse *	O Haines, Mrs I K Haines	Todd Mitchell	2:24.9
2003	Jack Cade	J H Seaton, M Purdon	Mark Purdon	2:24.9
2002	Yulestar	Mrs J L Nolan, R P Nolan	Peter Jones	2:22.9
2001	Young Rufus	H Manolitsis, V, T & W Lynch, G J Carey, K R Hyslop	Mark Purdon	2:25.8
2000	Agua Caliente	Est D S & Mrs D E J Short/Mrs D E Woods/Miss S M Short	Glen Wolfenden	2:24.7
1999	Holmes D G	Second Five Syndicate	Barry Purdon	2:28.6
1998	Christian Cullen *	I D & D A Dobson, B A O'Meara	Danny Campbell	2:26.0
1997	Brabham	Runvs Syndicate	Tony Herlihy	2:25.3
1996	Iraklis	R M Cameron, Kypros Kotzikas	Ricky May	2:24.4
1995	Il Vicolo *	J H Seaton, M Purdon	Mark Purdon	2:25.1
1994	Bee Bee Cee *	C J Calvert, Mrs J M Calvert	Jim Curtin	2:26.6
1993	Chokin *	Pacers Australia/M Joyce/J Loughnan/B De Boer	Tony Herlihy	2:25.9
1992	Blossom Lady *	Polly Syndicate	Anthony Butt	2:25.5
1991	Christopher Vance *	R R Reid, Lorna Reid Synd., Mrs J C Reid	Tony Herlihy	2:26.8
1990	Tight Connection	R Ellis/R Weavers/Horseplayers Syn/Club Connection Syn	Tony Herlihy	2:26.0
1989	Dillon Dean	D P Dwyer, Mrs H M C Burley	Colin De Filippi	2:27.3
1988	Tax Credit	C J Harvey, Mrs P A Harvey	Mark Purdon	2:25.7
1987	Luxury Liner	R R Reid, Est L F Reid, Mrs J C Reid	Tony Herlihy	2:26.3
1986	Master Mood *	K L Williams, Mrs B A Williams, S F Wong, F B Wong	Kevin Williams	2:28.1
1985	Preux Chevalier	K J Lavin, Mrs W M Lavin	Barry Perkins	2:25.7
1984	Dillon Dale	K C Burley	D P E Dwyer	2.28.1
1983	Camelot	D H G Crofts	R D Butt	2.27.2
1982	Bonnie's Chance	Mesdames K A Grice & V B McGarry	R J Brosnan	2.28.5
1981	Armalight *	H B Smith	R H Negus	2.23.5
1980	Hands Down *	W H & Mrs M F McAughtrie	P N Jones	2.29.3
1979	Lord Module *	C C Devine	C C Devine	2.26.7
1978	Trusty Scot *	A M & J H Hunter	J H Hunter	2.29.1
1977	Balgove	W H & J P Roberts	R M Cameron	2.28.9
1976	Master Dean	N W Borlase	M R De Filippi	2.30.3
1975	Lunar Chance	K N Lawlor	K N Lawlor	2.28.2
1974	Robalan *	A T Devery, P N Hope & D D Nyhan	D D Nyhan	2.26.6
1973	Robalan	A T Devery, P N Hope & D D Nyhan	D D Nyhan	2.34.4
1972	Robalan	A T Devery, P N Hope & D D Nyhan	D D Nyhan	2.33.6
1971	Bay Foyle	N R Johnstone	C J Parsons	2.34.4
1970	Stella Frost	L H Tilson	D J Townley	2.36
1969	Chief Command	P H C Van der Looy	R P Nyhan	2.37
1968	Great Adios	Mrs P M Norton	B J Anderson	2.36.4
1967	Lordship	Mrs D G Nyhan	D G Nyhan	2.40.4
1966	Waitaki Hanover	Mrs J & F Smith	D J Townley	2.35
1965	Robin Dundee	J W Hewitt	M F Holmes	2.37
1964	Lordship	Mrs D G Nyhan	D D Nyhan	2.34.6
1963	Cardigan Bay *	Mrs A D Dean	P T Wolfenden	2.34.6
1962	Lordship *	Mrs D G Nyhan	D D Nyhan	2.27.6
1961	Cardigan Bay	Mrs A D Dean	P T Wolfenden	2.39
1960	False Step *	J Smyth	C C Devine	2.35.2
1959	Caduceus	D D & D R Moore	J D Litten	2.36
1958	Caduceus	D D & D R Moore	J D Litten	2.34.8
1957	Lookaway *	C L Rhodes	M F Holmes	2.35.8
1956	Caduceus	D D & D R Moore	J D Litten	2.39.4
1955	Tactician	M C McTigue	M C McTigue	2.36.8
1954	Johnny Globe *	D G Nyhan	D G Nyhan	2.33.6
1953	Johnny Globe	D G Nyhan	D G Nyhan	2.35.4
1952	Vedette	C Johnston & M Jenkins	M F Holmes	2.41.8
1951	Maori Home	B Rushton & J W Duncan	W P Ireland	2.39.8
1950	Parawa Derby	L T Padget	J B Pringle	2.38
1949	Single Direct	Mrs M R & Bruce Elliott	E N Kennerley	2.37.2
1948	Highland Fling *	A T Kemble	L F Berkett	2.37.4
1947	Sir Michael	C Tasker	R Young	2.39
1946	Haughty	B Grice	G McKendry	2.41.4
1946	Turco	A V Prenderville & J X Ferguson	G S Smith	2.41.4
1945	Happy Man	J C South	C King	2.36.4
1944	Pacing Power	G Lancaster	R B Berry	2.38.4
1943	Springfield Globe	R B Berry	R B Berry	2.39
1942	Gold Bar	A B Holmes	D C Watts	2.35
1941	Josedale Grattan *	Dr M G Pezaro & E G Bridgens	F J Smith	2.42.2
1940	Plutus	W J Gudsell	J Bryce jnr	2.46.6
1939	Icevus	H Rudd	R Young	2.41.8
1938	Logan Derby	H Barnes	J A Stamford	2.39.4
1937	Supertax	D Rodgers	G Mouritz	2.40
1936	Harold Logan	E F C Hinds	R Townley jnr	2.39
1935	Indianapolis	G J Barton	J Fraser jnr	2.39.4
1934	Harold Logan	E F C Hinds	M F Holmes	2.38.4
1933	Red Shadow	Mrs M Harrall	J Bryce	2.41.4
1932	Roi L'Or	P Brown	F Holmes	2.38.2
1931	Harold Logan *	Miss E Hinds	R J Humphreys	2.40
1930	King Pointer	W McDonald	O E Hooper	2.39.8
1929	Padlock	J A Mitchell	W Hughes	2.42.6
1928	Peter Bingen *	J J Kennerley	J J Kennerley	2.38.8
1927	Native Chief	J Duffy	F G Holmes	2.11.2
1926	Great Bingen	J R McKenzie	D Withers	2.09
1925	Acron	J R McKenzie	A Butterfield	2.04.6
1924	Acron	J R McKenzie	A Butterfield	2.03.6
1923	Logan Chief	J Duffy	J J Kennerley	2.07.6
1922	Trix Pointer	W H Norton	F Holmes	2.09.4
1921	Albert Cling	M J Hannon	J McLennan	2.09.6
1920	Author Dillon	Executors J Knight	B Jarden	2.11.6
1919	Author Dillon	Executors J Knight	B Jarden	2.44.4
1918	Author Dillon *	B Jarden	B Jarden	2.45.8
1917	Cathedral Chimes	J Bryce	J Bryce	2.42.6
1916	Admiral Wood	Mrs A M Seymour	J Bryce	2.45
1915	Our Thorpe	J Fleming	A Fleming	2.41.4
1914	Eccentric	R T Reid	J Brankin	2.48.8

|(*) means won the New Zealand Trotting Cup same year.

See also

• Harness racing
• Harness racing in New Zealand
• Auckland Trotting Cup
• New Zealand Trotting Cup
• Great Northern Derby
• Rowe Cup
• Dominion Handicap
• Inter Dominion Pacing Championship
• Inter Dominion Trotting Championship
• Miracle Mile
• Noel J Taylor Mile
• New Zealand Messenger

Reference list

1. ^ Prizemoney for Premier Ne Zealand Harness racing events
2. ^ New Zealand Free for All