Free book released as part of Bendigo trots history celebration

A momentous celebration of Bendigo’s rich harness racing history can now be savoured at your convenience after the release of author John Peck’s latest endeavour.

Last Friday was momentous for the sport when Harness Racing Victoria board member Judy Rothacker opened the Victorian Harness Racing Heritage Collection gallery at Bendigo’s Lords Raceway.

Housed beneath the grandstand, the gallery celebrates harness racing’s rich history from earliest times through a series of specialist displays of trophies (local, state, national and international), photographs, sulkies, silks, books and memorabilia.

In conjunction with the opening, a 608-page publication by Peck was released entitled Bendigo and Environs Harness Racing Heritage, which can be accessed for free by clicking here.

It can be read online or downloaded to your computer or device to read at will.

The book contains the result of every trotting event, show race or match held in the Bendigo district from 1855 to 1967 as well as detailed results of every race held on the original Lords Raceway, all Bendigo cups and every Breeders Crown final held in Bendigo.

Complementing this are fascinating extracts from annual reports, club committee meetings and newspaper clippings dating back more than 150 years.

In addition there are extensive profiles on 10 local champion horses, as well as two dozen personalities who have shaped the Bendigo harness racing scene, and photographs of all presidents and secretaries of each iteration of a trotting club in Bendigo – Sandhurst (1882), Bendigo (1923) and Bendigo and District Trotting Club (later Harness Racing Club) in 1952.

The book is embellished by more than 500 indexed photographs, some that have never been published before, and accompanied by a host of unique statistics relating to leading drivers at local clubs.

Bendigo was home to Australia’s first specialist trotting track outside the metropolitan area (1882) and a locality where the first Australasian mile record for trotters was posted (1858) along with first Australasian three-mile record for pacers (1866).

In modern times, Knight Pistol set an Australasian mile race record at Bendigo, while Sheza Mona established an Australasian female pacers mile record there as well and, of course, now Lords Raceway is the only track outside the metropolitan area where a sub 1:50 performance has been witnessed – Ride High 1:49.0 (1650m) in 2020.

Although the book has only been available since Friday there have been some glowing reviews posted already.

“What an extraordinary piece of writing, researching and collating. It’s unbelievable,” – David Robertson, grandson of HOF member Lou Robertson.

“Looks amazing and a credit to you,” – Erik Hendrix, BHRC Manager

“Wow! It looks fantastic,” Kathy Gebert, Harness Racing Australia

“Congratulations on a beautiful piece of work,” John Macnaughtan, noted thoroughbred author

“Top stuff,” Paul Courts, Harness Racing Weekly

“The book – what a read!” Gerry Danaher, nephew of HOF member Roy Roach

“Amazing. Incredible!” Stephen Sharp, HRV Collection Committee

“I may never get any work done again,” Victor Rolton, HRNZ

by Harness Racing Victoria