John Peck book an ode to harness racing at Royal Melbourne Show

Years of research have culminated in celebrating harness racing at the Royal Melbourne Show from 1871 to 1998 with the release of John Peck’s 272-page Harness Racing – Always A Highlight at the Royal Melbourne Show.

The book can be read online or downloaded in decade chunks on to your computer to read at leisure via this link.

Apart from all the races contested at the Royal Melbourne Show, the book contains all the time tests plus those awarded ribbons in the various breeding classes. An index for winning drivers and horses pre-World War II and another post-World War II is included in the appendices.

While there was no betting allowed on the show races up until the 1980s, punters would have made their fortune by checking out all the show race results because from 1947 to 1975 the first metropolitan meeting of the season was held after the Royal Melbourne Show (there was a metropolitan recess from June until end of September).

All the champion pacers raced at the show including Sir William Don (once the world’s 13th fastest pacer) at the inaugural 1871, the chestnut pacing marvel Mystery in the 1890s, Silver Boy, then Lawn Derby, Walla Walla and Inter Dominion champions Springfield Globe, Bold David, Richmond Lass, Logan Derby, Dan’s Son, Avian Derby, Gentleman John and Captain Sandy.

Present too were the trotters from Wanderer in the 1870s to Osterley in the 1890s, Hall of Famers Grand Voyage, Carlotta’s Pride, the incomparable juvenile Delvin Dancer plus Amazing Admiral and Tamboritha.

When night trotting was approved – only at the show – in 1937 the crowds flocked to see the excitement and in that year, and the next three successive shows in 1938, 1939 and 1946, there were more than 100 races.

One highlight that must be mentioned happened in 1938 when Hall of Famer Edgar Tatlow, figured as not only the breeder, but the owner, trainer and driver of the excitement machine Van Derby, who competed eight times at the 1938 show, winning every time.

For the record conscious there are premiership tables for winning drivers and horses, and Dal Fitzpatrick – one of the last six most recent Hall of Fame inductees – leads the way with 108 wins. However, another Hall of Famer, George Gath (65 wins), must receive an honourable mention for winning a race at 31 different shows.

The book is augmented by more than 150 photographs and etchings, some of which have never be seen by the general public, including a suite of colour pics from the last ever meeting on 22nd September 1978.

Click here to read: Harness Racing – Always A Highlight at the Royal Melbourne Show

From Harness Racing Victoria