Caduceus Club “evolves” as South Island beckons

The Caduceus Club is branching out.

Named after one of the country’s great harness racing racehorses, the club has been around since the 1980s and is currently undergoing a renaissance thanks to the Auckland Trotting Club and the New Zealand Sires’ Stakes Board.

“The Caduceus name is important,” says Auckland Trotting Club President Jamie MacKinnon, “and for us to get support we need to take it out to the regions.”

To achieve that the club’s first South Island race, the $30,000 Caduceus Club 2YO Fillies Classic Prelude will be held at Addington on Friday, September 6, ahead of the $100,000 Group 1 Final at Alexandra Park on September 20. That has been won in the past by the likes of Tigerish (1991), One Dream (2006), Venus Serena (2013), and Millwood Nike (2022).

Beyond that a 3YO Fillies’ race will also be held at Winton on February 9, 2025.

It will be hosted by the Wairio Trotting Club in partnership with Southern Bred Southern Reared (SBSR) and Diamond Creek. Eligibility will be for 3YO fillies paid up to the Yearling sustaining (Level B) for the Caduceus Series 26 but will also be eligible to fillies paid up to the yearling sustaining payment for the NZ Sires’ Stakes (Series 41) and Nevele R Fillies (Series 47).

“We are trying to evolve as the industry evolves,” says MacKinnon, “once upon a time it was just a 2YO Final, then it included a 3YO Group final, and now we are running Preludes and the next step is to run a mares’ race.”

The key figure behind the establishment of the Caduceus Club was John Devlin. He was a harness racing institution. He loved the sport, life, a drink and a punt, and died on NZ Cup day in 2013.

“Our club recognises the efforts of John Devlin and his committee to get that Group 1 off the ground and there’s too much history to let that go,” says MacKinnon.

The Caduceus Club is still in existence but now operates at a much reduced level and while still active in supporting harness racing the management of the Caduceus races is now looked after by the NZ Sires Stakes and the Auckland Trotting Club

“We took over the management, the responsibility and underwrite any issues that arise,”

Question : so how good was Caduceus in his prime?
Answer : very good

When registered as a two-year-old Caduceus was just 14.1 hands. He was known as The Mighty Atom but also nicknamed Charlie because he stood with his feet turned out, just like Charlie Chaplin.

Records as to his overall career record vary markedly, with one report saying he won 82 races in 10 seasons of racing.

He was known as the most travelled horse in the world, having competed in and been victorious in this country, Australia, Canada and the United States.

In the 1960 Inter Dominion at Harold Park in Sydney he won in front of a world record crowd of 50,346, off a handicap of 36 yards (32m). It was his sixth consecutive appearance at the Inter Doms.

Trained and driven by Jack Litten, he had 28 wins from 83 starts between 1953 and 1960 in New Zealand, including the NZ Derby as a three-year-old, and
three new Zealand Free-for-alls, and was a head away from False Step in the 1958 New Zealand Cup. During his stellar career he also held many world records, including a 1:57.4 mile in America.

He was the first inductee into the NZ Trotting Hall of Fame with Cardigan Bay, Harold Logan, Highland Fling, Johnny Globe and Ordeal.

He died in 1964 in most unusual circumstances. Reports at the time say he reared up on his hind legs and crashed his chest on a concrete post only to suffer an allergic reaction to the medication he was given.

“He was a great horse and is part of the fabric of harness racing,” says MacKinnon, “his name has to live on.”

For more information on the Caduceus Club races click here.

Or contact martin@nzsiresstakes.co.nz

by Dave Di Somma, for Harness News Desk