Kindie’ win for Young Quinn 53 years ago

Edendale trained Young Quinn’s (Young Charles) win in the 1972 New Zealand Kindergarten Stakes held at Wyndham, was the only time locals got to see the champion pacer race on his home track.

The win was his fifth in a row for trainer Bud Baynes and driver Doug McNaught.

His first win was the 1972 EF Mercer Stakes at Addington where he beat Willie Win. His other wins as a two year old included the Forbury Juvenile Stakes, the Timaru Nursery Stakes, the Kindergarten Stakes, the New Zealand Juvenile Stakes and the New Zealand Sapling Stakes.

At the end of his two year old season he was the country’s leading two year old, having won eight of his ten starts.

At this point he was becoming very familiar to the man who was to take over his training.

“My first impression of him was racing against him as a two year old. I had a pretty nice filly that year called Hillcrest. Young Quinn came to Auckland and beat us up badly a couple of times. He impressed me a lot,” said Charlie Hunter.

Hunter had no idea the promising youngster would join his stable – until the phone rang one day.

“I got a phone call and this voice said ‘My name is Bud Baynes and I own Young Quinn. Will you train him for me?” With that, Young Quinn began a lifetime involvement with his new trainer.

Named after Brian “Snow” Quinn a champion New Zealand shearer, for the majority of his career, he was trained and driven by Charlie Hunter.

In all, Young Quinn started 133 times, recording 59 wins and 36 placings and earning NZ$752,587 in stakes.

It was later revealed by cardiograph tests that Young Quinn’s heart weighed 13 lb. Just 1 lb less than the heart of the great racehorse Phar Lap.

This Sunday the 65th edition of the Kindergarten Stakes will be held at the track named after this great southern pacer – The Young Quinn Raceway.

Many of the Kindergarten winners have gone on to be among the best standardbreds this country has seen, including Lordship, Tactile, Holy Hal, Young Quinn, Master Mood, Honkin Vision, Akuta and Don’t Stop Dreaming.

Connections of this year’s starters in the Kindergarten Stakes will be hoping their horses can emulate the feats of Young Quinn.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink