Peter Scaife passes away aged 58

Well known Foxton harness racing trainer Peter Scaife sadly passed away on Saturday aged 58 after battling serious health problems for the past four months. 

Peter started his training career with his father Peter Snr in 1982 with the partnership training 59 winners until Peter Snr passed away in 1995.

Peter then took out a trainers license in 1996 and trained 225 winners with the highlight of his training career in 2012 when he finished equal 9th on the NZ Trainers Premiership with 41 wins. His previous best was 11 wins when in partnership with his father in the 1989/90 season.

Peter trained on the beach at Foxton and much of his training success was on grass tracks which was highlighted at the Wanganui T.C. meeting in December 2011 when he had his best day in harness racing recording four wins from the eight race card.

Peter was a junior driver in 1979 but it wasn’t until the 1981 season when he had his first winning drive.

Peter cut back his driving in 2012 to concentrate more on the training side but he did have seven amateur drives in 2014 and recorded one win.

He also operated a horse transport business and that also enabled him to race his team throughout  the North and South Islands. One of his most Southern major assaults was in 2012 at the Forbury Park Winter four race meeting series where one of Peter’s most loyal owners in Gerald Cayford sponsored the racing team and driver Zac Butcher to compete at the series. A highlight of that trip was Mister Dann who was part owned by Gerald winning twice. Peter won five races at the winter series with El Magic (2 wins) & Miracle Mach adding to the training tally.

Harnesslink Media