Quiet achiever in harness racing
In 47 years of driving and training standardbreds Clarrie Woodward copped only one suspension and two fines on race day.
The ex-Southlander, with 167 driving and 54 training wins, died in Christchurch recently. He was 78.
A printout of his training and driving statistics, provided by Harness Racing New Zealand to his widow, Dianne, has brought back many memories for her.
‘‘It’s been interesting looking back, seeing the names of the horses he won with and who he drove for,’’ she said.
The suspension was for interference during a race at Waikouaiti in 2000. The two fines were for faulty gear at a Gore race meeting in 1991 and the colour fee (an issue concerning his racing colours) at the Westport races on Boxing Day, 2006.
He retired from race-driving and training in the 2007-08 season.
‘‘Clarrie was patient and always looked after his horses,’’ Dianne said. ‘‘A lot of the horses he drove were good handy horses but no champions.’’
His best was Raven Song who won eight races before Clarrie sold him.
‘‘The money he got for Raven Song paid for his first farm – 20 acres at Edendale in 1967.’’
As well as training and driving Clarrie operated a stud farm, Raven’s Lodge.
Among the horses he drove to victory were David Moss, Open All Hours, Balgove, Ann’s Globe, Paula Brigade, Colim, Honest John and Mister Whippy.
The Woodwards have moved around the country, also living in Christchurch, Morrinsville, Tussock Creek, Edendale (twice) and Oamaru (twice). The family home is now at Waddington, near Christchurch.
John Cox, and Browns ownertrainer Des Baynes, said Clarrie was a good all-round horseman.
‘‘If he was going better than you [in a race], there was no way you were going to push him out . . . he never gave an inch,’’ Cox said.
Baynes said: ‘‘He loved his horses and was a very competitive horseman.’’
Clarrie drove the Baynestrained Open All Hours to win the 1989 Southern Supremacy Stakes Final.