Trainer Gil Shirley turned the clock back nearly 41 years when he won three races on his home track at Invercargill yesterday.
Shirley (76) won yesterday with Best Legacy, Norham Fella and Vi Et Animo, all driven by his son, Brent.
The stable, adjacent to the back straight of the track, also had a second placing with When The Musics Over from four starters.
"Brent is my right-hand man and we generally have about 12 horses in work," Gil Shirley said.
"This was a good day, but I always remember the late Derek Jones telling me to have a party on a bad day because you will have more parties."
Shirley had wins with Glenda Hanover, Newella and Sweet Yvonne and a third with Dillean from four starters at a Winton meting in December, 1967.
He drove the four horses.
He began his association with harness racing in the early 1950s and had his first win as an owner at Gore in December, 1953 with the trotter White Wings.
Vi Et Animo is unbeaten in three starts as a 3yr-old after placing in his two starts last season for Myross Bush owners Wayne and Alison McCulloch.
Wayne McCulloch helps out at the Shirley stable.
Norham Fella is raced by Anita Hailes, who is in an aged care facility in Invercargill.
Her son took her to the track to watch the race yesterday.
Norham Fella was bred by her husband, Eddie Hailes.
Norham Fella is a half-brother by Live Or Die to Chesterton, winner of eight races, seven when trained by Shirley.
Hailes races Chesterton, now in the Steven Reid stable at Pukekohe.
He also raced Newella.
•Rum Ball, disappointing in two starts this season, has been transferred to the Pukekohe stable of James Stormont.
Rum Ball won the Yearling Sales Graduette and a heat of the Sires Stakes' for 2yr-old fillies, both at Alexandra Park, last season when trained by owner Sue Martin.
"Sue couldn't work out why Rum Ball hasn't seen out her two races this season and after I drove her last time she suggested I take her," Stormont said.
Ogmore, a last-start winner at Oamaru in May, is now trained by Malcolm Shinn at West Melton.
The 7yr-old gelding, previously trained by Tony Barron, has been restricted to five starts.
Worth Plenty, a last-start winner at Forbury Park on September 29, has been sold to Australia.
She won four races for Len Mosely.
•Blacks A Fake is being aimed at the Miracle Mile after winning the $A150,000 Trans Tasman at Albion Park on Saturday night.
Blacks A Fake, who won another grand circuit race, the Queensland Pacing Championship, a week earlier, took his stake earnings over $A3 million.
He rated 1.59.9 for the 2680m on Saturday.
Harold Park raceway, at Glebe, Sydney, home of the New South Wales Harness Racing Club, is for sale at $A150 million.
Members of the club voted 270 -27 at the annual general meeting to sell the raceway for not less than $150 million.
The sale would pave the way for the club to shift to Menangle, where a 1400m track was opened in June.
Club chairman Rex Horne said the sale could take up to two years.
He said the proceeds of the sale would provide a significant prizemoney injection into metropolitan and country racing throughout New South Wales.
•Melpark Major advanced his claim for a Miracle Mile berth when he won the Popular Alm Sprint in a 1.55.5 mile rate for the 1690m at Kilmore on Sunday.
Melpark Major is by Iraklis, winner of the 1996 Miracle Mile and 1997 New Zealand Cup.
Bold Cruiser, the former Southland pacer, won the Kilmore Cup and Save A Sixpence won the Kilmore Trotters' Cup.
