Graham shared family love of speed

IT'S fitting to pay tribute to Graham Pascoe, one of three brothers who all had a strong connection with the light harness game for large parts of their lives.

Graham and Rona Pascoe.

IT'S fitting to pay tribute to Graham Pascoe, one of three brothers who all had a strong connection with the light harness game for large parts of their lives.

Graham, who recently passed away, had an active interest as both a trainer and a driver. He drove his first winner Cascover at Ipswich showgrounds in 1978, when he was just 25.

We pick up the story a bit further on, as accurate records now only date back to the 1981/82 season.

Graham, like other members of his family, was a great supporter of the standing start format, delighting in the racing at Rocklea and the local show circuits.

Classic Wilkes was a promising young horse for Graham before being sold to Rick Wright who raced the horse with plenty of success for the Stuart Hunter stable before changing hands several times in his later career.

Classic Wilkes was bred and raced by the Hollingsworth family in his early career. However, like most hobbyists of his era, it was in the main a weekend sport. Hence, his lifetime stats do not display the massive numbers we see today.

As a trainer, Graham Pascoe presented 210 runners for 18 wins and 46 placings with earnings of $24,793.

In the sulky, he appeared on 349 occasions for 33 wins and 60 placings with a bankroll of $42,058, having his final drives in the 2004/5 term.

He did, however, have the pleasure of sitting behind two nice horses in that time.

One of those was Able Souvenir, honest as the sun, with stats of 100 runs for 13 wins and 21 placings, picking up $19,237 in the process with a best time of 1-59.7.

The other bright light was the talented, but very unsound Chief Glo, who managed only 22 starts in a two year career, winning on seven occasions with five placings and $8610.

To put things in perspective, the dollars quoted here, which may seem insignificant at this time, had probably eight times the purchasing power of today's money.

All three Pascoe brothers have been drawn to speed.

Graham and Les mixed speedway and pacers while Vic was a top athlete who raced pacers with success, yet found and still finds, the enthusiasm to develop the young athletes of Ipswich.

A friendly, family man, Graham was taken from us far too young at 65.

He lives on in the deeds of his son Mat, a high profile driver in the world of speedway's Super Sedan class.

Farewell Tom

HE was not a resident of the Ipswich footprint but Tom O'Shea - with his younger brother Errol - first encountered trotting when visiting the late "Butch" Zahnow and his family in the Boonah area many years ago.

The boys were bitten hard by the bug and Tom soon went "hands on" with master conditioner Col Dudley, who was training a team of pacers for trend setting owner driver John McMullen Senior. He was soon attending the Sunday trials at Redland Bay.

Horses like Tutta Flex and Dan's Gift figured early in the piece, and success on the original right handed circuit at Albion Park came through Noble Heart, a dour stayer, and the quaintly named Tough, who could only produce his brilliant finish if given a cold sit for the bulk of the journey.

In the computer records era, Tom's best performers were the Rocklea regular Likely Chance, which stared on 163 occasions for stats of 12 wins, 32 placings and a prize total of $10,044.

Next up came Rob's Regret, with 89 outings returning nine wins and 18 minors for a stake of $10,100, and a good record at Redcliffe and Stevens' Trotway at Southport.

Tom O'Shea was more a trainer than a driver, returning seven wins and 34 places from 228 trips in the sulky while presenting his charges to do battle on 480 occasions, leading in 33 winners and 84 placegetters for a total of $50,873.

A likeable man, Tom was with us for 80 years. He will be sorely missed by the older brigade.

Next meeting

KEEP tomorrow week aside. It will be a non-TAB Sunday meeting at Marburg but all the bells and whistles will be in place for harness fans.

Jackpot is now $1900.

Handy tips

SELECTIONS for Albion Park tonight.

R1: E/w 3: El Major (M. Dux).

R2: Quinella 1-8: Psychedelic (J. Cremin) and Beau Cishlom (D. McMullen).

R3: Box trifecta 6-7-9: Sir Julian (J. Cremin)-Soldier Of Fortune (D. McMullen)-Monivae (P. McMullen).

R4: Top Trio (T. Dixon) and Mafuta Vautin (D. Graham).

R5: Box trifecta 1-2-8: Bring On Lefty (A. Richardson)-Wattlebank Flyer (G. Whitaker)-Proficient (M. Elkins).

R6: box trifecta 3-5-7: Sheza Bonny Gem (I Ross)-January (K. Rasmussen)-Grinvil (P. McMullen).

R7: Quinella 2-6: Luvumum (K. Rasmussen) and Caesars Astrum (P. McMullen).

R8: Box trifecta 1-2-6: Our Millwood Maizie (K. Rasmussen)-Chal Fire (K. Dawson)-Ohoka Punter (G. Dixon).

R9: Box trifecta 1-4-7: Southern Alps (T. Dixon)-Spud (C. Petroff)-Our Overanova (G. Dixon).

Honour board

Heaps of winners across the week with local drivers sharing the spoils. Man of the moment, Nathan Dawson, hit the target on eight occasions (rating 400), but of the trainers, only Mr Durable, Darrell Graham, was able to produce two victories. Most pleasing was the combo of Matt Elkins and Warren Hinze. Ipswich factor: 31/39.

Redcliffe, August 24: Ima Morven Lad (Danielle McMullen for Ryan Veivers); The Ides Of March (Nathan Dawson for Donny Smith); Life In Heaven (Nathan Dawson for Doug Lee).

Albion Park, August 25: Deeceasar (Kelli Dawson for Scott Hewitt); Glenferrie Baby (Kelli Dawson for Geoff Dawson); Secret Jack (Adam Richardson for Christina Monte); Spud (Chris Petroff for Jay Edmunds); Big Bruce (Matt Elkins for Greg Elkins); Alleluia (Adam Sanderson for Grant Dixon); Ares (Hayden Barnes for Mark Rees).

Albion Park, August 28: Rancho Man (Nathan Dawson for John McMullen); Maybe to The Max (Chris Petroff for Ron Sallis); Beef City Starzzz (Pete McMullen for Peter Greig); Wattlebank Flyer (Gary Whitaker for Bianca Hooper); Regal Rock (Adam Sanderson for Darrell Graham); Secret Jack (Nathan Dawson for Chris Monte); Tuesdays Fella (Chris Petroff for Trevor Lambourn).

Redcliffe, August 29: Ima Sea Storm (Nathan Dawson for Graham White); The Next Star (Darrell Graham for Stephanie Graham); Hammerhoff (Nathan Dawson for John McMullen); Dapper Bessie (Danielle McMullen for Ryan Veivers); Bettorthantorque (Adam Richardson for Chantal Turpin); Miraclesdoappen (Nathan Dawson for Mark McNee); Wecanonlyhope (Matt Elkins for Warren Hinze); Arch Empress (Nathan Dawson for Gary Gerrard).

Redcliffe, August 30: Zed Express (Clint Sneddon for Mitchell Dawson); Werelivingthedream (Pete McMullen for Peter Greig); Glasscutterspirit (Gary Whitaker for Kevin Moffat); Malone (Adam Sanderson for Darrell Graham); Miss Kenny (Adam Richardson); Shadow Hunter (Adam Richardson for Steve Coombs).