Andy Sheahan - three time Perth's Leading Driver
Friday 27th July at Gloucester Park sees the 24th running of the John Higgins Memorial.
The race recognises former WA Trotting Association President John Higgins who tragically died in a motor vehicle accident in 1994 and was posthumously acknowledged with a James Brennan Award for his service to harness racing.
A Narrogin-based lawyer John Higgins had served as President of the WA Country Trotting Association for ten years before becoming President of Gloucester Park Harness Racing (WATA) in 1991.
Equally at ease talking with the State’s leaders or his mates at the Narrogin Trotting Club John Higgins was at all times a passionate advocate for trotting and a fairer turnover split for harness racing.
The supporting races at next Friday night’s meeting recognise a number of trainers, drivers and administrators who also made significant contributions to harness racing at Gloucester Park.
Andy Sheahan was regarded by his peers as one of the all-time great trainers and drivers winning three Perth Drivers Premierships and two Perth Trainers Premierships on his way to 271 winners in Perth.
Andy Sheahan was third on the 1925 Melbourne Drivers Premiership before bringing horses to Perth for Victorian owner A G Hunter and deciding to settle in Perth in 1926. Among the horses he brought to Perth was Australia’s greatest ever sire Globe Derby.
Bernie Cushing was Perth’s leading trainer and driver in 1956 and is one of a select group of horsemen to have trained and driven more than 500 winners in Western Australia.
One of the legendary Rats Of Tobruk, Bernie Cushing also trained and drove three WA Pacing Cup winners in Robert Sheen, Defiance and the WA Racing Industry Hall of Fame inductee Daintys Daughter.
Charlie Thomas trained some 116 winners but it was as a driver that he excelled heading the Perth Drivers Premiership in 1921 and again in 1942.
His 265 winners as a reinsman between 1916 and 1949 included a remarkable four WA Pacing Cups with Harold Rose, Black Childe, Connie Glo and Lulu Mick for four different trainers.
Alan Woodworth won three Perth Drivers Premierships in 1955, 1961 and 1962 and in 2014 was inducted into The West Australian Racing Industry Hall of Fame.
A successful jockey, Alan Wooworth drove more than 900 winners between 1946 and 1985 with 561 of that tally in Perth including the 1949 WA Pacing Cup with Bintravis.
Leo Walton, whose company installed the lighting system at the WACA Ground track, was Perth’s Leading Driver on five occasions between 1920 and 1929 and three times Leading Trainer over the same period.
He trained 308 winners and drove 322 winners including the 1919 WA Pacing Cup winner Saucy Girl and drove the 1924 WA Derby winner Alto Child for trainer Bob Betts.
Regarded as the best money driver in the State, Ron Porter drove 267 winners including three WA Pacing Cup winners in Black Bertha, Winsome Bobbie and Leyoro. He trained 155 winners including WA Pacing Cups with Winsome Bobbie and Leyoro and a Fremantle Cup with Beaudale.
Ron Porter later served as a Gloucester Park committeeman and was a prominent breeder in Western Australia.
Harry Moran drove the first of his 201 Perth winners in May 1919 just ten months after being discharged from the Australian Army and a little over 12 months after being severely wounded in France.
Harry Moran trained and drove the 1926 WA Pacing Cup winner Dumbbells and trained and drove Ella Derby when that mare figured in the State’s first triple dead-heat on 15th November 1930.
Laurie Kennedy who died a little over 12 months ago was a Life Member of both Gloucester Park Harness Racing and the WA Standardbred Breeders Association as well as being a tireless worker for the Swan Valley Visitor Centre.
Laurie’ skill in floristry was highlighted in the sashes draped around the necks of Classic winners at Gloucester Park including the 2016 Inter Dominion winner Smolda.
Gloucester Park Harness Racing intends holding races in memory of past champion trainers, drivers and administrator’s each year on the night of the Higgins Memorial with the names being used on a rotational basis.
