Denis Donovan Nyhan or D D Nyhan (11 April 1939 – 1 September 2021), was a prominent trainer and driver of standardbred racehorses winning many of New Zealand's premier racing events.
He won the New Zealand Trotting Cup twice with Lordship in 1962 and 1966. In 1962 Nyhan and Lordship beat Cardigan Bay driven by champion reinsman Peter Wolfenden who was 5th. In 1966 they beat Robin Dundee and Waitaki Hanover. Lordship, sired by Johnny Globe, was bred by Denis' mother Doris Nyhan and trained by his father Don (D G) Nyhan who drove Johnny Globe to win the New Zealand Cup in 1954. Lordship also won the 1964 Auckland Pacing Cup
In 1974 Nyhan won the New Zealand Cup with the free-legged pacer Robalan from Kotare Legend and Young Quinn.
Nyhan won the New Zealand Free For All five times: twice with Lordship (1962 and 1964) and three times with Robalan (1972, 1973 and 1974).
He also trained and drove the trotters Cee Ar to win the 1974 Rowe Cup and Hal Good to win the 1975 Dominion Handicap. [1]
Cardigan Bay was a New Zealand harness racing pacer foaled 1 September 1956. Affectionately known as "Cardy", he was the first Standardbred to win US$1 million in prize money in North America. He was the ninth horse worldwide to win one million dollars,. Cardigan Bay won races in New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States.
Young Quinn, a New Zealand standardbred racehorse, was successful in period where his competition in the sport of trotting was particularly strong. Foaled in 1969, he was by Young Charles out of Loyal Trick by Hal Tryax (USA). Named after Brian "Snow" Quinn, a champion New Zealand sheep shearer, he was trained and driven by the great Charles Stewart Hunter (Charlie). He was nicknamed 'Garbage' as a result of his habit of eating anything in sight, as a young horse. It was later revealed by cardiograph tests that Young Quinn's heart weighed 13 lb, only 1 lb less than that of the great racehorse Phar Lap.
The Great Northern Derby is a Group 1 harness racing event for 3 year old standardbreds. It is a major event for 3 year old colts and geldings in New Zealand and currently run at Alexandra Park in Auckland, in March.
The New Zealand Cup for standardbred horses, also known as either the New Zealand Trotting Cup or the New Zealand Pacing Cup is a Group One (G1) harness race held annually by the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club at Addington Raceway in Christchurch, New Zealand.
The Noel J Taylor Memorial Mile is a Group One race for pacing horses raced at Alexandra Park, Auckland in New Zealand.
The New Zealand Pacing Free For All is a major New Zealand harness race. It is notable as it is a Group One championship sprint race and has been won by nearly every champion pacer in New Zealand.
The Auckland Pacing Cup which is sometimes referred to as the Auckland Trotting Cup or merely the Auckland Cup is a race held at Alexandra Park in Auckland, New Zealand for Standardbred horses. It is one of the two major harness races, along with the New Zealand Cup, held in New Zealand each year for the highest grade pacers. It is a Group 1 championship race and has been won by many of the champion pacers in New Zealand.
Harness racing in New Zealand is primarily a professional sport which involves pacing and trotting competitions for Standardbred racehorses. The difference is the horse's gait or running style:
Johnny Globe was an outstanding New Zealand bred Standardbred pacer that held four world records. He is notable in that he won the New Zealand Trotting Cup. Johnny Globe is also notable in winning 15 free for all pacing events, which at the time was a record. He was also a leading New Zealand sire on four occasions.
Easton Light was a New Zealand Standardbred trotter. He was inducted into the New Zealand Trotting Hall of Fame with other immortals. A notable achievement was winning the Rowe Cup, the top event in New Zealand for trotting horses. He also won the Dominion Handicap twice, the other premier event for trotting horses.
Peter Tom Wolfenden was a New Zealand driver and trainer of Standardbred racehorses. He won the New Zealand drivers' premiership 14 times, including eight consecutive years from 1974, and twice won the Australasian Drivers Championship. He represented New Zealand seven times in the World Drivers Championship in harness racing, placing second in 1977 and third in 1971. He had 1762 career race wins in New Zealand as a driver, and 798 as a trainer.
Lordship was a New Zealand–bred Standardbred pacer. He won two New Zealand Trotting Cup races. He won 45 races and as a leading sire, he sustained the Globe Derby sireline through his successful sons.
The Rowe Cup is a race held annually at Alexandra Park, Auckland, New Zealand for standardbred horses.
The Dominion is a race held at the Addington Raceway each year in Christchurch, New Zealand for standardbred horses.
Anthony Butt is a driver of standardbred racehorses in Australia and New Zealand.
Anthony Grant Herlihy is a New Zealand driver and trainer of standardbred racehorses. He was associated with many champions and has been a leading driver of harness horses in New Zealand. In 2014, he was inducted into the New Zealand Trotting Hall of Fame, and he has also been inducted into the Inter Dominion Hall of Fame.
Mark Purdon is a driver and trainer of standardbred racehorses in New Zealand. He was associated with many champions and is one of the leading trainers and drivers of harness horses in New Zealand and Australasia. He was inducted into the Inter Dominion Hall of Fame.
John Langdon is a former driver of standardbred racehorses in New Zealand. He was associated with many champions and was a leading driver of harness horses in New Zealand.
The New Zealand Derby is a classic event in New Zealand for 3 year old harness horses, run at Addington Raceway.
Chokin is a New Zealand Standardbred racehorse who was notable in winning the New Zealand Trotting Cup, which is New Zealand's most prestigious horse race. Chokin is also one of the few horses to have won Harold Park Paceway's prestigious Miracle Mile Pace twice.