A - Z New Zealand Cup : E

It’s 22 days to the New Zealand Cup.

From now to November 10 we will feature some of the great races, horses and personalities  with a new letter for each day.

Steve Edge was a colourful and forthright long-time harness racing administrator who also won the New Zealand Cup as a trainer-driver. His victory came in 1961 with Invicta, a horse raced by his father-in-law Les Duff. At 11 Invicta was the veteran of the field  and this was his third attempt at the big race, after being unplaced in 1959 and then fourth in 1960. The combo was fourth on the home turn and hung on to beat a strong finish from Patchwork.  At 76 Steve Edge died in a house fire on his property on Banks Peninsula in 2007. The commentary of his 1961 triumph was played at his funeral.