Kawatiri Trev to debut on big day for the Craddocks

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk 

One of the legendary figures of West Coast racing will be honoured in two separate ways at Westport on Friday.

Westport Trotting Club life member and former president Trevor Craddock, who also trained 100 winners between 1967 and 2014, died in October last year, aged 85.

In the first race on Friday a horse named after him, Kawatiri Trev will make his debut and later in the day there will be another heat in the Seddon Shields Trevor Craddock Memorial Trotting Series.

Kawatiri Trev (Marcoola - Buller Whitebait) is a three-year-old gelding bred and raced by Chris Craddock.

"Trevor's father Bill Craddock and my grandfather George Craddock were brothers. My father Noel Craddock and Trevor were first cousins, that's the connection," says Chris Craddock.

"I was very close to Trevor and (wife) Kath."

Chris Craddock was born and lives in Levin but has maintained a strong connection with the Craddock family over the ensuing decades, including many whitebaiting missions on the coast.

In 2015 Chris acquired two-race winner Earls Buller Girl from Trevor.

She in turn produced Kawatiri Trev's dam Buller Whitebait who had five placings but no wins between 2019 and 2021.

It was then decided that it was Buller Whitebait's turn to become a mum.

Chris Craddock was very specific as to what he wanted.

"I wanted to put Sundon into the breed," says Craddock.

He narrowed the options down to Waterloo Sunset (Sundon - Inspire) and Marcoola (Sundon - Arabess).

After initial attempts with Waterloo Sunset failed they switched to Marcoola, a three-time Group 1 winner, with Kawatiri Trev the result.

"He was Buller Whitebait's first and so far only foal," he says.

Chris told Trevor before he died that he wanted to name the horse after him.

"Kawatiri is what tangata whenua call Buller so the name made good sense," says Chris.

Trevor agreed, after some persuasion.

Initially it was planned for Kawatiri Trev to debut at Westport on Boxing Day but after Trevor's death just months earlier the plans were put on hold, until now.

"It would be most appropriate if Kawatiri Trev could win," says Craddock, though he can't the make trip south himself.

"Everything - the Inter Islander, flights - they are all booked out."

"It's a shame I won't be there but Trevor's son Greg is the vice president of the club these days and there will be other Craddocks there as well."

Chris will however no doubt be glued to Trackside when the race, The Stu Bailey Memorial (sponsored by Mark Jones) Handicap Trot goes at 2.27pm.  

The three-year-old has won both trials leading into the debut for top trainer Paul Nairn and looks very handy. In the early markets he opened a $3.1 favourite. He will be driven by Stacey Whatuira.

The day will also feature the Huntsman Optic Trevor Craddock Memorial Series Handicap Trot.

It's the penultimate round of the Seddon Shields Trotting series. The 10-heat series around the top half of the South Island started at Kaikoura in November.

There will be a further heat at Reefton on Sunday before the $30,000 final at Addington on March 20.

The final will be limited to 16 starters. So far nine trotters are currently eligible for the final - Nellie Doyle, Moses, Premium Player, Rachmaninov, Brother Love, Bullit Train, Playoffs, Knowing Me and Tu Tangata. 
                                         
To be eligible trotters must have a minimum of four starts required across all Seddon Districts race meetings in the 2025/26 racing season.  

It will be a day when the Craddock name will be front and centre - as it has been for decades.  

The 11-race programme, which also features the Kawatiri Cup (6.04pm), starts at 2.27pm. 

To see the Westport fields click here