Christopher Vance
New Zealand Standardbred racehorse
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Christopher Vance (5 November 1986 – 13 December 2016) was a Group One-winning New Zealand Standardbred racehorse, trained by Roy and Barry Purdon and generally driven by Barry Purdon or Tony Herlihy.
| Christopher Vance | |
|---|---|
| Breed | Standardbred |
| Sire | Vance Hanover (US) |
| Grandsire | Albatross (US) |
| Dam | Disco Girl (NZ) |
| Maternal grandsire | Berry Hanover (US) |
| Sex | Gelding |
| Foaled | 1986-11-05 |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Breeder | R Reid, Estate L F Reid (Waiuku) |
| Owner | R R Reid & J C Reid & Lorna Reid Syndicate |
| Trainer | Roy & Barry Purdon, Clevedon |
| Record | |
| 121 starts: 38 wins 41 placings | |
| Earnings | |
| NZ$1,747,167 | |
| Awards | |
| New Zealand Horse of the Year | |
Racing career
He was the 1991–92 New Zealand Horse of the Year after winning both the major New Zealand races, the New Zealand Cup and Auckland Cup, as well as the Miracle Mile Pace at Harold Park in Australia.
Christopher Vance was not as dominant in the following seasons but remained competitive against top class opposition such as Blossom Lady, Master Musician, Jack Morris and Chokin. In the following year's New Zealand Cup he was 3rd from a 15-metre handicap and breaking at the beginning of the race.[1] In the 1993 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship he won a heat in 1:54.5 for the mile before going on to run 4th in the final.
Notable performances by Christopher Vance include:
| Placing | Year | Race | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1990 | Great Northern Derby[2] | Christopher Vance | Mark Hanover | Amos Lee. |
| 2nd | 1990 | Auckland Cup[2] | The Bru Czar | Christopher Vance | Tight Connection |
| 1st | 1991 | Noel J Taylor Memorial Mile[2] | Christopher Vance | Mark Hanover | Franco Ice |
| 1st | 1991 | New Zealand Messenger[2] | Christopher Vance | Franco Ice | Mark Hanover |
| 1st | Nov 1991 | New Zealand Trotting Cup[2] | Christopher Vance | Clancy | Surmo Way |
| 1st | Nov 1991 | Miracle Mile Pace | Christopher Vance | Defoe | Westburn Grant |
| 1st | Dec 1991 | Auckland Cup | Christopher Vance | Starship | The Bru Czar |
| 3rd | Nov 1992 | New Zealand Trotting Cup | Blossom Lady | Giovanetto | Christopher Vance |
| 3rd | Nov 1992 | New Zealand Free For All | Blossom Lady | Sogo | Christopher Vance |
| 2nd | Nov 1992 | Miracle Mile Pace | Franco Tiger | Christopher Vance | Jack Morris |
| 3rd | Dec 1992 | M. H. Treuer Memorial | Jack Morris | Band Magic | Christopher Vance |
| 2nd | Dec 1992 | Auckland Cup | Master Musician | Christopher Vance | The Bru Czar |
| 2nd | Apr 1993 | Inter Dominion Pacing Championship heat | Blossom Lady | Christopher Vance | Westburn Grant |
| 1st | Apr 1993 | Inter Dominion Pacing Championship heat | Christopher Vance | Master Musician | Warrior Khan |
| 3rd | Apr 1993 | Inter Dominion Pacing Championship heat | Jack Morris | Rustic Lad | Christopher Vance |
| 4th | May 1993 | Inter Dominion Pacing Championship final | Jack Morris | Warrior Khan | Blossom Lady |
| 3rd | Dec 1993 | Auckland Cup | Chokin | Franco Ice | Christopher Vance |
| 2nd | Feb 1994 | A G Hunter Cup | Blossom Lady | Christopher Vance | The Unicorn |
| 1st | March 1994 | Inter Dominion Pacing Championship Consolation final | Christopher Vance | Our New Life | Tact Rashad |
| 3rd | Dec 1994 | Auckland Cup | Chokin | Franco Ice | Christopher Vance |
From April to August 1995 Christopher Vance was driven in a number of Australian races by Brian and Darren Hancock, only managing to win two lesser events. He was then brought back to New Zealand to race but failed to manage a top three placing in his final campaign. His last race was a sixth placing in the Courier Post Flying Mile (Group 2) at Cambridge behind Victor Supreme on 16 February 1996.
During his retirement years, Christopher Vance lived at Cambridge Stud, where he was a companion to the champion thoroughbred Rough Habit. The two were buried next to each other, Christopher Vance dying a month past his 30th birthday.[3][4]