2022 Hall of Fame Inductee – Andy Sheahan

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The early days of racing and pacing in this country were reflective of the romance and adventure of the evolving nation of Australia. It was a brave new land and horse sports a brave new industry which produced many characters now part of the nation’s folklore.

One such tale well worth telling is that of trainer/driver Andy Sheahan, born at the back of a pub on the outskirts of Melbourne in 1895. Nurturing early a love and rapport with horses, Sheahan learned to be a trot driver and rider just as World War One was ending.

Soon he befriended a wealthy owner named Alex Hunter and became his private trainer. Hunter was about to create Northwood Park Stud and populate it with the best collection of standardbred racing and breeding stock ever assembled in Australia.

In 1922, he purchased a 12-year-old sire who was still racing and was the champion pacer of his time. His name was Globe Derby and he would become the greatest stallion ever to stand in Australasia and whose influence still echoes in the present.

Today, the AG Hunter Cup continues to acknowledge the famed breeder and administrator for his impact on the sport’s development.

In 1926, Andy Sheahan drove the then 15-year-old Globe Derby in a race at Richmond in Melbourne.

An article from the time stated patrons were privileged to see something they might never witness the equal of, with Globe Derby exploding from a pocket three furlongs from home to gather in a tearaway some 60 yards ahead of him, with time to spare.

Soon after this, legendary WA Trotting Association President, James Brennan, approached Hunter to entice him West for a visit with Globe Derby, to race and time trial the veteran. Hunter agreed and it was Sheahan who landed the horse in Perth after a seven-day sea voyage.

The maiden three-year-old filly, Larimda, also made the journey as did the mare, Eulinya Bells. She would win at Sheahan’s first drive in WA, 3 April 1926, in a heat of the Easter Cup at the WACA racecourse.

That same night Sheahan paraded Globe Derby for the crowd, then ran third with the champ in a heat of the Brennan Free-For-All. Eulinya Bells would later win a heat of the Brennan and finish third in the final.

She also won the Easter Handicap two days later. Globe Derby’s time trial was unfortunately rained out, however Larimda would go on to win the Sires Produce Stakes and indeed, the time in Perth had worked a charm on Sheahan and germinated an idea.

A few months after returning to Melbourne, Sheahan was informed by Alex Hunter that he was leaving trotting for the gallops. Hunter would subsequently come back to chair the Victorian Trotting Control Board, but it was with thoroughbreds that his on-track interests now lay.

He wanted Sheahan to go with him as his trainer, but Sheahan saw his chance to buy several of Hunter’s pacers and take them to Perth. And that is what happened.

Starting with just four quality fillies and mares, Sheahan leased boxes at Jim Hand’s Pier Street stables, in East Perth. The four were Eulinya Bells, who would win a heat of the WA Trotting Cup, Katie Wood, winner of the WA Derby, Owyhee Lass, First Division Free-For-All winner – and Larimda, victorious in six more races after her Sires success.

She would produce Admiral Park at stud, who in turn won seven races for Sheahan, then transitioned into a successful sire.

Jim Hand quickly made Sheahan his number one catch driver and Sheahan immediately won the Perth Drivers’ Premiership in his first full season, in 1927/28.

In all, he won three drivers’ and two trainers’ premierships. In 1932, Sheahan set up stables in Maylands and increased his breeding interests.

Larimda and Katie Wood would prove to be prolific dams of winners. In his leisure time, Sheahan rode them both in Hunt Club events on

Sundays and while he would control many top horses in his career, they would remain his favourites.

Portrayed as dapper, dashing, generous and humorous, in 1927 Andy Sheahan married Joy Burt, whose family owned the Brisbane Hotel, and together they had three children.

One of the greatest drivers of the first half of the 20th century, Andy Sheahan never learned to steer a motor vehicle. His health declined and he died at 56 but now lives on in the WA Racing Industry’s Hall of Fame.

Notable wins as Driver and/or Trainer 3 Apr 1926 HT Easter Cup: Eulinya Bells, 5 Apr 1926 Easter Handicap: Eulinya Bells , 17 Apr 1926 3yo WA Sires Produce Stakes: Larimda,

5 March, 1927 3yo WA Derby: Katie Wood , 17 Dec 1927 FFA 1st

Div 50 Pounds: Owyhee Lass , 17 Dec 1927 FFA 3rd Div 50 Pounds:

Antarctica, 26 Dec 1927 HT WA Pacing Cup: Eulinya Bells, 21 Jan 1928

Brennan Handicap: Antarctica, 24 Mar 1928 3yo WA Sires Produce

Stakes: Northwood Lady, 28 Dec 1929 HT WA Pacing Cup: Don Gale,

19 Apr 1930 Easter Cup: Antarctica, 31 Mar 1934 HT Easter Cup: Sir

Marvin, 24 Nov 1934 HT Fremantle Cup: Melton Bells, 22 Dec 1934

HT WA Pacing Cup: Willowcliffe, 29 Dec 1934 Metropolitan Handicap:

Monsoon, 20 April, 1935 HT Easter Handicap: Owyhee Dixie, 9 Nov

1935 First Meet As Gl Park: Waltzing Lady(1930), 2 Dec 1935 Jubilee

Handicap: Globes Park, 21 Dec 1935 HT December Handicap:

Owyhee Dixie, 19 Sept 1936 Stratton Cup: Owyhee Dixie, 27 Nov

1937 HT Fremantle Cup: Dixie Echo, 26 Dec 1938 HT WA Pacing Cup:

Owyhee Dixie, 26 Dec 1939 HT WA Pacing Cup: Linya Lady, 26 Dec

1939 HT WA Pacing Cup: Lord Sheik.