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Harold Park Function Centre | Miracle Mile | Menangle Markets

HAROLD PARK LEGENDS

L.C. CHANT
Born in 1922, Les Chant is the last living person to have competed in the opening meeting of night trotting at Harold Park on October 1, 1949.

The youngest reinsman to compete that night, Chant, then 27, piloted Swanee Dixie into third place behind Altivolo (Sutton McMillan) and Retinue (Perc Hall) in the first race at that historic inaugural meeting.

A son of Herb Chant, Les was born into a world of horses. In a career spanning 50 years as a trainer-driver, he built a reputation that resulted in him becoming a highly respected horseman in the industry.

Les Chant was a week short of his 16th birthday when he had his first race drive on May 23, 1938, at the old Victoria Park track in the inner Sydney suburb of Zetland, finishing second on Lulu Bye.

A few months later, he landed his first winner, May's Machine, also at Victoria Park, and then went about setting one record after another while enjoying a successful training and driving partnership with his father that would last until the death of Herb Chant almost 40 years later.

At the age of 17, Les became the youngest driver to compete in an Inter Dominion (a record unmatched) when he drove Lachlan Machine in the 1940 series in Perth, eventually failing to make the final.

Les Chant drove more than 1000 winners during his illustrious career. At one stage, his dominance in Victorian campaigns was highlighted by taking out the driving and trainers' premierships in the second season of night trotting at the Melbourne Showgrounds.

What remains one of his proudest achievements, however, occurred in the NSW country town of Canowindra when he landed the program, driving all 10 harness racing winners at a three-day carnival in 1946.

First based at Mascot, Les and his father moved stables to Glebe, little more than a stone's throw from Harold Park, in 1951 and remained there until Herb Chant retired nearly 20 years later.

Les later relocated to Kemps Creek, where he continued to train horses until he retired. Throughout his career, he never had more than eight or nine horses in his team, but was rarely without a top performer.

From Master Dixie in the 1940s to Goldrush Girl in the '80s, the list of Chant-trained stars is seemingly endless, but Sparkling Walla, Dakar, Mona's Son, General Dixie, Bangaway, Master Frolic, Marshall Dixie, Adroit, Sparkling Pearl, Anytime, Scotty Belmont, Wexford Brigade, Winged Goose and the great trotter Gramel are just some that come to mind.

Taking a team of horses to the US to sell in the 1970s gave Les a taste of overseas experience, but he was not too impressed by the American scene, despite driving a winner at Brandywine Raceway.

Les Chant had his last drive at Penrith on May 25, 1989, finishing second on 1986 NSW and Queensland Oaks winner Goldrush Girl.