Dudley Kenneth Anderson, affectionately known as Boof throughout his long and distinguished career in harness racing, died aged 88 on Tuesday.
A blacksmith by trade, he also was an astute trainer and skilful reinsman who drove a winner of a WA Derby, a Fremantle Cup and a Miracle Mile at Sydney’s Harold Park.
He also had a keen eye when selecting a horse and it was on his recommendation that WA trainer Bill Horn and Gordon and Cecelia Cox purchased Village Kid for $36,000 after the pacer had won at three of his first nine starts in New Zealand.
Trained by Horn, Village Kid developed into a superstar who raced 160 times for 93 wins, 25 seconds, 12 thirds and $2,117,870 in prizemoney.
The highlight of Anderson ‘s career was when he drove Royal Force (trained by Wagin farmer George Kennett) to victory over Paleface Adios and Markovina in the Miracle Mile at Harold Park in March 1977.
Anderson also drove Royal Force when the pacer finished third behind Pure Steel and Paleface Adios in the 1977 Hunter Cup in Melbourne and when he won the Fremantle Cup that year. Two years later, Royal Force was third behind Pure Steel and Koala King in the WA Pacing Cup.
Anderson also achieved great success with several pacers he trained and drove, including Smooth Dave, Regal Counsel, Southern Knight and Just Mick.
Regal Counsel, a chestnut, won the 1972 James Brennan Cup, Smooth Dave scored a notable victory over Classic Garry in the 1982 WA Derby and Southern Knight finished second to Flashing Star in the 1994 Golden Nugget championship.
The WA-bred Southern Knight went on to finish second to Justaboyden in the 1995 WA Pacing Cup and third behind Our Sir Vancelot and Norms Daughter in the 1997 WA Pacing Cup.
Ken Casellas