THE TERRIBLE RACING ACCIDENT AT RANDWICK

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1740, 14 January 1888, Page 3

THE TERRIBLE RACING ACCIDENT AT RANDWICK

In the raoe for the Tattersall's Cup, run at Rand wick, Sydney, on the 2n>. January, a lamentable aooident occurred. When the runners were approaching the straight, tbe second from the front, Veßpasla, was seen to fall. The next moment the light yellow of Sllvermine crashed over horse and horsem.n, wnile I ivadrr, who came next, turned a com* pieta somersault over the pair, and the trio lay m a confused and strnggilng mass of fallen horses aud riders, c ouds of duet marking the place where the terrible accident occurred. Vespasia and Invader with their riders were seen to rise, while •Stlver_-ine and bis j_okey (Robertson) were found lying on the ground, the jockey b tretohed unoon. clous on one side of his fallen and helpless mount. He mu_t have been thrown wtth fearful foroa, aud was probably struck by the otber falling horses on the back oi his he-id, aa his skull was badly fractured. His oollar* bone waa also broken, and he had received several contused wounds. Without delay Silverrame's owner (Mc W. 0. Cooper) conveyed Robertson to St. Vincent's Hospital, where a private room was engaged for him R.bertson, who died next day. had throogh a long career as a jockey, he'd an unsullied reputation, and having made himself popular, his accident Is deeply regretted. J. Gough, the rider of Invader, aud W. Doolan, who piloted Veepaaia, o_c*ped witb a few cuta ani bruises. Silvermine lingered for two hours, when he died, aDd it was found that hlo back waa broken. It was aome time before the owner a t_d trainer could be persuaded tbat the life of one of the finest racehorses m Australia has been sacrificed. The accident, which oast a g rom over the proceedings, happen. d where many others have ooae, ro wit, that m whloh the Hon J. White's Morpeth was killed. It Is only fair to say that the rider of Vespasia attributes It to hts boing heavily cannoned against and then galloped upon. Sllvermlne's death Is a great loos to Mr W. 0. Oocp.r, a* well as to the turf, which is jaat now m want of high-class rae .horses. Hia value was above rather than below 1000 sovb. His career has been % singularly unfor* tunate one, for he never won a big raoe, though he sucoeeded m running second ln each races as the Newmarket Handlosp, Sydney Oup, Oaulfiald Cap, and Melbourne Gap, aud was third ln the last named event m 1886. No horae m the ooloniea possessed suoh an unenviable record. All sportsmen must regret that his end should bave oome ahoqt }n a manner which w§« In every way ln keeping with his m ...or,