THE TURF IN VICTORIA.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2097, 12 November 1880, Page 3

THE TURF IN VICTORIA.

In its issue of the 3rd inst. the “ Argus ” gives the following interesting resume of the history of the turf in Victoria:—The first race meeting held on Victorian soil was in 1838, when a few races were run off on a racecourse marked out on the swamp to the south-east of Batman’s Hill, then called the Sheoak Hill. Of this meeting there is no record extant. It was similar in character to those that were annually held for many years after at country publiohouses. The horses were not trained, the riders wore the red and blue serge shirts then, and for the next twenty years, the ordinary garb of a bushman, and the weighing was accomplished by means of a butcher’s steelyard. In 1839 a regular race meeting was held on this course, when four events were contested, namely, a Town Plate, Squatters’ Purse, Hurdle Race, and Hack Race, The course was a

circular one, about half a distance short of a , mile, marked off with a few saplings, and a small and very rickety wooden stand was erected for the judge. The principal winners were Mr J. Batman’s Postboy, and Mr J. Brown’s Mountain Maid. The last named gentleman imported the once celebrated horse Romeo from Tasmania, where he won him in a raffle. A match was made between Mr Batman’s Pioneer andjMr J. Wood’s Trump, which came off about ten days after the race meeting. The race was over hurdles, Pioneer winning the first heat easily. In the second heat he fell heavily and lamed himself, and Trump won the heat. Trump then became a strong favourite, and a large sum of money depended on the final heat. The owner of Pioneer, assisted by the judicious advice of Dr Bathe, who had just arrived in the colony, brought his horse to the post for the final beat, which to the dismay of those who had so ireely laid odds against him, he won easily. In this same year Mr Thomas Austin scored ais first victory on the Victorian turf, when le won a single event match with a halfjroken colt, who was so sulky at the post that Ur Hewitt, who was well known to old Viciorians as “Hopping Jack,” was obliged to tart him by the vigorous use of a stockvhip. The next year the present racecourse

on the banka of the Saltwater river was selected for racing on. The first event run there was a match between two mares, the property of Mr J. Brown, of Melbourne, and Mr Highett, of Geelong. In 1842, notwithstanding the monetary difficulties the colonists labored under from the enormous depreciation in the value of live stock, there was a very respectable programme for a race meeting put forward. The most important event was the Town Plate of 50 sovs., added to a sweepstake of 50 sovs. each ; two miles and a distance; heats. The winner was Mr J, Lamb’s Plonipo, who won both heats easily. Mr Hunter’s Speculator was second in both heats, and Mr Clarke’s |Tally-ho third. Half an hour after winning the Town Plate, Plenipo was started for the Ladies’ Purse, three miles and a distance, weight 12st. He ran third in this race, the winner being Flying Shingler. The Maiden Plate at this meeting was won by The Baroness, by Borneo. After 1844 the Victorian bred horses began to appear on the racecourse, and their performances gave a promise of the brilliant 1 future that was in store for the Victorian ■

turf. Conspicuous amongst the victors are the names of Petrel and Bessy Bedlam. The latter was bred by Mr Thomas Austin in 1844, and was by Oornborough from Black Bess. She first appeared in Melbourne in 1847, when she won the Trial Stakes, one mile and a distance, in a canter. As a three-year-old she won the Port Phillip Stakes easily, one mile and a half, carrying Bst 41b, and doing the distance in 3min Isec ; and at the same meeting she won the Ladies’ Purse, three miles and a distance. In 1849 she won the Melbourne Town Plate, three mile heats, weight for age. In the first heat she ran a desperate race with Petrel, and beat him by a neck in smin 56sec. Some mistake having been made in the starting, the heat was declared void. Petrel was then drawn, and Bessie Bedlam won the race easily. After 1853 she was sent to the stud, but as a brood mare was not a great success. Petrel was bred across the Murray, and was supposed to be by Emigrant, but of his breeding we might justly say, as Gordon said of another celebrated horse—

“ The birth of his dam is a myth unknown, And we’ve doubts respecting his sire.” When a yearling he was bought out of a mob with his dam, a very wellbred-looking old white mare, by a man named Gabb, who kept a grog “shanty” close to the village of Buninyong. The discovery that he possessed remarkable powers of speed was made in a very curious manner. Mr and Mrs Gabb were on their way to visit some friends in the neighboring ranges. The lady, a buxom dame weighing about 14st., was mounted on Petrel, then barely two years old. The day was hot, and Mr Gabb wished to assuage the pangs of thirst with a bottle of rum his wife was carrying. She refused to give it up, and the altercation became so warm that the lady (fearing blows would follow) drew rein, and started back for home at a gallop. Mr Gabb gave chase, but though his horse was a known good one, and had the advantage of the weight, the colt fairly galloped away from him. After winning a good many country matches, Gabb sold the colt to Mr Colin Campbell, of the Pyrenees, who brought him on the turf. As a three-year-old be ran three miles and a distance over the Melbourne course, carrying 10st 71b, and beat Smolensko'at even weight in Srnins, a performance that has never been excelled since that time on the Victorian turf. Another grand performance of his was in 1848, when he ran three two-mile heats with Bessy Bedlam, at Geelong, each heat won by a head only, the deciding heat being in favor of Petrel. The heats were run in 4mins 7aeos, 4mins Ssecs, and 4mins lOsecs. Petrel was a dark chestnut, standing about 15 hands Sin, of great substance and length. He was equally good over all distances from one mile to four, in single events or heats, and weight bad little effect on him. He raced till he was fourteen years old, when Mr Jas. Austin, who was then his owner, turned him out to grass for the rest of his life at Barwon Park. The old horse [lived for a long time, and at twenty-four years of age he was alive and hearty. Scarcely less celebrated than the horses we have named was Merino, a black gelding, bred by Mr Jas. Henty in 1845. He was a very deep-chested powerful horse, with broad ragged hips. He beat Petrel when in his prime in the Portland Town Plate. When eight years old he beat Bessy Bedlam in the Town Plate at Melbourne, This race was remarkable for a piece of clever riding by Mr W. Lang. By an oversight the horse’s breastplate had been left behind, and before half the distance had been accomplished Merino, who was a very deep-chested horse, began to run through bis girths. Mr Lang, finding the saddle was shifting, got in front of it, and, holding on by the plait of the mane, managed to keep his seat and win the race, riding home barebacked, amid the enthusiastic plaudits of the spectators. Merino was bred from the thoroughbred stock imported by old Mr Henty. They were from the stud of the Earl of Eglinton, who thought so highly of them that he requested Mr Henty, when he left England, to furnish him with the particulars of their produce, in order that they might be included in the English Stud Book. In 1857 occurred the celebrated match between Alice Hawthorne and Veno for 500 sovs., distance three miles, weight 10at 11b, Veno was brought on to the course in excellent condition, while Alice Hawthorne, who was scarcely six weeks off grass, was notoriously unfit. The match resulted in an easy victory for the Sydney horse, and from that time more attention was paid to bringinging the horses to the post in fair condition.

One of the most important events in the history of the turf in Victoria was the establishment of the famous Maribyrnong stud. This stud was formed by Mr Hurtle Fisher about the middle of 1860, when he purchased the celebrated horse Fisherman for 3000 guineas. Ha also purchased the following brood mares :—Guildermira, Marchioness, Juliet, Bose de Florence and Oaquette. The brilliant quartette first named were purchased at InidJLondesto rough’s sale. These splendid animals were first taken to Adelaide, where they remained for a couple of years, when they were removed to Maribyrnong, about the middle of 1863. For a while this stud was the property of the late Mr George Petty, but it again came into the possession of the Fisher family, and is now owned by Mr O. B. Fisher. This splendid stud has given to the Australian turf a grand list of racehorses, and the descendants of the original animals have proved themselves worthy of their high lineage on the racecourse and at the stud. Previous, however, to the formation of this stud, some excellent racehorses were bred at the studs kept by Messrs Simpson and Bowe, and Messrs Greene. At the former the principal stallions were Warbawk and Dolo, while the Messrs Greene bred from

Romeo L, and afterwards from Indian Warrior. Perhaps the most successful stud horse of his day was Premier, whose stock were always noted for their thoroughbred look and their gamenese on the turf. About 1857 there was a great deal of dissatisfaction felt by the more advanced school of racing men at the style in which racing was managed by the Turf Club, and a new club was formed called the Victorian Jockey Club. These clubs maintained a bitter rivalry for many years, to the great detriment of racing in Victoria, and at last, when it was seen they could not both exist, the common sense plan was adopted of abolishing them both and forming a new club. The old Turf Club established one great race—the Melbourne Oup. Previous to 1861, the club had a race in its spring programme named the Melbourne Stakes, of 100 sovs., 5 sovs. entrance, two miles. This race was altered in 1861 to the Melbourne Oup, when the added money was increased to £2OO, with a sweepstake of 20 sovs.

In addition to legitimate racing there was developed a great fondness for cross-country steeplechases. This sport was first brought into popularity by Mr George Watson about 1853. A Grand National Steeplecase was instituted, which was won by Mark Tapley. Mr G. Watson challenged the winner with Emerald, who had been beaten in the race. In the match Mr Watson rode his own horse, and gained the victory. Soon after this match a celebrated steeplechase was run for what was called MoLellan’s Cup, which was run off close 'to Prahran. This race was won by Mr Watson on Doctor, a handsome and very clever little grey horse about 14 hands 2in., imported from Tasmania. A match that excited great interest at the time was that between Mr G. Watson’s Ooachee and Mr Hunter’s Benedict for £SOO a side. The distance was four miles across country. The horses ran head and head all the distance. Mr Watson, who rode his own horse, gained the victory at the finish by a length. The fancy for steeplechasing then became very pronounced. Matches were run almost every Saturday afternoon during the winter on what was called the convincing ground, situated on the south side of the Tarra, near Emerald Hill. Some very fine cross-country races were run at many of the country meetings, and ever since steeplechasing has been much more popular in Victoria than in any of the other Australian colonies.

The rival racing clubs having died a natural death, in 1863 a new club was formed, which, under the name of the Victorian Bacing\Clnb, has advanced to the premier position among the racing clubs of Australia. The club started with a small but very influential list of members, and at the outset the committee was singularly fortunate in securing the services of Mr B. O. Bagot as secretary, who, though he did not possess the slightest knowledge of racing, yet had a faculty for organisation, and an energy in carrying out his plans, that proved of immense advantage to the club, and to which the success of the club has been mainly due. Mr Bagot, on accepting the office of secretary, at once set about to make the race meetings of the club popular. He spared no expense in providing every convenience for the visitors, and his efforts were so highly appreciated that the V. 8.0. meeting, and particularly the spring meetings, soon became popular not only in Victoria, but in all the Australian colonies. Year after year the number of visitors increased, and it soon became evident that if the visitors were to be properly accommodated, a new stand must be erected. This was done, and the present stand was built in the year 1873. The building, though it possesses no architectural attractions, is eminently useful. It will seat 4000 persons comfortably, and on a crush day, with the wide corridor and passages, it will hold about 6000 persons. The stand has been so constructed that it does not interfere in the least with the view of the occupants on the hill. This stand was in turn found too small, and a second stand was erected in the saddling paddock, which will hold about 2000 persons. The saddling paddock was increased, and a magnificent lawn laid out. In the saddling paddock, which is a very large one, a fine lot of loose boxes were erected, and trees were planted fer giving shade. On the hill permanent booths were built in sufficient number to accommodate even the vast number that visit that portion of the ground on a Cup day. On the flat, which is free to everyone, the accommodation provided for the public is not equalled by any racecourse in Europe. While attending to the wants of the public Mr Bagot was not unmindful of the requirements of the trainers of horses, though it was complained at the time that he neglected the training ground to provide for the comfort of the public. The training ground was naturally very unsuitable for (he purpose. In the winter it was a heavy bog, which strained the horses terribly, and in fine weather it became as hard as a macadamised road, which was very trying to many horses’ legs. On this ground three tracks were laid out —a cinder track, for working on in very wet weather ; a tan track, for horses with delicate legs; and an outer, or, as it is sometimes called, the sand track, for ordinary work. These tracks have been so well cared for that now they are pronounced by the trainers themselves as the finest training grounds in the colonies. All the improvements on the course have been carried out in a most substantial manner, and though the cost in some instances has been heavy, the work is of such a lasting character that the money has been well invested. The expenditure on this ground in permanent works up to the present time amounts to within a trifle of £40,000. The club has a debt of £IO,OOO in debentures, which could be very easily cleared off if it was thought necessary. The receipts for last year amounted to £11,743 17s lid, and the amount paid in stakes at the Spring, Champion, and Autumn Meetings amounted to a total of £25,385. The sport of racing causes an immense amount of money to be spent in the colony. The support of such a number of racehorses, from their foalhood till they eventually retire from the turf, must be of great benefit to the farmers, while all classes of citizens benefit by the enormous influx of visitors who annually flook to Melbourne to visit the V. 8.0. Spring Meeting. The Melbourne racecourse has become one of the most noted eights of Victoria, and few strangers come to Melbourne without paying it a visit, and the liberality of the club is such that the Flemington course, and the improvements thereon, are spoken of with admiration over the greater portion of the world.