The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)(about) |
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Friday 24 March 1865
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I SPORTING NOTES.
INTERCOLONIAL RACES.
Whatever difficulties and delays may wait upon the institution of an Australian fede- ration for graver purposes, thero appears to be little doubt that the times aro coming near when there will be a thorough con- federation of the sportsmen of the va- rious colonies in these parts for the purpose of making and maintaining good racing. Public attention is attracted to the interest shown in the turf proceedings of each colony, almost as if these took placo at the home of each denizen of theso flourishing dependencies of the dear old mother country. Sporting events which command notice in the locality where they tako place, aro watched with caro by their neighbours all around. Tho intercolonial matches and champion races have done much- towards bringing about this result. Since tho first of tbeso, tho ideas of turfites in all the Aus _ tralian colonies havo grown more and moro
like each other. For examplo, a few years since, on one of these occasions, a sort of colonial congress was held for tho pur- pose of arranging the dato in each year from which horses' ogejhould bo calculated ; and at this gathering, attended by persons delegated to represent their respectivo colo- nies, it was unanimously resolved to adopt the Ißt of August, the Victorian horse birth- day, as that of all tho Australian thorough- breds. So, as if in return, Victoria has re- arranged her fcalo of »eights for age, so as to touch more closely tho standard in uso in the other colonies. For somo years after Separation Day, New South Wales regarded the turf of Victoria as affording no lie-Id for racing competition for her best horses; but BiibEcquently our Fleming- ton, Geelong, and Ballarat cou i sea have been thought woithy of tho attention of the boldest sportsmen and the primo favourites of tho
Sydnoy division. Perhaps tho one-sided aud on our part-ill-advised match botweon Veno and Alice Hawthorn, in 1867, had something to do with opening up new turf relations bo twee-n tho two colonies; and New South Waiee was well pleased to reap all the profit to be gained from Victorian rashness. Tho sub- sequent fortunate careorof Zoo, Archcr.Talloy íarid.and others, probablystrengthoned tho be- lief that if only as contributors to the expenses of training the best horses of Now South Wales, this golden colony waa valuable as a neighbour, and just woith recognising aa a sporting acquaintauce. Adelaide, Tasmania, and, by and by, Now Zealand, carno Into the field to our intercolonial tournaments, con- testing the palm of superiority with mora or less success. All this time also, tho colonies generally wero exchanging " horsey " visits of courte By, and sometimes of profit. Just as Sydney sent . us Veno, Samson, Zoe, Marintr, Gratis, Jessica, Archer, Talley- rand, and Exeter, Melbourne despatched Flying Buck, Roso of Denmark, and others of less fame, to fail in supporting the credit of the Victorian turf on tho Rand- wick ground. And as Tasmania sent Camel, Sir Hercules, Quickstep, and Swordsman, to bo beaten in our Champion Race, before Poot carno hero to provohimself ubetturthrcc-inilos horse than any of our own, bo Victoria sent Fljing Doe to be defeated in tho island, where ako Mormon alternately won and lost a Champion Raco. Tho history of theso in- tercolonial contests will show how moro and moro closely tho interests of tho breeders of tho best horses were aud aro coming together year by year. One striking instance of this is to be found in the removal of Mr. Hurtlo Fisher'B Btud from South Australia to Vic-
toria, while at tho same time some represen-
tatives of old Fisherman's stock were loft behind to keep up the character of the pa- rent stable. Mr. Tait hoped to seo the first
foal of his famouB maro Zoo own a Vic-
torian horse for his sire, aud Foot, tho prido of Tasmania, comes from Boiardo, ownod in this colony. An enormous price would hava been given to retain Archer hore, hut Mr. Do Mestre's peremptory reply to all offors amounted toanabsolutorefusal to partwith tho horse. Victoria laBt year sent horses to South Australia, who ran first and second (Falcon and Roebuck) for tho Adelaido Cup, and this year tbo same ambitious Caulfield stablo send two others, Falcon and Lancer, to im provo upon the first experiment. Tho Rose of Denmark, also, withMusidoroand Ebor, went the same journey in 1864 with less profit, but a Victorian filly (Chrysolite) carried off tho three-year-old prize. The Barbor, after es- caping tho dangers of the shipwreck of tho Admella, ran in our Champion Raco of 1859, and afterwards won some races in Victoria ; in addition to which, wo may recollect that we have acquired many of our best steeple- chasers from that whimsically-na mod colony, which, although it includes tho northern- most patt, does not Ho south of all tho other districts of tho island. Westorn Aus- tralia bas also taken part in theso turf trials of strength, that strangely representativo animal Ben Bolt having been sont to a Tas- manian champion race, and ho has remained in that country ever since. It waa probably not expected that in last year's Adolaido Cup, tho chief raco of tho principal meeting thero, of twolvo hoises that Btarled seven would hall from Victoria:-Falcon, Roebuck, Musidora, Ebor, Bankor, Chrysolite, and Lantorn ; but, in fact, Adelaido and Melbourne aro co far becoming neighbourly in racing mattera that practically the South Aus- tralian city is now moro likoly to bo represented on Holbourne courso than either Beechworth or tho Portland aud. Belfast country. This year, also, Now South Wales sends \ Tarragon, the great horso Of that country, OYcr to beat both Adolaido and Melbourne. There wero ori- ginally twenty-ono entries for this raco to bo run neoct month-of whtoh seven were from Victoiia, including two two-ycar olels, Keroseno and Lady Heron, who will bo mot by two Adelaido young ones by Old Fisherman, Young Fisherman and Miss Fisher. Six of tho Victorian nominations aro yet left in, and theso include tho winner of last year's cup and others of Victoria's boat. The South Australian Jockey Club Handicap, of tho samo meeting, has also attracted tliu notice of three horses trained hero-Falcon, Lancer, and The Sign ; a raco in which the formidable Tarragon Iras also submitted him- self to tho handicoppors' eatimato of his capabilities. Tho champion event of next New Yonr'a Doy on the Melbourno course will doubtless eclipso the glories of past years ; thora will bo, in all probability, n largo entry of horses from oil the Australian colonioB. At present, the honours havo boen pretty equally divided between tho principal winners. Victoria won four times-with Fljing Buck, in Melbourne, in 1859; with Mormon, in Tasmania, in 1801 ; with Bar- won, at Ballarat, in 1803; and with Mormon, at Wagga Wagga, in 1804. Now South Wales haB won three times-with Zoo, at Sydnoy. in 1800; and in Queensland, in 1801; thirdly, with Talleyrand, at Geelong. New Zea- land has won twice-with Ladybird, on her dwn ground, on the first occasion, defeating our Mormon, who was not oxpected to bo beaten. Lastly, Tasmania has won the fastett raco of all these, with Panic, who is now in great force for tho coming event of 18G0. There has been no disputo, quibblo, or difference between any of the colonies hitherto engaged in theso contests ; and it has been universally conceded that tho best horso (fittest on tho day) has been tho winuor. It would bo somewhat remaikable if, mooting pleasantly on tho neutral ground of sport, the Australian colonies woro thereby here- after to meet in an equally friendly spirit to deal with moro important questions,
THE JOCKEY CLUB HANDICAP AT
ADELAIDE.
Tho following weights, as agreed to by the stewards, wera posted on Monday even- ing :
Mr. II. Fisher's br o Sign, 3 yrs, 7st. 21b.
Mr. V. Dovvling's o g Falcon, ngod, lOst. lib. Mr. 1'. Dovvling's Lancer, 3 j ra, 8st.
Mr. J. linker's b ni Lovlly. 6 yrs, 7st. 121b.
Mr. W. CIcriml'B br f Czarina, 3 yrs, 7st. 21b.
Mr. 11. II. llugbos's br in Modoaty, aged, 8st, 21b. Mr. L. Barnard's br g Fidget, 1 yrs, 7nt. 41b.
Mr. K. M. Hngot's o g Littio John, ngod, 8ät. 101b. Mr. It. Holland's b li Tarragon, 0 yrs, KM. 71b.
Mr. II. Holland's g li Quicksilver, 6 yrs, 8st. lib. Mr. J. Frost's r g Little Dan, »god, Sst. 2lb.
Mr. O. Adcock's br g Telegraph, 4 yrs, Sst. 21b. Mr. O. Adcock's br f Miss Flsbor, 2 yrs, «st.
Mr. J. Harvey's b g Kgrciuont, . yrs, 8st. 21b.