RACING AND BILLIARDS 



parcel sent home to him that evening. Many who 

 read this may in their Hves have felt awful at a shirt 

 shortage or a boot bankruptcy. But I must get back 

 to the old Ship Hotel at Hobart, for other stories 

 which could be told of him appeared in that very 

 stupid book as to how he lost his fortune. 



The Ship was a regular club. One of the most 

 prominent young men was Billy Agnew, son of Dr 

 Agnew, who, while a medical practitioner, made a big 

 fortune out of Mount Bischoff shares. This wonderful 

 producer of tin laid the foundation of the permanent 

 affluence of many others in the island. Billy Agnew 

 had a nice place half way between Hobart and Laun- 

 ceston, and a good stable of horses. His colours were 

 popular and he was usually represented at the various 

 meetings in Tasmania. He was a very sporting- 

 looking chap and would brush his hair forward at the 

 sides just round his ears, which was the doggy-cum- 

 horsey vogue some generations before. He wore low- 

 crowned white felt hats with a broad brim, blue birds- 

 eye ties and check suits ; in fact, his whole appearance 

 suggested sporting prints of the mid- Victorian era. 

 His father, too, was typical of some of the old gentle- 

 men we see in a folio at a print shop. Father and son 

 were two examples of many I have met during travels 

 who liked to maintain tradition. A great friend ot 

 young Agnew was R. G. Talbot. He had an estate 

 called Malahide, named after his relation, the Irish 

 peer, Lord Talbot of Malahide. Talbot also had a 

 few horses and was partner with William Guesdon, 

 an auctioneer, in a real good colt, named Darebin, who 

 won the Melbourne Derby. Darebin was trained by 

 Dakin, who was responsible afterwards for editing the 

 Australian Stud-Book. There was great excitement 

 prior to the big V.R.C. Meeting in 1880, and quite a 



60 



