GREAT AUSTRALIAN HORSES 33 



As a two-year-old The Barb only competed twice. In April Fishhook 

 and Budelight, two Fisherman colts belonging to Mr. H. Fisher, beat him in 

 The Australian Jockey Club's Two Years' Stakes. The Barb ran green. A 

 week afterwards Fishhook attepipted to give the black colt a stone, at six 

 furlongs, in The Nursery, but was beaten easily by two lengths. 



Then followed the Australian Derby in September. The Barb won with 

 the greatest ease by two lengths, Bylong, a chestnut Sir Hercules colt belonging 

 to Mr. John Lee, running second, and Fishhook third. On September sixth. 

 The Barb, still entitled to run in "A Maiden at entry" event, was beaten by a 

 Pitsford horse, Bulgimbar, in the Spring Metropolitan Maiden Stakes, after 

 a fine race, by half a length. Truly the ways of our ancestors were not our 

 ways. Next day at weight-for-age, but carrying his seven-pound Derby 

 penalty, he smothered Fishhook very easily by three lengths at a mile, run in 

 1.50. Dead slow! Then came the great Melbourne Cup on November 1st, 

 1886. The Barb won by a short head. Time, 3.43. All-Aged Stakes. One 

 mile. Special weights. Sour Grapes (Mr. C. B. Fisher's) br. f., 2 years, first. 

 The Barb second. The latter was left at the post. Won by 2 lengths. 

 Time, 1.50. 



Twelfth Champion Race. 1,000 sovereigns. Weight-for-age. Three 

 miles. The Barb first, Mr. Tait's Volunteer second. Cowra, Sea Gull and 

 Fishhook also ran, but Fishhook bolted. Won very easily. Time, 5 min. 

 38 sec. "Quickest on record in Australia." 



The Homebush Maiden Plate. One mile and a half. For Maidens at 

 time of entry. (The race was run on April 22nd, and so The Barb's claim 

 to maidenhood would not hold good to-day.) Mr. E. Lee's Phoebe was the 

 only other starter. "Won in a trot. Time, 3 min. 95 sec. The Barb ran in 

 his shoes. " 



The Australian St. Leger. At Randwick, May 4th. 

 Mr. C. B. Fisher's Fishhook . . . . . . I 



Mr. T. Ivory's Blair Athol 2 



Mr. J. Lee's Bylong . . . . . . . . 3 



Mr. J. Tait's The Barb, Old England and Sir John also ran. "Fishhook and 

 The Barb went off with the lead, and raced at a tremendous pace for a mile, 

 when The Barb was beaten." What the explanation of this debacle might 

 have been, I cannot say, but I am told by one who lived at that time that 

 Fishhook simply "burst him up." 



During the next season The Barb's career was an uninterrupted triumphal 

 procession. The Metropolitan, the Craven Plate, the Randwick Plate, the 

 Royal Park Stakes at Flemington, the Port Phillip Stakes, the Sydney Cup, 

 and the Queen's Plate at Randwick, all came his way without much effort. 

 The Royal Park Stakes was a walk-over, and in the Randwick Plate he had 

 only Warwick, a stable companion, to canter along with him. But in the other 

 events he beat Tim Whiff ler, Fireworks (not, however, the Fireworks of his 

 three-year-old days), Coquette, Gulnare, Glencoe and Gasworks. He was 

 invincible, and there, at the height of his fortunes, his racing career terminated. 



Now let us sum up Carbine as quickly as possible. As a two-year-old he 

 appeared on the course five times, and on each occasion won his race against 

 the best that New Zealand could produce of the same age, and in the 

 Challenge Stakes he also beat Russley, a six-year-old, and Silvermark, a three- 

 year-old. 



After arriving in Australia, he was beaten — the most palpable fluke — 

 in the Derby at Flemington by Mr. White's Ensign. Hales on Ensign won the 



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