162 RACEHORSES IN AUSTRALIA 



Young Junius and a horse owned by a Mr. Sikes. Young Junius took the 

 prize. 



On September 14 Mr. Deely secured Steeltrap for £250, with the 

 proviso that the horse should be allowed to cover, free of cost, twenty-five 

 mares the property of his late owner. Steeltrap was a chestnut horse, 

 imported by Mr. Aspinall in 1823. He was by Scud from Prophetess, by 

 Sorcerer. 



During the month of October, 1829, at a show held at Parramatta, 

 Sir John Jamieson's Bennelong, a son of imported Steeltrap, was awarded 

 first prize, and at Parramatta races Australian won the Promoter's Purse and 

 the Handicap Sweepstakes. Scratch, who came down from the Hawkesbury 

 district, won the Australian Youths' Stakes, beating a good field — Highflyer, 

 Bowler, Abdallah, Creeper, Smallhopes and Honeycomb. 



A New Race Club. 



In November, 1827, an event happened which played a most important 

 part in Australian turf history. At a dinner given in honour of Sir Thomas 

 Brisbane some remarks were made by Mr. Wentworth and Dr. Wardell, 

 which were thought to bear a political significance. The result was that 

 Governor Darling considered himself insulted, wthdrew his patronage from 

 the Sydney Turf Club, and subsequently issued arbitrary injunctions to all 

 members of the Civil Service to do likewise on pain of dismissal. Many 

 members had thus to leave the old club, but they were not long idle in 

 setting about forming another. 



However, the split in the camp did not prevent the old club from racing 

 on April 9th and 1 1th, 1828. On the first day, the third Brisbane Cup was 

 won by Mr. Brown's bl. h. Scratch, beating the old chEunpion Junius. There 

 was a great race for the Produce Stakes of £75, for 2-year-olds, the progeny of 

 Steeltrap, Cammerton and Baron. There were four starters, Mr. Lawson's 

 bl. c. Spring Gun, by Steeltrap, winning by a neck from Sir J. Jamieson's 

 b. c. Bennelong, by Cammerton. In a match for £1,000 aside, Abdallah beat 

 Don Giovanni, and Mr. Lawson's 2 -year-old filly Nell Gwynne, by Steeltrap, 

 won the Turf Club Plate of 50 guineas (heats once round). The winning 

 of the race was a great surprise, as she beat such good performers as 

 Australian, Young Hector, Brown George, and Junius. The lastnamed must 

 have been out of form, as he was distanced. On the second day Abdallah 

 won the Members' Purse, also the Sweepstakes, while Australian won the 

 Town Plate and Handicap Sweepstakes. 



The Australian Racing and Jockey Club. 



On April 23, 1828, the new club was established under the name of the 

 Australian Racing and Jockey Club, to which Governor Darling accorded his 

 patronage. At that time it was generally known as the Governor's Club, and 

 was expected to materially injure the old club. However, such was not the 

 case, for during the next few years there were three and four meetings in place 

 of one. 



A Liberal Governor. 



On July 7, 1828, the "Gazette" announced Governor Darling's intention 

 to present a cup annually to the new Jockey Club. The first meeting was 



