166 RACEHORSES IN AUSTRALIA 



It is reported that the second day was long remembered from the fact 

 that about 40 women who were taken out of the Parramatta factory to cut 

 brooms, bolted from the overseers and made for the racecourse, w^here they 

 were received with loud cheers. One of them was mounted on a horse behind 

 the rider and borne round in triumph. The others were liberally treated to 

 brandy and ginger beer before they were captured. Several men also escaped 

 from the gaol and took a few hours' recreation at the races before they were 

 retaken. 



Steeplechasing. First Liverpool Races. 



Parramatta Races. Important Action at Law. 



On August 25th, 1832, a steeplechase took place over five miles of 



ground between Botany and Coogee, in which the last horse forfeited £5 to 



the winner. The following horses started and finished in the order given : — 



Mr. Williams' ch. h. Thiefcatcher (Capt. Deedes) . . I 



Mr. E. Deas-Thomson's Tam o Shanter (Owner) . . 2 



Mr. Meller's gr. m. Moll (Owner) . . . . . . 3 



Capt. Hunter's b. h. Tom (Owner) . . . . . . 4 



Mr. Bourke's gr. h. (Owner) . . . . . . . . 5 



Mr. Finch's gr. h. Bogtrotter (Owner) . . . . . . 6 



Major Bouverie's gr. h. Ugley (Owner) . . . . — 



They went away at a killing pace. Captain Hunter leading, followed by 

 Mr. Thomson. When crossing the brook in Coogee Baj' a sheet would have 

 covered five of the number, but a steep hill which had to be surmounted 

 settled the pretensions of all excepting Thiefcatcher and Tam o' Shanter. The 

 latter then took the lead and held it for about five hundred yards, when 

 Captain Deedes challenged him with Thiefcatcher and succeeded in winning 

 a beautifully ridden race by a neck, in 18 mins. 30 sees. Mr. Finch took a 

 line of his own, the result of which was most disastrous, as he parted company 

 with Bogtrotter; otherwise it was believed that he would have won. The 

 course was a very severe one, and the plucky riding surpassed^anything ever 

 before witnessed in the Colony. 



On September 1 st another steeplechase betvreen numerous gentlemen 

 took place on a course at Cook's River, and w^as won by Mr. E. Deas- 

 Thomson's Tam o' Shanter. 



A Match and an Action at Law. 



A match for £100 aside was run off on October 4th, 1832, between 

 Mr. Bayley's Velocipede and Mr. Hartley's Blacklock, at Parramatta. The 

 former came in first, but was protested against, and the result was finally 

 settled at Court. This is about the first case in Australia in which a stake- 

 holder was summoned to return the money deposited with him. The case, 

 Hartley v. Shadforth, was tried on March 2 1st. It was an action brought by 

 the plaintiff before the Chief Justice and Messrs. Manning and Lane, 

 Assessors, to recover £100, being stakes deposited in the hands of defendant, 

 who acted as judge and stakeholder in a match run at Parramatta during the 

 previous October between Velocipede, the property of Mr. Lawson, and 

 Blacklock, who was borrowed by plaintiff from his owner. Captain Harper, 

 for the purpose of this match. The assessors found a verdict for defendant. 



