178 RACEHORSES IN AUSTRALIA 



Australian Jockey Club History. 



The Champion Race. Death of Strop. The Tally-Ho Stakes. 



St. Leger and Derby Stakes. 



The year 1 860 was notable from the fact that the second race for 

 what was termed the Australian, New Zealand and Tasmanian Champion 

 Sweepstakes was run off at Randwick. It took place on Saturday, September 

 1st, when about 10,000 people, including the Governor and the Premier (Mr. 

 John Robertson), Colonial Treasurer (Mr. Meekes), Minister for Works (Mr. 

 Arnold) and Mr. M'Quade (starter) were present. 



The conditions of the leading event on the card read: — Second Austra- 

 lian Champion Stakes, of a sweepstakes of 100 sovereigns each, h. ft., with 

 500 sovereigns added; second horse 200 sovereigns if three horses start, or 

 save his stake only if two start; third 100 sovereigns; 3 miles, N.S.W., w.f.a. 

 The following were placed: — 



Mr. J. Tait's ch m Zoe, by Sir Hercules — Flora M'lvor, aged, 



9st. 31b. (J. Ashworth) 1 



Mr. G. Dupas' b g Wildrake, by Sir Hercules — Woodstock, 5 



years, 9st. lib. (R. Snell) 2 



Mr. J. Higgerson's ch g Veno, by Waverley — Peri, aged, 9st. 



51b. (J. Higgerson) . . . . . . . . . . 3 



Mr. Hargrave's b m Deceptive, by Young Plover — Vanity, 5 



years, 8st. 131b. (Willis) 4 



Other starters were: Gratis (Holmes), Moss Rose (J. Cutts), Strop (J. 

 Carter), Waimea (J. Redwood), Young Morgan (J. Driscoll), The Don 

 (Murphy), Flying Buck (Perkins). 



Betting: 7 to 4 Flying Buck, 5 to 1 Zoe, 6 to 1 each Veno and Strop, 

 8 to I Deceptive, I 00 to 8 Young Morgan, 1 00 to 5 each Moss Rose, Wildrake 

 and The Don. 



The Don led until going up the hill near the six furlongs post 

 the second time, when Zoe took up the running, and remained in front to 

 the finish, winning easily by a length from Wildrake, who beat Veno by two 

 lengths, with Deceptive a length away fourth, followed by Strop, Gratis, The 

 Don, Young Morgan and Waimea, with Flying Buck and Moss Rose last. 

 Time, 5 min. 59 sec. 



This race and others showed that the New Zealand horse. Strop, 

 was by no means in his best form, and when he returned to the paddock 

 the old horse staggered, fell down and died. An investigation showed that 

 the cause of death was congestion of the lungs. He was buried just at the 

 back of the old winning post. 



A notable item in connection w^ith the A.J.C. Spring Meeting of I 860 

 was the winning of the first race by Archer — the Maiden Plate of 1 20 sovereigns 

 — which he won easily from the New Zealand mare lo. On the second day 

 of the meeting was run the first hurdle race, known as the Tally-Ho Stakes, of 

 50 sovereigns, 2 J miles, over nine hurdles three feet six inches. The winner 

 w^as Miss Weller, ridden by Chase. The added money for the year was 

 £2,320. 



There was nothing of a sensational nature connected with the Autumn 

 and Spring Meetings of 1861, when the winners of the St. Leger and Derby 

 Stakes were Mr. John Tait's Alfred, ridden by J. Driscoll, and Kyogle 



