RACING IN NEW SOUTH WALES 181 



Aged Stakes, and Tamworth defeated Sir Soloman in the Autumn Metropoli- 

 tan Maiden Plate Stakes. There is no reason to give further details of 

 * racing at Randwick. 



It is stated in the club's annual report of 1 869 that the general improve- 

 ments during the year cost £390/1/6. In buildings and fencing they spent 

 £352/7/9. Members on the roll numbered three hundred and fifteen. The 

 committee reported an increase in entries for coming events. Those for the 

 Sydney Cup numbered fortj'-eight, against forty-one for the previous year, 

 while there were tw^enty-eight in the coming Derby, twenty-seven for the 

 St. Leger, fifteen stallions were put in for the Sires' Produce Stakes, one 

 hundred and thirty-two entries for the Mares' Produce Stakes, and thirty- 

 three for the Champagne Stakes. It is interesting to compare these figures 

 with the entries for similar races run off in 1921. For the Derby of that 

 season there were four hundred and thirty-three nominations, one hundred 

 and eighty-five in the Metropolitan, three hundred and seventy-one in the 

 Sires' Produce Stakes, and three hundred and eighty-four for the St. Leger, 

 while for the Champagne Stakes of 1922 the entry list totalled four hundred 

 and fifty-tv/o. How the members have increased is told by a resolution 

 passed in 1921, when it was decided to limit the number to one thousand 

 five hundred. 



During the last forty years several proprietary race clubs have come 

 into existence. They race at Rosehill, Canterbury Park, Moorefield and 

 Warwick Farm. Racing under the rules and regulations of the Jockey Club 

 they have done well. In addition to these, four other clubs were racing in 

 the metropolitan area in 1921, under what was termed Associated Club Rules 

 — Ascot, Victoria Park, Kensington and Rosebery Clubs. They raced ponies 

 and horses (all heights), and for the above vear paid out in prize-money 

 £106,646. 



Past and Present New South Wales Riders. 



During the past hundred years or so there have been a number of 

 most proficient horsemen. In the early days the riding was' principally done 

 by members of the military forces stationed in the colony. Since then our 

 riders have achieved fame, not only on the Australian race tracks, but also 

 in England, Germany, Austria, Russia, India, China, Japan and the East 

 India Islands. 



Early racing reports are very brief, and rarely is the rider mentioned. 

 However, as the sport increased in popularity, the Press gave details, which 

 mentioned the names of the winning riders. Thus we read Mr. Broughton 

 and Mr. Rouse, two of the early owners, rode their own horses. Among 

 the early professionals were Dunn, Badkin, Hedly, Marsden, Cashman, Ford 

 and John Higgerson. 



The most remarkable of those old-time jockeys was John Higgerson 

 who, in his 95th year, met with fatal injuries through the accidental discharge 

 of a gun. Higgerson commenced riding in races when about seventeen years 

 of age, and in his fifty-fifth year won the Champion Race at Fiemington after 

 a dead heat between Tarragon and Volunteer; time, 5 min. 47 sec. As 

 the principals could not agree to divide, mainly owing to Tarragon's owner, 



