RACING m THE FORTIES,

Otago Witness, Issue 2412, 24 May 1900, Page 38

RACING m THE FORTIES,

the opening of the new giandstand on the Newcastle (N.S.W.) racecourse, Mr C. H. Hannell, the president of tha club, in the course of an interesting address, reviewed the progr-ess the "sport of kings" had made in the Newcastle district for the past 50 years*. According to Sydney Referee he said he well remembered when the 'Newcastle races were held on the old Broadmeadow track in the forties, and along the old Lake Macquarie road in later years. At that time a horde called Chance was the crack of the district, and in his principal races he was ridden by James Priest and James Rancland, who were the leading jockey? iv those days. Scores of race-; wers run on the old clay road at Tighe's Hill, and on the old couir-e near Mr Merewether's residence he bad Leen as many as , 18 horfcs start in a maiden plate, included in the number being the beautiful more Lunelle, trained by the late Mr Isaac Gorrick, of West Maitlaud, and ridden by Nat Scott. Conrad, Rajah, and Little Dick also took port in the laces held on this course. AY. the events were run in heats at weigh! -for-a£Vj. , and as many as three heats had to be ran_ before the prize was received. He contrasted the cla^s of hor^e then running v. ith the more aristocrsticallybred nags of 10-day,- and asked how many of the latter would be found saddling up after they had runjieats of from one and a-half to two miles. The regulations in those days were also ver3>- siring cut, as in the case of a horse failing; to finish inside the distance chain ho was promptly disqualified. Van Tromp, a Melbourne horse, also figured on this course, as also did The Spy, one of the fa&test mares the colony ever saw. Vanguard, Pasha, and Sappho always performed brilliantly, the two latter being tho property of the late Mr Ward. Rajah, the property of Dr R. S. S. Bowker, was oi^e of the champions of the day, and the horse Charlie, trained on the bush track at Stockton, frequently put up some brilliant performances. The beautiful mare Cassandra and the handsome-looking Zoe and her stable-mats Zingara, the property of the late Judge Cheoke, were also seen, to advantage in Newcastle, the two latter being trained by Mr Chaife, one of the veterans who was now in charge of the Messrs Brown's horsas at Motto Farm. Mr Gorrick had Talleyrand and several other cracks under his care at Maitlaud. and Mr Otlo Baldwin raced with considerable success, both at Maitland and at Newcastle. He well remeinbeivd the races run by the famous Joirock^ (ridden by the late Mr John. Arkins) and the mare Cassandra, and the match between Vanguaid and Lunelle on the Uomebii-'h course in 1855. Numerous other horses were referred to in the course c-f Mr Hannell's address, svpecial reference being made to Zoe and Zingara, who were the first to introduce the Six .iEercules blood into the northern districts.