DAN O’BRIEN AND CARBINE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3833, 30 August 1927, Page 60

DAN O’BRIEN AND CARBINE.

SOME OLD-TIME STORIES. ‘Touchstone,” an entertaining writer of racing reminiscences in the lias been devoting some space lately to a few incidents in the career of Carbine and his early owner-tiainer, Dan O’Brien. Carbine was trained for the Derby by his owner, Dan O’Brien, wrote “Touchstone,” but the colt occupied a box in Foulsham’s stable for some time before the race, and was well tried with Malua. There was an exciting episode in connection with this trial. Determined to keep the trial strictly to themselves, O'Brien and Foulshan rose long before daylight one morning, and closed all the gates' on the Caulfield course. But, early as they were, others had arrived before them. Just as Carbine and Malua were about to jump off, O’Brien noticed intruders in the tall heather, which then covered the centre of the course. They were two Sydney visitors, “Bill’’ Dargin and Sam Bradbury. The latter “lay dark on the weather bow,” but Dargin, making no attempt to conceal himself, was roundly abused by O'Brien, who used language more forcible than polite, and then told Dargin that if he did not put his hands up he would “jab his eye out.” DarMn, finding he would either" have to defend himself or be assaulted, took off his coat, and in the merry little mill which followed gave O’Brien quite as much as he received.

Dan O'Brien had a rooted objection to touts—amateur or professional—seeing his horses gallop, but he had no fine scruples about touting other people’s horses himself. In this connection a good story is told of his keenness. At one stage of his eventful career, Dan kept an hotel in New Zealand, the balcony of which overlooked the rapecourse ; I forget where the hotel was exactly situated. There was a horse in training there, in which Dan was particularly interested, and, knowing it was to be tried out for an important event, he kept a close watch on its movements. However, the trainer of this horse was well aware of Dan’s touting proclivities, so he waited patiently until Dan left the hotel one day to go to the citv, and then brought off his trial. But he had reckoned without his host. Before leaving home, Dan had instructed his wife to keep a sharp look-out. He did not for a moment think the horse would gallop during his brief absence in the middle of the day, otherwise he would have left his stop-watch with his wife. From a sequestrated spot on the balcony, Mrs O’Brien saw the horse come on to the track, and there she was without a watch. But she was a resourceful woman. Picking up an hour-glass “egg-boiler,’’ she started the sand running through as the horse jumped away, and stopped the sand as he reached the post. When Dan came home all he had to do was to time the sand as he let it run back, and there he had the correct time for the gallop. Some people seem to entertain the belief that O’Brien was a New Zealander born and bred, but such was not the case. He was born in Lonsdale street, Melbourne. As a small boy he was in a Mr Kelly’s stable, and later entered the employment of Mr Hurtle Fisher, then owner of the famous Maribvrnon Stud. One of the first noticeable riders in the “red and black” Fisher livery—colours he adopted as his own many years afterwards —was on Fishhook in the Ascotvale Stakes at Flemington, but the colt, after winning, was disqualified for having run inside a post. Subsequently Fishhook gave O’Brien two pleasant rides at Randwick, in 1866. winning the Two-year-old Plate and the Champagne Stakes. In those days a condition of the last-named event was that the owner of the winner had to supply the A.J.C. Committee with two dozen of champagne, presumably in order that the toast of his health might be appropriately honoured. After riding many winners for the Fishers, the youthful iockey decided to try his luck in New Zealand, and there, except for a flying visit to Melbourne on business, he remained for many years A recital of his ups and downs and moving accidents by flood and field, would fill a large book. He rode and trained many winners, both on the flat and over hurdles, was a first-class horseman in all kinds of races, including trotting events. He also was a pretty good runner. On one occasion when he and his partner, Harry Prince (the man who subsequently got into trouble at Flemington with Maca), were in Christchurch “stone broke.” O'Brien not being able to borrow any money, rode to a snorts meeting 23 miles off. and won the 150yds flat race and the 150yds hurdle race He also got a ride’ on a hack and finished third in a £l2 race, but got first money through the first and second being disqualified. He was a long way from the Carbine era then, but with tire funds thus acquired he made another start. Buying Sir Tatton from Trice, he soon had a number of useful performers in his team. Tasman proved better than a coal mine to O'Brien, for be won the New Zealand Cup. Wellington Cup, and other good races, numbering 31 in all. Later, he bought the good though unlucky Trenton from Mr G. G Stead, and taking the son of Musket to Melbourne, sold him at a high price to Sir (then Mr) William Cooper, after he had run second in the Melbourne Cup to Sheet Anchor. A shipload of money would have gone across to New Zealand had Trenton reversed the positions. Rubina, Freedom (winner of the Canterbury Cun. Dunedin Cun. Otago Cup. etc.), Dnrikeld, Loyalty. Matatua, Response, Gipsy King and other good horses also were owned in New Zealand by O’Brien. His luck was not so good after he settled down at Randwick though Bob Ray (the meanest looking Derby winner I ever saw), Loyalty, Response, Maranui, Respect and one nr two others won him a few races. He always had a partiality for hotelkeeping, and was. I think, in this business at the time of his death in Syd-

ney, 11 years ago. In New Zealand, at various times, lie was proprietor of hotels at Oamaru, Riccarton, and New Plymouth. He was “running” the Criterion "at New Plymouth about a quarter of a century ago when Dick Mason and 1 called to see him on our way to Auckland for the big Christmas meeting. After a long yarn, Dan introduced me to one of the leading sportsmen of Taranaki, young Russell. "He was “young” then. His father owned Waiuku, a New Zealand Cup winner, that proved a disappointment when sent to England. Mr Russell, jun., very kindly mounted me on the steeplechaser Riot, and took me for a glorious cross-country ride to see the picturesque New Plymouth racecourse, some miles from the town, in hilly country. It was a most enjoyable and exhilarating jaunt. The beautiful recreation reserve, with terraced hill forming a natural grandstand for a gem of a cricket ground, is world famous, while the scene from the racecourse further on, with snow-capped Mount Egmont standing majestically in the background, is never forgotten. The beauty spots of this favoured district are many and varied, and alone are well worth" a journey to New Zealand. I remember Mr Russell assuring me Waiukti was the best horse New Zealand ever saw, a pardonable exaggeration, perhaps, but I am sure he was terribly disappointed when Waiuku failed to make good in England.