Horse racing -- Australia -- History; Race horses -- Australia -- History; Stainforth, Martin, 1866-1957
The race track was 1¼ mile in circumference, with a straight run home of
seventeen chains. The made part of the track was fifty feet wide from
going out of the straight to the last half-mile, where the width was
increased to seventy feet. It was laid down with “doob” (couch) grass,
with a mixture of English grasses and Dutch clover, top-dressed with
bone dust. Posts, five chains apart, marked the race track. A remarkable
feature on the ground was “The Rocks.” They were just fifteen chains
from the winning post, and nearly opposite the present 9 furlongs post.
Further on, at twenty chains from the winning post, stood the starting
post for the mile course. The level between the fifteenth and
twenty-fifth chain was called the Lachlan Flat, and the bend at the
twenty-eighth chain was in honour of the Governor-General, designated
the “Denison Corner.” At the fortieth chain, or half-mile from the
winning post, stood the starting post for the T.Y.C., and for the six
furlongs races. There was a gentle rise called “Constitution Hill.” The
turn at the sixtieth chain post became known as “Champion Corner.”
Beyond the eighty chains came the starting point for the Derby and Oaks,
which was named “Derby Corner.” All those old landmarks have passed
away, with the formation of the present track. The lessees of the
grandstand for the opening meeting were Messrs. J. Poelhman and G. C.
Barkhausen, while the race cards were issued by “Bell’s Life in Sydney”
and printed on the course in a tent. The prices of admission were, if
taken for the three days, a guinea for gentlemen, 10/6 for ladies and
5/- for children.
First Race Meeting at Randwick.
The first meeting at Randwick commenced on May 29th, 1860, with an
attendance of 6,000. The first race was the First Year of the Second
Triennial Stakes, a sweepstakes of 10 sovereigns, with 100 sovereigns
added, 1 mile, won by Mr. I. K. Cleeve’s b. f. Chatteress, by Chatterbox
from Jessie (Henderson); Mr. J. Tait’s b. c. Alfred, by Warwick—Clove,
second. Won easily. Time, 2 min. 10 sec.
The Australian Plate of 130 sovereigns (twice round) was won by Veno,
ridden by Higgerson, beating Strop by two lengths in 5 mins. 11¼ secs.
Planet, ridden by J. Driscott, won the Metropolitan Maiden Plate of 150
sovereigns, and the Squatters’ Purse of 50 sovereigns went to Mr. T.
Ivory’s Flying Doe. Tattersall’s Free Handicap to Mr. W. Towns’
Stranger.
Second day, May 30th, Second Year of First Triennial Stakes Mr. J. T.
Roberts’ Moss Rose, by William Tell; Publicans’ Purse, Mr. W. R.
Blackman’s True Blue; Welter, Mr. T. M’Guire’s Egremont; City Plate, Mr.
J. J. Roberts’ Gratis; Hack Race, Mr. J. Taylor’s Pussy Cat.
Third day, May 31st, Prince of Wales Stakes, Mr. Ivory’s Euroka, and Mr.
A. Loader won the Randwick Plate with The Don, ridden by Higgerson.
Gratis won the A.J.C. Handicap, and Ackbar the Consolation Stakes.
Forced Handicap, Planet. The last three races were run in heavy rain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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