The Chronicles of a Gay GordonGordon, J. M. (Joseph Maria)
History
The Chronicles of a Gay Gordon
Gordon, J. M. (Joseph Maria)
Generals -- England -- Biography; Gordon, J. M. (Joseph Maria), 1856-1929
What a crowd of real good sportsmen lived in Adelaide in those days!
Perhaps the oldest and most respected of the professional sports was Mr.
Filgate. Then there was Seth Ferry, who had ridden many a hard race in
his life; Saville, as clever with his pencil as he was as a
trainer--brother-in-law, I think, of Leslie Macdonald, who afterwards
managed Wilson's stud at St. Albans, Victoria, and on Wilson's death
became an owner himself, and a successful one, too. Revenue won the
Melbourne Cup for him, and several other good horses have in late years
carried his colours to the front in first-class races. Leslie Macdonald
is still a very well-preserved man, a first-class sport, and a good
companion. Tom Power was another good trainer, and Johnny Hill, who
trained Auraria, the Melbourne Cup winner. The pride of place amongst
breeders was then taken by Sir Thomas Elder. The stud farm at
Morphetville left nothing to be desired. The renowned chestnut, Gang
Forward, and a big-boned bay horse named Neckesgat were the lords of the
harem. Some twenty brood mares, descendants of the best strains of
thoroughbred stock, had been brought together, and many a good horse
which played about as a foal at Morphetville's beautiful paddocks
afterwards won classical races.
Sir Thomas Elder was at this time fairly on the wrong side of fifty. He
was a bachelor. He and his brother-in-law, Mr. Barr Smith, were the heads
of that well-known firm, Elder, Smith and Co., which was interested in
many important concerns, and, _inter alia_, represented the P. & O. S. N.
Co., mail contractors to Australia. This company's ships called in at
Adelaide once a week, the incoming and outgoing mail in turn. Sir Thomas
usually invited the captain to his house during the steamer's stay in the
roadstead.
They used to tell of him that though he took the greatest pleasure in the
Morphetville stud, he knew but little about horses. Sir Thomas delighted
in taking his guests through the paddocks, his manager close beside him.
"Now there," Sir Thomas would say, "isn't that a fine horse? Now, Mr.
Ellworthy, just tell us all about him." It was generally a her. But when
he came to White Arab stallion Mr. Ellworthy's services were not
required. Sir Thomas's partner, Mr. Robert Barr Smith, might well be
named the Grand Old Man of South Australia. He died at a very ripe old
age--a charming personality, a shrewd man of business, a most generous
citizen whose gifts were munificent, and equalled only by those of his
brother-in-law, Sir Thomas. Mr. Barr Smith's principal home, Torrens
Park, some six miles from Adelaide, situated at the foot of the hills,
was always open house to his friends. I can never forget the many happy
days I spent there, and who, of the many who were privileged to be their
friends, can ever forget the charming personality, the sweet ways, and
the generous nature of Mrs. Barr Smith?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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