It will thus be seen that this three-year-old was asked to give The Grafter, a horse capable of winning a City and Suburban, no less than thirty-nine pounds, calculated on the weight-for-age basis, and Gaulus forty pounds. It was no less than astounding.

A New Zealand colt, Noctuiform, perhaps almost as good a colt in his three-year-old days as Aurum, also travelled to the Old Country, but went all to pieces, and was a complete failure. That was the fortune of war, but the Dominion avenged herself when Mr. S. H. Gollan took a steeplechaser, Moifaa, across the wide seas to Liverpool, and put down all England, aye, and Ireland, too, over that unique and difficult course. Yes, I assure you we can breed the best in the world here, if we would but take the greatest pains. That is where we fail, and fail badly. English stud management can give us a couple of stone and a handsome beating.

We often hear men arguing on the subject of “Which was the best horse ever bred in Australasia?”

The subject is an interesting, if a somewhat profitless one for discussion. It is impossible to decide the point, for the horses of old had perforce to contend with conditions which their more pampered brethren of to-day are never called upon to meet. But I should say that the champion laurels hover between the brows of Carbine and The Barb. The time occupied by each in running the Cup, two miles, can scarcely be compared. The old-timer won, as a three-year-old, carrying six stone eleven, in three minutes and forty-three seconds. Carbine, a five-year-old, with ten five up, finished in three minutes twenty-eight and a quarter seconds. The pace in The Barb’s year was probably not fully on until approaching the Abattoirs, when the winner and Exile came away from the field and, locked together, they fought out every inch of the last hundred yards. In Carbine’s year they hopped off with a full head of steam on, and the last five furlongs were covered at the tremendous speed of one minute and two seconds. But the going in The Barb’s race, no doubt, could not be compared with what it is in our day, although we must remember that, after all, there was only an interval of twenty-four years between the two eras. It will be interesting to briefly run over the careers of the rivals.

As a two-year-old The Barb only competed twice. In April Fishhook and Budelight, two Fisherman colts belonging to Mr. H. Fisher, beat him in The Australian Jockey Club’s Two Years’ Stakes. The Barb ran green. A week afterwards Fishhook attempted to give the black colt a stone, at six furlongs, in The Nursery, but was beaten easily by two lengths.

Then followed the Australian Derby in September. The Barb won with the greatest ease by two lengths, Bylong, a chestnut Sir Hercules colt belonging to Mr. John Lee, running second, and Fishhook third. On September sixth, The Barb, still entitled to run in “A Maiden at entry” event, was beaten by a Pitsford horse, Bulgimbar, in the Spring Metropolitan Maiden Stakes, after a fine race, by half a length. Truly the ways of our ancestors were not our ways. Next day at weight-for-age, but carrying his seven-pound Derby penalty, he smothered Fishhook very easily by three lengths at a mile, run in 1.50. Dead slow! Then came the great Melbourne Cup on November 1st, 1886. The Barb won by a short head. Time, 3.43. All-Aged Stakes. One mile. Special weights. Sour Grapes (Mr. C. B. Fisher’s) br. f., 2 years, first. The Barb second. The latter was left at the post. Won by 2 lengths. Time, 1.50.

Twelfth Champion Race. 1,000 sovereigns. Weight-for-age. Three miles. The Barb first, Mr. Tait’s Volunteer second. Cowra, Sea Gull and Fishhook also ran, but Fishhook bolted. Won very easily. Time, 5 min. 38 sec. “Quickest on record in Australia.”

The Homebush Maiden Plate. One mile and a half. For Maidens at time of entry. (The race was run on April 22nd, and so The Barb’s claim to maidenhood would not hold good to-day.) Mr. E. Lee’s Phoebe was the only other starter. “Won in a trot. Time, 3 min. 9¾ sec. The Barb ran in his shoes.”

The Australian St. Leger. At Randwick, May 4th.

Mr. C. B. Fisher’s Fishhook1
Mr. T. Ivory’s Blair Athol2
Mr. J. Lee’s Bylong3