Turf affairs became dull during these four years, but there were several happenings worth chronicling. On May 18th and 20th of 1831, the Turf Club held a meeting, when Sir John Jamieson won the sixth Brisbane Cup with Bennelong. Mr. Smith won Mr. Wentworth’s annual gift of £50 (heats) with Boshey, and also the Town Plate on the second day. The Members’ Purse went to Tomboy, and in a match Mr. E. Deas-Thomson’s Tam o’ Shanter beat Captain Harper’s Getaway. The added money to the meeting was £205.
During August of 1831, the death was announced of the Windsor champion, Scratch, while being exercised.
In the same week Mr. Nash’s stables at Parramatta were destroyed by fire, and the horses Junius and Laurel died from injuries received. For the previous two years Junius had been pensioned off by his sporting owner.
On August 24th, 26th and 27th, a race meeting was held on the beautiful Killarney course near Windsor. The opening event, Publican’s Purse, was won by Mr. Bayley’s Tomboy. There was a field of ten for the Ladies’ Purse, won by Mr. Smith’s Flying Pieman, after four heats. Winners of other races were Chase and Matilda. The Scarvell Cup (heats) was keenly contested and eventually won by Mr. Warby’s Sovereign.
Parramatta Subscription Races were held on October 5th and 7th, 1831, when Tomboy, now a four-year-old, won the opening event, a £50 purse (heats). Mr. Hartley won the Maiden Plate with Shamrock, and Chase beat his only opponent, Brutus, for a £30 purse (heats). The first day’s proceedings closed with a hack race, won by Matilda. On the second day, Bennelong beat Chase in the Town Plate, and Shamrock won a Sweepstakes, defeating Tomboy.
Mr. Wentworth elected President of the Turf Club.
Governor Burke Presents a Cup.
In February of 1832, a meeting of the Turf Club members decided to hold the spring race meeting at Parramatta. Mr. Wentworth was elected President of the Club, and Governor Sir Richard Burke eventually consented to assist the Club, and presented a cup for competition. The meeting took place on April 11th and 13th—probably the best meeting yet held.
Proceedings opened on the first day with the race for Governor Burke’s Cup for horses of all ages, twice round the course. There were three starters—Bennelong, Shamrock, and Mr. Icely’s three-year-old Chancellor, by Steeltrap from Minto, which won. The Two-year-old Stakes of £30 was won by Mr. Lawson’s Belinda, by Skeleton. The Wentworth Purse (heats, once round, about 1 mile 1 furlong) was secured by Mr. Bayley’s three-year-old filly Lady Emily, by Manfred. The winner won a heat in 2 minutes 30 seconds—a very fine performance. On the second day the seventh Brisbane Cup was won by Chancellor. Lady Emily took the Members’ Purse, Belinda the Town Plate, and Matilda a handicap.
It is reported that the second day was long remembered from the fact that about 40 women who were taken out of the Parramatta factory to cut brooms, bolted from the overseers and made for the racecourse, where they were received with loud cheers. One of them was mounted on a horse behind the rider and borne round in triumph. The others were liberally treated to brandy and ginger beer before they were captured. Several men also escaped from the gaol and took a few hours’ recreation at the races before they were retaken.