The Melbourne Meeting
Commenced on the 24th March, and wonderful expectations were entertained as to what Petrel would do. For some weeks previous it was reported that the V.D.L. champion, Paganini, was coming over from Hobart Town to show his tail to every horse in Port Phillip ; but this all ended in smoke. Another Vandiemonian favourite, Paul Jones, was put forward with much consequence, and the loud and excited crowing of the partisans of the two horses was amusing. Each was heavily backed, and a big pot of money, for the time, changed pockets. T O W N PLATE.—Heats; 2 miles and a distance. 50 sovs. added to 7 sovs. entrance. Weight for age: 3 yrs., 8 st.; 4 yrs., 8 st. 10 lb.; 5 yrs., 9 st. 4 lb.; 6 yrs. and aged, 9 st. 10 lb. C. Campbell's ch g Petrel, 4 yrs. ...211 1 Quinan's bk m Maid of the Moat, 4 yrs. 3 Carpenter's b h Paul Jones, 4 yrs. ... 1 2 2 Cowell's b h Quicksilver, aged
...
... Broke down.
Petrel, on stripping, seemed in good condition, though perhaps a little high, whilst Paul had evidently the better training, and was in almost perfect racing order. In thefirstheat Petrel was ridden by a bush jock named Muff, and from the manner in which he spoiled his horse's chance he did not belie his name. Paul Jones was splendidly piloted by one Tom Cooke, and after a good start Paul and Petrel ran some distance nose and nose, after which Paul succeeded in obtaining a short lead, and kept it by little more than a length until the run home, when Petrel made a spirited neck and neck race in, and Paul won by a head. " The Muff" unmercifully flogged his animal. Time, 4 min. 11 sec. The result nearly sent the Van Diemonian portion of the attendance wild with joy. They ranted and roared, and jumped and swore, and one fellow in his delirium made for the river, in which he leaped, and was with some difficulty saved from drowning. In the second heat "The Muff" was cashiered, and his seat on Petrel transferred to a pig-skinner known as " Sandy, the Butcher." Only the two horses came to the post, and during the 55 minutes that intervened since thefirstheat, the excitement and expectation that prevailed was up to white heat The Port Phillipians were confident that Petrel would yet recover his lost laurels, and the Van Diemonians never questioned the possibility of Paul Jones adding to the honours he had taken. Still amongst the aspirations cherished in the minds of both parties, there was the acid of uncertainty. After a capital start was effected, Paul Jones shot ahead and kept the lead for nearly half-way, when Petrel freed from the incubus of " The Muff" handicap, and well-handled, went up passed the other, never lost ground, and amidst vociferous acclamation was landed a winner by four lengths. The Van Diemonians were now beside themselves, but with feelings of a different kind, and the betting, which between the heats was 10 to 3 on Paul, now veered round to 5 to 1 on Petrel. In the third heat Paul Jones again led, but was speedily overhauled, and afterwards made no show. Petrel won easily by several lengths, hard held. For the M A I D E N P L A T E five started, and there was a spirited neck and neek race between Rowan's Juliet and Collier's Figaro. These were both two-year-olds, and Juliet won by half-a-length. The distance was one mile, and it was done in what was considered good time, viz., 1 min. 56 sec. T H E PUBLICANS' P U R S E was won by Collins' Smolensko. The course was in good condition and well kept, the weather was agreeable, the people orderly, and it was pronounced to be the best day's racing enjoyed in Port Phillip. On the Second Day the LADIES' P U R S E was carried off by Petrel, beating Smolensko and four more. Petrel led, and had it all his own way except for one short critical moment when the Smolensko-ites had reason to hope, but that was all. The P O R T PHILLIP STAKES were won by Austin's Bunyip, for whom greater triumphs were in store, and Kirk's Rough Robin was the conquering pony. The Third Day was darkened by clouds of dust, and the sport much eclipsed in consequence, and the occasion was rendered notorious by acts of rascality, rarely, if ever, paralleled on the Melbourne Course. A H U R D L E R A C E was run, and won by Borradaile's Wild Harry. Several horses
