mare worth .£20. Petrel was then carefully looked after, put in condition, and hisfirstrace was on the 20th February, 1845, at the Pyrenees, where he w o n the three-year-old stakes. T h e same year for the G E E L O N G T O W N P L A T E , one-and-half-miles, he was beaten by Sweetmeat. O n e writer declares Petrel to have been foaled between the ioth and 15th October, 1841, by a Steeltrap mare from either Operator or Theorem. Petrel was raffled on the evening of the 30th March, 1846, at the Royal Hotel, in Collins Street, when there were 40 members at ,£5 each, and the prize was drawn by Mr. J. C. Riddell, who in a few days after, had the horse put up to auction at Kirk's Bazaar in Bourke Street, when he was knocked down to Mr. Borradaile for 150 guineas. Subsequently he was despatched to Sydney to sweep the turf before him, but he was beaten by a celebrated N e w South Welsh horse—Jorrocks, and also by Blue Bonnet. T h e Sydney-ites went into raptures at the blowing being soon taken out of the Port Phillipians; but it could not be denied that Petrel had suffered m u c h during a whole week's rough passage between Melbourne and Sydney, and that he was run too soon after his arrival. More will be heard subsequently of Petrel's successes and reverses—for he experienced both. Suffice it here to state that after figuring in the race field until he was 14 years old, his then owner (Mr. James Austin) turned him loose, to live on grass for the rest of his life, and he so existed until he passed the quarter of a century. PETREL AND "THE POLKA."
Of all the unexpected events that could arise from the sudden appearance of a racing star in the sporting firmament, the most singular is that of Petrel being the medium through which the popular Polish dance of the "polka" should be first publicly introduced to the Terpsichorean votaries of Port Phillip. Yet so it was. T h e new owner of the horse (Mr. Riddell) took it into his head tofinishup the race week of 1846 by giving, on the evening of the 31st March, a grand Petrel Ball in the Royal Hotel. It is recorded of it that 100 ladies and gentlemen participated in the festivities, that the " polka " was there " half-stepped" for thefirsttime on Melbourne boards; and " at the end of the room were suspended over thefireplace,the saddle, bridle, spurs, whip, and colours used in Petrel's turf performances." 1847. The meeting of this year was remarkable as the first time when race-goers in any number patronised what was then known as Picnic Hill. The Hill was so far away from the winning-post that, as a rule, sight-seers did not care much about it, but it was now slowly growing into favour. The 6th April was the appointed first day, and there was a good deal of interest shown in the meeting in consequence of the appearance of not only Petrel and Paul Jones, but of Bunyip, a horse of much promise, and Emerald, who had gathered some green bays in N e w South Wales. T O W N P L A T E , 100 sovs., with 7 sovs. entrance. Weight for age, viz., 3 yrs., 8 st.; 4 yrs., 8 st. 10 lb. ; 5 yrs., 9 st. 5 lb. ; 6 yrs. and aged, 9 st. 10 lb. Heats, 2 miles and distance. Austin's br g Bunyip, 4 yrs 11 Wright's b h Paul Jones 43 Handford's b h Conrad, 4 yrs 2 2 M . Gill's ch g Petrel, 5 yrs
Chamber's c g Emerald
...
54
3 dis-
FIRST H E A T . Petrel and Bunyip went together from the post, when the latter soon led, and so continued to the end an easy winner. During portion of the race Emerald and Petrel were side by side, when there was a jostle, and Petrel's rider (Sandy " the Butcher") struck the other jock with his whip, and so caused Emerald to swerve outside a post. This had the effect of disqualifying Petrel's rider. Paul Jones behaved so indifferently as never to have had the ghost of a chance. In the second heat Paul led, but soon retired from the front, which was taken and kept by Bunyip. T i m e — 1st heat, 4 min. 14 sec; 2nd, 4 min. 15 sec. T h e year before Petrel's time was 4 min. n sec.
