Talk:The Barb

Racing record of the Barb

Below find the racing record of The Barb (AUS) 1863. All results, bar the first race, may be found in digitised copies of the Australasian Turf Registers which can be found at https://collection.racingmuseum.com.au/highlights/turf-reg/objects. There are a few points of note. Re The Barb's first start where he finished 4th-6: According to Douglas M Barrie (The Australian Bloodhorse, 1956, at p348) The Barb unseated his rider (perhaps before the start) at his first start at Homebush, Sydney, NSW and this appearance is not usually counted among his 23 career starts which is not correct. In a summary of his racing career, the Sydney Morning Herald of 3 May 1869 p5 records that he finished behind Blondin in the Homebush Trial Stakes on Easter Monday 1866. The actual race report (Sydney Morning Herald 3 April 1866 p5) indicates that Tait's colt (then unnamed) was placed 4th of 6 when the race was restarted. Hence he is recorded as finishing 4th-6 at his first start in the racing record below. Douglas M Barrie ((The Australian Bloodhorse, 1956, at p349) states that The Barb was beaten by Fireworks in Randwick Handicap of 2 May 1868. However the Sydney Morning Herald of 3 May 1869 (p5) does not record The Barb contesting the 1868 Randwick Handicap. The 1868 Australasian Turf Register records that he was withdrawn from the race (p91). On 2 May 1868 The Barb was disqualified from first place in the Queen's Plate as the jockey weighed in 2 pounds light. In the Randwick Plate of 12 Sept 1868 Mr Tait owned both competitors and declared The Bard to win. Both horses cantered around the 3 mile race distance in an unoffical time of 10 minutes. The horses wikipedia page states "The Barb is also listed in the Millers Guide as running 2nd in The Shorts at Randwick in 1875." The 1875 Australasian Turf Register descobes the horse as: "Mr. J. Tate’s bl h The Barb, 4 yrs" so is not the same horse. The index to that 1875 publication also has another horse called "The Barb" racing that year however further investigation of results indicated is was a typo and was correctly named "The Bard". 203.221.62.110 (talk) 09:30, 8 October 2023 (UTC)