Trentham Trumpet ‘Trentham Racecourse’

The TDHS has regularly been contributing articles to the The Trentham Trumpet in recent years. This story, written by Russell Robinson was published in the Trumpet in November 2021.

If you would like to look at other previously published Trumpet Newsletters, they are available via their archive https://www.thetrenthamtrumpet.com.au/archives

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They’re Racing….

Written by Russell Robinson

SPRING is well and truly with us and it's this time of the year when our attention is traditionally drawn to thoroughbred racing, notably the Melbourne Cup.

Spring racing in Victoria has a rich tradition, and so has Trentham, which might surprise some of you.

It was a little over 140 years ago that the Trentham Racecourse was gazetted as a recreation reserve, just off the Trentham-Blackwood road.

That was in 1880, and within nine years a grandstand was constructed, which was quickly followed with a saddling paddock.

It was a bone fide racecourse; run by a Committee of Management comprising Trentham's leading citizens; and controlled by stewards who would meet at Barry's Commercal Hotel where winning stakes were distributed and protests and penalties adjudicated.

Race days attracted crowds in the thousands and were given wide coverage in the local media, in particular the December 30, 1880 edition of the Kyneton Guardian, whose correspondent gave the course opening a qualified thumbs-up.

Describing the event as "fairly successful", the scribe dryly reflected: "There was no rowdyism or fighting and the spectators seemed to enjoy the sport."

However, his general assesment of the track was, at best, lukewarm: "The course was fully half a mile from the railway station and was reached by a tortuous path through the bush.

"A stranger would probably have lost his way, but for the notices upon the trees here and there, and many were marked with an axe, so there was little danger of going astray."

In his summary of the day's racing, the correspondent paid his tribute with: "...this was a most enjoyable day's sport and many will not forget the little racecourse in the woods".

Trentham Racecourse, of course, was no different to any sporting activity where betting on humans and animals is involved - it attracted its fair share of colourful characters.

At the 1888 Boxing Day meeting, stewards looked into a local horse called Beadsman who had snuck around one hurdle at the back of the course. Beadsman's owner was promptly sanctioned and the race awarded to the second placegetter.

The case against Beadsman's jockey, B. Enders, for "foul riding" was held over.

Enders had told stewards the reason he didn't take the hurdle and finish the brace was because - he wanted to keep his mount fresh for the next race.

One of the popular events was The Hack Race - for horses yet to win a race., These days they call it a Maiden.

On Boxing Day 1991, a handy runner called, of all things, No Name, was nominated for both the Trial Stakes and the Hack Race.

No Name took out the Trial Stakes and then promptly lined up in the Hack Race, which he also won.

A protest was launched by the owner of the second place-getter and after vigorous argument, stewards later decided both owners would split the prizemoney.

At the 1896 Easter Monday meeting, Butcher Boy with Master Barry on board, took the Handicap Hurdle Race in a canter.

Leading from start to finish, it was pretty easy for Master Barry because out of the six nominated starters, only Butcher Boy turned up.

Ina Bertrand in her great book, Trentham's Sporting History, writes of how the horse racing sadly ended in 1907. The Racing Club was subsequently disbanded leaving the buildings to fall into disrepair.

They were later dismantled and removed with the site gradually being reclaimed by the bush.

All that remains today is a wide path through the gum trees, and halfway around the track is a a bench with a commemorative sign celebrating the rich history of the Trentham Racecourse.