The final article in the series on Dr GM Slate looks at several interesting stories involving Dr Slate from the early days of Australian trotting.
The Dangers of Driving – Silver Cloud
Dr Slate was driving his mare Silver Cloud in a race at a Sydney Driving Park meeting and having obtained a handy lead with a lap to run a woman emerged from the crowd onto the track and opened an umbrella in the mares face as it went past her. Whilst startled, Silver Cloud regained her gait without losing much ground and retook the lead. More desperate measures followed a lap later when Silver Cloud was assailed by a broken brick thrown at and striking her a hefty blow on the rump. The brick missed the good doctor but predictably Silver Cloud went into a wild gallop. Dr Slate now divided his time between attempting to control his mare back to a trot and hurling some well chosen words over his shoulder at the now rapidly departing assailant
Attempted Race Fixing
The level of malpractice at the Sydney Driving Park led to races being arranged for certain horses to win or interference provided to prevent others from racing on their merits with the stewards turning a blind eye to these activities. The coterie behind these activities (“the clique”) selected one of the horses owned by Dr Slate to win a particular event and backed it accordingly with bookmakers. Dr Slate had two horses in the race, the more fancied candidate driven by William Starr (backed by “the clique“) and Dr Slate the other less fancied candidate. Dr Slate was obviously unaware that his horse driven by Starr was meant to salute the judge first.
The plan almost came to fruition, as gaps seemed to open up for Starr wherever he took his horse. However, the “clique” had not taken into account that Dr Slate was driving a horse of greater ability as was proven in the run to the line where Slate’s horse powered down the outside of the track for a narrow win over his stable mate. An ugly crowd formed around the judge’s box requesting something be done about the result. Many of the crowd had followed the lead of “the clique“ in backing Dr Slate’s other horse driven by Starr. The clique members were also looking for a friendly steward to assist in changing the result of the race in their favour.
With the situation rapidly getting out of control, an indignant Dr Slate handed the reins to an attendant and climbed up onto the judge’s box shouting to be heard. Explaining that the best horse had won, Dr Slate was willing to put up the £500 he had in his pocket for a match race between his two horses. Naturally no one came forward to accept Slate’s wager, the “clique” having no grounds for attempting to have the winner relegated on the pretence of interference, so they and the crowd dispersed. Dr Slate was persuaded not to drive again that day in light of the possible “dangers to his health” from some nasty characters on course or the stewards who may have seen fit to find any excuse to gift the doctor a “holiday”.
Betting Wager
Dr Slate was determined that he would not pay out over a disputed wager, the bookmaker was just as determined the debt would be collected calling upon a friend noted for his pugilistic ability and promising him half the disputed debt once it had been collected from Dr Slate. On visiting Dr Slate’s dental surgery, both men stepped into the hallway where the debt collector adopting a threatening manner, demanded the doctor pay over the offending sum.
The Australian Trotting Record recorded the incident as follows :
“The doc had an argument with a member of Tattersall’s Club over a wager; a burly bookmaker undertook to collect the money on the member’s behalf. Calling at the doc’s dental surgery, he informed Slate that he had come to collect, and would not leave until he got it. “You’ll get it alright” said the little fire-eater and getting in a king-hit knocked him down. He then proceeded to dump him in Macquarie Street.”
That was the end of the disputed wager although Dr Slate was charged with assault and fined £5 at his court appearance, later describing the incident as the “best value he had ever had for £5”.
Valentine/Mystery Match Race
A £1000 match race was scheduled for 21 February 1891 in Melbourne between Mystery (1884f Honesty/Blacksmiths Daughter) and Dr Slate’s American import Valentine (1880g Kentucky Clay/Unknown USA dam). A £100 trophy was offered if the Australian record could be bettered. Unfortunately the match race between these two horses had to be postponed due to Mystery being stung by a stingray while swimming in the bay. When the match race was held Mystery won by a wide margin for Melbourne trainer Frank Robbins.
1892 Bathurst Show and Huon Junior Match Race
Dr Slate was a regular visitor to the three day Bathurst Show, there being no established club in Bathurst in the late nineteenth century. This meeting catered for local trotting enthusiasts and visitors from far and wide with many of the wealthy patrons staying at the Royal Hotel (built 1834, now contains shops, apartments). It was the place to be seen and where many a party went late into the night during the annual Show.
At the 1892 Bathurst Show, one of Huon’s best looking sons Judge Huon (by Huon from Aristola, was a beautifully actioned trotter and a very handsome horse, successful sire in Tasmania) was awarded first prize as champion trotting horse of the show. Dr Slate and friends celebrated this win in the hotels main dining room. Other trotting folk were also in attendance including a number of Slate’s Sydney rivals, owners of the stock of Childe Harold were never slow to wind up the doctor knowing him to be easily upset. No doubt a little worse for wear, they were quick to question how anyone could declare a son of Huon the Show’s champion trotting horse. Naturally these comments were made within the hearing of Dr Slate.
After the comments had been repeated on several occasions, Dr Slate had heard enough whereupon he stood up and walked over to the group and exploded “I would back a son of Huon to beat any horse any of you mugs own or have anything to do with”. This was greeted with laughter as among this group was a Sydney sportsman and well known member of Tattersall’s Club John Samuel, owner of the outstanding mare Hattie S**. When challenged as to whether that would include taking on “my friends mare Hattie S”, Dr Slate countered with “Any horse you care to name”.
** Hattie S (1891 Yarraman by Berlin/Hattie Weir [imported by Dr John Weir], 2:32.0, successful broodmare), owner John Samuel
An agreement was drafted that evening pitting a son of Huon against Hattie S, each side putting up £250 for a winner take all purse. The match race was to take place at Lady Robinson’s Beach, near Sydney, now a busy residential area. Hattie S‘s reputation was such that she was proven as the fastest pacer or trotter in Sydney. Samuel was delighted at having the chance to take the wind out of Dr Slate‘s sails, knowing of no Huon son or daughter capable of beating his mare.
Dr Slate however had no intention of using as his representative a horse known to Samuel’s group. A few years earlier Dr Slate had sold to Dubbo solicitor Charles Fitzgerald who operated Geraldine stud the mare Lucilla with her Huon foal at foot (Huon Junior). Fitzgerald had advised Dr Slate that Huon Junior was developing very nicely into the champion he became, was clocked to run a half mile in 1:06, a time which if maintained against Hattie S would take her supporters by surprise. Dr Slate asked Fitzgerald if he could drive Huon Junior in the coming match race and although Fitzgerald was delighted with Slate’s proposal insisted that he drive the horse himself.
Dr Slate and Fitzgerald were determined to make the most they could out of the match race which had gained considerable standing with Sydney’s sporting community. With Huon Junior being unknown to any Sydney siders, it was unlikely they would risk their money on any horse racing against Hattie S. The plan was for Dr Slate and those that knew of the ability of Huon Junior would stay away from the bookmakers until late in the betting to try to make a market for themselves.
On the day of the match race, many wealthy Tattersall’s Club members were in attendance and despite the short odds offered on Hattie S by bookmakers, considerable sums were invested on her chances. Everything was going to plan when Huon Junior’s owner made his one mistake. In his preliminary with Huon Junior down the back straight, Fitzgerald allowed him to accelerate with a quick burst of speed over two furlongs that would have completely surprised those present.
George Wood, the well-known member of Tattersall’s, and bosom friend of
Hattie S.’s owner, John Samuel took the time. John Samuel just so happened to be one of those watching his unknown challenger. Huon Junior’s sudden burst of speed alerted him that this was no ordinary trotter facing Hattie S and in fact this was a match race he could very well lose. At this point, Samuel returned to the betting ring and commenced backing Huon Junior at the then lucrative odds on offer; unfortunately for Dr Slate and his supporters this was when they were about to “strike” the bookies.
Seeing the owner of the opposing horse backing Huon Junior, many punters immediately did likewise reducing the odds (now prohibitive) Dr Slate and his supporters were able to obtain. Huon Junior was not on his best behaviour at the start, rearing up leading to a broken shaft on his sulky. After a replacement sulky was obtained, the match race commenced with Huon Junior a comfortable winner by a clear margin in two straight heats, Hattie S only being within range of Huon Junior at each start. A delighted Dr Slate collected both the winner take all purse and his reduced winning odds from the bookmakers although one suspects he didn’t bother investing as much as he planned due to the late betting plunge on Huon Junior.
Huon Junior went onto to become a top class trotter, converted to the pace later on in his career, becoming Australia’s first outstanding dual gaited performer and a very successful sire, Huon’s leading son at stud.
Non racing stories involving Dr Slate
Extracted from an obituary located in the “Trove” files of Australian National Library.
It was a fixed belief of Dr Slate that most diseases could be cured either by water or heat. One winter when camped in the Monaro country with Sir Joseph Carruthers, he had an attack of sciatica. He took off his clothes, waded into the Snowy River, neck deep and spent the day there, keeping himself warm by casting his line for trout, which were absent. He caught no fish, but lost his sciatica.
Dr Slate had his own ideas on the subject of diet. Dr George Brown, the missionary and another friend arrived at his home to dinner one night and found their host, who had forgotten having invited them, just sitting down to his favourite repast, a dish of plain boiled wheat and maize cobs. The visitors had no alternative but to join in, and they voted the meal a great success.
That concludes our three part series on the racing life and times of Dr George Martin Slate.
Peter Craig
26 July 2017
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
