Local Racing Legend

By Harley Walden

OWNER, Breeder, Administrator: James White was the most dominant owner of the 1890s – a politician, administrator and breeder whose contribution to Australian racing was enormous.

Born at Scone and educated at the King’s School, White was the son of a rich pastoralist who took over the management of his late father’s estates at the age of 16.

He represented the Upper Hunter Valley district in the Legislative Assembly and in the Legislative Council, but was best known as a pastoralist and racing enthusiast.

White was the first Australian to start a horse, Kirkham, in the English Derby.

Among his great horses were Abercorn, Chester, Martini-Henry and Nordenfelt.

He established the famous Segenhoe Stud (Vinery) in the Hunter Valley, and his horses won many of the nations biggest races including two Melbourne Cups, six Victorian Derby’s and five AJC Derby’s.

White also won the 1877 Victorian Derby and Melbourne Cup with Chester, who was unluckily beaten by a short head in the AJC Derby.

Chester, who was eased approaching the finish line still ran a race record of 3.33.secs in the Melbourne Cup.

When Chester retired he became the mainstay of White’s Kirkham Stud, and was leading Australian sire four times between 1887 and 1893.

White became the most successful racing man in Australia in the 1880s. During this decade his horses won the Victoria Derby five times, the AJC Derby five times, the VRC St Leger six times (five in succession) and the AJC Derby four times.

During a world tour in 1881, he stopped off at the New Zealand yearling sales and was attracted by a youngster from the Fisherman mare, Sylvia, by the recently imported Musket.

He bought the colt, Martini-Henry, for 1250 guineas ($2625).

Martini-Henry was favourite for the AJC Derby, but was withdrawn because of an attack of catarrh on the eve of the race.

White backed his colt to win $50,000 (a fortune in those days) if he won the Derby-Melbourne Cup double. He won the Derby so easily on debut that he was installed as favourite for the Cup. He won that comfortably by 1½ lengths, and for good measure he won the Mares’ Produce Stakes on the final day of the carnival.

No Australian horse has made such an auspicious start to his career.

White was chairman of the AJC in 1880 and from 1883 to 1888, a time when regular racing had spread to every state, and meetings were held as far afield as Alice Springs and Broome.

The AJC made registration of country clubs compulsory during his chairmanship, and by 1894, there were 201 clubs affiliated with the AJC.

He resigned the chairmanship early in 1889 so he could watch his horses’ race in England, but failing health stopped him from making the trip.

White also chose the name for one of his horses he sent to England.

Kirkham, by Chester, became the first Australian bred to run in the Epsom Derby, finishing sixth in 1890.

White died of a heart attack barely a month after so he missed the joy he would have received when, when in 1891, one of his other “project” horses Mons Meg, by Martini-Henry won the Ascot Gold Vase at Royal Ascot.

A philanthropist and like most obsessives, a dreamer, James White (later the Honourable James White) blazoned a trail we now choose to follow.