An Australian polo trophy: The Brassey Challenge Cup at Moonee Valley won outright by Camperdown Polo Club in 1900, a two-handled English silver troph

An Australian polo trophy: The Brassey Challenge Cup at Moonee Valley won outright by Camperdown Polo Club in 1900, a two-handled English silver trophy cup, hallmarked Charles Stuart Harris, London, 1896, inscribed PRESENTED BY HIS EXCELLENCY LORD BRASSEY K.C.B., 1897, POLO CHALLENGE CUP, set on an ebonised plinth with three winner's shields attached chronicling the three successive victories of Camperdown Polo Club in seasons 1897-98, 1898-99 & 1899-1900, height of cup 29cm., 11 1/2in., weight 829gr., 26oz. 13dwt. The Sydney Mail 20th March 1897 carries a report of the Challenge Cup polo match at Moonee Valley between Camperdown and Colac. After Camperdown ran out comfortable winners the report informs us 'at the conclusion of the game his Excellency the Governor [Lord Brassey] presented the cup to the Camperdown team, who have now won it for three years in succession, and are thus the owners of it.' Lord Brassey himself then commissioned a replacement challenge trophy, which is the silver cup being offered at auction here. The competition then became known as the Brassey Challenge Cup. In 1900 history repeated itself. A report in the Sydney Mail 17th March 1900 covers the match on 6th March and Camperdown's defeat of Caramut at Moonee Valley Racecourse and explains that 'after an exciting struggle Camperdown was left in the enviable position of owners of the trophy the match, which they have now won three years in succession.' Thus Lord Brassey's trophy was retired after just thee years, with the dominant Camperdown team having now won the annual polo match at Moonee Valley six years in succession. Thomas Brassey, 1st Earl Brassey, was a British Liberal Party politician and Governor of Victoria, Australia, from 1895 to 1900, residing at Government House, Melbourne.