The club had its origin, following the collapse of the first S.A.J.C., in a meeting called in December 1869 by Sir J. H. Fisher, John Baker, E. Holland, Joseph Gilbert, John Morphett, John Crozier, H. R. Fuller, M.P., and W. W. Tuxford,[2] and a subsequent race run at the "Old Adelaide Racecourse" by a group which included William Blackler, Seth Ferry, Gabriel Bennett, George Church, Dr. Robert Peel and Dr. Thomas Cawley on New Year's Day 1870[3] and substituting in part for the S.A.J.C.
[4] Around the same time, Bennett, Blackler, Ferry and Peel secured, with a right to enclose 15 acres (6.1 ha) and charge admission, the lease of the Old Course, and several successful events were held there in each of the following three years.
In October 1879 a meeting held to formalize a Club decided to adopt a modified version of Victorian Racing Club rules; the committee to consist of the four lessees plus three elected members: G. Church, Henry Hughes, and W. F. Stock were proposed and elected unanimously.
[8] In late 1879 use of a totalizator on South Australian racecourses was made legal, (or more precisely exempt from provisions of the Gaming Act of 1875)[9] and Seth Ferry purchased at the cost of £300 a "box tote", which he leased to the Club at some profit to himself.
Stewards elected were: H. E. Downer, M.P., W. Cavanagh, P. B. Coglin, R. Ingleby, Q.C., W. F. Stock, H. J. Morris, E. G. Blackmore, John Pile, H. Hughes, J. Bennett, William Blackler, Seth Ferry, Dr. Cawley, W. E. Ford.
[7] During the following six months several committeemen dropped out, alarmed at the club's ballooning financial liability, leaving the committee short of the quorum necessary to appoint replacements and powerless.
Then South Australia entered a period of economic downturn, brought about by the drought of 1884–1886, and the racing industry suffered; the A.R.C.
Ferry strongly disagreed, and there began the split between the two partners, which became quite bitter, at times to the point of farce.
On 11 October 1888, with the economy on the rebound and the totalizator on the verge of becoming lawful, a meeting of interested sportsmen held at the Globe Hotel resolved to re-form the Club once more.
In November 1888 the Blacklers agreed to take over the lease and the Club's debts to Ferry, assessed as £2,500, and brought in a new co-lessee, John Pile.
to form a renewed Adelaide Racing Club with an additional 250 members, with the Victuallers' committee augmented by W. Robertson, John Pile, S. R. Wilson, and R. C.
[19] S. R. Heseltine, a wine and spirit merchant, was appointed to the committee in February 1891, and in July 1893 he became secretary, a position he treated as a full-time responsibility, having relinquished his business interests before taking it on.
They refused to scratch the horse, no doubt to needle their antagonist, and Mata won the Cup, to the great enjoyment of the racegoing public, and the S.A.J.C.