Racing was beginning to get back on its feet again after the 1914 -1918 conflict of war, the popular sportsmen Ernest Clarke, James Scobie and Bobby Lewis, renewed their interest in racing again.

They had had a successful relationship, each trusted the other, Clarke, the owner, Scobie, the trainer, and Lewis the jockey.

Clarke was a very wealthy man with a large string of racehorses, he would not accept there was any better trainer than Scobie, or a jockey as good as Bobby Lewis, that was surely proven.

At that time Clarke had a very good horse by the name of Emir, he was a class galloper, however, he could be wilful when least expected.

He had been known to savage an opposing horse during a race, or even attempting to grab the reigns of another runner.

Clarke built a stud farm, known as Melton Park, with the intention of standing Emir as a sire, but that was a disaster, he hardly left a foal, and those he did leave were worthless, he hardly sired a winner and was very difficult to manage.

Clarke had practically abandoned the idea of establishing Melton Park, when fate took a hand in the person of Jim Brewer, the one time famous steeplechase jockey, a contemporary of Tommy Corrigan, James Scobie and Andrew Ferguson, when steeplechasing was booming in the western district.

Jim Brewer persuaded Clarke to give him a cheque for 5,000 guineas and let him purchase a stallion, and a few mares for Melton Park

Brewer was away a full year, 3 months travelling, 6 weeks each way by steamer, the remainder of the time was spent looking at horses, the reason he was in England.

He purchased The Welkin, who proved to be a good two year old by Flying Fox, who had won the Two Thousand Guineas, Derby and the St Leger.

The Welkin at one stage had sired winners of 684 races, included among those purchased, was Light, the dam of Gloaming, Lady Roberts and Teppo, who was one of the finest mares ever imported into Australia

 .Ernest Clarke seated, with James Scobie and Bobby Lewis