HOW THE MELBOURNE CUP WAS LOST AND WON.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 265, 14 November 1885, Page 4

HOW THE MELBOURNE CUP WAS LOST AND WON.

The following particulars concerning tho Molbourno Cup from tho special correspondent of tho Sydnoy morning paper will bo read with interest: —The largest field that over started for a Melbourne Cup - ISshorses \ —loft tho paddock for tho groat equino . battlo of tho Yoar, and tho preliminary cantors of tho candidates wero oagorly watched and. their faults, if any, wore speedily noticod. All the colonies woro represented —New Zealand by such well performed animals as Trenton and Liverpool, and that colony can also claim tho credit of being tho birthplace of the mighty Nordenfeldt : Queensland had Velocipedo. New South Wales was very strongly represented by Tern Brown, Warwick, Lord Exeter, Brown and Rose, Ceriso and Blue, and Minerva ; whilo, aa if to make up for tho default in tho Derby, Victoria had a raro lot of talent on her sido, and to hor wont tho honour of tho day. Fow cared to glanoo at Sheet Anchor, but his party must havo known a groat deal, for ho was backod in the paddock at up to 20 to 1. It wa? next to impossiblo to get near tho favourito when being saddlod, and all tho others that wore in favour .vith tho public wore surrounded by anxiounadmirora. Nordonfoldt looked ovon better than on Saturday, and his quiet, easy way of taking mattors hardly convoyed the idea that hois perhaps tho most determined and rosoluto colt that ovor stripped in Australia. Tronton appeared none tho worse for his tussle with Shoot Anchor in tho Molbourno Stakes, but ho was knocked back in tho betting beforo tho start, though ho carat again bofuro leaving tho paddock. Liverpool boro tho appearauco of having dono plenty of roally good eolid work, and hia immodiuto frionds wero brimful of conlidenco till tho last, but Uo quite failod to como through tho ruck. Tho sturdy Despot stripped ac tit as hands could make him, and notwithstanding his many misfortunes, had a very strong party of faithful followers, who ran all risks and trusted him oneo more, only to moot with disappointment, for he never showed prominently in tho raco. Tho handsomo Lord Exoter, with Williamson up, lookod very (it, but his Caulfiold accidont must havo loft somo ill effect, for he uovor joined tho first flight. Grace Darlingshowodnoondof condition,and at tholaat was vory staunchly supported, principally by thoso who had boon fortunate enough to back hor at Caulfiold, and, unliko tho Caulfiold Cup winner last year, she ran a terriblo raco, and fully justified the confidence of hor admirers. The Metropolian winnor —Acolyte — appeared to bo tho most fancied of his ovor-diin-eroiis stable; whilo St. Lawrence, on tho strength of his Now South Walos running, had a few friends, but noithor was in at tho end. Tho hope of tho ring-Kit Nubblos—strippod in grand form, and when Colloy popped into his paddle, many who had not given him a thought b'jforo disappeared in tho crowd to put a soy. on him, but tho jiaeo was too solid for him all tho way. Tho votcran Coriolanus lookod as gay aa ovor, and when ono romombors what a wonderful horßO ho ran in tho Caulfiold Cup, his today's porformanco Mas very disappointing, for he novor had a dangorous position. Tno absonco of Commotion was not compensated for by tba presonce of his stable mate, I'lausiblo, who, though ho got third for last year's Cup, novor looked or ran like a stayor, and Mr Pearson's popular colours failed to hold thoir usual place in tho first flight. Though Tom Brown did not look any woreo for his Caulfield slinking, thoro cannot bo a doubt that it muat havo seriously interfered with his pioparation. Tho fact of his old fiiond M'Orade not b.itig in the saddle frightened many from backing him : not that tlioy feared Oainaworth would not do him justice, but because M'Grade and tho horso wero bettor acquainted. Ho was buried in tho ruck all tho way. Tho Warwick Farm pair gave convincing proof of the caro and attention bestowed upon thoir preparation. Warwick had tin) appearance uf 'mving dono a doal of work, while Brown und Rose was in tho pink of condition. In thoir work tho maro had always tho best of tho son of Fawn, and so it proved in tho actual struggle, for whilo ho looked dangerous at tho homo turn, ho moltod awny after tho lir.it mile. Tho veteran Doswurth, now in tho sore and yellow, had scarcely a friend, and Proniothous was in thesamo unonviiblo position ; but Trump Voss's brother, St. ■lohn, was heavily backed at long figures, and Minerva bad tho conlidenco of a select few, The absence of such horsos as Commo tion, Malua, Coronet, Nowstcad, rendered tho raco a most open one: but tho wonderful timo in which it was run shows that wo possess moro racehorses than wo took 'credit for. Mr Watson sont tho Hold away in a line, and as thoy swept Ilka a cavalry charf/o past tho stand, it was scon that First Chester, Prometheus, Thunderbolt, Nordonfoldt, and Minerva wero at tho hoad of all'aira. First Chcstor carriod on tho running at a great paco to thoabattoirs, when Motal disposed of him, antl ho sought rofuge in tho ruck, which was headed by Velocip.'do, Nordonfoldt, Trenton, Ooriso and Blue, Jirown and Koso, Shoot Anchor, and Minerva. Voloeipcdo, Minorva, Sheet Anchor, St. John, Motal, and Ccriso and Blue then took the loading positions, and Minerva just led Sheet Anchor (who camo upon tho inside at a groat pace) into tho straight. The sovority of tho pace told on Cerise and Bluo, St. John, Motal, and Brown and Koro, and thon oneuod tho most desporato strugglo that was ovor soon for a big raco in Australia. Shoot Anchor, Tronton, Grace Darling, Nordenfeldt, and Minerva raced up tho straight at a terrible pace, and at each stride tho quartetto woro gaining upon Shoot Anchor. Tronton, who had boen disappointed at tho cntranco to the straight, was answering ovory call, and Nordonfoldt, who was intorforod with at tho distance, had much to contend against. All locked in a bunch, with whips and ,«purß at work, they flashed past tho post, and ovon tho judgo was unequal to tho task of separating them, for ho placed Sheet Anchor first, Blink Bonny second, and Tronton third ; whereas, as a matter of fact, it was Shoot Anchor, Graco Darling, and Tronton, who woro not a head cloarot Nordcnfoldt. Tho numbers as first hoisted wero Hashed all ovor tho colonies, and as tho judge, Mr B. Wakloy, also mado a grievous orror withregard tothoDorby, itbocomes theduty of tho club toask him to resign. Tho winner is a lino big powerful son of St. Albans, moro like a fmrdlo-racor than a racohorso ; but his pace is boyond question, aa proved by hi 3 winning tho Cup in tho fastest timo over accomplished in. Australia. Graco Darling was in a Dad position all tho way, and hor performance in getting second ia the bost ever dono over tho Flomingtou course. Nordonfeldt, who was beautifully riddon to a good position all tho way, and ran a groat colt, though defeated, is not disgraced. Tronton also kept up his groat reputation, and tho raco will ever live in tlio momory of thoso who witnoasod tho bitterness with which tho finish was fought out. There was vory littlo cheering at tho result, as ho was not much backed by tho public,