THE MELBOURNE CUP.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 273, 19 November 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE MELBOURNE CUP.

" Hippona," who is at present in Melbourne, and witnessed the two groat classic events of the Australasian sportsman's year, speaking of the Cup says :—" I must honestly say, though, that there is no comfort or real enloyment in being presen* at Fleming-ton on Cup Day, and on this ac count the great majority of Victorian racegoers detest the annual gala day, but put in an appearance as a matter of duty. To move about the enclosures was next to impossible. After the first racd»had been decided I made the experiment of walking from the main grand, stand to the bird-cago, but the difficulty of piloting my way through the crowd was so very great that repeating it was out of the question, and till the Cup was over I remained comfortably soated in fche Press box.

" What an exciting and anxious time it was as the Cup horses began to file out of tho enclosure at a quarter to four o'clock. The New Zealand owned pair, Silver Prince and Thunderbolt, indulged in their preliminary together, but t did not care for the appearance of either. Tho first-named boro evidence that ho had been overdone, and Thunderbolt went a bit tenderly. Tranter walked down to the post in a quiet manner, and out of the eighteen starters ho certainly took the palm for good looks. Ho bore evidence of having done a good proparation, and i>3 a great number opined that he should have won the Derby, it was thought ho would make a big bid for victory. Niagara led Silvermino in a canter down tho straight, and neither showed any ill effects of their battles on the first day. In fact, both looked as well as might bo wished. Of tho whole iield n\y fancy was Oakleigh. Many of tho shrewdest judges in Molbourno declared that he would win, bar accidents, but Meteor and Tho Australian Peer were tho "strong tips." Silver Prince led tho field from tho start till tho homo turn was readied, whero he was tackled, and soon after collapsed like a pricked balloon. Tho son of Anteros has tilled out a great denl since ho was purchased in Auckland last January by the Hoi\ W. Robinson. Thunderbolt ran woll for a milo, but after that ho nover got up to tho leaders. Tranter also shaped woll in the early part of tho journey, but badly straining his eusponsory ligament, lie was unable to show his true form at the finish. Niagara ran woll throughout the whole distance, arid he finished homo like tho racehorse he is, just being beaten for third honours' by The Australian Peer, while Aborcorn was about on terms with Mr Cooper's colt as thoy passed tho judge's box. Cranbropk was very prominent till the homo turn was reached, when ho fuilod to stay it out, and at about this name point tho muoh-talkcd-of Algerian was done with. Sardius broke his fetlock during tho progress of tho race, but tho worst exhibition in tho raco was made by Meteor. lie toilod hopelessly in tho rear from tho time tho flag dropped, and his running was a comploto mystery to everyone.

"Tho New Zealand horses farod so bodly in tho Cup that it was pleasing to sco Pasha wind up tho day's racing by annexing tho Van Yean Stakes. His owner baoked him at fcho last moment to win him a decent bit of inonoy at the nice price of 10 to 1, tho Bon of The Mute thus making KOino amends for his previous bad running since being in Australia."

Aβ was only to be expected, Dunlop's jockey, Sandora, wn« intnrviowod after the Melbourne Chjj by an enterprising reporter, and what ho saye is well Wotfih ..-'id ing. The horse, Sanders tie •' - ! ife to be known, was murdered over Iris training for the Derby after doing very well as a two-year-old. They galloped him off his legs for the race, which, of course, he didn't win, and he was vory floro when Donovan and Sanders—Donovan, of the Pastoral Hotol— bought him from the Robertsons for £600, and they never got him right " until tho etrangte? took all tho humour out of his body and legs and utood him up as clean and Bound as a foal, and made it worth while to enter him for the Melbourne Cup, and pub money on him to win the big atako." Sanders knew what he could do, because no one had been across his back since ho and Donovan bought him. He rodo him at exercise, he rode him in races, and time after time rodo a losing race. " t gob quite * stiff' as a jockey, Sanders went on to say, "because I stuck to Dunlop ; but I stuck to him because I knew what he could do come day. I could often have ridden other horses, bub I wouldn't, because I was looking after Dunlop, knowing that he was a racehorse. When he was all bub dead, and you would scarcely have bought him for more than his hide, £800 would nob have gob him, and £2,000 would nob get him now. Yeb he's a lazy horse ; such ' a lazy horse that a selling plaber would beat him in a slow-run race. He must have pace—the faster the betber—to rouse him, to get him going with something in front to go for. That was why I came as soon as I did to cub down Silvermine. I knew Dunlop could outlast him if I brought Silvermine alopg fast, an 4bo he did. Dunlop was full of' going, bub after he gob in fronb he needed a lob of riding to keep him there. I ought to know how to ride him after riding him so often. He's a bad beginner too. Ho was as quiet as a sheep at tho post, as he always is, never fretting or breaking into a lather,.and he was never so lit before, although he has only done two 2-mile gallops—one'in Sydney w4 one in Melbourne —since we had him. The last gallop was the trial that made Uβ put our money on him and we put on a finishing touch after that, for ho is a very hearty horse, and stands work like iron. He never left an oat in hia bin when he was training, and a hearty horse that feeds well trains well if he's a thoroughbred. . ... I expect people will think Dunlop ought to have won the Melbourne Stakes, bub there's the reason why — the horse < needs a. distance and pace to show him at his best. I wouldn't back him for a flutter at any price; but over 2 miles, when he's as pink as fie was to-day, with a rider that knows his ways, he takes a lob of beating."

The lisfc of winning owners at the V.R.O Spring Meeting shows that the total amount paid away totted up to £14,915. Mr R. Donovan, as the owner qi Dunlop, came in for the largest share, though his horse qnly won one race. Still thai) race was a prize worth £3,255. In 1866 the value of the Cup stake was £2,865, this amount going to Arsenal's owner, Mr W. Gannon, of Sydney, who has this year secured £1,801 through the services of The Australian Peer. Mr James White, who Jagt year won £2,424 in stakes for four.races, this year only receives £1,374, his horses having been placed 10 times, and haying won 6 times. Mr 0. L. McDonald, who last) year won £2,011 in stakee/chiefly through Hortense c brilliant performances, does not. appear amongst fche list) of winnere at all tbjji yepr.. Mr tak©> £1,BQ8; J,

Wilson, iun., £1,374, while Mr W. A. Long, M.ic?, of Sydney, is entitled to receive £1,240. The total amount paid away at last year's meeting was i,io,voH.