THE MELBOURNE CUP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 259, 2 November 1931, Page 11

THE MELBOURNE CUP.

TO BE RUN TO-MORROW

CONCENTRATE'S CHANCES

. The Melbourne Cup will be run to-morrow at Flemington, and Phar Lap is the favourite, despite his great impost of 10.10. However, he hae to give the New Zealander Concentrate 281b, and seeing Concentrate ran him to. a neck in the Melbourne Stakes, one mile and a quarter, at level weights, 9.1, on Saturday, he will find Concentrate a much more difficult proposition to-morrow. The latter was unlucky to be beaten in the Metropolitan Handicap, one mile and five furlonge, at Eandwick earlier in the month. Strength just having his head in front of him on the post. Concentrate, as a tjiree-year-old, won both the St. Legers in New Zealand, and the following season accounted for'the Auckland Cup and the Wellington Cup. Last season he was second to Nightmarch in the New Zealand Cup, Nightmarch carrying 9.6, and Concentrate 8.10, the same weight as he is called upon to carry It may be interesting to recall- that Nightmarch, after winning the Epsom Handicap in Sydney, Avas beaten into second place in the Metropolitan Handicap, and a few weeks later won. the Melbourne Cup easily. Second- Wind was second in the Melbourne Cup last year to Phar Lap with 8.12, and has now 9.3: He was bred by Mr. T. H. Lowry- On Saturday lie was third in the Hotham Handicap, one mile and a half. Carry On, one of G. Price's team, who is also engaged, was second in that event, and dead-heated for third in the A.J.C, Metropolitan Handicap. Veilmond, a New Zealand-bred gelding, has been racing well this season. He won the Sydney Handicap, one mile and a half, and the Waverley Handicap, one mile and three-quarters, at the A.J.C: spring meeting at Eandwick, and was third in the Melbourne Stakes on Saturday. Cimbrian was' fourth in the last-named event. Shadow King was third.in the Cup kst season, and won the Herbert Power Handicap at Caulfiekl last month, and was fifth in the Cup, in which Prince Dayton, who is also engaged in the Melbourne Cup to-morrow, was second. Carbine won the Melbourne Cup with 10.5. running the two miles in 3.28%? Archer won "with 9.7, and the following year succeeded with 10.2, while Wakeful, when she ran second, carried 10.0. Phar Lap, therefore, ha« something to do to win with 10.10, and if he starts, Concentrate, who is. owned in New Zealand, and Veilmond and Second Wind, who are New Zealand-bred horeee, should give him something to do, particularly the firstnamed. .

The acceptances are:— MELBOURNE CUP of TOOOsovs and a - trophy value 200sovs; second. J2st)sovs; third, 75Osovs out of the prize. -Two miles. Phar Lap . . 10 10 St. Mary . . 7 11 Second .Wind . 0 5 Madstar ...77 Veilmond ... Slo Aloman ... 7 7 Concentrate Prince Dayton 7 (■! (N.Z.) S 10 Koomeela ..71 Cumbrian . . S 10 Sea Rover . . ■ fi 18 Shadow King. S 7 White Nose . . 0 12 Carry On ...SO Sartaress ... 6 11

CONDITION OF CONCENTRATE. TRAINER WELL PLEASED." MELBOURNE, November 1. The Wellington trainer H. B. Lorigan states that he is veil pleased with Concentrate's condition to-day after his good effort in running second to Phar Lap in the Melbourne Stakes yesterday. Concentrate has all along claimed many admirers for his Melbourne Cup engagement on Tuesday, and his display yesterday has gained him further support. However, Phar Lap, in spite of his great weight, dominates, the market. Concentrate met Phar Lap yesterday on even terms, but in the Cup receives 2Slb from him; Sea Rover is a doubtful starter in the Cup, but a decision will be made tomorrow. ; , _ , , ' Hathalie could not run in the Lantaia Stakes owing to picking up a nail. • Prince Dayton reappeared on the tracK at Flemington yesterday and cantered on -the tan -His condition, which has been WusinE anxiety, shows a slight improvement and it is hoped he will be able to run in the Cup.