MELBOURNE CUP RACE MEMORIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 272, 16 November 1935, Page 6 (Supplement)

MELBOURNE CUP RACE MEMORIES.

FROM BEHIND THE SCENES.

Recollections of Trainer Who Prepared Four Cup Winners.

A prominent trainer's views of a great race in which he has had the special interest of running a horse are ever interesting. Here you get the point of view of a veteran trainer, who can claim credit for having trained four Melbourne Cup winners, on the Melbourne Cup races as he has seen them through the years.

There is no liorse in the Melbourne Cup of 1035 I can compare with the piants of the past, wrote Richard Bralfiekl (trainer of four Melbourne Cup winners) before Marabou's Cup was run. As yet I do not compare Peter Pan with Carbine, and, although I agree that the thrcc-year-okls arc a good lot, 1 cannot sco a Newhaven, much less an Artilleryman, among them. Pal fresco does not appear to be a Poseidon, but, at the same time, I do not think that any of those he beat at Cauliickl will turn'the tables on him. Past Cups—they slip by in the memory with vivid and dim recollections. One must bo pardoned, at least at this time of the year, if Carbine inevitably is the first Melbourne Cup winner to be thought 1 of. Young and old think of Carbine the moment Melbourne Cups are mentioned. I make no apology for mentioning his name first. I regard Old Jack as the ■ foremost liorse that raced in my time. I have seen Cups won more easily; 1 1 have seen impressive wins, but none like Carbine's. I can see now that record field 1 thundering down the straight, and Bob ; Ramadge sending the mighty champion to the front. Too soon—a long way too soon, he reached the front. But the idol of the crowd was equal to the great task the handicapper and his rider had set him. On he came to the roar of the crowd, and beat Highborn and Correze by lengths. No Equal. It was a performance that cannot be put into mere words. It was such as we older hands went into raptures over. In the years that have followed champion after champion has been acclaimed " the equal of Carbine," but I have yet to see

Revenue and many others of Mr. Macdonald's horses were galloped at Aspendale Park, where Lou Robertson trains now. Revenue was reported to have done a wonderful trial with Wakeful before the cup. Wakeful's Effort. Two years later Wakeful ran her last and most wonderful race. She had 10 stone, and Lord Cardigan, a good little colt, had only 0.8, and Norman God by oil his back. Dunn was criticised for making his run too soon. He went to the front and Lord Cardigan joined her in a ding-dong tussle over the last furlong and beat her narrowly. Wakeful had missed a couple of gallops through a leg that was giving trouble, and that beat her more than anything.

I had St. Ambrose in the race, and know that had Dunn not made his run when lie did, Wakeful would not have run a place. There was a scrimmage just after she left the pack, and even Wakeful could not have withstood a severe bumping with 10 stone.

Auraria was nearly a Wakeful, but she was overworked after she won the cup, and when jtihe came back for the autumn she was a wreck. Mares do not stand the racket like horses.

There was an excuse that day for Mr. Donald Wallace, liis owner, when he did not drive his own four-in-hand home from Flemii.gton.

I can go back to 18S1. The year before that Grand Flaneur, the great unbeaten son of Yattendon, won, but I have only hazy memories of him on the racecourse. Later, of course, I had one of his great sons—Patron.

In 1881 there was a great surprise when Zulu, with the late James Gough up, won at 100 to 2. Zulu, if I remember rightly, had been in the market early, but he was not sound, and gave Tom Lamond some trouble, and went right out of the discussions. It was the same with The Czar, and the top-weight, Sweetmeat. All three horses were under a cloud, but they came along to run I, 2, 3, and confound the critics—and the punters. None of the three did any good afterwards. Malua deserves a niche of his own in the hall of fame. He must rank near the top of the list of great Melbourne Cup winners. I suppose Malua, for a fast horse, was one of the best stayers I have seen. Isaac Foulsham, who trained Chatham early in his career, and more recently Barak and Curator, and had the great Woorak for Mr. L. K. S. Mackinnon, told me that Malua was faster than either Chatham or Woorak. These two horses were among the fastest milers this century. Malua won the Oakleigli Plate, Newmarket Handicap, and Adelaide Cup the same year as the Melbourne Cup, and won the Australian Cup in the autumn. After two years at the stud he returned, and in his only race over hurdles won the Grand National Hurdle Race. Many averred that he was lucky to beat Commotion in the Cup of '84. They said that Ted Power lost the race when he looked round. I doubt it. The Assyrian ran his race in heavy rain and a raging gale. The weather in his year, and also in Glenloth's (1892), was worse than last year, i "Cost Us £10,000." I have good cause to remember Glenloth's year. I had Portsea in the race. ■ 'was a great horso in the wet.' and both Mr. Purches and I were confident he would win. We did not mind how hard it rained. But it was not one of my lucky Cup years, and" the very rain that was to have aided us cost us the race and just on £10,000. Portsea was going nicely when Pilot Boy fell and brought down Tirailleur and Portsea. Harry Kaynor, one of our best trainers, had some trouble with Arsenal, but he got him the post to beat Trenton, one of the best eons of Musket. Trenton "had 9.5, and Arsenal, a four-year-old, was in the race with 7.5. There was grave doubt about getting Arsenal to the post, as he was definitely off his feed, but he got there all right. Trenton's supporters wished he had not. Trenton was third the previous year, and that was one of the reasons Carbine did not run in the Melbourne Cup. As a three-year-old, Trenton had been beaten, and Mick O'Brien, who owned Carbine when he came from New Zealand, did not think he could succeed where Trenton had failed.

Trenton was a great horse—one of the best that ever raced here—and he was, just as great a success at the stud. He stood for several years at St. Albans when Mr. W. R. Wilson owned the place. In 1596 he was sold to go to England, where he did not made quite as great a hit, but in his last season at Geelong he sired Wakeful and Revenue.

Revenue was bought at the St. Albans dispersal by Mr. Leslie Macdonald, along with Wakeful and three others. Revenue cost him 725 guineas and Wakeful 310 guineas. A wonderful bargain, for the two horses won him a fortune, and Wakeful was the dam of his other Melbourne Cup winner, Nightwatch, which I trained.

Revenue was backed for more than a fortune. Until the advent of Phar Lap he was the shortest-priced favourite to win the race. The sums he was backed for vary with different accounts, and no one but Mr. Macdonald and the bookmakers who laid the horse ever knew. It was, however, sufficient to keep the most extravagant person, for the average lifetime.

La Carabine, Wakeful's great rival, was the same. She was trained for the Doneaster as a two-year-old! What might her record have been in other circumstances ? Wakeful was carefully nursed and did not race until she was four years old, and she proved to be the Carbine of her sex.

There is a etory told about Bill Forrester and Gaulus. Gaulus won the cup in 1897, the year following that great three-year-old, Newhaven. Gaulus beat his brother, The Grafter, but it is with the Hotliam Handicap on Derby Day that my story is concerned.

Bill had backed Gaulus well for the cup—went for a big win. He had the horse in the Hotliam Handicap, but, fearful that he might get knocked about in the Hotliam, he instructed the jockey to keep him off the course. I never saw instructions better carried out. I watched him well and profited by it on Cup Day.

There is always a wag on the racecourse, and after the race Tom Payten went to "Old Bill." Bill was a bit deaf. Tom shouted, "Bill, they're saying some nasty things about you."

"ThatV all right," Bill replied. "They've said some nasty things about •you, Tom, and they weren't right."

The Victory's win I have written about before, but it is interesting to know that at thi time, as now, local entire horses were hard to sell, and Messrs. Clark and Robinson had me "hawk" The Victory for six months before it happened that Mr. Edward Kennedy was on the look-out 'or a stallion with the blood The Victory represented, and he bought him. The 1902 Melbourne Cup winner was not at the stud long before he received a kick that meant his end. Mr. Kennedy got the same blood in Roi Herode, who was to sire The Tetrarch and make fame. The Victory might have been a success. He got winners, and his name still appears in pedigrees. S Next to Carbine. Poitrel's is the Melbourne Cup I rank next to Carbine's among the older horses. He was not wha' you would call a big horse, but he carried his lOst that day in O roat style. Three-year-old winners have all been pretty good. Artilleryman stands out from such great horses as Poseidon, Prince Foote, Peter Pan and "ewliaven. Artilleryman not only won the race running away from his great rival, Richmond Main, but he beat a field of extra good horses. I had three in it, and all were tried horses with great chances. Artilleryman's is the best performance this century. Poseidon, as you know, is the only horse to win the two Cups in the same year, and he did the task as a three-year-old. taking the Derbies in his stride. He was a great colt, and I think Sir Hugh Denison wishes he had him back for this Cup. I doubt that Berestoi will do such credit to the purple jacket as Poseidon.

Lame Horses Win. Posinatus was the luckiest Melbourne Cup winner. Those that could have beaten him would not go after him, and he led all the way. Lame ..nd ! -'mi horses have won the Melbourne Cup or gone pretty close to it. Sasanof sprang a curb on the hock and was a bit sore on the day of the race, but it did not stop him beating Shepherd King. Ilall Mark, it was reported, was a doubtful starter until just before the race in 1933, yet he won. Certainly lie did not beat a good field, but lie won all right.

Although Manfred, in my opinion, was beaten by the lack of necessary racing, Windbag's was a great performance. Twice in the straight the colt had him beaten, but he won out in the end. Ilis was the best four-year-old performance. Pilar Lap? Well, everything he did was great. Under 9.12- winning would not be so great for liini as the fact that he did it ur.der difficult conditions. All sorts of precautions were taken for his safety, for even in these modern days the hot favourite for the Melbourne Cup needs adequate protection. Someone stands to lose, and there is always the possibility that something might happen to the horse. On the morning of the race Phar Lap was brought by float from Oolong. A 50-mile trip is not the best thing for a horse who has to carry 9.12 over a gruelling two miles. One's hat must be raised to the late Hugliie Cairns for Spearfelt's 1926 success. He had a great horse under him, but for patient riding I have never seen the equal of that- performance. Went Too Soon. Great jockey and great horse were again combined in Trivalvc's year. You would go a long way to find a greater master in any race than Bob Lewis, and if he never rode another great race he did that day. He was aided by Ashley Reed, who, anxious to win his first Melbourne C'up, sent Silvius along a bit too soon; but Bob knows about all those things, and he brought Trivalvc along at the right time to beat the imported horse.

old. Ten horses of that age have won the Cup, the last being Backwood in 1924. Luck and Accidents. There have been many accidents in the race. In the first Cup in 1801, Twilight bolted and galloped once around the course before being pulled up. At the home turn, Twilight, Medora and Despatch fell. Twilight and Medora were destroyed, and Despatch's rider received a double fracture of the arm. Savanaka was the medium of a heavy plunge in 1877, but lie was badly interfered with when Waxy fell. In a thrilling finish, Chester beat Savanaka by a head. Next year Chester struck the rail in running, and his rider, J. Morrison, had his thigh smashed. Palling over a dog which strayed on to the course in Zulu's year, Wheatcar fell and brought down Suwarrow. Dodd, the hitter's rider, was severely injured and never recovered. I (i 188S, Spade Guinea broke her shoulder and Ensign his ofThind fetlock. Cobhani fell and broke both forelegs in 1891, and three other horses fell over him. In 1892, Pilot Boy, Tiralleur and Portsea fell, while in 1897 Koha broke down and walked in.

Silvius was a great horse, too. One of those we dream about, with 7.7, yet he met liis master in horse and rider that da}^. Peter' Pan's wins arc fresh in the mind. If he wins again I will be the first to acknowledge his greatness, but I have the old-timer's aversion to horses with great weights, and pick something lower down the scale. Before the Stakes were run I thought that the three-year-olds would be beaten by cither Sylvandale or Sarcherie. CUP SIDELIGHTS. RODE FOUR WINNERS. I\. Lewis, the veteran jockey, has ridden four winners of the Cup, viz.: The Victory, Patrobas, Artilleryman and Trivalve. Lewis has also ridden more seconds than any other horseman, for he was second on Malster, Alawa, Shepherd King and Stand By. W. H. McLachlan won on Trinee Foote, Comedy King and Westcourt. Probably the easiest win ever recorded was that by Artilleryman. The official verdict was six lengths, but Richmond Main, the second horse, was a "street" away. Tho closest finish was in 1917. As Lingle and Westcourt flashed past the post together, "Bunty" Brown ejaculated in triumph to McLachlan,. "Beat you!" Westcourt got the decision by "a short half-head." Another great finish was Nimblefoot's half-head victory from Lapdog. Longest-priced Winner. "Honest" John Tait owned four Cup winners: The Barb, Glencoe, The Pearl and The Quack. Ettie De Mestre owned Archer (which won the first two Cups), Tim Whiffler and Calamia. Dc Mestre also trained five winners. Jim Scobie, R. Bradfield and W. Hickenbotham have each trained four winners of the great race. Positano sired four Cup winners: Lord Cardigan, Pfisiedon, Lord Nolan and Piastre. The longest-priced winner was The Pearl, which won at odds of 100 to 1. Glenloth and Zulu each won at 50 to 1. Phar Lap (11 to 8 on) is the shortest priced winner, followed by Revenue (7 to 4), Archer (2 to 1) and Tim Whiffler (5 to 2). In point of public sympathy, Shadow King will be eclipsed only by Peter Pan. "Old Shadow" was third to Pilar Lap and Second Wind in 1930 and second to White Nose in 1931. He was third to Peter Pan and Yarramba in 1932 and second to Hall Mark in 1933. No Dead Heats. Incidentally, there has never been a dead heat for first or second place, but Topical and Gaine Carrington dead heated for third place in 1932. Out of 74 Cups, three-year-olds have been successful on no fewer than 22 occasions. Peter Pan is now a six-year-

In 1891, Sentinel broke down and did not finish, and in The Victory's year in 1902, Mcrton Steel fell and was destroyed. N. I). Godby, the jockey, had his leg broken. Wairiki broke his ofT-shoulder, but was saved for the stud in 100}, and Czarovitch fell. Dyed Garments fell in the first furlong in 1908, and in 1912 Lady Medallist pulled up and did not complete the course. Mountain King broke his shoulder in 1915, but _ was saved for the stud. Favourite at 5 to 1 in 1921, Eurythmic carrying 10.5, and Colonel Aides, pulled up owing to injuries, while in the next year Double Bezique broke a fetlock and was destroyed. Stand By bolted on the morning of the race in 1924 and, when captured, ill an Ascot Vale street, was found to have a greatly-swollen foot. Shortly before the race, James Scobie, the trainer, had the affected hoof in a bucket of hot water. Badly pocketed soon after entering the straight, Stand By was beaten a head by Backwood, and, 50 yards from the post, Bobby Lewis was calling out for room to get through. In 1932, Peter Pan was almost brought down when he received a terrific bump which sent him back to near the rear of the field, but the gallant liprsc got up in time to beat Yarramba by a neck. Unusual "Flutters." Gambling is In the blood of most Australian racecourse habitues, and it is not surprising, therefore, that several novel wagers have taken place in connection with the Melbourne Cup. Proprietor of Bath's Hotel at Ballarat, Mr. W. Craig dreamt that his horse Nimblefoot would win the Melbourne Cup of 1870, but that lie, Craig, would die before the race was run and that the jockey would wear a black armband. Bookmaker Slack, an illiterate man, who kept his wagers in his head, laid Craig £1000 to eight whiskeys and soda that Croydon would not win the A.J.C. Metropolitan and that Craig's dream would not come true. The double came off, Croydon won the Metrop., Craig died, Nimblefoot won the Cup, and J. Day, the jockey, wore a black armband. Slack was not bound to pay a penny after Craig's death, but to his credit he paid the widow £500. At Hawkesbury races, before the Epsom Handicap of 1877, Mr. Joe Thompson, the leviathan bookmaker, laid .Tames White £10,000 to £400 "the two Chesters" for the V.R.C. Derby and Melbourne Cup. |

Mr. Sep Stephen, the son of Sir Alfred Stephen, Chief Justice of New South Wales, jocularly twitted Thompson that "the odds were a bit cram pcd." Nettled, Thompson laid Stephen £10,000 to £500 that Chester would not win the Clip. Chester won the double and Thompson paid out £32,000 outside the Hall of Commerce in Collins Street.

He insisted that Stephen should bir him a suit of clothes as discount fo cash.

Thompson was eccentric, but methodical. Eli Jellett always cut tilings fine when his jockeys were being weighed out. 11l IS7">, in a minor event, when Jellett's horse Richmond was being weighed out, Thompson, who had supported it heavily, dropped several silver coins down the ridjng boot of Tom Hales, the jockey. Later, Thompson explained that lie had too much money at stake to risk Richmond's jockey weighing in light. When Thompson's horse Don .Juan beat Dagworth in the Cup there was a protest, on the ground that Don Juan was a year older than was represented. The "protest failed, but a rumour persisted that Mentor, a previous winner, had been "rung in" under the name of Don Juan.