MELBOURNE CUP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 267, 10 November 1937, Page 24

MELBOURNE CUP.

THE TRUMP'S WIN. ALL PRECEDENT SHATTERED. t A TRULY RUN RACE. The Trump shattered all precedent when he won the Melbourne Cup in a stirring finish from the New Zealand gelding Willie Win, and the Sydney mare Sarcherie. It was his sixth successive win. He ha«* won ,C!4..'WO in stakes since June. In less than a month he has won the Toorak Handicap, the Caulficld ( lip, the L. K. S. Mackinnou Stakes, and the Melbourne Cup. No other horse has won the Toorak Handicap and the Caulficld and Mellxuirne Cups in the one year. Two years ago it was considered that The Trump might never become a sound horse. He broke down so badly after the Caultield Guineas of 1!):5.">, that he was gelded, his. injured knees were fired, and he was turned out. Even as late as last June he was of little account. In the intervening months he has thickened out. and to-dav. although bv far the smallest horse in the field he was one of the best looking. Betting developed into a see-saw for favouritism, and Hua, The Trump, and Sir Regent, started equal favourites. Sir Regent stood flat-footed at the post, and the leaders, were a furlong away l>efore he could be prevailed on to move off (says an Australian writer). Despite the big field, it was remarkable that the race, with 28 starters.

should have Weil so cleanly run. The only serious interference was at the start. The stewards subsequently reported that W. Klliot, rider of Huh, had been suspended for one month for crossing the field too sharply. Hua. Mala and another horse on the outside jumped inwards at the start, and continued on their way towards the rails. This mifiht have troubled Sir Repent, who was just inside them. Sir Recent has shown ptuhhornncss in previous races, and in the Cup. although standing quietly most of the time, he simplv refused to jump out. whipped round in a circle, and then went off. ,1. O'Sullivan rode him along to reach the field near the mile and a quarter, and. although he passed a couple of stragglers in the next few furlongs, his hopeless task was given up long before the finish, and be almost cantered past the post in last place. The crowd still had two of their favourites running for them, but after the turn into the straight was completed only The Trump vfcs left, for Hua ran wide, and that ended his chance of winning the Derby-Cup double.

Easy to Follow. For once the crowd could fol)»w the race without difficulty. As the field nassed the judge's box, which is slightiv beyond the mile and a half, Tapestry led by about two lengths from Hua. and the field for the first eight or nine furlongs were easily discernible. Royal Step, Silver Standard. John Wilkes, Mala, Willie \\ in, Ralkan Prince, Sareherie and The Trump passed the judge in that order, each with plenty of room and each under perfect control. Mala was galloping kindly for R. Wilson, who had allowed him his own way in the first few furlong*. In the next halfmile, Tapestry continued to make pacii from Royal Step, with Hua third. Mala and Sarcherie were together next, followed by Willie Win, John Wilkes and The Trump, who was hugging the rails, thoroughly at his ease. The rest of the field did not matter much after that, for the first eight horses included all the place-getters.

Hua Left in Front. If W. Elliot was pleased with himself at having pacemakers in Tapestry and Royal Step, he was disillusioned in the next two furlongs. Both those horses tired, and, with Hua pulling hard, Elliot was compelled to go to the front nearly five furlongs from the winning post. Hua led past the half-mile from Tapestry. Sarcherie had moved up to pass Royal Step, with whom Silver Standard, was running level. John Wilkes, Willie Win, Balkan Prince and The Trump were the most prominent of the others. Sarcherie was the first to go after Hua. She had been galloping well within her compass, and, beginning the turn, where Hua showed the first sign of his likelihood of #oin<r wide, Sarcherie moved up near the rails. She was the first to show round the turn into the straight. Hua was still there, and Silver Standard and Willie Win were close up. Also prominent were Donaster, John Wilkes and Allunga, who had moved up with a great show of stamina between the five furlongs and the three. The Race in Earnest. The Trump was still near the rails, moving up with every stride and waiting, just as he had waited in all his recent races, for his chance to coine. John Wilkes went round a fe« horses to get his opportunity and Willie Win moved up ready to make his spurt for the post. Nearing the furlor.g there was a slight risk that The Trum; would not get through. McMenamin, on Sar-'

chorie, had the rails, and he stayed there. Willie Win pulled out slightly and came outside her. and it was just as well for Ashley Reed, on The Trump, (hat there was not too great a crush. He was aide to edge out and in a flash he was through. The Trump was ready for his final dash. At that stage John Wilkes was far from beaten. For a few strides, while The Trump was still hemmed in. there seemed every chance that John Wilkes would issue a strong challenge for the lead. Allunga was then going at. his top. and had not shown a sign of veering from the straight line of his finish. With less than a furlong to go. Sareherie. Willie Win, The Trump, John Wilkes and Allunga were across the track, each with a winning chance. Of the others. Silver Standard. fSay Knight. Frill Prince and Ponaster seemed to he going the best, but of them only Silver Standard looked likely to run into a place. Silver Standard soon cried enough. John Wilkes fell from his top almost ill a few strides. In SAfe Keeping. The Trump burst away from Sarcherie and Willie Win, leaving them to fight for second place. He had the race in safe keeping about .">0 yards from the post. Behind him were a lot of horses incapable of increasing their pace, and lie .still had heart enough to respond to the whip, which his rider plied until the post was reached. He had only half a length to spare from Willie Win. but that horse bad no chance of regaining the lead once The Trump had flashed past. The l>est Willie Win could do was to hold off a last spurt by Sarcherie and beat her by half a head for second place. Allunga. still veering out a little, was more than a length further away in fourth place, followed by Ponaster. Cay Knight and John Wilkes. Silver Standard and Wot an headed the remainder. Sectional times for the Cup reveal that the race was truly run from barrier rise. The first half mile took 511s. the second 51s. the third fiOJs. and the last 48}s. The last six furlongs was timed at 1.13}, and the la=t mile occupied 1.39.