N. Z. Victory In Melbourne Cup Of 1907

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 109, 10 May 1941, Page 6 (Supplement)

N. Z. Victory In Melbourne Cup Of 1907

DEATH OF MR. "BOB" CIELAND

AUCKLAND BOOKMAKER WHO WON AUSTRALIA'S GREATEST TURF PRIZE ■ ?-y A. F HOWARTH.) The dealh in Auckland last Saturday of Mr "Bob" Cieland brought back memories of a career which, after many ups and downs, ended in a measure of prosperity given to few who have been intimately connected with the hazards of the turf irf New Zealand. Mr. Cieland s early life was a romantic one, and it was only by the merest chance that he took up bookmaking as a living. Lady Luck for once was in a kindly mood, and she smiled on Bob.

i . ... .' ivherins kauri rum a* Mercury "ay. Hence, as was the custom of j f.imseliers in those rlays 'an'! sMll -•. he came to town for Christinas, and was induced by a Christchureh ''ookmaker, Mr. R. Hur.-.e. to act as his clerk at the Eiler-iie sununer neeting in AUhmieh he did •lot know it. Boh C'leland had set his root on the first rung of *_he ladder which leads to . access. 'deal's Cup A Very Good Race j It happened tha" Leopold, who won the Auckland Cup that year, broke the head of the firm, and Mr. C'leland decided to put up his sav-' ings and form a partner-hip. The' usual vicissitudes of the racing' came resulted in the firm retiring, from the arena, and Bob Cieland was back on the gumfieid, but with

• :t" :r.to betting on his own account '" i :"•_>'.:nd it prosperous. He was "•"• "::v.e in partnership with the Par. McLeod. and later operated -. iv.~ r.wn acc'-iuni in a hip way. ■'■'•' '"•; his doubles being the -"-"•-*" -n the colony at that time. Hi= win nn Ideal was an instance ■:-.■-■ gi>xl judgment which he dis'.ayod in his betting transaction-. '■j had already laid £1000 to her •wner. but. fancvins the mare he ok £1500 to £75 for himself. As ideal was one of the outsiders, and he had the rest of the field running "or him. if can be imagined that he had a very good win over the race. Apologue's Owner Termed An Optimist Apologue was bred at the Pvlvia Park Stud. Otahuhu, in 10u2 bv Messrs. L. D. and N". A. Nathan. He was by Phoebus Apollo, a son of St. Simon, imported from England by Mr. Tom Morrin. and he was out of Miss Gladys, dam of the famous Gladsome had the distinction of winning the Wellington Cup for Mr. t. B. Reid. and having it taken away from her on protest, owing to the fact that she was ridden by an unlicensed apprentice, the present Riccarton trainer. F. D. Jones. She was later one of the most brilliant mares in Australia. Apologue was raced as a two-vear-old by the late John Thome." Mr. Cieland acquired him at the end of his two-year-okl career. He had then won one race, the Xurserv Handicap. at the A.R.C. Christmas meeting in 1904. In his new owner's colours Apologue raced for a season and a half around Auckland with some measure of success. He was an unfortunate horse, always in one difficulty or another, and with a little more luck would have done much better. He was a game hor.se. a little lacking in earlv ?peed. and had a habit of knocking himself when

itxKi-.iK. i-.\e:i oeiore ne ie:t tnese shores he has acknowledged as easily the best horse sired by Phoebus Apollo, who was not a great success as a sire. As a three-year-old he did not win a race, but was placed in some important events, including the ("/rear X-rthern Derby and Auck- ■ sr.fl P.;-.: : \ fhe_ next sprine he won tr.o A.R.C. Birthday Handicap and ra.-iarur.a Spring Handicap, with ntore_ minor niacins?. Such. then. was the Mr. C'eland took over view. \ or;." many good judges voted A' firs: Apo!.-, cl ;e\> n!-!uck anpeare'it i r.>o his footsteps in -*- ■■ •■ -' A - ■• Pi.a c Ve ■• an tn:r;i :•• Mooltan and Lord Fitzroy Ir ' Handicap a: Randwick. and tnen carte a very meritorious ?"'-'';'•"• : "■"' !"-"■-:• groat Poseidon in the P*~' ''"'-jr.'.c elevated Apologue to ' r -'~'.?'' v, r -'"' n r '"'," ne °* T he favourite? :n -'";" Mt'T"pol:'.ar,. and ho was only ;■■ _ Melhourr.'.- after the second day nf -he A..J.C. meeting, he ■ ; ~ " the Coons l H..r0:.; ; 0. an i won by a short neck. ! " "•"-- aivv.it _ this time that his '"; v '"••-'". t:red or minor placings. and uissatisried with the treatment meted out t :• hint !,y the Australian handi-

capper?, placed him in the private sale but. fortunately for him. no sale resulted. Caulfield Cap Thrown Away Apologue's next race was the Caulfield Cup. He was in Earnshaw"s stable, which at that time sheltered the mighty Poseidon, and Poseidon and Apologue were made first and second favourites, starting at 5 to 2 and 3 to 1 respectively. - Poseidon won by a length and a half, but H. Coffey, who lode Apologue, was guilty of a very feeble effort and mere was much bitter recrimination in consequence. Mr. Cleland asked tor an inquiry, obviously under the impression that Apologue was not ridden to win. Although Coffey was freely accused of throwing the race av . a - v \ it appeared that his shocking exhibition was due to bad horsemanship and not to dishonesty. The success of Poseidon was immensely popular with the public which led colour to the idea that . those who controlled the .-table were ; anxious that he should win. On the' other hand, the race was a disastrous one for the Melbourne ring, who had laid at least £40.000 against the winner. "" i Apologue was now a raglne, favourite for the Melbourne Cup'and i 5 to 2 was the best that could be ! ■ got about him. It was doubtful j

whether Poseidon, who had been re-' . handicapped ai 10.3. or the A.J.C. ! Derby winner. Mountain King. • I would be starters, which still further ! cramped the price. Both did start ! in the finish, but it made no differ-1 ence to the result, as Apologue won ! ' comfortably by three-quarters of a ' , length with his old rival Mooltan i ; second and Mountain King third, j 1 Poseidon was not placed. Jockey Carried Unconscious lo Scales Apologue started one of the hottest favourites on record, but his | backers did n...: know till afterwards how lucky they were. A few strides ! after he passed the post his jockev. i W*. Evans, fainted, and McLachlan. ; who rode Mooltan. ; stated that Evans must have been ! incapable of riding some distance. :rom the post, and that the horse d ; d I the !a.-t bit on his own. Evans was ; carried to the scale-; and was uncon- j .--cious when weighed in. For a ' . little while u was thought he would j : not recover. Had the attack occurred a few seconds earlier it is j certain that Apologue would have • finished the Cup without a rider. I The incident was stated at the time | to be unique in any country in the ! , world. I Apologue was the first horse bre.- 1 I : and owned in New Zealand to wi: I the Melbourne Cup. and the rac

' was run in record time. Mr. Cleland | was, naturally, elated, but he stated . that he was not a big winner over the race apart from the stake, which I was at that time 5000 sovs. added | money. The biggest winner was i probably the Auckland bookmaker. j "•Bill" Lyons, who managed the j campaign, but there were several others. Thousands of small betters collected their winnings after the race without even knowing how . near they had been to losing their money. ! Apologue did not return to New j Zealand. He was sold about a week ; after the Cup to an Indian potentate. : and raced in his new owner's colours " a: the A.J.C. autumn meevlr.e. where i he won the Essendon Stakes and rar : second to Peru in the thiee miles ; Champion Slakes. He later suffered ; a lapse of form, but there is nc | doubt that at his best he was a fine i stayer, who was never blessed with the best of luck in his running. I Bookmaking became illegal in Xew ! Zealand shortly afterwards, and Mr j Cleland said good-bye to the turf. I :"or many years he had a tobacco- | mist's business at the corner of j Queen and Customs Streets, and j ater became interested in the King leorge Picture Theatre, but at the ime of his death he had retired rom business for many years. Wise in the ways of the turf, he