MELBOURNE CUP WINNER

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26265, 9 November 1950, Page 5

MELBOURNE CUP WINNER

COMIC COURT’S TOTAL £41,142 (N.Z.P.A. —Reuter—Copyright) MELBOURNE, November 8. Comic Court brought his stake winnings to £41,142 with his machine-like victory over the Melbourne* Cup field at Flemington yesterday. Though carrying topweight and running on a track which had lost its sting through rain, he sprinted from his rivals in the straight after leading over the last seven furlongs. His tftne for the two miles was 3min 19Jsec. which clipped Jsec off the Australian and New Zealand record for the distance, and ljsec off Rimfire’s Cup record. When he won the Mackinnon Stakes last Saturday, Comic Court became the highest stake winner now racing in Australia and in 47 starts he has had 23 wins, 10 seconds, and two and a half thirds. Comic Court was an unlikely Cup runner until after the Mackinnon Stakes, and even then he was doubtful almost until starting time. His connexions shared the doubts of punters, who believed that two miles was not his distance, and that the class three-year-olds would outrun him in the closing stages. Pat Glenrion, aged 23. one of South Australia's leading jockeys, who was having his first ride on Comic Court, risked the censure of the crowd when he gave the horse his head early in the race. Sprinting well at the barrier, he got the hor&e early into his stride, and then (had some difficulty in holding him. Purtel'. who rode Alister, said he had a good run until Bruin propped right in front of him. Alister almost came down, and never regained his stride. W. Williamson, on Chicquita, said that the mare ran an honest race, and it was simply a case of a great horse beating a gam{ mare. The casualty list Is a heavy one. Playboy was badly interfered with early In the race, and appeared to break down, though he jogged past the post. Bruin was leading near the mile when he suddenly went lame and dropped back through the field. He has a broken seasmoid, but an attempt will be made to save him for the stud by treatment similar to that which was successful with Bernborough. Indian Chief and Gold Bar sustained serious Injuries when they fell. Both riders are in hospital. George Moore with a broken collar-bone, and H. McKenzie with a probable fracture of the skull and a fractured left collarbone. Chicquita was cut on the near hind pastern. ’ | Alister suffered cuts on the near foreleg near a ligament. Thracian Lad bled when running favourably at the seven furlongs finished the race very distressed.

COMIC COURT

22N» FIVE-YEAR-OLD TO WIN CUP

Comic Court, which easily won the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday, is the twenty-second five-year-old winner of the race. Horses of that age have a good record in the Melbourne Cup; nevertheless, they have not enjoyed the same success in recent years as thev did 20 years ago. Until Comic Court won on Tuesday no five-year-old had won the cup since The Trump, a son of Manfred, won in 1937. In the list of five-year-old cup winners appear the names of such mighty performers as Carbine, Malua, Spearfelt, and Peter Pan. Malua. which won the* cup in 1884, is perhaps jhe most versatile horse to have raced in Australia, while the deeds of New Zealand-bred Carbine are legend. The cup weight-carrying record made by. Carbine with 10-5 in 1890 still stands, and many insist that thls performance has never been equalled. Carbine won by two lengths and a half from another five-year-old Highborn, which carried only 6-8. ’ The field that year wqs the largest on record. 39 going to the post. Peter Pan’s second cup win in 1934 ranks with the best performances in the long history of the race. Two years earlier he had won the cup from an almost impossible position at the half-mile after meeting with severe interference. When the field went to the post for the 1934 cup, rain had reduced the Flemington track to a quagmire, and few would believe that Peter P*m, burdened with 9-10, could overcome, the conditions. However. he had the race won a furlong from home and went right away on the post to wiW by three lengths from the Jightlyweighted Sarcherie. Comic Court was top weight with 9-5 on Tuesday. The last successful top? weight was Russia, the winner in 1946, Comic Court may go to England next year as Australian representative in the £stg.2o,ooo Festival of Britain Race, to be run over a mile and a half, on July 21. The Festival of Britain race—the richest ever to be run in England—will be open to horses from England. Ireland, United States. South Africa, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France, Belgium, and Italy. Entries close on May 8.

Comic Court's sire is Powerscourt, and he is the second produce of Witty Maid, which was by Anton King from Miss. Comedy, a daughter of Comedy King, which won the Melbourne Cup in 1910. His sire and dam were sold jointly for 130gns. , Whep Powerscourt was retired from racing no one wanted him as a sire. One breeder refused to accept him as a gift. Comic Court’s win puts Powerscourt at the head of the winning sires.