RACING W.S. COX PLATE

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27489, 25 October 1954, Page 5

RACING W.S. COX PLATE

RISING FAST WINS EASILY NOW FAVOURITE FOR MELBOURNE CUP (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) (Rec. 7 p.m.) MELBOURNE, October 24. The Caulfield Cup winner, Rising Fast, is now favourite for the Melbourne Cup, and J. Purtell wants to ride him. Yesterday Rising Fast easily won the W. S. Cox Plate at Moonee Valley, beating the A.J.C. Derby winner, Prince Delville, by four lengths. The Rosehill Guineas winner. Pride of Egypt, which was the pacemaker, hung on well in third place, a length and a half behind Prince Delville. Purtell rated Rising Fast a very good horse when he dismounted after the race. Purtell had never ridden Rising Fast in a race. Replying to a question, “Will you ride him in the Melbourne Cup?’’ Purtell smiled and said, “I wouldn’t mind.” The Victoria Racing Club vice-chairman. E. A. Underwood, has a claim on Purtell’s services in the Melbourne Clip. He would not decide yesterday whether he would relieve Purtell from Wodalla to take the Rising Fast mount, he said. He will decide after the racing next. Saturday.

Rising fast had the race in his keeping at the top of the straight, and Purtell did not have to ride him as hard as he did to hold the lead, but Rising Fast has done so well since the Caulfield Cup that his trainer, Ivan Tucker, wanted the horse to have a good hit out. It suited the public, too. Purtell is a hero of them, and Rising Fast was the horse of the moment. They cheered every stride the gelding took as he careered away from Prince Delville, and they kept up their cheering until Rising Fast disappeared down the laneway to the mounting enclosure.

First Gelded Winner Since 1933 No gelding had won the Cox Plate since the Great Rogilla in 1933. It is a weight-for-age race, but geldings do not get their rightful 31b allowance, and, therefore, Rising Fast carried 31b more than he should have carried at standard weight-for-age. He is handicapped at 31b over weight-for-age in the Melbourne Cup. Whether he wins that race or not, yesterday's run shows the handicapper’s assessment of him at 9-5 for the cup to have been sound and fair.

Rising Fast’s owner, Mr L. R. Spring, had nothing to disclose after the race. “You’ll have to work it all out for yourself,” he said, when plans for Rising Fast were sought. When asked if he was now satisfied that the 101 b Melbourne Cup penalty was fair, he said, “That is a closed subject.” But the speed with which bookmakers altered betting charts to make Rising Fast favourite showed their opinion of the race. While they were at it, they sent Prince Delville to odds on for the Victoria Derby, because of the game way the colt fought against Rising Fast's challenge on the turn into the straight. Rising Fast treated the field in cavalier fashion once his run was launched. Shortly after passing the half-mile, he went through the field, quickly leaving behind those horses which attempted to go with him. Hydrogen was one of the early ones, and was soon left behind. Aidershot and Pride of Egypt were soon in trouble, and Prince Delville’s run was not nearly good enough to threaten danger. Moonee Valley Cup Australia’s cup specialist, Noel MeGrowdie, added yet another cup to his long list of successes when he won the Moonee Valley Gold Cup oh Hellion here yesterday. When McGrowdie won the Geelong Cup on Chidden on Wednesday, he said he had won more than 50 cup races during his career. The only principal races which had evaded him were the Moonee Valley. Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. He needs only to win the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups now to have a full book. Judged by his win in the Moonee Valley Cup yesterday. McGrowdie has an excellent chance of winning the Melbourne Cup. Hellion carried 7-4 yesterday, and has 11b more in the big two-miler. He can be penalised up to 101 b for yesterday’s win. Hellion began well, and took up a handy position in the early stages. He was in fourth position at the half-mile, where Silver Hawk and Great Performance led. The favourite. Gallant Archer, was still well back at this stage, but was moving forward sharply. When the two leaders tired, McGrowdie dashed Hellion to the front, and he was able to stall off the strong Melbourne Cup fancy, Sunish, In the run to the post. Franklin, which occupied a similar position throughout, finished third. Flying Halo made up a tremendous amount of ground to run fourth. “Had it Sewn Up” After the race, McGrowdie said Hellion was always travelling like a winner, and he knew he “had it sewn up” three furlongs from home. B. Wilson, the apprentice rider of Sunish, said his mount lugged out in the last three furlongs. W. Camer (Franklin) said his mount had a good run, but the others were a little too good. Purtell, who rode the tiny Riberia, said his mount ran only a fair race, and would have to improve to win the Melbourne

Cup. Heather, who handled the well-backed Te Totara, said he was disappointed with his mount. "He was just not good enough,” Heather said. N. Best, rider of the favourite, Gallant

Archer, said he had a good run, and could offer no excuse. ... _ Most Regal, sixth In the Melbourne Cup, and third In the Caulfield Cup last season, broke down badly In the race, and was destroyed. Results:— W. S. COX PI.ATE, Ot £4OOO and £250 trophy. Welght-lor-age. One mile and a quarter. RISING FAST 9-4 .. .. Purtell 1 Prince Delville .7-11 .. .. Selkrlg 2 Pride of Egypt 7-11 .. McGrowdie 3 All started. Betting: 11 to 8 favourite Rising East. 13 to 2 Prince Delville, 20 to 1 Pride of Egypt. Four lengths; one and a half lengths, Time, 2min 3Jsec. MOONEE VALLEY GOLD CUP, Of £4OOO and £250 trophy. One mile and five furlongs. HELLION 7-4 .. .. McGrowdie 1 Sunish 8-11 .. .. Wilson 2 Franklin 7-4 .. .. earner 3 Scratched: Durham. Betting: Bto 1 Hellion, 13 to 2 Sunish, 7 to 1 Franklin, 6 to 1 favdurite Gallant Archer. Two lengths and a half; one length and a half. Time, 2min 4Jsec.