BETTING ON CUPS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29278, 9 August 1960, Page 5

BETTING ON CUPS

Big Support For Melody Man fN.Z. Press Association— MELBOURNE, August 8. Melody Man, a six-year-old New Zealand stayer, lias been backed for more than £60,000 with fancied Melbourne Cup candidates in the last week, and has also been supported each way for the Caulfield Cup, the Melbourne “Sun-Pictorial” turf writer said today. New Zealand experts consider that Melody Man is one of the best handicapped horses in the two cups, the writer said. Melody Man was coupled with the Melbourne Cup favourite Tulloch for £15,000, with his stablemaite Howsie, winner of the New Zealand St. Leger last season, for £30,000, and the two Melody Mans were taken for about £15,000. Bookmakers slashed his price ait Caulfield on Saturday, and he is only at one-third of the odds on offer a week ago. Melody Man has 7-5 in the Caulfield Cup and 7-7 in the Melbourne Cup. In the Avondale Cup last September, Melody Man finished second to Fair Filou, beaten by three-quarters of a length. Fair Filou, has been rated the top New Zealander in the cups weights this year, with 9-3 in the Caulfield Cup and 9-1 in the Melbourne Cup. Wellington Meeting The last time Fair Filou and Melody Man met was in the Parliamentary Handicap at Wellington in July, when Fair Filou won well, with Melody Man sixth. Melody Man and Howsie, which are trained at Woodville by P. Burgess, are booked to leave Auckland in the Wanganella on August 19.

They will not race in Sydney, but will come straight to Caulfield, where stabling arrangements have been made. Burgess will bring two other horses—Songman and a three-year-old. Autoflash. The team will be accompanied by J. Walker, who won the New Zealand St. Leger on Howsie in March.