Ilumquh May Make Melbourne Cup Bid

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30172, 2 July 1963, Page 4

Ilumquh May Make Melbourne Cup Bid

The Press* Special Service WELLINGTON, July 1. Plans are in hand to fly Ilumquh to Australia later this year and if all goes well he will aim principally at the Melbourne Cup. Ilumquh resumed racing on the first day of the Hawke’s Bay winter meeting 10 days ago and was forward enough to finish second under 9-11 to the more-seasoned Big Mac in the Mahon Handicap, seven furlongs.

It was encouraging form for a gayer which baa been off foe foene for so long, p®rttoulMriy on soft around to which be Im never been partial. Duraquh has continued to thrive in hie wnrtt at Woodville stooe racing at Hastings and he wiM fulfil his engagement in foe Whyte Handicap at Trenfoam cm Saturday providing foe ground does not become too heavy.

foe 1861-60 wen. foe greater part at which be epent trowing a new hoof. Hp reappeared iw the spring of foe cunent oeeocn, but after five state had to be put aside again at Christmas. Another good speU at his home at Tte Baree helped Ilumquh to recover and he has furnished into a much stronger indtviduail than he has been at any previous stage of his career. His forward showing against the sprinters at Hastings did not surprise his connexions. Mrs A. C. Williams, who owns Ilumquh—foe horse is raced on lease by her husband—said at the week-end that the present plan was to concentrate on the Melbourne Cup and it was most unlikely that the Caulfield Cup would be included in the programme. The trip would be undertaken only if suitable air transport was available. A sea voyage would not be considered. Won Nine Races Ilumquh is a seven-year-old gelding by Sabaean from Sunbride, an imported mare which has bred seven winners of £58,000 and in 1962 was named “Brood-mare of the year.” Ilumquh has won nine races and £19,385 in stakes. His half-brother, Straight Drew, won 12 races (including a dead-heart) and £37,629. Among his wins were the Melbourne and Sydney Cups, the A.J.C. Metropolitan Handicap. and the AJ.C. Autumn Stakes

On foe occasion of has last visit to Auetndta in the spring of 1900, Ilumquh wen the CMilfiead Cup, was narrowly beaten in the Melbourne Centenary Cup by his compatriots Hi-Jinx and Howsie, and later won foe Williamson Cup on a very wet track. Only Survivor He is the only survivor of that notable cup trio. Neither Hi-Jinx nor Howsie was successful after resuming to New Zealand and each has since been retired.

Later in the season of his Melbourne triumphs, Humquh started five times in New Zealand. He ran fourth in Red Eagle’s Clifford Plate, sixth in Ruaito’s Auckland Cup, third in Great Sensation’s first Wellington Cup, and was then spelled till the autumn.

He resumed racing at Manawatu where he lost has rider in the Johnston Memorial Handicap on the first day and then won the Awapuni Gold Cup from Picaroon, Hi-Jinx and Fair Fitou.

Since then Ilumquh has encountered a series of setbacks. He did not race in