TROPHY STOLEN

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30269, 23 October 1963, Page 15

TROPHY STOLEN

Melbourne Cup

(N.Z. Press Asm.—Copyright) MELBOURNE, October 22. The £750 gold Melbourne Cap was stolen from a public display at the New Zealand Toarist Bureau's Melbourne office today, the chairman of the Victoria Racing Chib, Mr Ross Grey Smith, told the N.Z.P.A.. The V.R.C. runs the Melbourne Cup. Mr Grey Smith said he was informed this afternoon by W.lliam Drummond and Company, Ltd., suppliers of the cup, that the cup had been taken by three men early in the afternoon. Mr Grey Smith said he did not know the circumstances of the theft.

Mr Grey Smith told the NZ.P.A it was known that the men had entered the Tourist Bureau but it was not known how they got the cup away.

The famous cup has been on display at the bureau tor two weeks. A new cup is made by Drummonds each year. Mr Grey Smith said that if the cup was not found by the time the race was run, on November 5, a replica—already made—would be presented to the winning owner. Mr Grey Smith said the V.R.C. first began lending the gold cup after the centennial Melbourne Cup in 1931. Since then a replica also had been made each year. Police had no reports early tonight of the cup, but later said that C. 1.8. detectives were investigating. Mr J. Maxwell, an executive of Drummonds, said each cup took about three months to make. The cup is fully insured.