THE V.R.C. MEETING.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5974, 29 October 1890, Page 2

THE V.R.C. MEETING.

(BY "oaixkb ou.")

For the V.R.C. meeting, which opens on Saturday, it is claimed that the addod money is the largest ever given in the world for four data" racing, whilo the Melbourne Cup is the biggest stake ever contributed by a racing ctub. In England and America there are two or three races of more value, but the money, as in the case of the Caulfield Cup, is found by the owners. A few years ago the total stakes at Flemington for the year did not amount to what is now given for the one event. On each day there are six races, and the lowest amouut donated to any race is 300 soys. In each event the second horse receives 20 and the third horse 10 per cent, of the added money. This is a new principle, and not a bad one, for in the case of a big stake there is every inducement for a horse to be ridden out for a place. On tho 6th the entries for 19 races were received \5 had already closed) and tho response from owners was 912 nominations as against 70S last year, and in only one instance did the figure fall below that of the previous year. On the openinir day the first race is the Maiden Plate, over a mile, at weight-for-age. The Melbourne Stakes, which follows, has before to-day given a jfood line to the Melbourne Cup. Of the horses accepted in the Utter event 21 are to be found in the Melbourne Btakes, inoluding the best horses in Australia with the exception of the Derby candidates. On piper Carbine must win, otherwise he can have no shov in the Melbourne Cup The Hotham Handicap has 45 engaged. The Mnribyrnong Plate years ago, when it waß almost the first of the two-year-old racesof the year, attracted larger fields than it has of late. Nowadays there are so many races for the young ones before the V.R C. meetangr that a line is got, and thoso found wanting are withdrawn. In addition winners are now penalised, which also tends to reduce the field. The final acceptances are due next Fridty, but at present there are 26. left in, inoluding Lady Carbine, She, and Steadfast by Nordenfeldt, and Piecrußt and Corvette by Martini-Henri. The V.R C. Derby follows. Here let me point out that of the nineteen Maribyrnong Plate winners not one has ever won the V.R.C. Derby. Last year the race was won by The Admiral, and his perforrnanoea fall little short of those of _?itan, for when he was beaten he was conceding weight to those of his year. In May he won the Royal Handicap carrying 7st 121b, and beating a large field of handicap horses. Megaphone is claimed to be a phenomenal three-year-old, hi»t at Caulfield the son of Richmond downed him in tbe Caulfield Stakes. During the winter I never hesitated in saying The Admiral would win the Derby, and I see no causa to alter that opinion, for at this distance cable m_B»agei are apt to be a bit misleading, und Eublio form must be the guide; Annesley, ailing from Ballarat, has shown himself a good colt, and they have fine trying tickle at Dowling Forest. Whimbrel, Titan, Gatling, Gibraltar, The Bpot (in the same stable as The Admiral), Beverley, Enuo, Magio Circle, and a host of others all go to prove that the three-year-olde are an exceptionally fine lot this year. Titan on the training track does such good work that his publio performances are perplexing. A fovy week's ago a writer in the Sportsman said he would not liko to be compelled to pick the winner in ten tries, but even with that before me I favor the chances of The

Admiral, Titau, and Amiesloy ia the order I have written them, with Magio Circle as the best of tbe fUliea. Tho final payments ar,• due ou Friday. After all tbo field for the Melbourne Cup does not promise to be tho larurest on record. Forty-two are responsible for the full stake, and the wiener will receive atleast £10,000, but before the day there will probably be ten or a dozen defeotjonp, co the field'will likely comprise something like thirty horses. It >eetps like madness to say it, but I have •<n id«a that tho best three-year-old will turn out the winner. What Australian Peer, Trident, and Nordenfeldt failed to accomplish will I. believe be done this year, notwithstanding the produce of Carbine, the greatest bore* that ever ran in Australia. Tho -.asotifb. such a preteieoee is this—in the years when.the Derby winnets went down—speaking from memory two of them ran fourth—the top weight had not the burden of lOst 61b to carry. One must have | respect for a borße -ike" Carbine, who has | won nine right off the reel at all sorts of distances, but then when ho cut tho record in beating Megaphone he was only conceding 231b, and in the Cup he moeta the highest weighted of the three-year-olds at a disadvantage of 361-8, while to Enuo, who got third in the Caulfield Cup, he has to concede 4st all but 2lb. In the same stable with Carbine are Titan, Prinoe Consort, and Tantallon. Both Princo Consort and Tuntallon havo plenty of followers, men who do not generally throw their money it way. When the weights appeared I recoived a copy from a sporting friend in Melbourne ami tho marked horso; was Tantallon. His performances are not so good us Prince Consort's. Melon has been specially reserved for the raoe, but has not pleaned"tho touts at Flemington. Cuirassier, according to all accounts, won't be fit. Sir William has been a good performer. Richelieu was my fancy for last year's Derby and did not disgraoo himself, for he was a_ good second. Singapore has been a disappointing h.frse, but he is now in very clover hands For Chinta I have a great respect, for Tbe Serf, Swing, and Magic Circle, in the same stable, have boon scratched. Her trainer is tho well-known Mr James Wilson. The Lawyer and Ben.on I pass by, knowing nothing of them. Tho Queen is a mare, and November ia a bad month for them Newmaster wa; only placed once last year. Chaldean was a capital performer in Tasmania, but has yot to distinguish himself in Australia. Wbakawai should have won the Cup of 188S, but left it on the training track through too much use of the watch. Parooola must be left to his connections, as may Tourbillon, who is in the same stable as Beuzoti. The mare, it will be remembered, wa. "Augur's" tip for tho Caulfield Cup Carringtou was a good two-year-old Jebus'to, by Darriwell — Tyrop.an, has -troug credentials on tho score of breeding. Muriel I pass by, as I _o l.rnani Loyalstone, on his runnio.g i n Iho Caulfield Oup, i 8 eutitled to. g re at respect. Copenhagen, well on.ugh brod for anything, has yet to gair, a winning bracket, but if ho carried Bi_- W. J. Clarke's colors first past the noet thero would be such a cheer as has* not been heard for many a day. Ri o h Ruby is a stable companion of Rioheliou. Vengoaneo has to put up a 141b penalty for his Caulfield win, and no winner of the Caulfield Cup has yet been able to carry his penalty to victory in the Melbourne Cup. Lap-tone is a maiden Little Bernie h„s either gone off or took miss at Caulfield. Highborn has won several short distance cents. Jlantilla ran second

to Carbine in the Sydney Cup. Plenty is a son of Lurline, who is as yet « maiden. Emancipation is a western distriot horse that hae distinguished himself in that part ef Victoria. Emeralda has won races at country meetings. Enuo seems the best of the Ballarat division, while Firelock is* 1 a Mmdtet that has never done anything. To sum up, I like the ohances of Oarbine, Richelieu, Chintz, Jebusite, Loj/al-tone, Enuo (I regard the latter as au unlikely Derby candidate), and Little Bernie. The three-year-olds I have not d.alt with, as the first day's racing will trive a line as to which of them is best, and ta king the above seven and the" best Of ttis'' three-year-olds, on Monday I will try and place them. .■'•'.-..■ - -