SPEARFELT'S MELBOURNE CUP

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 108, 3 November 1926, Page 5

SPEARFELT'S MELBOURNE CUP

NEW ZEALAND-BRED NAOS

SECOND

LIMERICK WELL BACK.

(Uniterl Press Association.—Copyright.) MELBOURNE, 2nd November. There was an'enormous attendance for Cup Day at the V.R.C. Meeting at Flemington. The weather was fine and calm. The Governor-General, State Governors, Empire Parliamentarians, and scores of New Zealanders were present. The going was good. The New Zealander, Cherry" Ripe, after being sixth in the early stages of the hurdles, finished fast and won nicely. He is trained by Amounis's trainer, F. M'Grath. Despite his big weight Fuji San scored a brilliant win in the Railway High-

weight Handicap. The rider, J. Pike, also won this race last year on Red Gauntlet. - " Maritza, finishing fast, won the Nursery nicely. Her owner, Mr. J. P. Arthur, formerly raced Fuji San. Maritza cost 100 guineas as a yearling. It was a great race for the Cup. Comus set a merry pace over the first mile. Five horses had winning chances at the distance. Here .Spearfelt came with a great run and wori brilliantly. Naos came fast in the last furlong. Spearfelt is owned by Mr. D. Grant, who purchased trainer V. O'Neill's share for 2500 guineas in October. Spearfelt was third in the Cup in 1924. The time equalled the Australasian record held by Windbag and Kennaquhair. ' Cairns stated he lay a long way back in the first portion of the journey, but made a good run. behind The Banker. Spearfelt was the fittest horse in the race and was not in the least distressed at the finish. Cairns was originally engaged to ride. Heroic, and later there was a possibility ho would ride The Banker. He was engaged on the course to ride Spearfelt. Cairns is a native of Palmerston North, and was apprenticed.to Jack Carter, Blenheim. His first winneVwas Hydrant. Cairns' is 38 years of age. -V. O'Neill, the trainer of the winner, is also a New Zealander. The top weight Brenda's Son, led nearly all the way in the steeples and won easily. He was ridden by the ex-New Zealander, H. Thompson. The Van Yean Stakes furnished a great .finish. Metellus was prominent in the. early stages, but lost his position at the half-mile, and then won in the last stride. This gave rider H. Cairns his second win for the afternoon. Results:— CUP HURDLE RACE, of 5 soys each, with 500 sors added. Two miles. C. C. Murphy's b g Cherry Ripe, by Nassau —Cherry Roe, 6yrs, 11.3 1 S. F. Reynolds's b g Cash King, by King Orbost—Cash Girl, aged, 9.2 2 N. Robinson's b m Sparkling Moselle, by Bright Steel—Vorai, aged, 10.12 3 Nine started. Won by half a length, three lengths between second and third. Pindarus was fourth. Rambler pulled up, and Renown fell. Time, 3min 40% sec. RAILWAY HIGH-WEIGHT HANDICAP, of 5 soys each, with 500 sots added; minimum weight. 8.0. Six furlongs. ■■ ' 1 _<. J. Matthew's b g Fuji San, by Valais— Lady San, syrs, 11.9 1 E. A. Connolly's eh h Mote, by Rock Savage —Bright Rays, 4yrs, 8.7 2 Mrs. P. H. Osborne's br g Quixotic, by Absurd —Los Vegas, syrs, 10.3 3 Twenty-three started. Won by half a length, a neck between second and third. Garrula was fourth. Time, lmin 13% sec. NOVEMBER NURSERY HANDICAP, of 5 soys each, with 500 soys added; for two-year-old Allies. Five furlongs. 3. P. Arthur's eh f Maritza, by Kenilworth — Loyal. Lady, 8.0 1 H. F. Creswlck'js b f Canon Law, by Bucklaw —Lady Karanaud, 8.3 2 C. B. Kellow's b t Herowinkie, by Cyklon— Deneb, 7.7 * 8 Eighteen started. Won by half a length, a neck between second and third. Censatls was fourth. Time, lmin l%sec. MELBOURNE CUP, of 75 soys each, with 10,000 soya added, and trophy value 200 soys; second 2000 soys, and third horse 1000 soys from the stake. Two miles. D. Grant's bY h Spearfelt, by Spearheadlady Champion, syrs, 9.3 (H. Cairns) 1 Sol Green's b g Naos, by Martian—Lady Lucy, syrs, 7.0 (N. Percival) 2 J. E. and C. H. Brien's b or br h Pantheon, by Tracery—Scotch Rose, syrs, 9.3 (J. Pike) 3 Twenty-one started. Balbus was the early leader, but passing the stands Comus went to tlie front, and at the ten furlongs led by fifteen lengths from Balbus. Then camo Valalslan, Piastoon, Limerick, Rampion, Beedos, and The Banker, with Naos last. At the mile Comus had Increased bis lead to twenty lengths from Balbus, who was followed by Pantheon, Rampion, Valaisian, Limerick, The Banker, Piastoon, and Spearfelt, with The Slave now last, and Waos beginning to move up. At the seven-furlong post Comus began to tire, and Pantheon was with him at tho half-mile. Others prominent wore The Banker, Royal Charter, and Spearfelt, with Rampion dropping back. Pantheon and The Banker were in the lead coming around the turn from Royal Charter and Spearfelt, with Naos coming fast. The leading four were almost on level terms at the entranco to the straight, and a great race home followed. Spearfelt gradually forged ahead and won by half a length from the fast-finishing Naos, with Pantheon a neck away. Next came Royal Charter and The Banker, then Our Prince, Johnny Jones, Valamita, Tookarby, Spearer, Valbee, Rampion, Limerick, Mls3 Disraeli, Beedos, The Slave, and Piastoon, with Comus and Ballus last. Time, 3njln 22% sec. CUP STEEPLECHASE, of 5 soys each, with 500 soys added. About two miles and 110 yards. H. and M. Bourke's eh g Brenda's Son, by Sunburnt—Little Brenda, aged, 12.11 .. 1 P. Paulson's br g Reparation, by Charlemagne ll.—Grafton Lassie, aged, 9.13 .. f E. K. Field's br g Scotch Thorn, by Thistlebrook —Cymbalene, aged, 9.3 t (tDead heat for second place.) Ten started. Hannan was fourth. Tarnutl, Mountain Grand, and Liberate fell. Time, tain 3Visec. VAN YEAN STAKES, of 5 soys each, with 600 soys added; one mile. C. B. Kellow's b g Metellus, by Vnlals— Averse, Gyrii, 9.12 1 H. Masterton's blk g Ataman, by Bachelor's Double—Bobblna, syrs. 8.0 2 W. H. M'Dermott's b g Tommy Doild, by Solfcrino—Kllberry, syrs, 8.4 3 Fifteen started. Won by a head the same between second and third. Epilogue was fourth. Time, lmin 38% sec.