THE MELBOURNE CUP

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 60, 8 September 1934, Page 23

THE MELBOURNE CUP

POSSIBILITY OF DIVISION

Will this year's Melbourne Cup provide a record field, and will the final acceptance be of sufficient size to necessitate divisions? .These are two questions which are being raised in Australia. The Centenary Cup this year, apart from its £IO,OOO prize, is a very great attraction, and there are abundant signs that many owners of potential and not so potential stayers have their eyes en the big Flemington two-miler. It is not too mueh to say that some.owners and trainers will pass over the not inconsiderable races, like the Metropolitan and Caulfield Cup in order to have their horses unimpaired and possibly not rehandieapped for the When Carbine won with 10.5 in 1890 he beat a record field of 30. Possibly the V R.C would be averse to parading a field of this size in these days of sateiy numbers, and a division is quite within the realms of possibility. BLEEDING TQ~EXTINCTION Addressing members at the annual general meeting of the Opotiki Jockey Club this week, the president (Mr. A. Young) said that small country racing clubs like Opotiki could not pay their way unless the Government drastically reduced taxation. The right to wire money to the course and the' publication of dividendswould prove of assistance to small clubs, and would also bring in revenue for the Government. The annual report showed that despite ideal weather, the funds of the club had been depleted by over £BO in the running of their.Annual Meeting. Members expressed the opinion that it was impossible to reduce the expenditure. On the present Basis it would be possible to rim only one more meeting, when the funds would be completely depleted. The .only solution .of the. difficulty facing the small clubs was the reduction of the heavy taxation. A few years ago the club had a credit 4 of several hundred pounds, and the credit balanced was now only £IOB.

/ POPULAR SHADOW KING Shadow King was given a great reception after he had won the August Handicap at Willianistowli on August 25. Immediately his number was hoisted there was cheering from all parts of the course, and it continued until his rider had dismounted toweigh in. Now a veteran, Shadow King has proved himself one of the hardiest and gamest horses in Melbourne for years. His record of four minor places in the Melbourne Cup is hardly likely to be broken, and if he trains on he should again put up a great race in the Centenary Melbourne Cup this year, in which he has 8.10. His performance at Williamstown! was his best yet for so early in the season. He is now nine years old, and, he is .owned by Messrs. F. E. S. E. Bailey, the partnership having been formed some years back after : str. Shillabeer had raced him alone till he w-as five years old.

TURF NEWS IN BRIEF

L. J. Ellis has accepted an offer to ride Mr. G. Currie's horses at Wanganui, where he is already assured of a "full book." Racing in the Dominion, next week wiU be conducted by the Wanganui Jockey Club on Thursday and Saturday, and by the Ashburton County Racing Club on Saturday. ■■•■ : The last of the season's classics in .England, the St. Leger Stakes, will be cided on the famous Doncaster Moor next Wednesday. The Great Yorkshire Handir cap, 1% miles, will be run on TViesday,.''and the Doncaster Cup, IV*. miles, on Friday.. In Australia next week the-fixture of principal importance will, be the RosehiU [Spring Meeting on Saturday, where the RosehiU Guineas, 8 furlongs, the . Hill Stakes, 1 mile, the RosehiU Spring Handicap, 11 furlongs, and the Camellia Stakes, 7 furlongs, will be decided. In Victoria on Saturday the Moonee Valley. Racing Club, with the Moonee Valley Stakes, .a three-year-old race over 7% . 'furlongs, carrying a prize of £IOOO, will have' the stage. ' ' ' .

The Hawke's Bay owner-trainer J. M. Cameron has recovered from his recent illness and is again supervising the training of his .team at Hastings. Sir Nigel, one of its members, may be sent to Australia. ' .' - '' According to a northern report it is likely that the programme for the Taka'puna Jockey Club's Spring Meeting at Ellerslie on November 24 and 26 will include a steeplechase each day. Although she has wbn eight races to date Hunting Lodge is still well within hack class, her aggregate winnings for firsts being only £387 10s. She is now held on a two years' lease by Mr. T. G. Taylor, of Hunterville, and as she has won first two starts for him she looks like proving a useful proposition. Motions of sympathy with Mr. H. A. Knight in his illness were passed'by the Canterbury District Committee and the committee of the Canterbury Jockey Club at this week's monthly meetings'; It was the intention of Pahu's owners to nominate him for hack hurdles on the country circuit, despite the weights he would probably receive, but a tally of his successes over battens reveals that he is no longer eligible for hack hurdling events. - The assistance that a club may derive from a holiday racing date is shown by the experience of the Wyndham Racing Club, which showed a profit .of over £3OO on last season's operations, thanks to the success of its meeting on New Year's Day. The C.J.C. Champagne Stakes winner Variant, who is now trained by P. V. Mason at Riccarton, is reported to have developed into a fine-looking three-year-old. The daughter of Limond and Motley displayed brilliant form last season and is to be given a special preparation for the New Zealand Oaks, to be decided in November next. The team that P. V. Mason has in work includes Hostis, a well-grown three-year-old who looks as if he may turn-out useful. He is owned on the West Coast, be ing by Honour from Goldspear, by Greyspear from Martian's half-sister Sunglow, by Multiform from Offenden. Bred as he is, Hostis should stay well. . . The Ellerslie owner-trainer. 11. Rama, who is at present doing. a- South Island circuit, has had the three-year-old Lucullus—Country Air filly Horotiu sent down to join his team temporarily stationed at Riccarton. Horotiu has not had a race since last summer, but she has been in work throughout the winter, and should be well forward for the spi'ing meetings. Having previously found a tenant for his house at Riccarton, in anticipation of an. extended visit to Australia, A. E. Ellis has temporarily taken up his residence at New Brighton, where he id having a good rest during his period of suspension. He will be free to ride again after October 18, so he .will'be available for the. Caulfield Cup, also the .'Melbourne Cup, and other events during the' Victorian racing carnival in November. His present intention, however, is not to go to Australia (says the "Christchurch Times"), though his plans are subject to alteration in the event of inducements being offered him to make the trip.