MELBOURNE CUP

Grey River Argus, 24 November 1942, Page 3

MELBOURNE CUP

SYDNEY, Nov. 23. Sold for £l5O as a speedy squib a few months ago, Colonus led throughtout the two miles of the Melbourne Cup to record one of the easiest and “wettest” wins in the history of the race. Rain and austerity reduced the Cup from a national carnival to the rank of a good class handicap. , Colonus’was a fluke purchase. Mr L. Menck learned that Mr KThomas, owner of Colonus and Durberry had a horse for sale. Assuming that Mr Thomas intended to sell Burberry, Mr Menck ’ deposited th° orice with a bloodstock firm. When he Went to inspect? -the horse he found that he had bought Colonus. The favourites could not gallop in the mud, and the field was strung ou. like the finish of a third-rate steeple ■ chase. The time of 3,33.. was the second slowest time since 1899.