THE AUSTRALIAN CUP

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 75, 10 March 1933, Page 2

THE AUSTRALIAN CUP

TO-MORROW’S RACE. It must.be a good many years since, as with the case to-morrow, No. 1 on the card for the Australian Cup carried as low a weight as Bst 61b, fairly sure evidence of the dearth of weight-carry-ing stayers in the Commonwealth just now. At the same time, the records of the race do not give very much encouragement to the heavily-weighted section, for in the last 20 years only three horses have carried over Bst to victory. These were Cherubini, Bst lib, in 1916; Pilliewinkie (N.Z.), 9st 61b, ten years later; and Spearfelt, 9st 131 b, the 'following year. Madstar, who won as an outsider last year under 7st 31b, is not engaged to-morrow, but Carry On, who won the previous year under the same weight, and White Nose, who ran second to him with 6st 91b, are both acceptors. No doubt Saturday’s Lcgcr winner, Oratory, will be well fancied, but, as he then beat Metallurgy at level weights by only a head, the latter, now with an advantage of 211 b, should hold him safe, unless the extra half-mile makes the necessary difference. Eastern Chief, who was only a neck behind Metallurgy in the Leger, and has a fairrecord over distance races, will also have a good few followers, as also may Cupidity and Topical. The race has in the past been responsible for a good many surprises and that may be the ease again to-morrow.