THE NEW ZEALAND CUP.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 288, 2 November 1934, Page 13

THE NEW ZEALAND CUP.

TO-MORROW’S BIG FIXTURE. (By “Binocular.”) The New Zealand Cup meeting opens at Riccarton to-morrow, when visitors from all quarters of the Dominion will assemble in Christchurch to witness the struggle for the honours in the big two miles event. While the North Island supplies the topweight, the southerners hold the numerical strength, only six of the 17 candidates being from this island. Originally run under the title of the Canterbury Jockey Club Handicap, the first contest under the present title was staged in 1883, so that to-morrow’s race is the 52nd occasion on which the honours have been striven for. At one period it ranked as the richest stake event in the Dominion, but while it is outrivalled in this respect by the Auckland and Mitclielson Cups, the old-time glamour still attaches to the New Zealand Cup.

Past history discloses that no horse has proved capable of winning the race twice, and there is no possibility of the record being established to-morrow, for there is not a previous winner in the field, even Palantua, last year’s victor, being an absentee. There have been two dead-heats. In 1900 Fulmen and Ideal passed the post on terms, while Warstep and Indigo could not be separated by the judge as they flashed past the winning post in 1914.

The Cup is a bad race for topweights. Prior to 1930 no horse had carried 9.0 to victory, but in that year Nightmarch established history when, ridden by the Palmerston North horseman, R. Reed, he carried 9.6 to victory. Incidentally, it gave Reed his second win in the race, he having ridden the 1922 winner, Scion. Mares have not a particularly good record in the race, they having been successful in only 12 instances. However, the record has been improved in recent years, for since Rapier won in 1927, three of the sex —Oratrix, Fast Passage and Palantua —have scored, the latter pair winning in successive years.

There are 16 prospective runners in to-morrow’s event and there are 15 sires represented, Sutala (Cough and Steeton) being the only sire to have two of his progeny entered. Those proved staying families, Night Ra.id and Limond, have only one representative, Aesculus and Might, respectively. The former has not had any recent racing, unfortunately, otherwise his breeding would strongly commend him, but Might has winning form to his credit and he is nicely weighted. THE PROGRAMME. • Horses who should give a good account of themselves at Riccarton are:

Brush Hurdles.—Revision, Coll, Red Sun. ' Spring Plate. —Ivorero, Sam Smith, Rebel Star.

Limv o,od Handicap.— Top Rank, Weatherley, Rebel Chief. N.Z. Cup.—Polydora, Red Manfred, Hazoor. Welcome Stakes. —Symcony, Penelope, Haut Monde. Apprentices’ Handicap. Scratchmere Scar, Heather Glow, Importance. Stewards’ Handicap. - Copyist, Silver Streak, Cherry Queen. Riccarton Handicap. Sporting Blood, Synagogue, M,other Superior. RIDING ENGAGEMENTS. Riding engagements are: W. J. Broughton.—Walton Park, Synagogue, Symcony, Silver Streak. L. H. Jones. —Alight, Pin Money, Pawky, Consummatio n. B. H. Alorris.—The Smuggler. A. E. Ellis. Polydora, Davolo, Southdown, Hunting Go, and Top Rank. J. W. Jennings.—Strong Light. H. Turner. —Alonastic. G. Humphries.—Fair Weather, Some Shamble, Rebel Star and Greek Shepherd. A. Alesservy. —Sam Smith, Variant, Ranelagli and" Tunneller. E. A. Lcckie. —Great Star and Cranford. D. Cotton. —Sea Fox. A. Russell. —Maroha, Copyist, Bun Fight, Dollar Prince and Custodian. J. AlcFarlane. —Aesculus. L. J. Ellis. —Sweet Agnes, Palermo, Silver Sail, Marcus Cicero, Rebel Chief and Sporting Blood. W. H. Jones— Gough, Kamal Pasha, Earthquake and Alaster Reynard. W. Jenkins. —Steeton. P. Atkins. —Red Manfred, Haut Monde, AlcHeath and Passion Fruit. A. 11. Eastwood.—Nightform, Knockfin, Chidden and Orris.

SWEET AGNES SCRATCHED. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 1. Sweet Agnes was scratched for the New Zealand Cup at 3.10 p.m. today.