VICTORIA CLUB SPRING MEETING. THE MELBOURNE CUP.

North Otago Times, Volume VII, Issue 157, 23 November 1866, Page 3

VICTORIA CLUB SPRING MEETING. THE MELBOURNE CUP.

The " Australasian" after describing the appearance of tho horses, and the difficulty experienced in getting a proper start, which after all was not accomplished, gives the following description of the great event. With nil its drawbacks, howover, the tout ensemble of the start for the Molbourne Cup of 1806 will long stand forth in bold roliof from all other Turf events. What but a great handicap could bring together such a field ? And how much depended on the resun ? Would the weakness of Victoria bo made moro than ever apparent by the Sydney horses running first, second, and third, or would Maribyrnong and Ballarat come to the rescue, and snatch the coveted honours from Mr Tait ? Apart from these considerations, " the start for the Cup" was u subject well worthy of the pencil of a colonial Frith. The hill, with its surging, owaying mass ; the stifled hum of voicc3, as it were, when the lips of thousands proclaimed " they are off;" the anxious faces all turned in oue direction ; the rush of horses up the straight, a thousand tongues proclaiming that this or that horse was looking well, or already out of the struggle ; then the sweep round the turn, and the anxious moments of suspense as the crowd of horses begins to separate. Then a yellow jacket is seen going up, and frantic shouts burst forth from the Sydnoy division — " Look at The Barb ! look how he's gomg up !" On they go past the abattoirs, all the hopes of Victoria centred in one horse, who alone is loft with a chance of victory. " Exile wins !" " Tho Barb wins !" is proclaimed from hundreds of lips. And too true it is ; there is nothing else left in the race. On comes tho black colt, with that determined strido, sweeping along, ominous of that thorough gamencss which so well servos him at the finish. Straight and true as an arrow, he never flinches or swerves. But the game Exile runs him hard ; neck and neck they are at it in the straight run in, and shouts applaud each jockey as ho does his best to get his horse first past the post, The Barb on tho inside, Exile on the whip hand. A hundred yards from home Davis raises his whip and administers a sharp reminder. The game little horse answers by a rush that sends him half a length or more ahead. But Exile yet may win, but only by the best of riding can ho do so. At the critical moment his jock is found wanting, and although The Barb's rider had dropped his whip, the game little horse is true as steel, and passes tho post a head in advance of Mr Keighran's bay. It is no disparagement of The Barb to say that Exile might have won had an artist been on his back, for it was quite evident that tho most was not made of ,, the horso, with the advantage lie had of being on tho 0 1 whip hand, and The Biirb's rider losing his whip.

THE MELBOURNE OVV, A sweepstakes of 20 sovs., 10 sovs. ft., or 5 sovs. if declared, with a piece of plate, value 100 sovs., and 200 sovs. added. Two miles. Mr J. Tait's br c Tho Barb, by Sir Hercules, 3 yrs, 6st. 91b., carried 6st. 111b. (W. Duvis) . ... 1 Mr P. J. Keighian's b g Exile, aged, 7st. 101b. (Kavenagh) ... 2 Mr J. Tait'a ch a falcon, 5 yra, 8st. 21b. (Stanley) 0 28 started. Betting.— 6 to 1 agst Tho Barb, 7 to 1 a«st Falcon (S.), 8 to 1 agst Tim Whiflier, Doception, Lady Heron, and Seagull j 12 to 1 agsfc Toryboy, Sparrowhawk ; 20 to 1 agst Exile, Miss Fisher, Warwick, Musidora, Barwon j 100 to 4 agst Cowra, Playboy, und any other.

The flag dropped to a very indifferent start, leaving Mr Fisher's pair and Cowra a long distance in the rear ; at the same time Sydney Falcon made a bolt to the inside of the course, and describing a halfcircle, joined the ruck some distance from the leading division, composed of Deception, Grlcnyuille, Tho Barb, and Playboy, with Tim Whiffler, Barwon, and Exile in close attendance. Passing the stand, Grlenyuille led, followed by The Barb, the rest much in the same order, Cowra being last, many yards in the rear. After passing the turn there was little alteration, except that Sydney Falcon, Lady Heron, and Seagull were making up their lost ground, and getting on good terms with the leaders. At tho old stand The Barb still led, closely followed by G-lenyuille, Deception, Playboy, Tim Whifller, and Barwon. Near the abattoirs Lady Heron broke down, and at the same time Barwon gave way, Exile making ati-ong running to reach Mr Tait's colt, which ho succeeded in doing three-quarters of a milo from home, from which time the race was left to tho two, nothing elso having a ohanco. A splendid struggle ensued betwen the aged horse and the three-year-old, Tho Barb on the inside, Exile on the whip hand, The Barb who answered most gamely to the call of his jock, winning on the post by a bare head. Sydney Falcon was third, but not placed, three lengths behind the pair ; Mr Keighran's other horse, Playboy, being fourth, Seagull fifth, Mozart sixth, Coventry seventh, Tim Whiffler eighth. Time, 3inin. 43seo. Yalue of stake, 1,080 sovs.