HISTORY OF THE AUCKLAND CUP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10319, 19 December 1896, Page 5 (Supplement)

HISTORY OF THE AUCKLAND CUP.

[BY PHAETON.] %£ v i, -V

This year's contest for the Auckland Cap will mark the 23rd that has token place for the Ellerslie race ; and as I take up my pen to write a short history of; the race,' the painful fact is brought homo to me ot how many notable faces that .viewed the first contest •at Ellerslie a quarter of a century ago have, in the interval,';,been removed from tho scene. The geniaMaped William Walters, who was beloved by all, has long since passed away James Watt and Samuel Morrin have also to be numbered amongst the departed ; Jame3 VValmsley, "the dear old captain. 1 as his friends loved to call him, who met his death while oh the voyage from India to New Zealand, sleeps his long sleep in a South Australian cemotery, while .many another,.familiar form has joined the great majority. What changes have been wrought at Ellerslie since that little band of sportsmen took upon them the task of placing the turf in this province on a solid basis 1 A palatial grandstand, that has not its superior in the wholo of Australasia, has taken the place of the little sentry-box that did duty for a long number of years, and the course has been improved and beautified to an extent that in all respeots makes it one of the finest grounds in the colonies. I am, however, getting away ftom the object of this article, and must address myself to the task of placing before my readers a j . i . HISTORY OF THE COP. The first contcst for the Cup took place in 1874, when Temploton, who was favourite, scored for Mr. R. Ray; and in the following year Mr. W. Walters' representative Kingfisher brought off suipriso by winning. Mr. J. Watt supplied the winuer in 1876 with Ariel, who started with odds of 6 to 4 laid on his ability to win. Lara won in 1577; and in the following year Ariel triumphed in the colours > of Mr. Allan McDonald. For some time prior to the race Ariel had been under suspicion, and he just lasted to the winning-post when he broke down, A few weeks after scoring his second viotory in the Cup Ariel passed into the hands of Mr. M. Edgar, who took him at 300 guineas. The old horse was fired and turned out for several months, and his old pilot, Fred Matthews, sticking to his charge, he had him in capital trim in the following December, when the Cup of 1879 came to lie decided. The southern gelding Sinking Fund was made a I strong favourite at 2 to 1, Ariel being at 6 to 1. The raoe was run on a heavy course, which just suited Ariel, and the old fellow catching the light-weighted Laertes at the distance'drew away and won easily. Ariel was always a great favourite with the Auckland public,, and-, the cheering with which his third victory in the. Cup was hailed, was of a most enthusiastic character. Fred. Matthews, who rode Ariel, had great difficulty in getting to the required weight (Sat 101b), and he was so exhausted at the finish of the race that lie had to be supported in the saddle by the kindly arm of tho Clerk of the Course. Ariel was well backed by the stable, and his rider was credited with a win of £500 over the victory of his horse. In 1880, foul Play (under Bst 121b) was voted to bo a moral, and so it proved, for the sou of Traducer won his race in easy style. The contest ill that year hag a sad incident connected with it, as Johnny Nolan lost his life by Libeller falling with him at the six-furlong post. Just prior to the start, I noticed the ill-fated little jockey emerge from the weigh-ing-room, clad in the popular "rose and white" stripes, hand his gold watch and chain to a brother jockey, and proceeding over to where Libeller was being saddled up, he set out on what proved to bo his last ride. In a conversation that I had with Mr. Walters some little time after the unfortunate accident, he told me that it was not his intention to have started Libeller in the Cup; but the little horse had moved so well in a gallop at Papakura that Nolan prevailed upon him to let the horse start. Whether Foul Play would have won so easily as he did hail no accident befallen Libeller has many times formed the Biibjeotof a discussion. Certainly Libeller was wonderfully well that day, and |

Ilia subsequent running at the meeting, when he won the Grandstand mid Stewards Handicaps, went to show that lie would have troubled Foul Play in the Cup had lie stood up. In 1881 Mr. Walters supplied the favourite in Fitz-Hercules, a three-year-old son of Yattendou and Peeress, who had acted as runner-up the month previous to The Dauphin in the Canterbury Derby, However, he was dreadfully sore when the race came up for decision, and he was never able to get amongst the leaders, the winner turning up in little King Quail, who was in the position of second favourite. It was thought at the time that there was a bit of a fluke about Kin"; Quail's victory, and that Hilda, who finished second, should have beaten him, had H. Thompson been able to do the latter justice. The rider of Hilda was undoubtedly in ji weak state of health when he steered the daughter of Albany, and for several weeks after he was laid up with an attack of fever. The year 1832 revealed a flrat(jlass three-year-old in Welcome Jack, who had scored in the C.J.C. Handicap the month previous in the colours of Mr. J. Pilbrow. and who was let into the Auckland race with the handy burden of 7st 81b. How he won is a matter of history, and from the six furlong post home he simply played with his opponents. Welcome Jack's victory brought with it the severest knock which the Auckland ting up to that time had ever suffered, and the visit of the Southerners to Auckland that season undoubtedly relieved the North of a good bit of gold. In 1883 Salvage (Bst 91b) was made a strong favourite, and he won his race all right. There was a good deal of scandal attached to the contest, however, and it was freely stated that there was a bit of sailing In together practised, two of the other principal candidates being.it was alleged, "dead" in the' interests of another horse. • Whether such was the case was, of course, never actually proved; but the statement is believed to this day by a large number. Salvage was nominated for the Auckland race by the Hon. W. Robinson, but a few weeks prior to the contest he was purchased by Messrs. Mason >.p<l Vallf.nce lor something like £500, so that it proved a lucky deal for the latter. In 1884 the Wellington sportsman, Mr. P. Tuncred, supplied the favourite in the little roan Administrator, who was regarded as turned loose with 7st 21b, and on the day he figured at sto 4 on.. However, he was palpably "off," and never succeeding in getting into a prominent place, the winner turned up in Ihu Poet (Gib 12lb), who won in the colours lof " Mr, G.'ltate." The Poet's victory was a bit of a surprise, and from the lame manner jp whip|i he .went off the track' a oonple of mornings previously it was thought he would ■be amongst the missing on the clay. The contest iu 1885 will always have treasured up in it a noteworthy incident, us it showed Nelson in his true colours, and revealed one of the best horses that has ever graced the colonial turf. Tasman was made favourite, and after him Stonyhurst and Necklace were most in demand. Telford ami Neoklaoe made'the pace a cracker for the first mils' and three-quarters; but once Nelson 'put in his claim the issue was never in doubt, As the son of King Cole came down the straight that afternoon,, with his head in the air, and all his opponents at the whip, the course watchers had to undergo a large amount of badinage at having failed to spot the certainty, who for the most part summed up the Wapiti horse At a nonstayei'. A tew mornings prior to the race I was at Ellerslie, when Ted Cutta brought Nelson, Stouyhurst, and Wapiti out JO sand them tta Cup journey on the course proper. Wapiti, however, took charge pf the. boy, and galloping three rouiids the reverse way lie was not, of course, started in the gallop. A wellknown sharebroker was my.-compunlon on the track as Nelson and Stonyhurst set out on their gallop, and as they finished their task over the two miles aud a'-quarter ho, struok his watch, which showed a really excellent gallon on the part of Nelson, However, the record was pooh-poohed by most of us, who concluded, that our friend could not have taken the time correctly. The subsequent performance of Nelson proved the holder of the watch to have been quite accurate, and to this day ho is inclined to give me a turn as being one of the principals in keeping him from backing Major George's champion, ; when the chestnut scored his first notable victory over a long course. In the two following years Nelson scored under 9st 81b and 9it *12lb respectively. .In each year he started a hot favourite and beat his opponents with consummate ease. In 1888 Nelson (9st 121b) was again in the position of favourite, but events showed that he was not to score, for the fourth year in succession, as L'ocliiel (Sac 101b) curried the yellow jacket of Mr. 6. G. Stead to victory. As they rouuded into the straight Manton, who was running prominently, fell, and this interfered somewhat, with Nelson; but subsequent running showed that the latter could not'jiosslbly have beaten Lochiel that day, In '1889, Mr, T. Morrin supplied the favourite in Hilda (Bst), who finished second to Loohlel in . the previous year; but ill-luck again attended the daughter of Musket, and she could only get third to Leopold and Lady Norah. trior to this race, Leopold was considered a non-stayer; but James Keao, his trainer, was quite prepared' for the victory of the little son of Leolinus, and the stable were credited with winning, a good stake. In 1890, Mr. P. Butler slipped a strong favourite in Oraokslwt 31b), and the son of Nordeufeldt brought off the estimated " good thing" all right, winning easily by a length aud a-halt from Hilda, who, it may be ' *> ;'j v '

remarked, had finished in a place in three auccessiv# , years. When the Cup came up for decision in the following year, Hilda (Bst 111b) was made a warm favourite, but she cut up very badly}' and Plnfire (fast 10lb), jumping off In front directly thoy were sent on their journey, he held his own throughout, ana won easily lor Mr. W. Walters. The victory of Pinfire was a great surprise, for a defeat which lie met with in the riHuing of the South Auckland, Cup the week previous seemed to be a bar against his scoring in the Ellerslie- race. 1892 showed another great horse home in front, when St. Hippo (Bat 91b) triumphed in the colours of Mr. L. D. Nathan. Merganser, who had won the Otago Cup in the preceding month, was thought to have the pull ■ of the weights in 'the Auckland race with, only' Bst, was .thought to be the one that St. Hippo would have most trouble with, and as that pair came along together over the last half-mile of the journey the daughter of Nordenfeldt was going quiet as well as her big rival. But St. Hippo had her dead in trouble before the straight was reached, and won anyhow at the finish. That Merganser was ■•herself that day I cannot believe', and I, base that opinion on the great form which 'i she displayed in the following autumn, when, under 9st 9lb, she defeated those apposed to her in the Great Autumn Handicap in a style that stamped her as one of the greatest mares that ever graced the New Zealand turf. In 1893, Skirmisher (Bst 21b), who had won the C. J.C. Derby and Canterbury Cup, was the particular horse that the course-watohers passed alone as the one most likely to score, and Mr. J. B. Reid's representative was, therefore, mado a warm favourite. However, a surprise proved to be in store, (or Pegasus (7st 51b), gallopingin a very landed Major Georgo's colours first past the post. A viotory on the pari of Pegasus was cnnorally warded as,about one 'of the most unlikely events, and I had myself to plead guilty to being amoog3t those who declined to stand the little son of Nelson, for a few days prior to the race he cut up so very badly in a gallop with his _ stable mate, The Workman, that I failed to see how he could possibly • win., Had The Workman remained sound . there can be little doubt" that he would have supplied the winner instead of Pegasus, for that the sou of Robinson Crusoe could get to the end of sixteen furlongs he very amply proved in the course' of the gallop, at the conclusion of which he cracked-up. The Southern owned Prime Warden 61b) was made a strong favourite in 1894; but he failed to show the brilliancy expected' of him, and Mr. J. Iveau claimed the wiuiier iu the game little Lotti* (Sst), who finished in front of Pegasus and Mfdiaki. It has always been held that Lottie had a hit of luck in winning, and that Maliaki would have beaten her had he been ridden a little more artistically. Certainly the subsequent performances of the son of lugoinar "tended to strengthen, rather than weaken, that view. The race of 1895 was responsible, for a surprise. The Possible (Bsb/ 71b) and St. Hippo (9st 9lb) were the popular fancies, and the first-named was made a warm favourite. He, however, fell entering the straight, and the little-thought-of Anita 71b), who had been in the van over the last throe furlongs, came on and won from St.' Hippo. That St. Hippo was very much above himself when he contested the Cup cannot be disputed; but even giving that in, it is generally held that he would have beaten Anita had Derrett not hauled him' about so muoli. It is rather difficult to say whether the result would have been altered had The Possible, Pegasus, Impulse, end Folly escaped accident ;■ but some are of opinion that the latter would especially have troubled the winner had she stood up. Though Anita's victory proved a great surprise to the majority, her popular owners (Mr. R. Burke) wore by no means without a hope of their mare Retting home first. This brings us to the Cup of 1890, the field for which promisos to bo a fairly large one, uid though tho fact of several horses being under suspicion makes the task of selecting the winner very muoh more difficult than it would otherwise be, I hope to be able to give my readers some assistanoe in solving the little problem attaching thereto when the time arrives for me to sum up the question.