MELBOURNE CUP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22564, 31 October 1936, Page 11

MELBOURNE CUP

FEW PROVED STAYERS CANDIDATES' BEST EFFORTS ANALYSIS OF BREEDING BY SPEARMINT Tho field for the Melbourne Cup, to be run oil Tuesday next, is lacking in proved stayers to an unprecedented extent, and it would appear that Australia is nearly as badly off for stayers as New Zealand, although an unusual number of casualties this spring may partly account for the paucity of candidates of proved stamina. Only four horses, Syfvandale, Silver Ring, Amalia and Hot Shot, have won over the distance, while Sarcherie has been second in the last two Cup contests. It is safe to say that the Melbourne Cup has never been won by an individual not bred on true staying lines, and a study of the pedigrees of the majority of this year's candidates does not enhance their prospects from this point of view. The stamina of the topweight, Sylvandale, has been proved beyond question, as he won the Australian Cup, A.J.C. St. Lcger, V.R.C. St. Leger and King's Plate and ran third in tho Sydney Cup and Melbourne Cup. His sire, Silvius, was narrowly beaten in the Melbourne Cup, and Svlvandale has all the qualifications. The same applies to the New Zealand candidate Silver Ring, who has won the A.J.C. Plate, 2i miles, and Randwick Plate, two miles. In tho latter event there were only three starters and the other two were outclassed. Silver Ring's dam is bred on lines that have produced some of the be«t stayers ill New Zealand.

Sporting Blood's best performances over a distance were a win in the New Zealand St. Legcr and a second to Kelly in the Great Northern St. Leger. in the first event he beat a very weak field. Sporting Blood is by Hunting Song from Gazi, by Gazelev frojn Cheddite, by Soult. It is a family not in the Stud Book, but other good performers it produced were Hunting Cry and White Fang. Hunting Song has not yet sired a winner of a two-miles event. Sarcherie Bred to Stay Oro is by Roger do Busli from Sweet Alison, by the Australian Cup winner Havoc, a half-brother to Trenton. He has won twice over a mile and threequarters, but has run unplaced in three Sydney Cups and two 'Melbourne Cups. The best horse sired by Roger de Busli was Rogilla, and lie failed to stay the distance. Alliuiga lias two St. Legers to his credit, but the fields he beat were weak. He disappointed in the last Melbourne, Australian and Sydney Cups and his form this season has been poor.

Sarcherio ran second to Peter Pan and Marabou respectively in the last two Melbourne Cups, but the longest distance over which she has won is 14 miles, in the Hotham Handicap at Flemington and the Autumn Plate at Randwick. She is bred to stay, being by Archery, son of Tracery, from Sarkara, by Buckwheat from Stephanos, by Stepniak from Field Rose, by Hotchkiss. Donaster came into prominence last autumn by winning the South Australian St. Leger and King's Cup, both run in Adelaide. He has failed several timea this season. He is by Great Star from Donna Marie, by Poseidon from Faustine, by Gallinule. Poseidon won the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. Queen of Song is a New Zealand candidate whose best wins to date were in the Wellington Cup and Great Autumn Handicap, both 1£ miles. She finished third 011 Saturday in the Moonee Valley Cup, half a furlong longer. She is by Song Bird, son of Kilbroney, from Differential, by Tractor, which reads like a middle-distance pedigree. Amalia is one of the proved stayers, being the winner of the Port Adelaide and Australian Cups last autumn. She was unplaced in the Sydney Cup. She is bred to stay, being by Amalfi from Alvola, by Alawa. Stamina of Hot Shot Hot Shot has also been successful, as he won the Moonee Valley Easter Cup, two miles, with 7.11, two seasons ago. He was third to Amalia and Highardo in the Australian Cup and sixth in tho last Melbourne Cup with 7.7. He now has 8.2. He is by Pantheon, sire of Peter Pan, from Rosewyn, by Rossendale from Cymbala, by .Robert lo Diable. Bustard has no form to rocommend him fcr a race of this description. His best win was in the Williamstown Stakes, li miles, last February. He is by The Buzzard from Ida mere, by j Seremond.

Break Up, who runs in Phar Lap's colours, has been consistently disappointing. He has run only once over the distance, when he was sixth in the Sydney Cup of 1934. He is by Dignity, son of Gainsborough, from Lido Lady, by Red Dennis from Kuarangi, by Comedy King, which is stout breeding.

Balkan Prince is a candidate from Western Australia with little form. He has won over 1J miles and was third in the West Australian St. Leger and unplaced in the Perth Cup, two miles. He is by Gay Lothario from Balkan Rose, by Roseland from Slovene, by Cicero, which is not a staying pedigree. Dark Chief, a representative of the Son-in-Law staying line won the Moonee Valley Cup last Saturday. It is 30 years since Blue Spec won the double, Moonee Valley Cup and Melbourne Cup. Prospects of Silver Standard Wotan has no winning form to speak of, but ho is by Siegfried, son of Son-in-Law, from a Martian mare. Young Crusader scored a runaway win in the Metropolitan Handicap, 1 mile 5 fur., and won over the same distance in June last. He is by Caledon, brother to the Derby and St. Leger winner Coronach, from Bonnie Lady, by Boniform from Portland Lass, by Bill of Portland. There seems to be enough stamina in this breeding to enable him to see out the distance. However, the Metropolitan and Melbourne Cup double has been won only once, by Tim Whifller in 1867. Perhaps the most-improved horse in the field is Silver Standard, who ran second in the Metropolitan with 7.4 and in the Caulfield Cup with 7.10, 21b. more than his Melbourne Cup weight. Silver Standard is by Heroic from Silver Flower, by Silvern, grandsire of Sylvandale, from Roseal, by Fairy King, son of Desmond, from Rose of Ayrshire, grand-dam of Pantheon, sire of Peter Pan. Heroic has already sired winners of the Melbourne Cup and Australian Cup and no fault can bo found with Silver Standard's breeding.

Desert Chief is a brother to tho Auckland Cup winner Gold Trail, hut ho finished well hack in tho Caulfield Cup. Talking's credentials have been well discussed, but his owner states that unless ho wins tho Victoria Derby very easily bo will not start in the Cup, as ho was bought primarily for the stud. Mala is by Lackbam, which does not recommend him for the distance. Shakespeare won tho Rosehill Guineas, but is by Tippler, a sire of sprinters, while Arabian Knight, Dictator and Hilltop appear tq bo out of their class.