NEW ZEALAND RIDER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27232, 8 November 1949, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND RIDER

MOUNT IN WILLIAMSTOWN CUP ROYAL TAN RETURNING Rec. 7 p.m. MELBOURNE. Nov 7. The New Zealand apprentice, Noel Eastwood, has remained in Melbourne to ride Lincoln in the Williamstown Cup. Eastwood was successful on Lincoln in the Caulfield Cup. His mother and his stepfather, C. G. Humphries, trainer of Royal Tan, left for New Zealand on Saturday. Two offers to purchase Royal Tan while he was in Melbourne were refused. Although Royal Tan did not win a race in Australia, his owner, Mr G. A. Lang, said the gelding was not for sale. He will return to New Zealand to be prepared for the important holiday meetings. Mr H. V. Lunken, owner of King’s Ransom, said the gelding was an unlikely runner in the Williamstown Cup. He was disappointed and surprised at the gelding’s display In the Melbourne Cup Although he did much better In the C. B. Fisher Plate on Saturday, he is still an unlikely starter next Saturday. Mr Cunken hopes to travel to Sydney in a few days to book King's Ransom’s return to New Zealand, where he will be preDared for the Auckland Cup. During the four days’ racing at the VRC spring carnival, £703,022 was invested on the totalisator, creating a new record. Last year the amount was £630,432. Another record was created when a backer invested £9OO each on Delta and Playboy In the Victoria Derby Delta won, but Playboy was unplaced According to totalisator records, the previous largest single Investment was £6OO on the New Zealander Wotan, who, starting at a rank outside price, won the Melbourne Cup in 1936.