THE MELBOURNE CUP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2210, 9 July 1896, Page 34

THE MELBOURNE CUP.

WHAT THE CRITICS THINK OF THE . HANDICAP.

"Terlinga" (Australasian): I should like to have seen Wallace in at a few pounds less, but the handicap a»"a whole will, 1 think, take »lot of pAUioQ to pieces.- Where Mr Dakin has leb a horse off a few pouuds lighter than Mr'Yowles, it will generally be found that the favoured animal has b:en justifiably treated as a nou-stayer. This does not apply to Music, who undoubtedly does stay, and in his case the handicupper has taken a liberty. The threo-ye&r-olds have, I think, been given a fair chance. The heavy scale of the handicap influences me in writing this. It is only now and again that a horse is given a itone over weight for age. Patron only had 31b over the 9j6, which is the w.f.a. of a four-year-old. It is very early to think of trying to pick a likely winner of the big handicap, but the following lot contains the names of a few horses likely to run well :— Disfigured, Hopscotch, O'Trigger, Toreador, Miraolum, The Merry Boy, Fort, The Chevalier, Leonidas, Right Honourable, and Lord Granville. I refrain from including any of tho three-year-olds, because it is impossible for any man to pick between them four months before the racs.

'•The Umpire" (Sydney Referee): Horte3 which seem to be favourably plaoed and likely to show up are Nada, D&mien, and Trentham ; and others with fair prospects on paper seem to ba The Harvester, The Merry Boy, Mahee, Hopscotch, Toreador, Miraclum, Gaului, and Strathspey.

"Asmodeus" (Leader): By commenoing with 10.0, Mr Dakm has exceeded the highest maximum computations whioh were formed regarding the allotment of weight to Wallace. Wallace is undeniably a great colt, but I cannot persuade myself that he ii of equal calibre to Carbine. Horses of a century only crop up at intervals, and I do not think that Carbine's reputation is at present iv danger of being assailed either by Wallace or any other horse now on the turf of Australia. It wjll be interesting to compare Wallace's impost with the highest weights carried by four-year-olds in the Melbourne Cup from Glencoe downwards :— it. lb. 1868-*Glencoe .„. ». », «, 9 1 , 1869-Ooquette ... £ & «, 8 4 / 1870 -Barbarian ,v w .„ 7 10 1871-tßomula ... J. *, h. 7 10 1872-tTheAce... »», 84 1873-The Arrow* *i .„ ... 8 2 1874-Goldsbrough 4 „» .„ 8 2 1875-Kingsborough ... „, „. 8 11 1876-Clifton 8 0 1577-rridcof tbc^Hilli, n , m 0 Q

From the foregoing list it will be observed that the maximum weighted four-year-olds have not fared very well, only two having proved victorious in 28 years, and three having run seoond. All this goes to show that Wallace's chance of breaking the f out-year- old record is a very paor one, and I cannot help thinking Mr Dakin has been a trifle hard on ttie chestnut. The dozen I like belt are:— Disfiguebd Miraclum Mahee The Chevalier Hopscotch Coit, Valiant Tkentham O'Tbigger The Officer Toreador Duke of Richmond Meritorious as are Dijfigured'i.perforoinnc&s, I doubt whether we have as yet seen her accomplish her best things, and this is my reason for selecting her from amnugst the first dozsn names on the list. Mahee 8.10.' has the same w tight as when he won the Bummer Cup in a thunderstorm, cutting out the mile and'threequM'tm in 3min Biec, excellent time under the circumstances. Hopscotch 8,7 has half a stone less than when be caused H'.va to make the premature run which lost him the Melbcurne Cuy, and the extra seasoning to which he has been subjected ought to improve rather than diminish his staying powers. V&lianb 8 6 I expect to do a big thing dome day, and this may 1m his opportuuity. Considering that O'Trigger has only a rn&idtn bracket to bin name he has a bit more than he is entitled to in 8,4 ; but he is a coming horse, and unless I am mistaken a great stayer. Further, it if nothing against him that he is by Trenton from the daughter of an Hng)i»h Oaks winner — breeding good enough to win half a dcz-n of the best races in tho world. With 8.0 apiece, Toreador and Miraclum will be dreadfully hard to bea\ The former I expect to improve to a greater extent than the majority of this season's thr»e-year-olds, and the* latter's bold bid for the Adelaide Cup, which he would have won with ordinary luck, proved him to be a lot out of the common. I am inclined to believe these two smart oolts are a couple of stone inferior to Wallace. The Cnevulier 7.12 is ali>o an authentic* 1 ed stayer of the rameage, and I mast certainly have him on my side. Trenlbam 7 9 ia another I courd not think of leaving out ot mj winning tesm affctr his flue difplayn of ttamina iv the Sydney and Adelaide Cups. He is not so brilliaut as some others of his own age, but he is a rare sticker, and theme ere the. sort which win Melbourne Cups. Tbe Officer 7.4 I take to be one of the best treated of all the three-year-olds, but we mu*t look to tt» Derby' to enlighten us on this point. Those who saw Duke of Richmond run in Adelaide formed high expectations regarding him, and anything like a decent staying four-year-old ou^ht ta_ make things particularly lively with only 7.2'0u his back.

Nemo (Sydney Mail) : T»ken by a larger Mr Dnkiu appears 4o_ have framed a good production. Wallace heads the lists with an even 10.0, and when his good deeds are reinetabered he could uot have received leea. Hov£ follows with a concession of 3lb, and he, as well as The Harvester aud Warpaint, has also been handicapped on his best form. True Blue has been made to pay the penalty of his recent display^atßandwiok when asked to carry 9 4, and even with that he has been left with f*ir prospers, for he can cirry weight aDd kuowa how to gallop. Jeweller baa not baen shown much consideration for his lengthy obseuce from the traok, aud Waterfall must improve a good deal iv order to live to the end of a long iud bitttr battle with an impost of 9.2. Mahee, Bloodshot, Hopscotch, Tvreador, and The Skipper read about the best of the 8.0 di vie ion ; and Newhaven, Coil, Nada, Gaulus, Cydnus, and Waihine, who belong to the 7.0 division, appear to have slightly the best of the figures, while Sbrarh*pey, G<zoczar, Thundtr Queen, and Resolute seem to have the best prospects among the light weights.

•• Caspian " (Weekly Tim«i) : Delaware 8 9 should have a ohance. Devon, who ran placed for three cupsa couple of seasons ago, is nicely handicapped ab 8.7, aud after him O' Trigger at 8.4 and The Merry Boy at 21b les3 read very well. In Miraclum 1 fancy the South Australians have a good horse. Toreador, who most good- judges think should have beaten Wallace in the Sydney Cup, must have a great say with 8.0. I fancy The Officer and Oydnus, at 7.4 and 7.3 respectively, the best treated of the three-year-olds. However, Mr Cook has The Merry Boy to trust to with 8.2. Ronda and Gf.ulus with 7.7 and 7.6 may reach headquarters, and if they do, the elect for either cups will bi hard to shako off. Horleneius at 7.4- is well treated ; no are *Duhallow and Damien with vimilar imposts. Of the remainder, except Principle 6 13, Gozoczar, Lightning, and Resolute, little notice need be takt>n. I fancy the placed horsea will be found in Ddvon, O'Trigger, The Merry Boy, Miraclum, Toreador, Trentham, Nadu, Duhalloff.

An English syndicate through their colonial representative, is willing to construct an eleotric tramway in Wellington, and pay a sum of £10,000 for the privilege, providing they be allowed to run it for 25 yews.

1878-Chestor ... <„ *, 1879-WelHnetoa ... ... 1880-Wrat Water ..j i 1881-Slr Modred „. ... 1882-Darebin 1883-Calma w ... 1884 -Off Colour «, «. 1885-Acolyte ... .. 18S6— Isonomy ... 1887— Silver Prince 1898-The Australian Peer ... 1889-tCarbino ... .„ ... 1890— Sir William „, .„ 1891— Megaphone .„ ... 1892-Oxide ... -.« iM IS93— Camoola „, 1894-* Patron „ 1895-Quivcr * Winners. tSeconds. 9 10 ... 8 a ... 8 1 ,m 8 4 = n JL. 8 10 ... 8 1 ... 8 3 ... 7 3 ..8 8 ... 10 0 ... 8 11 .« 9 2 lit .-9 5 ... 9 3 «. 8 12