THE MELBOURNE MEETING.

Otago Witness, Issue 2403, 22 March 1900, Page 40

THE MELBOURNE MEETING.

Some readable comments on the "leading events of the first clay are made by the Sportsman's editor. When the finishing touches were being put to the toilets of the five competitors- for the St. Leger, he writes, Merriwee and Parthian were mobbed, while scarcely anybody deigned to glance at Scorn, Shell, or Tabilk. Parthian looked bright and muscular, but the reports of the bay colt's accident caused a number of his followers to transfer their allegiance to Merriwee, di&loyalty they had reason to rue when the race over. In itself, the mishap was a very slight and common one. When galloping a week previously Pprthian overreached, and cut the heel of his near fore foot. The wound would have given very little trouble, but at the instigation of the owner of the colt some tan was daubed on, and this, acting as a blister, induced a lot of heat in the injured member. Merriwee is exactly the same rather meanlooking colt we paw in the spring. If there was any difference in him, I failed to see it. The race is easily described, for, making all the running himself, Parthian beat Merriwee pointless at the finish. Tabilk securing third money, with Shell, who evidently is all to pieces, a very bad last. There is absolutely no excuse to be made for Merriwee. The race was run at a solid pace throughout, I timed Parthian to run the last mile and a-half in 2min 38-issec, and the last six furlongs in lrnin 17isco, so it will be seen there was no loafing. Parthian pulled up perfectly sound, and though the heel had cracked a bit, there need be little apprehension on that score. Every one of the 25 horses figuring on the card weighed out for the Newmarket Handi,cap. Foret was the mysterious candidate to the very, last. The way he was. tennis-balled in the betting market was truly amazing, and people wondered what was the meaning of it all. On Friday, after 100 to 7 had been taken, 100 to 5 was laid, his closing price being nominally 100 to 7. At one time during the early betting on the course he suddenly hardened to 7 to 1, only to fizzle out again to 100 to 6, with no takers. The Watch Dog and Cornquist received most attention, and both shortened until only 4- to 1 could be obtained about the latter, and little better about the other. Blunderer was in increased favour, but. there was very little alteration in the over-night prices of the others. Mr "Bill" Forrester and his popular lieutenant liarry Dargin told all and sundry that The Watch Dog would win easily if he got well away, but lew people were prepared to tee the chestnut make such an exhibition of the field as he did. It was a case of The Watch Dog first, "Daylight" second. Never since Buugebah's year has the Newmarket been won with such ridiculous ease. The fact that one of The Dog's sides showed epur marks led many people to believe that Kuhn had been riding his mount at some part of the journey : but such was not the case. All the riders are agreed that the Gibraltar gelding had the race wen before a furlong had been traversed, but he was hanging a bit, and Kuhn had to use one heel to keep him straight. Seahorse, and nothing but Seahorse, would go down with backers for the Esselidon' Stake*, and at the finish 6 to 4- had to be laid on the New Zealand colt. Ifet the rolt was one of the first beaten in the race, and Sceats was hard at it five furlongs from home. Seahorse, as was his wont in New Zealand, -went to the front directly the barrier flew up, but Eiridsdale deposed him at the back of the course. Thereafter it was a one-horse race, for the farther he went- the farther the Tasmanian left the field, until he passed the box a good half-dozen lengths u< front of War God and Wait-a-Bit, with iSt\ih". ; e o bad fourth. Wait-a-Bit again ttujod ii, iiv> when the pinch came, though the handsome son of Malua never looked belter, nor did better track work. Bobadil appears to have gone to the bad altogether. In his best days the brown horse never looked so bright and muscular, and he gallops well in private; yet in public he shapes like a 'bus horse. Some day, I suppose, when punters have laid odds on a good thing, along will come "Bobby" and give the books a skinner. "Terlinga" thus refers to the Australian Cup : Mr W. R. Wilson's luck changed at last, as, after getting a good deal of buffeting in the race, La Carabine came out in the straight, and won in good style. It was a sillily run race, but I doubt if that made any difference, as far as La Carabine was concerned. The stronger the pace the better it would have been for the little Carbine mare, I- fancy. She never j looked so well, and on her Caulfield Cup run- j ning she was, I thought, the pick of the handi- i cap at 7.5. However, between the declaration of the weights and the day of the race other horses in the St. Albans stable had run so badly that La Carabine was not much fancied at the finish. War pod and Parthian were the public idols. Nineteen people out of 20 would not look beyond these two for the winner. There is no doubt Mr Forrester was very sanguine about War God, but once more he ran into his old place — fourth. War God would have done better with a stronger pace, and it is a wonder his rider did not go after Tabilk when he shot away from the field. Perhaps, however, War God, who has never won a race yet, would not go out after Tabilic.