MELBOURNE CUP

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10985, 7 November 1928, Page 5

MELBOURNE CUP

WON BY STATESMAN AN EASY VICTORY. United Pres® Assn—By Electric Telegraph—Copvright. MELBOURNE, November 6. The weather was delightfully fine for the Melbourne Cup day. There was an enormous attendance, including the Governor-General and State Governors. The cup scratchings were: Textile, Bacchus. Ramulus Kavalli. The first prize in the cup is £9563. Switzerland, on th© outer rail, was prominent throughout the Highweight Handicap and won nicely. The New Zealand Reonui was unplaced. New Hope was som© distance back early but led into the straight in the Van Yean Stakes, beating, the fastfinishing pair Prince Voil and Cairncross. The winner is trained by the former New Zealander, Stan Reid, and was ridden by J. O. O’Brien.

Extortion was always prominent and won the Steeples easily. He made a very promising showing and also scored at AToonee Valley recently. He is owned and traied by the amateur rider, Claude Grice, and was ridden by R, Inkson. Results:

Melbourne Oup a sweepstake of 30 sovs, with 10,000 sovs added money, 2 miles: Statesman, 8.0 (J. Munro) 1; Strephon, 7.6 (R. Howes) 2; Demost, 6.12 (R. Medhurst) 3. Seventeen started. Time 3.32.). Sectional times: First four furlongs, 53 sec; next four, 50) ; the succeeding four 49f; final four, 501; last six, I. ; final mile, 1.40. The time is three-quarters of a second outside the race record. Statesman was drawn in th© middle of the field but won the cup easily. It was the smallest field for 50 years. The rider. J. Munro, wh 0 had previously scored on Windbag, was given a great ovation on returning to scale. Th© winner was one of the first horses backed in the race, and was a bad horse for the bookmakers, as h© was extensively coupled with Maple for the double. He was bred hy his owner and is trained by AV. Kelso. He ran sixth in the cup last year. AYhen the field had settled down, The Happy Warrior led and showed the way past the stand from Dion. Strephon, Balmerino, Epilogue, Alfred the Great, Oatendale, Allecret and Statesman, with Canning Queen and Demost last. At the mile. Strephon was only a length behind The Happy V arrior. Others then prominent were Dion, Balmerino, Oatendale, Alondiago and Epilogue, while Statesman was moving up. Strephon took the lead at the six furlongs and at the half mile was just in front of Balmerino. then came Alfred the Great, Ottoman and Statesman, with Demost still a long way back. Strephon led round the turn and was first into the straight from Statesman and Balmerino. Statesman took charge below the distance, and ridden right out, won by four lengths, the third horse being three lengths away. Then came Balmerino, Winalot. Canning Queen, Epilogue Oatendale. Allecret. Dion and Mondingo. The last two were The Happy A\ arrior and The Banker. Munro stated he had a clear run on the insidennd went outside only two horses. Howes stated Strephon pulled hard early in the race but the winner was far too good. Demost was a long way back early, hut met with no interference, and came home strongly. Cup Hurdles: Aligrant 1, Fred Brown 2. Idle Time 3. Wou by half a length each way. Time 3.34 3-5. Railway Highweight: Switzerland T Coromandel 2, South Austra 3. \Von by three-quarters of a length; a neck. Time 1.13).

November Nursery: Moirawa 1. Glaive 2. Ellesde© 3. Won by half a length ; three-quarters of a length. Time 1.31.

Yan Yean Stakes: New Hop© 1. Prince Viol 2, Cairn.cross 3. Won by a neck; half a length. Time 1.40).

Cup Steeples: Extortion 1. Oral Treaty 2, Orange Park 3. AV on by four lengths; a length. Time 4.7.