THE MELBOURNE CUP.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7129, 10 November 1894, Page 3

THE MELBOURNE CUP.

4 HOW THE FAVORITE WAS BEAT. A GREAT RACE. Melbourne, Nov. 8. — The result of the Cup is without doubt far from being a fair indication of the strength of the field, as three-fourths of the riders were evidently impressed with the idea that the race waa indeed over as soon as the favorite took the lead, and refrained from any effort to wear him down. The winner was well supported when the weights appeared, but owing to his unsatisfactory style of finishing up the mile and a-half gallops on the training track, with the fact that he had never been sent a two-mile journey during his preparation, caused him to retrograde in the estimation of touts and the public. The bookmakers *re in ecstacies over the defeat of the public favorite, who, had he won, meant simply ruination to many of them, instead of which they are now once more in clover. Sydnet, Nov. 7. — The Morning Herald 3ays the big race was remarkable for the iefeat of about the hottest favorite who ever started for the Melbourne Cup. For weeks iiast he had been backed for a heap of gold, i\B party being confident that if anything :ould be certain in racing their Ruenalf's victory waa a certainty. The " Bird Cage" was thronged with owners, trainers, jockeys, i and anxioua backers, and it was almost impossible to get near Ruenalf, who looked : fit to run for the British Empire. Towards i the finish he eased a good deal in the market, owing to hedging money coming in, and at last 5 to 2 against him was to be had. The ' public were apparently frightened to trust Carnage on account of his having contracted bad habits, while rumors from the training tracks shook the confidence of the friends of Patron, and this explained how he was allowed to go at a false price. The Herald considers it clear that the best horse won, Mid that the performance was a great one. His defeat of Ruenalf saved the ring from heavy loss, and his victory confounded the early risers, who had been watching the gallops for weeks. Dawea was not in a hurry with Patron, and riding with great nerve and judgment, never troubled until the mile and a-half had been traversed, when, working him into an excellent position, he handled the son of Grand Flaneur with great skill, and brought him along just at the right moment, and catching the flying Devon, wore him down like die brilliant he is, gaining the judge's verdict, after a desperate struggle, by threequarters of a length. When the winner returned to the scales the scene of excite- i ment brought back the recollection of the [ day when Carbine carried his great weight jto "the front in the Cup of 1890. Some light ! is thrown on the favorite's defeat by the jockey, Moran, who said he had the inside \ running into the straight, and the horse was | going 80 strong that ne thought all he had Ito do was to keep his place. When he I reached the spot indicated by tire owner to ride the horse hard home, four or five horses came close to him, among whom he recognised Devon and Nada, but there was something close on his quarters, who, he learned after, was Taranaki. Devon, who waa on the outside, closed in, and bumped against Nada. The latter rolled over to Taranaki, who knocked Ruenalf on to the rails. He called out, but no harm was done, and the favorite rebounded from the raiis. Che horee, however, was thrown out of his stride, and it was all he could do to get him going again, but it was no use, as it was too close to the post. He says he was nearly knocked out of the saddle, and his boot was torn for several inches by the contact with the rails. Had he not been interfered with, Moran declares Ruenalf would have won easily, as he was- going so well when he rolled. The Sydney Dai! , Telegraph's report of the race for the Melbourne Cup says the excitement was v/oiKicrf"! an the competitors for the rich stak .-j took their places it thepost. The foll«Avn>.- of Ruenalf neve.i ■nee wavered in thtir allegiance to him, and to sweet were they on Ivi . hance that they ( kclinrd to invest 'n nrviiing else. Th» win was a prodigious sim prise, for not only j -.v as Patron badly l>e>n>u by Tridentate in i the Maribrynong I'ln' -, and in the Melbourne Stakes by Rucoalf, but in almost every gallop he had at Flemington in the early morning he shap'.d in worse fashion. The victory was highly meritorious for all that, as « mile and a quarter from home he was last, and it was & tui.- ellous performance to thread through th? field and win as he did with (Hit 4ib in the saddle. There was, however, no one more surprised at the turn of affairs than th.- owner. Only that she was interfered with seaf the home turn

Nada would probably have won. Bruin made a great fight of it, and little Paris performed brilliantly under a heavy load. Ruenalf essayed to win all the way, and performed as much of the contract aa possible. He h«ld the lead into the straight, and was in evidence until Devon hit him, but though his friend* claim that the incident U»t him the race, the moßt unprejudiced observers admit that just then the favorite had had enough of it, and began to roll. Yet less than a furlong before Devon bumped him he was pulling double. Patron's victory ia not a good one for the ring, who laid a lot of money against him, but most people who benefitted won their money because of their inability to hedge it. A number of Parliamentarians here won a decent wager, having backed Mr Purchase's horse, who was given as the winner at a spiritualistic seance last week.