MELBOURNE CUP

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 690, 15 June 1929, Page 11

MELBOURNE CUP

AN EARLY REVIEW OF THE POSSIBILITIES DOMINION CONTINGENT - . A Melbourne writer has the followi ing interesting article on Melbourne Cup possibilities: M f-K a rry Connolly is not going to spoil Tiki’s career by limiting his o;i- - entries closed lor the Melbourne Cup, there was the gelding s narqp among the hundreds of others from all parts of Australia and New Zealand. ll© may not see the post, but the chance is there for the gelding in case he develops into Australia’s best stayer. Tiki lias received quite a lot of publicity in the last few days, because of his surprise win—it was a surprise to the general run of racegoers—in the V.R.C. Birthday Handicap. A hurdler, with an engagement in the Grand National, he defeated a field of handicap horses over a mile and a-half, as a result of which he has become quite a boom. Operators immediately elevated him to the position of equal favourite with Kcntle for the Grand National Hurdle and keen followers of the sport were heard discussing his prospects in most enthusiastic terms because of. his light impost—9.s. Probably Backed This latest move of his owner’s might bo interpreted to mean that he intends to persevere with the gelding on the fiat rather than take the risk of racing him over hurdles; but Mr. Connolly probably has supported him for the National. He should at all events make it known at otice if he does not intend to run him, because the public will be i investing on the gelding at every opportunity now. Instances are rare of hurdle racers rising to the standard of Melbourne Cup horses. Realm was perhaps the i most interesting of all in bygone years, i for he won the Grand National and 1 the Australian Hurdle and afterwards * captured the Australian Cup and Syd- } ney Cup in the order named. Is Tiki another Realm? Tiki is a five-year-old gelding by a Melbourne Cup winner, Patrobas, from Royal Charm, a daughter of Comedy King and Pendant. Nobody , would at present regard him as a pos- > sible Melbourne Cup winner, but the ) turf provides many surprises. People who have had a peep at the Cup entries doubtless have wondered if there is another Statesman in the field; or even a Strephon. It is much too early to know, but probably in the next month or two there l ) will be happenings that will guide some to the ultimate winner. The weights are due on June 24. >o Most Expensive Yearling A casual glance through the names )«■ brings under notice Dominant, the mosi 3-* expensive yearling in Australia. The it syndicate that paid 6,750 guineas foi ), this son of Saltash lias not had a race out of him yet, but if he were to wir >y the Melbourne Cup he would make ade>o quate amends for his early sliortcom’s ings. There is a stablemate of Strephon’s

named Gay Salute, who has an Eng- 1 lish pedigree, and was either foaled here or brought out as a foal to the order of Mr. Sol Green. He raced, but little for Mr. Green, who passed him , on to Mr. A. G Hunter, when he decided a couple of months ago to retire temporarily as an owner of racehorses. Mr. Green always had a good opinion of Gay Salute, and it is quite on the cards that the horse will come into prominence next spring. He is still in I L. Robertson’s charge. Mr. L. K. S Mackinnon’s colt, j Foreign Legion, is among the entrants; j and he also has the Caravel colt, Car- i • radale, in. The last-named showed. some promise as a two-year-old, and ; • was successful at Flemington and - Randwick, on each occasion showing j signs of stamina. He will no doubt | get his chance in the Derby. Foreign ! Legion is an imported horse, with j breeding good enough for anything. j Father and Son j Will Parkwood follow in the foot- ‘ steps of his sire. Backwood, who won the Melbourne Cup of 1924? There was a vast difference between the ’ spring and autumn form of this young- , ster, but he retrieved his lost reputaL tion to some extent by winning the L Champagne Stakes, and as a consequence is still entitled to respect and • consideration as a Derby and Cup hope. i Balmerino’s autumn form was disap- ? pointing after his performance in the > last Melbourne Cup. If he strikes his t spring form as a four-year-old. and t meets nothing quite so formidable as Statesman and Strephon. his owner might yet achieve liis ambition. s Good Sydney Youngster 3 A Sydney nomination that may prove = worth while is Comanche. This two- 1 f year-old showed good form at the j " A.J.C. autumn meeting. Though der feated by the New Zealander, Honour, in the A.J.C. Sires’ Produce Stakes, he J finished with a brilliant run that sug--1 gester stamina. He is by The Verderer, and if he strikes his best form in the spring should be prominent in the Derby. Gay Ballerina, the youngster who p performed so brilliantly in New Zea- . land, and was purchased by a Sydney sportsman, is in. and another New s Zealand bred of interest is Niglit- _ march, the three-year-old star of the -j Dominion, and winner of the New Zealand Derby. a South Australia sent over two very ?. good stayers in the autumn. Some f Quality (who won the Australian Cup) y and Kidaides. and it is possible that - both may play an important part in e the spring. The South Australian representation will be strengthened, too, t by the inclusion of the Adelaide Cup - winner, Parallana. n Imported horses are not so promiment in the Cup nominations as in other years, but three that will intere est are Stowe, Burnewang and John e Buchan. Stowe and Burnewang were c much talked of in the autumn, but went wrong. John Buclian was not in the best condition for his autumn engagements, but his trainer has great :s hopes of him for the spring. 3t Mollison is one of the most inter)r esting nominations for the Caulfield !C Cup. A mile and a-half is generally n believed to be too far for the brilliant son of Seremond, but if he strikes a weak field, his great speed might pull ’s him through. •