TO-DAY’S FINE FIELD

Taranaki Daily News, 6 November 1934, Page 4

TO-DAY’S FINE FIELD

THE. BEST FOR YEARS TOPWEIGHT’S SOLID TASK. NEW ZEALANDERS FAVOURED.

The Victoria Racing Club nearly a year ago set itself out to make the Melbourne Cup in the city’s centenary one worthy of the occasion. How well its anticipations have been realised can easily be seen by a glance at the field for to-days’ event. All the best of not only Australia but also New' Zealand will line up to face the starter this afternoon. It is the best field- for years and well worthy of the £lO,OOO stake. ' Reports indicate that the interest atMelbourne is tremendous, but interest is ■not confined to that city. In New Zealand thoughts are of'Melbourne to-day. The big eVents at Riccarton and Addington will be forgotten soon after 5 o’clock, apd all over the Dominion, not only race followers but many of the general public who have never attended a meeting will be eagerly awaiting the result. The topweight, Peter Pan, was the hero of the race two years ago, when after being seemingly hopelessly out of it five furlongs from home he came with a sensational run to snatch a brilliant victory. Though he has been more or less under a cloud , since then he staged a return to form on Saturday, when he defeated many of his rivals in decisive fashion in the Melbourne Stakes. With 9.10 .to carry lie has a big task in front of him, but he is a good horse and will not be disgraced.

ROGILLA A GOOD STAYER. Next comes Rogilla, another fine horse. He was much favoured last year but failed badly. He is best suited by . smaller fields, but is a .rare good stayer. A New Zealand-owned and bred candidate, Nightly, will carry the number; three saddlecloth. His. form during the spring has been most consistent, even; though he has filled many minor places. Staying is without doubt his forte, and he can be depended upon to be going strong-:! ly when many of his opponents will bo, tiring. His recent win at Moonee Valley demonstrated that he. is at the top of his form. Hall Mark was last year’s winner, and he will attempt to make it two-in succession. That great horse Archer won the first two Melbourne Cups in 1861 and 1862, but since then no horse has sue-" ceeded in winning the race a second time, let alone twice in succession. Carbine failed; Phar Lap failed. It will thus be seen that Hall Mark will have to equal a 70-year-old record to succeed. Good horse though he is, the task would appear too great.

Heroic Prince won the Australian Cuo last March, but the opposition was not strong and his form of late has not been impressive. Flail, Ruach and Panto are good performers, but they are up against it here, attempting to concede weight to many improving horses. The Caulfield Cup winner Journal has four pounds more than he carried to victory a fortnight ago. He is a consistent horse who will fight out every inch of the last furlong. St. Valeroy and Mirabond are likely to be at long-prices, but Broad Arrow will carry good support. His form has been good this spring. Gippslarid can stay but scarcely possesses 'the brilliance necessary for the race.

HOPES FOR SIR SIMPER. Now we come to Sir Simper. From all account he was a certainty beaten in the Caulfield Cup. His spectacular finish from the back of the field in this race greatly impressed the critics, who consider that he will see the two miles out. Field shyness is reported to have been his trouble on that occasion, and his connections will be wise to that this time. He took on Peter Pan and company at weight-for-age on Saturday and though he failed at the finish little notice need be taken of it. He comes down over 20 pounds in this event.

. On the same mark is. another New Zealander four-year-old, Limbohm. He will be remembered as having made a lastminute dash to Australia after winning the King Edward Memorial at Ellerslie last month. An additional interest centres round Limbohm as he will be ridden by the New Zealand jockey K. Voitre. Since his arrival at Melbourne he has won the Kyneton Handicap, when his performance greatly impressed the critics. The dual Derby winner Theo will en-

deavour to follow in the footsteps of Trivalve and Hall Mark, both of whom followed their Derby victories by annexing the Cup. He has shown himself to be a real stayer and may credit the popular Sydney owner, Mr. E. Moss, With his first win in this event. Sylvandale, who was second to him in the V.R.C. Derby on Saturday, is sure to be in demand aS his performance on that occasion was full of merit. Marabon also showed up in the same race. Farndale’s great effort in the Caulfield Cup will not be forgotten. He failed on Saturday but does better with a light weight. Despite recent failures George Price entertains high hopes regarding Gladswood. Lightweights have often won this race, but those here are rather too close to Sir Simper and Theo. The topweights are all good and proved horses, but their task will be a difficult one. Those in the middle of the handicap, especially Broad Arrow, Sir Simper, Limbohm, Theo and Sylvandale, will keep them busy all the way. Betting is sure to take a wide range, and even the favourite is likely to be at a good price. Present indications point to the following running prominently:— SIR SIMPER THEO PETER PAN. The acceptors are:— Peter Pan. 9 10 Sir Simper Bogl'lla 9 7 (N.Z.) 7 1 Nightly (N.Z.) Llmbohm inc. 41b pen. 9 4 (N'.Z.) 7 7 Hall Mark 9 2 Theo (N.Z.Herolc Prince S 9 bred) 7 6 Plall 8 7 Sylvandale 7 5 Huaeh 8 7 Sarchferie 7 2 Panto 8 li Farndale 7 2 Journal (inc. Marabou 7 0 101 b pen.) 8 3 Gladswood St. valotey ' 8 3 (N.Z.-brecl) 7 0 . Miramond (N.Z.- Spearflash 6 13 bred) ’ 8 1 Verberry 6 13 Broad Arrow 3 0 La Trobe 010 Glppsland 710 lolaus 6 7 W. Cox will ride Latrobe and H. Badger Sir Simper in the Melbourne Cup. Sir Simper is reported to be very fit. The weather forecast for the Cup day is for cloudy and sultry to unsettled weather. The rain will possibly hold off till the Cup. Peter Pan was bandaged on the off foreleg to-day. McGrath states the trouble is not serious. McGrath is pleased with the way the horse is going. Oaks acceptors include Queen Helen, Quarto, Limyris, Luminiare, Cinetheon, Message, Slaughter, Wind, Alinure and Rondoletto. In minor events M. McCarten will ride Vista, Turbiiie and Merrily, and I. Tucker will ride Damask and T. Webster Movie Star.

TO-DAY’S MINOR RACES

NEW ZEALAND ACCEPTORS. By Telegraph—Pi-ess Assn.—Copyright. Rec. 8 p.m. Melbourne, Nov. 5. New Zealand acceptors for minor Cup day races are:— Highweight: Movie Star. Mimosa Stakes: Lady Primrose. Yanyean Stakes:—First division: Closing Time, Ruling Light, Takakua. Second division: Master Brierley, Epigram, Wheriko, Palm Queen. The Melbourne Cup starting time is 3.50 p.m. THREE-YEAR-OLDS’ WINS TWENTY CLAIM THE HONOUR. \ WINNERS OF LAST TWO CUPS. Despite the fact that a gruelling two miles race is a heavy task to set a horse in its third year, horses of that age have a fine record in the Melbourne Cup. No fewer than 20 have led the field home, and two have been successful in the last two years. One of the easiest victories was that of Newhaven in 1896. Despite the fact that he had seven pounds over weight-for-age his rider had instructions that if there was no pace on he was to go to the front and make his own pace. He soon found that there was little pace on, so he took Newhaven to the lead soon after the start. That was the end of the race. The three-year-old was a rare stayer and he had no trouble in leading all the rest of the way. Another easy win for a three-year-old was that of Artillei-yman in 1919. He cleared Out from the field in the straight, winning by ten lengths from Richmond Main, who had beaten him in the V.R.C.' Derby three days previously. Peter Pan was responsible for a wonderful performance in 1932, when after being nearly down five furlongs from home he came with a wonderful run in the straight to snatch victory on the | post. I

Following is a list of the three-year-old winners:— st. lb. 1863— Banker, by Boiardo 5 4 1864— Lantern, by Muscivado .... 6 8 1866—The Barb, by Sir Hercules 6 11 1876— Briseis, by Tim Whiffler ..6 4 1877— Chester, by Yattendon .... 6 12 1880—Grand Flaneur, by Yattendon 6 10 1883—Martini-Henry, by Musket 7 5 1895— Auraria, by Trenton 7 4 1896— Newhaven, by Newminster 7 13 1899— Merriwee, by Bill of Portland 7 0 1900— Clear. Sweep, by Zalincki 7 0 1903—Lord Cardigan, by Positano 6 8 1906—Poseidon, by Positano .... 7 6 1908— Lord Nolan, by Positano ... 6 10 1909— Prince Foote, by Sir Foote 7 8 1915— Patrobas, by Wallace 7 6 1916 — Sasanof, by Martian 6 12 1919—Artilleryman, by Comedy King 7 6 1921—Sister Olive, by Red Dennis 6 9 1927—Trivalve, by Cyklon 7 6 1932— Peter Pan, by Pentheon ... 7 6 1933— Hall Mark, by Heroic 7 8 An interesting fact in connection with the Cup record is that 19 different sires have claiped winners among the three-year-old division. Briseis, Auraria and Sister Olive are the only fillies that have won the Cup.