WHEN MANFRED WAS SCRATCHED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18000, 10 November 1926, Page 8

WHEN MANFRED WAS SCRATCHED.

MELBOURNE CUP BACKERS LOST MANY THOUSANDS. (Special to the “Star.") MELBOURNE. November 5. The news of the scratching of Manfred for the Melbourne Cup came like a bombshell. That of Heroic was not so sensational, as he has been doubtful for some days. He galloped on November 1. and apparently did not pull up all right. The scratching of Heroic and Manfred means a tremendous loss to the public. The crowning misfortune to the vast army of Victorians, and thousands of others throughout Australia, who tried to pick the Melbourne Cup, is that Manfred did not see the post, and we shall have to defer for twelve months the test which is to settle in the minds of many whether he is a greater horse than Carbine. His trainer, 11. McCalman, stated that Manfred shied at a load of hay on Thursday, October 29. and struck himself above the fetlock, on the inside of the off foreleg. ‘‘lt filled a little,” said McCalman, “but yielded to treatment. and we thought it was safe to start him in the Melbourne Stakes, though we had to bandage him. He did not pull up too well after he had got home, and had cooled down. “lie trotted this morning (November 1) on the tan. but his leg filled again. I immediately consulted Dr Lewis, who has been attending him since Thursday, and he said that if we ran him we would stand a risk of breaking him down. When I told Mr Chaffej* he reluctantly decided that we should have to scratch out the champion.'’

This mishap to Manfred is nothing less than a disaster to the general public, with whom he is a great favourite. If it had not been for his trouble he was sure to have started second favourite on the course, and it would have been interesting to see how he ran. Coming as it does after troubles with Windbag and Heroic, two more public idols, it is a severe blow to backers. Mr Ben Chaffey, the owner of Manfred. was greatly upset over the scratching. “It seems as if I am .destined never to win the Melbourne Cup,” he said “I thought my turn had come this year, but it was not to be. Manfred would have won. I regarded him as the greatest certainty that you could ever get on a racecourse. Bob Lewis says he is the greatest horse lie has ridden in his life, and that no other horse could go with mine once he got to him. ITe would never have been off the bit in the Melbourne Cup, ond would have won it just as easily as he did the Caulfield Cup.” H. McCalman states that Manfred will be give© an extended spell. It is the intention of McCalman to spend a few weeks' holiday in Adelaide, and he will probably arrive there about the middle of this month. Manfred is to be taken to Adelaide for a portion of his spell, but, of course, he will not do any racing there. lie has been withdrawn from all ci his Y.R.C. engagements.