THE CAULFIELD CUP.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17242, 29 October 1927, Page 19 (Supplement)

THE CAULFIELD CUP.

TEXTILE’S VICTORY. STAR d’OR UNLUCKY. FAILURE OF ROYAL CHARTER. Textile, regarded by very many judges as unequal to going a mile and a half, came with a brilliant run which commenced six furlongs from home, to win the Jubilee Caulfield Cup, writes “Vigilant” in the Sydney Referee. Royal Charter, whose five weight-for-age victories this season inclined the majority to the belief that he would prove the best of good things, beat only three horses home. Public calculations, were never more sadly astray. To further illustrate the pitfalls confronting backers, Affirm, outclas- . sed by Royal Charter and others in the Herbert Power Stakes, ran a surprisingly good race in the Cup, and, with Textile out of the way, would have given the fielders an even better result than that which came their way. V star d’Or, third in the V.A.T.C. ** Cup, drew attention to his prospects in the Melbourne Cup, to be decided on November 1, by finishing well in third place after being decidedly disadvantaged. at the start. Naturally his price for the Flemington race has already shortened, but that is only reasonable to expect in a horse whose Caulfield Cup running was so impressive. Winner Backed. At the final pre-post discussions on the race, Textile was one of the least backed candidates, inasmuch as only £2OOO was written against him. Although Textile appears to favour Caulfield, an idea that he would not stay the distance militated against his chance in the' opinion of very many judges. Following on his defeat in the Coongy Handicap, this idea was strengthened. “If a horse cannot win at Caulfield after' enjoying a two lengths’ lead at the top of the straight, then he not be seriously regarded in the Caulfield Cup,” was the -way one judge expressed himself on Textile s chances. But I could not see eye to eye with him. I mentioned in the “Arrow” that Textile should not have x been beaten in the Coongy Handicap, the fault resting with his rider, who had Textile in control three furlongs from home. Scanlon made his run far too early, and Bunkie, favoured with the last run, was enabled to swoop down on Textile and beat him a neck. In the Caulfield Cup, it was / Textile who enjoyed the last run, and this enabled him to win. The Coongy Handicap and Caulfield Cup results certainly provided a vivid illustration of the necessity for a jockey to exercise that most admirable of all attributes—restraint.

fl Wonderful Run.

Of course a wonderful run from the six furlongs post went a long way towards achieving success for Textile. Scanlon said that early in the piece he was interfered with, and with a mile to go he was conceding the leaders a very big start. But from the six furlongs opening after opening alongside the rails presented itself to him, with the result that, making the turn, Textile was third to Affirm, and Spear Maiden. Continuing his run, Textile engaged Affirm •and, quickly silencing the latter, went on to win by a length and threequarters. It was a most decisive victory, and there could be little . complaint made against Textile’s win. As the race was run, and at the weights, Textile was supreme on the day.

Was Eased Up. While majority opinion favoured Royal Charter as the probable winner of "the Cup, many judges declared that they would not look beyond the favourite if it could lie determined that he would not meet with interference before getting out of the straight. Still, they were firmly of opinfon that the favourite would fall foul Of certain of his opponents at this noint and so they would not stand him. ’ From the moment the harrier lifted Duncan appeared to be absorbed with one consideration—to _ get round that turn of the straight in a good position. Although Afiirm was drawn next the Tails, the -Nassau gelding was sent to an outside position, and so Devonshire and Royal Charter we’e" left in Nos. 1 and 2 positions mj.; r p was great anxiety to avoid double in the race to the turn, and Vhc favourite’s backers heaved a sigh of relief when the field turned out of the s rLilt Affirm slightly in Jmvance of Spear Maiden and Royal H 'vas felt that as far as the favourite -.vas concerned. Ino worst was over. In the.m cncumsUnices it cannot be said .hat any m-

ability of the favourite to make the first turn cost him the race. The reason was that he was not good enough. lie met with a little trouble between the seven and six furlongs posts, and also a little later, but at the three furlongs he was well positioned, Affirm, at this stage, leading Valorem, with Spear Maiden, Bunkie, and Royal Charter next. 'Backers looked for Royal Charter at this point to put in his claim. He made a forward move, and, although slightly checked, it was more due to his inability to go on with the effort that told on him. Turning for home he was beaten, and Duncan did not persevere with him in the run to the judge, and so Three Kings, Thracian, and Abdera were the only candidates to finish behind the favourite. He was an abject failure.

Bustling Tactics. Of course, the bustling tactics that Duncan felt necessary in the initial two furlongs, told against Royal Charter to a certain extent. But he did not meet with excessive interference. For that reason he should not have done so, as, with only two or three horses ahead of him with a mile to go, he should have been well able to avoid trouble. The fact remains that Royal Charter is not as good as many people imagined. The five successive wins of his in w.f.a. races is poor testimony to the worth of Melbourne horses just at present.. Royal Charter may do better at Flemington, where the long stretches are unlikely to be against him, but it is difficult to see him troubling such horses as Pantheon and Murillo, while Star d’Or should also finish ahead of him again. Royal Charter pulled up satisfactorily, but was somewhat under a cloud on Saturday. Down on Nose. And mention of Star d’Or recalls that A. Reed, on returning to scale after finishing third on Star d’Or, remarked that his mount was down on his nose at the start, and lost an awful lot of ground, so much so, that the incident cost him the race. Going out of the straight, Star d’Or was ahead of only Bombard, Three Kings, and Valaisian, who was hopelessly away through playing up at the start. To finish well in third place in these circumstances was a good effort on the part of Mr L. K. S. McKinnon’s charge. He should render a good account of himself in the Melbourne Cup.