A GREAT CONTEST

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19762, 18 December 1935, Page 26 (Supplement)

A GREAT CONTEST

For a stake of £2OO, with a sweepstake of £lO added, and with the modest sum of £25 offering to the second horse, five starters lined out on Boxing Day of 1874 in the uncertainty of Auckland’s spring weather, to run the first Auckland Cup. It was a great day for the city. There were a thousand or more spectators to see the four-year-old Templeton lead in Toi and Yatterina over the two miles course in 3.51. Such was the genesis of New Zealand’s premier sporting attraction —an attraction which has mellowed -with time and become deep steeped in turf tradition. The next year saw the cup run on New Year’s Day when among the attendance of four or five thousand it is proudly recorded that “a number of ladies attended and graced the grandstand with their presence,” a somewhat curious position when it is compared with the universal and sexless appeal of modern racing. Ariel, who ran third in this event, scored the first of three Auckland Cup successes in 1877. He did not compete in the cup race of Boxing Day of the same year when Lara led in the field, but in 1878 he triumphed despite a weight

imposition of 8.13. He developed lameness —it has been said as the result of his game effort—and was quitted by his owner for £SOO, but he was fired and went on to win the trophy again in 1879, On each occasion he had carried the colours of a different owner—first Mr James Watt, then Mr Alan McDonald and finally Mr Matthew Edgar. A totalisator was used for the first time on Cup Day in 1880, the hot favourite, Foul Play, winning in confident fashion from Maid of Honour and the brave Ariel, still seeking further trophy successes. The race was marked by tragedy. Libeller and King Quail falling and Nolan, who was riding the former, being killed instantly. King Quail won in 1881 and a year later Welcome Jack achieved the notable feat of winning, not only the Auckland Cup, then 2k miles, but also the following race, the Railway Plate, weight-for-age, six furlongs. Three Successive Victories. Salvage won in 1883, and The Poet in 1884. and then came the three successive victories of Major F. N. George’s fine horse Nelson, carrying 7.8 the first time, then 9.8 and finally 9.12, which still stands as a record. Brown rode him on each occasion. The late Mr G. G. Stead’s Lochiel, who won the New Zealand Cup in 1887, added the Auckland Cup to his credit the following year and in the two succeeding years Leopold and Crackshot won. The great mare Hilda, bv Musket from Ouida, finished second in 1888, third in ISB9 and second again the following year. . , Under the light impost of 6.10 Piniire, owned by the Auckland breeder, Mr W. Walters, scored an end-to-end victory in 1891. Sir Hippo carried off the honours for Mr L. D. Nathan in 1892, and in-1893 Pegasus credited Major. George with his fourth Auckland Cup success. Lottie scored in 1894, Anita in 1895, Nestor in 1896, Antarcs in 1897, Uhlan in 1898 and Blue Jacket in 1899 and 1900. Mr Stead had the happy experience of winning in two successive years, in 1901 and 1902, with St. Michael and Scige Gun, both being ridden by L. 11. Hewlitt, who is now training in India. The late Mr S. Bradley won in 1903 with Wairiki, who in the following November started favourite in the Melbourne Cup and ran unplaced. The field in 1904 numbered only seven, and the Gisborne horse. Maluitonga, carrying topweight, 8.12, justified the confidence of his supporters by winning nicely from Scotty, with Romeo third. Maluitonga was ridden in the race by the now Ellcrslie trainer, J. M. Buchanan. Again in 1905 Maluitonga topped the handicap and after making a great effort to repeat his performance had to lower his colours to Putty ridden by the late Ben Deeley. The totalisator turnover that particular day was £25,243, which at the time constituted a record for New Zealand only to be eclipsed on Cup day a year later an lien Master Delaval won. In 1907 the lion. J. D. Ormond won with Zimmerman, ridden by F. D. Jones, lhm was the first year at Ellcrslie at which the bookmakers appeared after -a period of

THE AUCKLAND CUP History of the Event : Only One Dead-Heat.

forced exclusion, licenses being granted to 28. This competition had the effect of reducing the speculation on the totalisator to £21,214, a decrease of £5,000 compared with the preceding year. All Red Joins Select Band. All Red, by Stepniak from Madder, joined the select ranks of dual victors by winningin 1908 and 1909, carrying 9.11 the second time. Only two woman owners-, Mrs M. Coombe with Master Delaval in 1906 and Mrs Lcnnard with Waimangu in 1910, have been successful in the Auckland Cup. In Waimangu’s year there was a mishap in the running. Kopu stumbled and fell, bringing down the New Zealand Cup winner, Bridge, while Paisano, in endeavouring to avoid trouble, swerved to such an extent that he dislodged his rider. The law banishing bookmakers was in operation by the time the 1911 meeting was held and the totalisator arrangements proved inadequate, hundreds of investors being shut out. Several times rushes were made towards the paying-out office of the

outside totalisator, and on these occasions the police were kept busy. The Cup winner, Santa Rosa, was ridden by C. Browne, who is still in the saddle. Waimangu and Santa Rosa were coupled on the totalisator. The construction of an automatic totalisator was decided upon, but it was not ready for the 1912 cup meeting, with the result that again much money was shut out. Bobrikoff scored a popular victory in the. Cup, La Reina finishing second and Midnight Sun third. Sir Solo won in 1913. Then came the war period, when the Cup winners were Warstep in 1914,. Balboa in 1915, Depredation in 1916 and Fiery Cross in 1917. Depredation's victory was a most sensational surprise as he became ■ lame a few days before the race and it was thought at the time he would be unable to take his place in the field. Treatment proved successful and in the hands of Roy Reed he won very easily. The first post-war cup was won by Mascot in 1918, and in 1919 Karo was successful. Starland won for Mr G. L. Stead in 1920, when attendance and betting figures were* established which still stand as records. The attendance on Boxing Day was between 45,000 and 50,000 and investments on the Cup amounted to £29,417, while the turnover for the four days was £511,455. An increase in the Cup prize-money from £3OOO to £3500 was made in 1921 when Malaga, outsider of the field but one, triumphed over Uncle Ned and Insurrection. The following year, owing to falling totalisator investments the stake was again reduced to £3OOO. Scion, owned by Mr Eric Riddiford, completed the New Zealand and Auckland Cup double, winning by a neck from Insurrection, with Income a similar distance away third. The first and only dead-heat in the Cup •. was recorded in 1923, between Muraahi and To Kara, >the latter scoring a clear-cut victory a year later. The top-weight Rapine with 9.8, won brilliantly in 1925, and in 1926, a very wet day, Tanadecs revelled in heavy going to win well and pay a good dividend. Tanadecs was ridden by the hurdle horseman, S. Henderson. Rapier, fresh from his New Zealand Cup success, won the Auckland Cup in 1927, and the onceyed Corinax defeated Laughing Prince in .1928. Concentrate led the field home in 1929. A Sensation in 1930. There was a sensational result in 1930. Gay Crest passed the post first, but on the grounds of interference with Motere, the placings were reversed. Motere's dividend was over half a century. Admiral Drake, who had run second in the New Zealand Cup, improved to win at Ellerslie in 1931 and Fast Passage took both cups the following year. She broke down nearing the post in her Auckland Cup success and this was her last race, In 1933 the South Island again supplied the winner in Minerval who won from end to end to confound the critics who did not rate his chances highly. Keith Voitrc had the mount on Gold Trail, who had run second in the New Zealand Clip, when he won last year.