MELBOURNE CUP.—Continued.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 53, 30 July 1891, Page 6

MELBOURNE CUP.—Continued.

Last week I completed my list of the horses that appeared to me to be well in, but there is still a considerable tail to go through, as there may be another Zulu amongst them. The lowest weight is 6st 71b, and there are no lesfj than eleven horses who are weighted from 3slb to 4.01 b under weight for age ; at the same tiriib there are a great many three-year-olds With 131 b under weight For age. It is from this division that danger to the different cracks is to be feared, but it is difficult to find blit whether there is a “kept one” in this lot, or even a few pounds above it. Sanctuary, Ast 11 lb, was accideritly omitted frOrh my list last week, which makes up my twenty. Sanctuary did not gain winning brackets last year, but his second in the Sires’ Produce Stakes, and third in the First Foal Stakes at the Randwick Autumn Meeting, are not without merit. Montrose, 6yrs, 6st lolb, Warrego, syrs, ' 6jst lolb, Escort, 6yrs, 6st 71b, Yowi, syrs> 6st 71b; and Ascot, 6st ylb, are what ydii might call the turned loose division. They have all of thehi won races, and if their owners did not think they had a chance, why enter them, as they could not get less weight. I have now gone through the weights to the best of my ability. The question now arises, why have I ignored first of all Carbine ? The answer is—lst, Ido nbt believe he can give the weight away to some of the thrise-year-olds; 2nd, last year He was exceptionally lucky in getting through his horses, owing to the fact that most jockeys thought he could riot win. This year, notwithstanding his weight, “ punters ” have made him a great favourite, the absurdly short priefe of 8 and 10 to 1 being taken about him.. There are several bookmakers’ horses engaged in the race, so if he is not carefully “ nursed ” I shall be greatly deceived; and it will greatly surprise me—notwithstanding accounts to the contrary—if Mr. Wallace starts his favourite. Cuirassier is another that is a great fancy of many sporting writers, but I put him On one side for two reasons. In the first place he is a heavy topped horse, with not the best of understandings. Musket as a rule got his stock with “fleshy” legs, such as will never stand wear and tear. A horse to win the Melbourne Cup requires a lot Of hard work, and a horse like Cuirassier in particular. Can any of my readers inform me if a son of Musket’s, with the exception of Carbine, ever stood any amount of work. Trenton was about the best of them. MartiniHenri and Nordenfeldt, his two best son&> did nothing after they were three-year-olds. In conclusion I must say that I think the winner will come from one of the following twenty, which at the present time according to English rules jis less than the should give you against the field. I take the following to furnish the winner : —Megaphone, Vengeance; Correze, Grey Gown, Buttons, Malvolio, The Spot, King Olaf, Sinecure, G’Naroo, Little Bernie, Leviathan, Laverock, Penance, Oxide, Yarran, Forty Winks, Bengal, Sanctuary and Bel Giorno—though at the same time I fully expect ari unknown three-year old or a rank outsider—one of the “ kept ” ones—to turn Up and upset all calculations. I will to the best of my ability keep my readers posted up.

The acceptances for the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase and Hurdle Race, which takes place over the Riccarton Course (Christchurch) on August 13th, are now to hand. When the weights first appeared L mentioned that there was sure to be a great wedding-out, - arid my anticipations have been fulfilled. aS Ohly fourteen out of the original thirty-threb

■ehtries have cried content. This at the first gljince would be looked upon as a slur on the ‘Handicapper, but such is not so much the case, as in looking through the handicap it will be found that some of those engaged have been •&bht tb Australia, while others have gone wrong, either during the late meetings Or on the training track. There was also a great tail entered, that could not possibly have won at any weight, and it puzzles one to know why they were eht'ered. However, if even a dozen out of the fourteen come to the post there should be a : good race, and the winner will take a good deal of picking. Not having been at the late meetings, I am obliged to rely a good deal on the information I have received from different Sources. Ahua, 12st 101 b, heads the list. He is a nice little horse, and has proved that he can get Over a country, but has never shown that he can get a distance. His running at 'Wellington was too bad to be true. He was made a warm favourite, but was never in the race from the fall of the flag. His owner, I am informed, however, afterwards backed him £or this race, which, to say the least of it, is Significant. Sentinel, list 131 b, Oeo; 9st 91b, Otdiefe, 9St 71b, and Tauraekaitai, lOst 111 b, 'all met in the Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase, the latter winning easily by ten lengths. He now in'eets Sentinel on 121 b and Otaieri on 111 b Worse terms, and Oeo on 21b better terms. 'Sentinel, it was said; ought to have won, but be was Very badly ridden; So on this form he Should beat all he met in that race. Jenny, llfct 111 b, is a nice mare, and is doing good Work; From what wO Can learn she is rather backward. Her owner; however, is at the pregCht time ill trouble and has been committed for trial, but this may make no difference to her fimnifig for these events. Darnley, lOst 51b, ■is an uncertain horse over a country. At the lime of writing I prefer the chances of Sentinel, Ahua, and Otaieri; but as I shall have another chance of writing, and as I may also learn something in the meantime, I shall refrain from making a final selection.

In the Grand National Hurdle Race nineteen Of the original twehty-one have declared content. Several of these have evidently accepted on the “off chance.” For instance, the two top vveigfits, Jehny and Sentinel, list 91b each, are klso Engaged in the Steeplechase, and they Cannot possibly go for both of them with any dhhnce 'of winning. Other stables have more than* One engaged, so you cannot pick a horse as a 'good thing until you get more information froih the spot. This week I shall only take a cursory glance at what reads well in. The first that fakes the eye is Beggarman, list 71b. who has on more than one occasion shown his ability to get over hurdles. Captain Abram, lOst 71b, hhs got well in, and if he comes fit and well to must run forward. Jet d’Eau, lOst 51b, has up to the present proved a regular fraud, but may do better at the illegitimate gAtnh; Regina, lOst 31b, is a particular fancy bi mine; and if fit and well on the day must have a great show. Couranto, at the same weight, has shown a good turn of speed, but jumps none too quick, and he does not always hhve bVfi Head loose. Kulnine, lOst, belongs to a clever division, and has nothing to complain of at the weight. Of the remainder I like theorem, 9st 21b, and Cheshunt, 9st, the best—the latter especially, but from what I can learn he is inclined to jump shifty. On paper the following four read at the time of writing the best-Regina, Captain Abram, Kulnine, and Beggarman. Th’e entries for the minor races hre remarkably good, and with fine weather it should be a good meeting.

We gather the following from the Canterbury Times :—“ The nominations of The Druid, Iroquois and Regalia for the Plumpton Park Steeplechases have been refused, as not having come to hand in time. The letters containing the nominations were posted to reach there on Saturday, but not in time to ensure delivery, and as a consequence the secretary not having the entries at the closing hour there was no option under the rules but to refuse to add the nanies to the list.” It is to be hoped that all secretaries will abide by the rule that all entries shall be made in time. Owners and trainers are greatly to blame for the lax way they make entries; There can be no excuse now-a-days with regular posts and telegraph. The cause of it is procrastination, thus serving those interested in ttie horses right.