MELBOURNE CUP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 63, 8 October 1891, Page 7

MELBOURNE CUP.

When ’the weights first appeared for the Melbourne Cup I selected ’the following twenty horses (which at the-time-was under the proper odds) rto furnish the winner Megaphone, Vengeance, Correze,-Greygown, Buttons, Malvolio, JKdpg Olaf, Sinecure, .G’Naroo, Little Bernie, Leviathan, Laverock, Penance, Oxide, Yarran, Forty Winks, Bengal, Sanctuary, and Bel Giorno, It is now time to reduce the number, as we are within a month of the great event. / I will therefore begin by discarding ten of them. Sinecure was disposed of at the first declaration of forfeits; Greygown will in all .probability have a cut in for the Caulfield Cup, syhich is more his distance. Buttons ran so badly at Rand wick that he can have no show, and his owner is not a person likely to run a “ bye,” but is taking him to Melbourne as he says he likes hard ground. G’Naroo will not like the distance, while Leviathan and Laverock may 'be passed over. Oxide, though he ran well in the A.J.C. Derby and Second Foal Stakes, will find other three-year-olds that can beat him at the weights. Forty Winks was supposed to be a dark one of Mr. Oxenham’s, but he ran very badly indeed at Randwick, and must improve many pounds before he can have a show for a race of this description. Sanctuary and Bel Giorno are two three-year-olds that are well spoken of, but as one can learn nothing certain about them I must pass them over. This reduces the number to ten. Megaphone, 9St 21b, should beat all the top weights, if he is Mr/Wdllace’s selected one. If Carbine—(he public idol —should come to the post, Megaphone’s duty will be to assist him, therefore spoil his own chance. At Randwick, though well, he was far from being wound up,; he .went down by a neck before Marvel (who was very fit) in the -Craven Plate ; but though tired ‘from want of condition he defeated Melos (who was also on the big side) cleverly by three lengths in the Randwick Plate. The latter now meets him on jib better terms, but then .again he .beat ' Melos easily in the Spring Stakes. Melos is an undeniably good horse, but I believe he is.none of the soundest. Last year he met with an accident .that caused his retirement for the greater part of the season, and it was .reported that after his three mile race he showed symptoms of unsoundness, and went back in tfie betting, but has now come up again. His,party are very sanguine of his chance, but it is my opinion that it requires a thoroughly sound horse to stand the preparation required to win the Melbourne Cup. Vengeance, Bst nib, has been -steadily-backed, and kept firm in the market. His win last year in the Caulfield Cup was a surprise to may, but his best performance was winning the Australian Cup with 7St ijlb. He has now izlb more on his back ; 'horses at his age do not generally improve much. Megaphone, who was third, gave him a year and 51b —now they meet at

51b. Correze, Bst gib, was very backward >Vhen he ran at Randwick. His performances last year were good, especially in the V.R.C. Handicap. It is said that he has a leg. Malvolio, Bst 41b, is reported to be one of the finest horses in training, and at; the present time is very well. He showed good enough form last season to be held in respect. The Spot, Bst 31b, is in Mr. Cook’s stable, and was not much behind the best of Bis year —proving almost as good as The Admiral, who he went to assist in the Derby. King Qlaf, Bst ilb, ds at the present time'doing -well. His Book form is not at all a bad -one. From what can be learned his Sydney running must be ignored. Little Bernie, 7st gib, is leniently treated, but until something further is known about him he had better be left alone. He -had been backed for the Metropolitan, which he won last year, but to the surprise of many he did not make the final payment. After .last spring his running -was of a very in-and-out character. However, he is worth watching for a move in the market. Penance, 7St 61b, was an undeniably good colt before he went-amiss .last-season. From what can Be learnt the jhas grown into a fine Derby horse,.and should he win that he .will hold his his own in the Cup. Yarran, 7 was another good two-year-old, (though he was described as being .rather small. It is reported that he has thickened .out a good deal, and may now be called a little big one. He is in Mr. Cook’s strong stable, who will soon find him out, and more unlikely ithings might happen than he should turn out the selected one. The last Lcome-to is Bengal, 6st rolb. He is also in a strong stable, belonging to Mr. J. B. Clarke. His-running at Randwick must bejput on one side, as in the first place he was on the big side, secondly his mission in each race was to make the running for his stable companion. In the -Randwick Plate he cut it -out pretty strong for over two miles, and was at one time leading by at least a hundred yards. After the Caulfield meeting the betting will most likely liven up ; at present it is very dull. The running also will in all probability throw some light on the matter, especially if any of the best horses engaged run in the Cup. Of the ten above mentioned I prefer the chances of Megaphone, if he is Mr. Wallace’s selected one (report says that there is -another in the stable that may carry his colours), Correze, Malvolio, King Olaf, either The Spot or Yarran (both being in the same stable) and Penance. Later advices may cause one to alter one’s mind, but with the exception of Megaphone the others are almost sure to afford hedging. I will just mention those ; that I have -heard about. Carbine, who was backed some -time ago at absurdly short prices, ;as everyone knows met with an accident which caused him greatly to recede in the betting. He is however, said to be all right, but report differs greatly -as to his present (Condition. The most reliable is that Be is on the big side, and that -his legs after the work he has done loqk .none of the best, and that it,is very unlikely that Hickenbothamwill get <him.thoroughly-fit to th e post. There (have Been a <few horses mibbled -at, notably (Cobham, whose weight is,now yst njb. It-was most likely (done on the spur of 1 the moment after this >two seconds and-win in the Sydney Handicap. The same may be .said about ’Patrol. Theodore .is reported to -have grown into a,fine-colt that may Be heard of some day, as he is very backward at the present time. It appears to Be ;the general -opinion of.the;SvdneyitesithatiMelos, if he keeps well, will .have the bestßhance of annexing the Cup of(those that.ran.at Randwick.

Mr. : Stead’s horses, Medallion, Palliser and Lebel, have returned from Sydney, after what must'havenot only!been an unprofitable season, but. if what the'Sydney-reports say is > correct, an unlucky one. Medallion, It- is stated, is unsound, and is not likely to stand a severe preparation. -Palliser -went amiss during the voyage over, and will require a long spell before he' comes round again, -while Lebel proved himself very moderate. Taking the second-voyage into consideration it is not likely thatthere will be much danger from the trioat the forthcoming C.J.C. meeting, though their arrival will make some difference in the N.Z. Cup and C.J.C. Derby betting. But until something certain is ascertained las regards their condition they had better be left alone, as it is a dangerous 1 stdblelo meddle ‘with.

The racing on the first day of the Hawke’s Bay Jockey Club Spring meeting was of an interesting character, but does not throw much light on the New Zealand Cup. Mr. Ormond’s Thane, one of the defunct Sword Dance’s stock, defeated Kapua, who was giving the winner a year and four pounds, by a length. British Lion, who was giving lots of weight away, finished third. Six others started. The Hurdle Race brought out only five runners, Somnambulist winning easily from Oaklands. Taking them all through they were amoderate’lot. The Guineas was a most, interesting race, the whole six coming to the post. Fraternite was imfront all the way with Hippomenes, but coming up the straight Clanranald, who had been waiting, came with a brilliant rush, winning by half a length from Fraternite, Rosefeldt, who came at the finish, being the same distance away, third. That this running may be altered before long is very probable, as some of the runners were rather short of work. The winner was in the pink of condition, and his running at Timaru showed that he had a great chance, but some of‘the judges at Christchurch thought ‘that he could not carry weight. Fraternite was short of a few fast gallops, the same may be said of Rosefeldt. Namoa did not run up to her two-year-old form, but I have no information how she is or whether ■she Bas grown. Last season she did not give you-the idea of furnishing into a good three-.yeartold. The others will improve with time. The .Welcome stakes Brought out a field of six'faitly promising two-year-olds, but all of them will be served by time. Whakataweaand North Atlanticßad it all their -own way, the former winning by a length; Guncotton, who came ifastat/the finish, being third. The Auckland filly, Adelaide, never showed prominently, it seems ;a great /pity that she should be knocked about so early in the season, as she is aDecember foal, and as she is a promising one, lots oflime-ought 'to have been given her. Couranto shows .that he has ‘lots of space besides being: a good hurdle racer, as he won the (Corinthian Stakes easily. The Flying Handicap brought out,a field of nine, -which resulted in a splendid race, and reflects great credit-on Mr. iEvitt-theßandicapper, as after a severe finish Boulanger just gotßome a headdn front of Thane, who was receiving zglb, while Fraternitd’who was giving the second gib and a year, was beaten a short head 'for second tplace. This is a good performance.of Fraternity when it is considered heßad a severe race out ofßim. Strephon and Whisper >ran, but never showed prominently. Dolosa cut up very badly, and must be /put down as an arrant jade, and the sooner she is put tout of training, the better for her owner.

The second day’s racing of the Hawke’s 'Bay Jockey Club was of great interest, as the Spring Handicap gave some insight to the ! New Zealand Cup, as several horses were engaged in both events. As I shall have occasion‘to refer to the meeting again when details of the racing are to hand, I shall only in this issue touch lightly on the principal events of the second day. In the Hurdle Race the difference of 191 b enabled Oaklands to turn the tables on Somnambulist, who ran‘a grand horse under the weight. The Spring Handicap brought out the good field of thirteen. The result was another congratulation for Mr. Evitt, as the outsider, British Lion, 7st 91b, who paid a dividend of £5l Is, won by a head from Rosefeldt 7st, Whisper Bst 61b, finishing third, half a length away According to the meagre report received, Rosefeldt should have won, as coming into the straight she was at least blocked twice; but on getting clear, nearly collared British Lion, and fighting it out only just got beat. Clanranald 7st 51b ran well up to a certain point, but the pace and weight told on him, and he died away. Hilda, as I expected, never showed prominently in the race. Strephon also cut up badly, and unless some good excuse is made for him, he can have no show for the New Zealand Cup. Further remarks on this race I will keep until the next issue. Eight came to the post for the Nursery Handicap; The flag fell to a bad start, of which Adelaide 7st 31b, had all the best of it. On entering the straight Wakawatea Bst 121 b, who got badly away, caught his horses, and half way down the straight went to the front and won easily by a couple of lengths. The other races call for no comment at present.

In my notes last week I mentioned that Mr. J. George had entered his horse Melos for a couple of races, and pointing out the absurdity of naming their horses after celebrated horses that are running in Australia, and the confusion that is likely to arise in a future day by this practice. I have been informed by our Taranaki correspondent that Mr. George’s colt’s name is not “ Melos ” but Melas. I certainly received the nominations from head quarters, the name being Melos, so cannot be held responsible for the mistake.

According to the Canterbury Times Medallion has been backed for the New Zealand Cup for all the money there is in the market at io to i ; also that a commission has been sent over from Sydney to back him for that event. He may be now considered first favourite. From information received that I can rely upon Medallion is none of the soundest. Even if he was his performances —unless they were crooked last season —do not entitle him to the premier position in the New Zealand Cup. I therefore warn my readers to be careful before they rush into what may turn out a trap.