THE MELBOURNE CUP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 205, 28 June 1894, Page 8

THE MELBOURNE CUP.

Whether New Zealand is or is not represented in the nominations for the Melbourne Cup there is always a lot of interest centered in the declaration of the weights for the biggest handicap race of the Southern hemisphere. For the last two years Mr Dakin has been steadily raising his handicap scale for this race, and with Portsea the Potentate,” as the well-known American turf writer “Hidalgo,” calls Mr Purches’ little wonder, in, the list* it is only natural this year to see a further rise in the scale, Two years ago Mr Dakin started with Strathmore and Malvolio at 9.? ; last year Strathmore was at the head of the list with 21b more, 9.10; this year Portsea comes first with 9.12. There is no doubt the winner of the Champion has fairly earned his burden, and I would not be willing to say he will not be able to successfully carry it. Remembering his blood, his gameness, and his Champion three miles with r3ll.bs.up, the Melbourne Cup with 9.12 is not altdgetherjput of his reach. He is a genuine stayer, and as game as a pebble, aifrd’ with 9. 12 may be regarded as a certain Starter. Patron is also in the race, and may play for him the same pacemaking game as was the case in the race for the Champion. Next in weight to Portsea comes Jeweller, who has been given 9.6—a tidy weight for him, and which inay unfavourably affect the acceptances Paris at 9.5 has 31b more than he was given last year, ana 91bs. less than the weight he failed to carry into a place in the Cup of two years back. He iS a game horse when well, and if accepted for and sent to the post in true

form should not disgrace himself. The Adelaide Cup winner, Port Admiral, is on the same mark, and Pilot Boy is also there. Both these horses have been running well of late, and should have to be reckoned with. Light Artillery left off racing well up to the top sawyers of the Australian side, and at 9.3 he looks pretty well. Carnage at lib less will certainly be picked by the majority of punters as the most likely horse in the handicap, and he will undoubtedly have a big chance. When they left off racing there was very little between Light Artillery, Carnage and Loyalty, and respecting the first three Mr Dakin now thinks there is nothing between them, for he has placed Patron and Light Artillery together on the 9.3 mark, while Carnage has only Ilb less. The Sydney running has evidently been taken into account, however, as regards Mr O’Brien’s colt, for the other three racers are supposed to be 51bs superior to him. At the weights allotted them this quartette must still be very close to one another. Malvolio has 31bs less thah he carried last year, but I do not fancy him. Cremorne has 71bs less, and requires it all. For his win last y ear Tarcoola has been raised lOlbs, and stands at 8.13, at which weight I certainly do not fancy his chance over much. Loyalty and Glenloth both have 8.12, at which placing the New Zealander should have all the best of it. Culloden and Lady Trenton have 8.11 and can hardly score at the figure, and the Newmarket’ winner, Hova, meets Oxide and Ascot Vale on the 8.10 mark. Can Hova get the distance ? That is the point. If he can I would not pay too much attention to the weight. Of the quartette on the 8.7 mark, Sternchaser, Quality, The Trier and Mahee, my vote is for the first named, and of the three on the 8.5 mark, Elswick, The Sailor Pince and Aquarius, I have a decided preference for the second named. Sunshine, 8.4, I know nothing of, and of JNewman, Donizetti, Jonathan, and Solanum I like Donizetti. Half-a-dozen have been given 8.2, and amongst them are two New Zealanders, Bosefeldt and Skirmisher. Launceston is a member of the half-dozen, and the remaining three are Little Bernie, Lord Randolph, and Delaware. If the Skirmisher be the Skirmisher of old, the weight js not too much for our representative, but the others are. I fancy, overshadowed by those names above. A quintette stand together on the 8.0 mark, viz., Swordbearer, Sainfoin, Greygown, Foxtail, and Gingham, and I would not care to support any of them for x a win. I find I have passed over St. Albans 11., who stands by himself on the 8.8 mark, at which he and Jonathan met in last year’s handicap. St. Albans 11. can stay, but I have heard nothing of his condition for some time. Oxide at 31b less than last year’s impost has a fair chance. Little Bernie has last year’s weight I notice, and with good strong work put into him he would by no means be out of the fair. Taking those weighted from Portsea down to the 8.0 mark I like the chances at first sight of Portsea, Light Artillery, Loyalty, Hova, Sternchaser, The Sailor Prince, and Skirmisher.