MELBOURNE CUP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 206, 5 July 1894, Page 5

MELBOURNE CUP.

From now to November the chances of the respective candidates for the Melbourne Cup will be discussed with a freedom characteristic of turfites. Preliminary skirmishers, who back early, have now the problem of how to win the battle in real earnest before them, the handicapper having . launched out his weights. On looking down the first eight on the list one feels inclined to look lower down for the winner. Portsea (Neckersgat —Lady Lovelace), good horse that he is, will find 9 x.z a veritable anchor. I don’t think he is a Carbine. Jeweller (Splendor —Souvenir), will find quite enough in 9.6 to carry, and I don’t fancy little Paris (Grandmaster — Enane) is good enough to get over two miles with a pound less. Port Admiral (Richmond —Footstep) is a really good horse, and will probably prove himself as good as his brother. I will have him oh my selected list. The handicapper has got rather frightened of Pilot Boy after his recent meritorious victories, x and has placed the son of Gozo—Kathleen amongst the top weights. In 1892 Portsea gave him gib when they were on a much lower scale ; now he gives him 71b. I don’t think Pilot Boy could have won with less weight. Patron (Grand Flaneur —Olga) and Light Artillery are placed a pound in front of Carnage (Nordenfeldt —Mersey), :but if the latter was at his best , he could give them pounds. I do mot fancy Malvolio (Malua —’Madcap), nor Cremorne, nor do I think Tarcoola (Newminster —Imogene),, whom I picked for last year’s cup, can repeat his victory. He has just been taken up again. Loyalty (St. George— Fair Nell) ran fourth last year, and. as he is an undoubtedly good colt he may have a chance with 8.12. His full brother Bonnie Scotland, whoia a promisiogyoungster, has 7,5, and may prove; one 1 of the best of the three-year-olds. A past winner in Glenloth (Glenmarkie —The Gem) is-said to be better Than .he is . thought to be,, and if the late Wally Clifford’s opinion of him is correct,he is not a bad one. Culloden (Nordenfeldt — Nellie Moore) has quite enough in 8.11, and so has Trenton’s daughter Lady Trenton with the same weight. I don’t think she will, follow in the footsteps of Briseis. Hova (Ingomar—Happy Land) iis reported to be under a .temporary cloud, but Oxide (Sardonyx—Geraldine) ihas a mice weight in 8.10. He is a (fractious apd unruly horse. The next animal I .come to is St. Albans Il.jbyl Gozo—-Rosebud." He is a stayer, and if fit and well on the day will probably be’ one of my -'first three. dSternchaser; (Nordenfeldt -— Crinoline) is not over-; burdefied with 8.7, but; to put The Trier (since scratched) Quality-and rMahee on ;the same mark is absurd. The full brother to Merganser, Elswiek, gave himself away-some little time'back, Or he would mot have got 8.5. He is a good colt, however, . and a dangerous one to have running against you. I am inclined < to! think, though, that > his mission /will be the Caulfield Gup. Aquarius (Niagara—Rosary) can have.no possible chance with >8.5. Nor do l fancy ’any-’ thing untilil come . to Delaware (Trenton —tGenesta). and Idolator (Newminster — 1 Nina). The first named- won a-race the’

other day, 'but it was -only a short event. He is a good horse if he can-stay. Idolator is one of my picks of the handicap, and should be seen out this spring in good fettle. He has never done anything, I know, but I have reasons, for saying that that meed not be. taken 'into consideration. Launceston (Tasman —Rubina) will have to prove himself a really good horse before I will stand him, and foe New Zealander Rosefeldt (Nordenfeldt —Rose d*Amour) is not my fancy with 8.2 in that class, nor do I like Skirmisher, the Dunedinite, who will probably stay at home for local pickings. Last yar the owner of Sainfoin (Richmond dfostep) said after the Caulfield Cup for ‘which Tim Swiveller was disqualified that he would win the Melbourne Cup, but he didn’t. I don’t think he is a two-mileri Grey Gown (Vespasian—Grey Esperance) is well in with 8.0, ! but I like nothing until I come to Alpine, the New Zealander, by St. George -Escalade, who may prove a good horse. We have a good ’horse in New Zealand tin Saracen, but on paper I like his two full brothers, Loyalty and Bonnie Scotland, in preference to him. Bessie Macarthy ('Nordenfeldt—Florence Macarthy) is a good mare, but the -public don’t like mares. Lower down we have a full brother to Jeweller in Verax, f but he is green, and then we come to Tim Swiveller (Swiveller —Burlesque), who, although a hurdler, 'has showed he has pace, and 7.10 will just suit him. A full brother to Zalinski and Mosquetaire and Havoc is on the same mark, but has yet to show his galloping ability. The Possible, Maxines half-brother, may not be a starter, and Dreamland, Trenton’s son, has quite enough in 7.8. That Nobleman is a really good colt was demonstrated the other day when he ran Pilot Boy to a head in six furlongs, and he can without * a doubt gallop. One encounters a lot of riff‘-raff on going through the list, whose chances are better left alone until sortie future occasion, when the list is thinned somewhat, so that I will pass by a number until I come to the two-year-old Cobbity (Abercorn —Copra), who I believe * will prove a really good colt, perhaps one of the best of the three-year-olds. If Moscow (Suwarrow —Colors) can stay he will have a good outside -chance, but there is nothing attractive-looking among thereat. Three Star, the Aucklander,;! do not deem good enough, nor yet Marimo, Waitiri’s son. There are other New Zealand-bred 1 horses in the 'race, bnt they are unknown quantities, After a cursory glance through the list-I select the following :—ldolator, St. Albans IL, Loyalty, Cobbity, Tim Swiveller, Port Admiral, Elswick, Bonnie Scotland, Oxide, Sternchaser, Dreamland and Delaware—a neat dozen.