THE MELBOURNE CUP WINNER.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 872, 22 November 1906, Page 10

THE MELBOURNE CUP WINNER.

Is Poseidon the best three-year-old . Australia has known ? (asks “ Milroy” in the Sydney “ Mail.”) This is a question that has been widely and excitedly discussed all over Australia since the great racing world became familiar with the facts connected with the colt’s Melbourne Cup win; how he met with interference but fought his way through to a good position again, only to receive another unmerciful bump; how, nothing daunted, the game son of Positano straightened up a second time, and, tackling Solution like the equine bulldog that he is, worried down that idol of all patriotic New Zealanders in a few strides, and eventually won comfortably. A good sound bump or a sudden disappointment is generally sufficient to account for a weak-hearted or nervous horse, and is ever calculated to kill the confidence of a youngster, but Poseidon is built of stern stuff, and is not easily dismayed. For this reason alone he claims our best attention when comparing him with the great three-year-olds of the past. According to my way of thinking, the only three-year-olds that stand out as strongly on the records as the Positano colt are Carbine, Abercorn, and Grand Flaneur, the last mentioned of whom I remember winning the Sydney Derby when as fat as a hog. Grand Flaneur was never beaten. It did not matter whether his opponents went fast or slow, or how far the journey, he was there all the time, despite the fact that he was always suffering more or less from physical disabilities which prevented him from

receiving a thorough preparation. Chester, who was three years older than Grand Flaneur, won the Melbourne Derby and Cup in great style, but in the autumn First King was his master over a distance of ground. I have heard old timers who ought to know, declare that Chester was not a genuine stayer, but was wonderfully brilliant, and always won his races with a short, terrible run at the finish. Martini-Henry was another great three-year-old, but he had a soft spot in him, and was certainly not as reliable as his grandson Poseidon, the idol of the present moment. The brothers Navigator and Trident were a pair of beauties, but I take the liberty of doubting whether either met and defeated a horse of such marvellous brilliancy as Collarit in the manner in which Poseidon did. Other three-year-olds there have been in plenty, such as Nordenfeldt, Darebin, The Australian Peer, Dreadnought, Wallace, Amberite, Maltster, Abundance, and Newhaven, whose brilliant deeds raised them to high pinnacles, but none went through the spring ordeal so gallantly as Poseidon. Grand Flaneur was unbeaten, and could give the next best horse in Australia —to wit —Progress, 141 b over any distance, and hold him as safe as a church. Although defeated in the V.R.C. Derby, Abercorn was unquestionably the best three-year-old of his time. His Derby defeat was due to his feet being in a dreadful state, and none but a magnificently courageous horse, such as he was, could have put up the fight he did in a race, or would have figured so prominently throughout the Melbourne Cup journey, on a track as hard as bell metal. Carbine failed to win the Derby. His apologists to a man declared his defeat was due to bad riding. Certainly, in the excitement of that moment, when Tom Hales, a marvellous jockey, if in good health, bore down on him with Ensign, Derritt drew his vhip hurriedly and hit Carbine on a tender part, which caused the great son of Musket to squirm and lose ground. But Hales, who was never at any time given to “ blowing,” asserted to the last that Ensign was the best horse on that day. I knew Hales nretty well, and saw a good deal of him in those times, but do not recollect his ever being so confident of winning as he was the night before the Derby when a little knot of us were gathered in a Swanston-street hotel discussing the following day’s programme. While so engaged the late M. S. Mackenzie, who used to do commissions for Hales, joined the party and informed the great jockey that he had taken £I6OO to £2OO about Ensign for him (Hales), and the latter quietly remarked, “His proper price is 6 to 4,” and advised us to get on early and often. Carbine certainly shone out brilliantly in the autumn, but in the spring he was never anything like the colt Poseidon is just now. He could certainly gallop faster than the Positano colt can, but there is reason to doubt if .he could stay so genuinely. All things considered, Poseidon, with the possible exception of Grand Flaneur and Abercorn, is the best three-year-old we have produced, for he has proved that he can both sprint and stay, but in respect to the latter quality, it is doubtfulful if he is any better than, or as good as, Lord Cardigan was at the same age over two miles, but he has more dash than had his lordship. It is interesting to note that Poseidon’s maternal grandsire and great grandsire Martini-Henry and Chester, both won the Melbourne Derby, and Cup, and that Lord Cardigan, who also won the Melbourne Cup for Positano, was out of a mare by Trenton who was bred very much like Martini-Henry and his (Lord Cardigan’s) grand dam was by Yattendon, sire of Chester.