THE BIGGEST HANDICAP.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 977, 26 November 1908, Page 5

THE BIGGEST HANDICAP.

The drawing power of the Melbourne Cup is extraordinary (says the “Australasian)”). People come from all parts of the continent to see it, and they come in thousands. And to think that in 1861 it was started with only £2OO added money. For several years this amount was not increased; but, despite the fact that double the money was being given to other prizes, the Melbourne Cup was always the most popular of all races. The Sydney support must have had a deal to do with all Australia taking to the Cup, and the steady patronage of Mr Etty De Mestre in the early days had a good deal to do with the rapid advance of the Cup. Mr De Mestre preferred the Melbourne Cup to all other races, and, as he had some of the best horses of the day, his patronage lifted the intercolonial interest along, and caused other intercolonial owners to feel that the Melbourne Cup was the Australian race they must try and win. New South Wales racing men have won a number of Melbourne Cups; but, without their horses in the early days the race would never have risen to be what it is now. It certainly is the most important handicap in the world. We are not sure that it is not entitled to higher rank —and at present there is not the least chance of any other race approaching it. If we put the attendance at the last Cup down at 80,000, we suppose that is at least double the attendance at any other day’s racing during the year. Randwick, according to Mr Clibborn, never

gets beyond about 27,000. What the attendance is on a good Caulfield Cup Day we do not know; but, guessing, we would put it below a Sydney Cup crowd. Probably, the best attendances after the Melbourne Cup are on the days of the Victoria Derby and the Grand National Steeplechase, and on neither day do we think there are more than 40,000 on Flemington. But, outside Cup Day, we are guessing. We know that on the first Tuesday in November some 80,000 people usually visit Flemington. Mr Byron Moore thinks more, and he has in past years taken a deal of trouble to form an estimate; but even our estimate gives an idea of how the Cup dwarfs all other races. It is also easily the best betting race of the year. An owner can win at least four times more in bets over the Cup than he can win on any other race. This is because people all over Australia, who do not bet on any other race, will have a little on the Cup.