SPORTING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 182, 2 November 1880, Page 2

SPORTING.

THE MELBOURNE CUP.

Scratchings. Melbourne, Nov. 2. Lord Lisgar and Stockbridge have been scratched for the Cup. Latest Betting. Mata is still backed at 7 to 1. The Weather.

The weather is fine, and there is every likelihood of it continuing so.

Ere this impression reaches onr readers the greatest turf event this side of the line will have been decided on the convincing ground, at Plemington ; and, considering the number of visitors nowpresent in the Victorian capital, and given fine weather, there should be such a concourse of spectators as has never before been seen at any gathering in Australasia. This year the race for, the Cup has more than the usual interest for New Zealanders, from the fact that one of our best horses —Mata—is engaged in the event, and our latest cable despatches inform us that the big son of Dead Shot has been going strong and well since he arrived at the scene of action, and is now almost as good as anything in the betting. Knowing the interest that is taken in the race in New Zealand, we have made arrangements with the representative of Reuter in this colony to have the earliest intimation of the result forwarded to us, and we hope to be aMe to issue an “extra” this evening, giving our readers the names of the three placed horses. This will, however, depend on the hour at which the intelligence reaches New Zealand.