EARLY DUNEDIN CUPS

Evening Star, Issue 19782, 4 February 1928, Page 24

EARLY DUNEDIN CUPS

those run at forbury RECOLLECTIONS BY “OLD ' IDENTITY.” Most of the present-day racegoers know or ought to know something about tße races for the Dunedin Cup that have taken place at Wmgatui, the first of those being Djin Djins win in 1899. Tho purpose of this article is to refresh the memories of greybeard sportsmen as to the twenty-five cups that were decided at Forbury.

Lurliue’s in 1874 comes first. ns famous daughter of Traducer ana Mctmaid, weighted at 9.9, was backed all over the colony as soon as the handicaps appeared, and would have monopolised the betting but for a suspicion that Mr Henry Redwood might stait his other mure, Calumny. As it was, with Calumny out ol it, backers ol Lurlino had to lay 2 to 1 on, and, ab y ridden by Dick Mason, she romped home by three lengths Irom the tluee-year-old Templeton (6.12), upon whom Sid Smith made a gallant but hopeless effort in the last stages. Mr J..Hulett’s Atlas (ridden at b- by -tuart Waddell) finished, a lair third, I‘tiawhenua, Tainbuurini, Gossip, and ban of Lynne next, in that order. The cup of 1875, run in a gale on a somewhat heavy track, produced a held of eight, and it was a icmarkably close betting race, Ngaro (7.6) and Iraitor (8.10) being equally supported, witn Templeton (8.12) next in dcnnind. Mr Dolamaiu declared to win with templeton in preference to Hercules, and the stout little son of Belle ol tho Isle romped homo by halt a dozen lengths from Mr George Coomoes'sTO* Bower (7.10), with Traitor (8.10) third. James Wattie rode Templeton, and Thomas Cotton Right Bower, the iokomairiro representative. Fifteen started in 1876. Ihc public went for Dan O’Brien’s Fishhook, then three years old, ridden at by ilouort Derrett. Bar him there was no particular fancy. The result was a surprise, Mr Dolamaiu s hlly lung*werewerc (ridden at 6.131 by H. Rowlands) scrambling in a length in front of Right Bower (7.3), npoib which a. Smith had the mount, with Mr Hany Yecnd’s King Philip (8.0) a good third. Robert Batty, an Australian jockey ot fame, rode King Philip. It was not a quality field, but there were two or three good horses in it. such as Guy Fawkes and Tadmor, and numbers ot backers ‘pinned their faith to the Marlborough filly Amohia, though her reputation was mostly on rumor. She finished last. It is worthy of remark that Pink Note, who is racing well lor Mr Ainge, descends from Pungawere"Mr Delamain started both Templeton (9.3* and Titania (6.12) in the cun of 1877. and Mr Redwood saddled iin no fewer than four—Guy rawkes (10.2) Stirabout (7.2|), -Maroro (7.7 i), and Puriri (7.1). Templeton and Puriri. the declarations of their, stables, were equal favorites, and Fishhook (7.12) was at a shade longer odds. Fishhook, on whom Derrett had the, ride, outstayed his opponents, winning by a couple of lengths from the Auckland colt Hippocampus (ridden at 7.1 by Thomas Allen, who is now with J. W. Lowe at Trentham). Fallacy (7.2) finished a decent third, just in front of Mr Delamain’s pair. There was heavy betting on this race, it attracting attention all over New. Zealand. Hippocampus developed into, a good handicap horse. Fallacy’s third, caused her to be favored for subsequent races, but she never took high rank. Two owners were doubly represented in the Cup of 1878, Mr Redwood having Ariel (9.7) and Longlands (7.8), and Bob Ray starting both Templeton (9.3) of which he had by then become the owner as well as the trainer, and Titania (7.3), the latter supposed to bo a wonder in pickle. The main question amongst those who were wagering was as to which of his pair Ray would declare with. The declaration was the all-important matter in those days, and the medium of many a mystery, and its abolition was a great blessing to the turf, second only in importance to the introduction of the totalisator. To be compelled to declare oiten bamboozled perfectly honest owners. 1 was at Auckland, on holiday, when Major George, a real gentleman, found himself in a fix over the Derby there. He had two engaged—Nelson and Wapiti—and the only other final payment was for a filly named Escopeta. Nelson, much the best of the three, went amiss a week or so before the race, and double bettors who had this colt coupled with something in the Cup were in an awful stew. In these circumstances Major George authorised the announcement that he would start the pair and declare to win with Nelson, but that if Escopeta looked like beating Nelson in the race Wapiti would come at her. I saw the race, and it was a strange sight. Nelson, recovered, hut short of work, had all that he could do to head Escopeta, and both were hard at it, whilst Wapiti, mouth open and pulling double, lay on their flanks, ready for a spring forward if Nelson faltered. As it was Nelson just struggled home, though on merit on the day Wapiti could have won easily. Going back to the Terapleton-Titania problem, fortunes were bet on the mare, but when Ray himself weighed out to ride Templeton and declared to win with the then aged horse the public made him favorite, and let the mare go. This was judgment, for Templeton was a great stayer under weight and Ray was a great jockey, and the pair seemed unbeatable. The race left the cognoscenti wondering, for Templeton won by only a length from his stable mate, and to this day some think that if both had run on their merits Titania would have lauded the stake. I do not agree with that opinion. Ariel, the one of Mr Redwood’s that was not declared with, finished close up third, just in front of Longlands, who, by the way, did good service for Mr Stead in later years. Mr Stead, then racing jindcr the name of Fraser, won the 1879 cup with the hairy-legged and somewhat cartylooking Mata (7.8), who was, however, a really good horse in disguise, but Mata had to run about four miles and a-quartcr to get the stake, for Sinking Fund (6.10) dead-heated him. In the run off Mata had it all his own way, and was able to take 6sec more than in the race proper. Sinking Fund was unsound, and his owner, Robert Ray, declared to win with Templeton (9.9). Nevertheless the public made Sinking Fund a decided favorite, whilst Mata was going begging with the bookmakers. Sinking Fund, ridden by Webster, led for over a mile and threequarters, when Ray on Templeton, who was supposed to be shepherding Mata, saw the latter coming. lu a great finish Sinking Fund and Mata passed the judge together, Templeton a length away. Many experienced men thought the verdict wrong, lidding that Sinking Fund got home. Wally Clifford, afterwards killed by an accident on the Auckland course, had the mount on Mata. Titania was the great fancy for the 1880 cun. Believed to be thrown in at 7.4, sue was eagerly backed all through New Zealand, anil there is no doubt that Ray looked to her alone, although he also started that good colt Hornby (7.8) on the off chance. The Hon. W. Robinson, then a conquering owner, likewise had two in it, and he depended on Grip (7.2), though in tho race his other horse, Foul Play (8.12), proved the better of the pair, finishing a good third. Mata (ridden at 8.7 by Matthews) won by a head from Titania after a desperate struggle in the straight. Mata was then owned by Mr E. Cutts. It was a strong

field of young horses, including Longlands, Betrayer, Camballo, and Libeller, as well as the cracks .mentioned. Y’ot Titania started at even money. It was said that one or two of the bookmakers “stood*her” —that is, refused to lay her at any price near tho day. The totalisator was in use at that meeting, but its operations were so small that they had no effect on the volume of betting. The bookmakers who betted to figures had a royal win, though they had to pay out a bit on Mata, who was second favorite. Before bringing Titania down Ray purposely mated her with _ a pony, and the product was a piebald afterwards the property of Jim Allan. The same precaution was taken in another year with Misfortune, and tho progeny was named Dead Heat. (To be continued).