DUNEDIN CUP.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 260, 28 February 1874, Page 3

DUNEDIN CUP.

" For this* great handicap, two* and ai half-miles, to be run in March next, thereare thirty-nine entrances, which embracemost of the horses of note in the Colony.

" To Lurline is given the top weight of 9st. 9lbs, which is a crusher for a -iouryear old mare. - Her racing-weight is Bst 131b5.,, and an additional! Olbs. for a distance of over two miles, is what-no - horse ought to be asked to carry. I-do not complain of the weight~the mare gives' to other horses in the race, although to severaLjshe conceded'frotn two- to three stone'; : 'l disapprove of putting a heavy weight upon a valuable animal, so as to risk her breaking down, in order that horses not a twentieth part of her value'may-be able to runin her company 'ln the last -MelbourneCup, 'the greatest weight accepted'by a four-year old horse was. Bst. 21bs , which considering sex allowance, is Ist. iOlbs.. less than is given to> Lurline in Dunedin. ' The -top weight in the Melbourne'. Cup was Bst. 9lbs., awarded to Dagworth andthe Ace, both five-year-old horses, and ■ animals of acknowledged superiority/ The Ace did not start, but Dagworth, could not get within three or four lengths of Don Juan, with only 6st 12lbs. To Papapa is assigned Bst.,'" being lib. above his racing weight, and he has therefore a concession of 9lbs. from the mare " The 'whole of the remaining thirty-seven horses entered are below -their racing weights, and to : the-£allowances - they - receive must be added -the .i01b:-aad lib. extra given to Mr. Redwood's pair, when estimating :the .differences-in the : 'handicap' weights. I will state what this allowance ,is to some of the principal horses entered: * —Calumny gets lib.; Castaway, - slbs. Tambourini, 71b ; Hatred- 9lbs.; Defamer, lllbs. ; Templeton, and. Ada colt,, each 151b5.; Verbena, 18lbs.; Batter, Revoke colt, and Traitor, each l-71bs. Earl of Lynne and Spritsail,- each -]9lbs. Parawhenua and-Atlas, each 2 libs.; Burgundy and Butterfly, each'22lbs.; Mabel, -251b5.; Gossip, 3 (jibs: Yatterina, Banjo, and Staysail, each 271bs ; the remainder with increasing allowance up to 351b5.-; theaged Malabar being awarded 7st. 2ibs. .and the four-year-old frioress 6st. 6lbs. Many of the light - weights are'* not race- ~ horses, properly speaking, and could not gallop two „ miles against such torses as. Lurline and Papapa, providing the latter .ran with their racing weights, if turned: loose, and it is of little moment what weights are given animals -of that class. ButforLurlineto concede37lb to amare like Yatterina is another, matter, is thetwo stone allowance conceded her'by Pa--papa. I shall not at present criticise thehandicap in detail,, but will briefly say ■that the weight upon Lurlino is excessive, that . Calumny and Tambourini are harshly treated,-that Yatterina is specially favored j and that the Derby colts which ran at Christchurch behind' Castaway'are as a. lot let in easily;. Note—Furnished by ' Sportsman*" to* the ' Nelson- Examiner.