Sporting.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7913, 21 September 1904, Page 7

Sporting.

The New Zealand Cup

Matters m connection with the New Zealand Cup remain in as dull a state as that commented upon some weekß baok, says " Phaeton " in the Auckland Herald. Whether the performances of Mr Stead's team in Australia will have the effect of livening up matters in the big southern race remains to be seen. The victory registered by Grand Rapids in the Sydney Handicap mulcts him in the maximum penalty of 71b for the New Zealand Cap, but even with that addition to his original impost the Gipsy Grand gelding has the comfortable burden of Bst 51b, and he may not be out of oourt under the increased poundage. Whatever •he may or may not be able to do over two miles, there can be no doubt as to Grand Bapids being equal to galloping down a mile and a-half m clipping style. Martian ran a good horse in the Spring Stakes under weight-for-age (9st); but with 101b less over a like journey in the Metropolitan Stakes he failed to show up at. the business end. As there is some reason to believe that Martian's public trial in the Spring Stakes was perfectly reliable, it may be as well not to' pay too much value to his defeat in the Metropolitan, and we may some day hear that he was hampered in the handicap race. Martian has the same impost (Bst slb) to carry in the New Zealand Cup as that which is down opposite the name of his stable mate Grand Rapids. . Nighif all does not incur a penaltj by reason of her victory in the Grantham Stakes, and her impost will therefore remain at 6st 111b. It is a severe task to set a three-year-old filly to win a New Zealand Cup in the spring of the year; and Mr Stead does not as a rule shape his course that way ; but Btill.he endeavoured to. win the bi" Canterbury race with Teh ,Dien in 1893, and he majr be tempted to secure a record in that respect, for no three year-old filly has yet succeeded m landing the New Zealand Cup. Uurtner than that there is an oc castonal mild nibble at Achilies, htt.e comes to light regarding Mr John Monk s crack. Just prior to the first acceptance a rumour was current that the son of Medallion was not intended for the New Zealand Cup; but if we have not been told in the interval that the doughty chestnut can be counted on as a probable starter, we hare not had it dinned into our ears that he is not, intended for the big race of the ppring. Ail being well with Achilles in November we can, I think, expeot to find him on the scene when the New Zealand Oup rolls round; but that opinion, I may say, rests entirely on the ground that I fail to see wherein an advantage wouia !!tu S layiUß a waitiQg policy wish the flying chestnut." Satisfactory accounts continue to come to hand from Napier regarding the manner in which Melodeon is shaping in his training work at Hastings, and that the Auckland pencillera are not prepared to take any. liberties with Mr Watt's horse something like pointed evidence is forthcoming in that the brown son of Medallion rules favourite in the local-market