AFFIRM HAS THE LUCK

NZ Truth, Issue 1142, 20 October 1927, Page 11

AFFIRM HAS THE LUCK

Favorite First Horse Beaten In Caulfield Cup

STAR D'OR TO BE CONSIDERED

(By Cable.— Special from "N.Z. Truth's" Melbourne Representative.) Although Royal Charter went out one of the shortest-priced favorites in the history of the Caulfield Cup, he was the first horse beaten in that event.

HE lost his position on the rails going up the hill between the sevenfurlong and three -quarter -mile posts, and when he was forced out on to the outside of the field then Duncan was seen to be riding him hard to keep his place. Royal Charter ran up into third place as they were rounding the home turn, but it was his last effort. As soon as they straightened up for the run to the post he commenced to drop further and further back. After the race his near foreleg, on which he wore a bandage during the race, filled a little. Although it is not considered that the trouble is very serious, it more than likely will result in his being withdrawn a little later on from his engagements. At any rate, it just about disposes of any chance Royal Charter may have had in the Melbourne Cup, as he has to be eased up for a few days and at this period of his preparation it would undoubtedly affect his Melbourne Cup chance. Textile, winner of the Cup, was trained until recently by a former New Zealander, George Delaney. Delaney was giving him a special preparation for the spring meeting and although he did not consider the horse was quite forward enough he advised, against the owner, to backing him in the unimportant handicap events at Caulfield. The owner did so. Textile was beaten, and soon afterwards the horse was taken away from Delaney and handed over to E. J. O'Dyer at Mordialloc. There Is not the slightest doubt that the solid foundation that Delaney put on Textile enabled him to win both the

Toorak Handicap and the Caulfield Cup this season. In view of his success in the Toorak Handicap it was strange tljat Textile was at such a long price in the betting, but the fact that he was beaten in the Coongy Handicap on the Wednesday before the Cup, was responsible for his going out of favor. Textile was certainly the lucky horse of the race — he got a splendid run throughout. Save for one little bump soon after the barrier went up he escaped all the jostling and bumping that occurred. A lucky run on the rails from the six-furlong post to the home turn enabled him to save a lot of ground, as throughout the whole race he only got outside one horse — Affirm, which led into the straight on the rails. Over the last half-furlong Textile went right away from the opposition and although his Cup win causes him to carry a ten-pound penalty in the Melbourne Cup he cannot be considered out of that event as yet. In the Melbourne Cup, however, nothing is more attractive than Star D'Or, the imported horse, which runs in the nomination of the V.R.C. chairman, L. K. S. Mackinnon, and got into all the trouble about the place. He was down on his nose soon after the start, and so long did he take in getting balanced after this occurrence that when he did settle down he had a packed field to work his way through. He did not get clear of the ruck until halfway down the straight, but once he did he finished wonderfully well, and just managed to cut Sun Morn out of third money in the last few strides. It was an attractive performance all things considered, and on this showing he appears to be one of- the hardest to beat in the Melbourne Cup.