SIL VIUS FOR MELBOURNE CUP

NZ Truth, Issue 1143, 27 October 1927, Page 9

SIL VIUS FOR MELBOURNE CUP

Merry Mint's Prospects Are Not Too Bright

(By Cable. — From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Melbourne Representative.) Nothing 1 more convincing than the manner m which Silvius won the Moonee Valley Gold Cup can be imagined, consequently the imported horse appears to have an excellent chance of annexing the Melbourne Cup next Saturday.

UP to the present he has never shown that he can run two miles right out — the longest distance that he has yet won over is a mile and a -half. Still, the manner m which he fairly cantered away from the opposition at the end of the Gold Cup made it appear that the extra distance wouldn't inconvenience him m the slightest. In the Melbourne Cup, Silvius drops a stone m weight, m comparison with the Moonee Valley Cup weight, and furthermore meets all the horses that finished behind him' on Saturday on much better terms. It would thus seem that he should hold safe all those that finished behind him on that occasion. Just the same Eridanus, which finished third at Moonee Valley, may have a chance of doing better. He is a long striding fellow, and a true stayer, and the short turns at the Valley didn't suit him. Furthermore, he was a long way back m the early stages, but finished wonderfully well. Merry Mint does not seem to have much chance of winning the Victoria Derby. He only ran quite a moderate race m the W. S. Cox Plate on Saturday. After running third or fourth most of the trip he dropped out of the picture rounding the home turn and eventually finished fifth, a couple of lengths behind the third horse. He has a suspicious looking swelling on his off fore fetlock joint, and moved just a little bit short when doing nis preliminary. The way he shaped it would seem that sprinting, not staying, is his game, and as he couldn't run out nine and ahalf furlongs at the Valley there doesn't seem any hope for him to run out a mile and a-half at Flemington. Avant Courier, which was only beaten over the last fifty yards m the Ccx Plate by Amounis, after having made all the running, seems to hold Merry Mint safe. There is no getting away from the fact that Avant Courier Is the most improved horse now m work, but, even

so, he will need to be something out of the ordinary to beat Trivalve, which won the Sydney Dejby. When Yin. O'Neill first put Treasury Bond (Paper Money — Bo Peep) into work he held the opinion that he had a champion, but although she shows plenty of pace on the tracks she doesn't seem able to reproduce it m her races. She was fancied by the stable for the fillies division of the St. Alb'ans Handicap at Moonee Valley, but never showed up at all. When Tea Bell first came over from New Zealand he gave promise of developing into more than an average sprinter. He hasn't done anything for some time now, but there is every indication that he will play a prominent part m the sprint events at the coming spring meeting. This was shown by an excellent performance put up m the Werribee Cup. He jumped out m front, but no sooner did he stretch out than he went down on his nose. The going was very slippery from the rain, and when Daniels got him balanced again he was at the rear of the field. This meant that he had to go around the outside of the field and cover a lot of extra ground, yet even then he was only beaten by inches by Noscitur. On this showing any distance from six furlongs to a mile and a- quarter would suit him. A RUN OF BAD LUCK THOUGH Laughing Prince has picked up a couple of good races, the Fordell stable is having a bad run lately. Shining Armour went amiss at Otaki and had to be withdrawn from nis Waverley Cup engagement, a young full- sister to Freehold and Tarnatete sustained injuries which proved fatal, Ruanui went right off while m Auck- • land and then Freehold injured himself and could not make the to Trentham and Riccarton. It is expected that Freehold will be all right again m time to be got ready for the 'Auckland summer meeting. That the best has not yet been seen of the brother to Tamatete is certain.