Big Crowds Attend Auckland’s Cup Day

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 237, 27 December 1927, Page 1

Big Crowds Attend Auckland’s Cup Day

SPECTACLE OF GRANDEUR HORSES GOOD TO PUBLIC Cup day at Ellersiie yesterday, with its record crowds on the beautiful course, and its blaze of colour in keeping with the age in which we live, was the biggest attraction of the sporting year in the North, as well as being the greatest social success which sportsmen can remember in the history of the New Zealand turf. A typical midsummer day, the afternoon sun shining in all its meridian splendour, welcomed nearly 4Q.000 people, and the beauties of the surroundings of the magnificent course compensated even the financial loeers. The big attraction of Ellersiie, of course, lies in its floral beauty, aaid between races the ever-moving stream of people found pleasant diversion from picking winners—and failing to pick winners—in inspecting the gorgeous display of blooms and the delightful array of foliage, which provided such a congenial background to the more serious business of racing. For some, the racing was the most serious portion of the day’s outing, and even those who failed to ‘“strike it” in the early races, plodded cheerfully on in the hope of picking up something later. And the horses were good to the public. Well-backed gallopers won all day, and this kept the large crowd of investors at least satisfied that they were holding their own. The dividends in consequence were moderate, and notning of an astounding outside price feU into the pocket of the speculator. On the lawn the newest of new race frocks were worn proudly for the first time; new and startling fashions came to greet the eye of the visitor; vivid and striking colours filled the course enclosure; sunshades to match protected delicate feminine skins from the cruel rays of the northern sun. Seldom ir ever—has a scene of such grandeur be fi l .^ 1 A nessed on the Ellersiie course If 40,000 were on the spot to see the races, how many people throughout the Dominion visualised the racing over the air, as the announcer kept the listeners well posted with the move" horses from the time they th« er the numbers had gone horses returned to the birdWon Jen radio enthusiasts must danced with delight to hear by on the a ffiw a n eSCriDtlon ° f the frocks

at Ellersiie,” they will ell their husbands when they effect a “yle s ot rnd Q if°fi the n6Wer a "d ?n%ue styles. And if it were worn at Ellershe, then the fashion it must be