HOW THE CUP WAS WON. BEFORE THE RACE.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 228, 12 November 1887, Page 12

HOW THE CUP WAS WON. BEFORE THE RACE.

Melbourne was in a turmoil of excitement on the great Cup day, everybody was up and about hours earlier than usual, and before the morning had far advanced streams of people were taking

their way to Flemington. Trams and trains are rushed for places, greyheaded men and young boys, the " speeler" and the " dude," and ladies, both young and old all are found in the great scramble at the station ; all anxious to get to the racecourse a» aoon as possible. At the course the grandstand is already filled. Every available seat has been taken and the lawn is full of ladies in summer dresses and men with long white hats. Over on The Flat the cheap "bookies" in many-coloured raiment and sui'rounded by flying flags are howling their offers to the speculative public. Down in the luncheon-room there is already a brisk, refreshing sound of popping corks and clattering dishes. His Excellency the Governor and Lady Loch arrive in good time for the first race, accompanied by a largo party of distinguished visitors, of whom there is an unusually large number in Melbourne ab present. Amongst the number are seen the Marquis and Marchioness of Droghela, and the Marquis and Marchioness of Carnarvon, Lord Porchsster and many other distinguished persons. An hour i 3 given to wandering about looking for seats, which are alreay at a premium, the j ladies eribicising each other's dresses, each wondering if her own is showing to advantage. But an. last the races begin. The excitmen-t is mild while the earlier events are being run off, for the multitude reserves its enthuslam for the Melbourne Cup. For half an hour before that great event every seat is filled, and thousands upon thousands* of eyes are directed through field glasses at the little group of ever changing starters, the bits of bright and varied colours ou the horses' riders moving like the tiny scraps of many hundreds of glasses in a kaleidoscope. Suddenly there is a great murmur and a shout of "They're off." Then for three minutes and 28$ seconds — the shortest time in which a. Melbourne Cup race was ever won — there is almost silence, for the only sounds that are heard are the exclamation, in curiously strained and eager voices, <! Thunderbolt," "Charmer," "No, Silver Prince," "Algerian," "The Peer, "No, no, Dunlop :" and then the muttered exclamations give place to a tumultuous roar of applause as the winner gallops past the

post. The Race. At tljje post,, the positions were quicklytaken up, Pakeha,, Thunderbolt, Dunlop, Jebuaite and Algerian being close to the inside rails,. Silver Prince, Silver Mine, The Australian Peer, Recall, Abercom and Niagara being in the centre, while the most prominent of the outside division were Tranter, The Charmer and Oakleigh. Though the whole field appeared anxious to pel. away, there was only one false attempt before the signal for commencing the memorable journey was given, and Algerian, Silver Prince, Thunderbolt, Recall, Oakleigh and The Charmer showed out first, almost in line, and they commenced at once the race for positions. Approaching the course proper, Silver Prince appeared in the lead, and was just heading Tranter as they breasted the rails, Thunderbolt, The Peer, Pakeha and Oakleigh following in a bunch, with The Charmer on the outside, while Abercorn and Meteor were lasb, in the centre of a cloud of dust. Save that The Charmer improved her position at the distance and Sardius retired to the rear, there was no material change till the stand was reached. Here The Charmer was in command, with her neck in front of Silver Prince, which wasgoing nicely on the rails, alengtkclearof Tranter, Algerian, andThundeubolt, that trio being waited on by Recall, Oakleigh, and. Pakeha, side by side; and then came Cranbrook, DunlopandThe Australian Peetvand Meteorjoined Sardius asa whipper in. Silver Prince forged out slightly as the first turni was rounded, and made the pace a cracker past the mile-and-a-quarter post, the Charmer lyimg on his quarter and just clear of Algerian- and Tranter, while Remus and Thunderbolt were in advance of Pakeha. The Australian) Peer and Recall and Sardius had dropped 10Q yards to the i - ear, already beaten. A little further on Silver Prince increased his advantage over The Charmer to a length, but Algerian was running in. company with the latter. Tranter still being his- nearest attendant, in whose wake could be distinguished Remus, The Australian Peer,. Oakleigh and Cranbrook, and Silvermine and Meteor were in waiting on the main, body of the field. Going towards the bridge Algerian headed the Charmer aud when he reached that point had his head at the leader's girths. Recall appearing in fourth place, with the Australian Peer and Cranbrook in waiting, while Oakleigh and Dunlop headed the ruck, the last of which was still Meteor and Sardius tailing off 200 yds. away. At this point the pace was very severe, and' Algerian forging out iinpi'oved his position by joining Silver Prince, who was still going easily, but The Charmer was fast tiring and Cranbrook appeared in the third place. Here also Remus and Abercorn closed on the loaders, while Dunlop Avent up on even tevms with the Australian Peer, and! on the- outside were Recall and Silvermine. At the abbatoirs Algerian and Silver Prince were still together, and in command ; but Cranbrook flattered his supporters by drawing up to their girths. The fourth andi fifth places were occupied by Remus and The übarmer. Here, too, could be seen,j Abercorn next, but Hales was hard q.t J work on him, and so was Fielder on Oakleigh, who was running with him. At the , head of the others was Recall, but beaten. Entering on the bend Cranbrook, Algerians and Silver Prince were abreast, having, fee their nearest attendants Oakleigh, Remus and Niagara-, and The Australian Peer,, while treading closely on their heels came Diyjjpp, and Silvermine. The first to hang out distress signals was Silver Prince, an/d as, they rounded the home turn he began to flounder, while Dunlop, making a run, cantered the straight on terms wifeb, Cranbrook and Algerian, and almost wlta. them could be seen Silvermine on the outside, The Australian Peer and Remus all showing boldly. When fairly within the railathe sensational favourite Algerian crieda u go > "Ner* ricker's efforts being powerless to keephim in the van, and the moment his rider called on him o retired. Then Cranbrook shot his bolt, and a reminder from. Sanders drove Dunlop in front a length clew of Silvermine and The Australian Peer,, both of which were going well and waited on by Niagara. But Oakleigh was in trouble, so wei*e Romus and Abercorn, though their riders still persevered Dunlop maintained his advantage towards* -.he distance, inside which he and Sil /ermine had drawn clear of followers, and as the latter was seen to close on to the leader's saddle flaps, it looked as if he would wear the Victorian down. Robertson continued at work till within a hundred yards of home, but Dunlop was equal to the occasion, and responding gallantly to the final call, drew away again ,and won a good race easily by his own length. Silvormine beat The Australian Peer by a similar distance, and the latter was only half a head in front of Niagara. Abercorn was fifth, followed by. Recall, Oakleigh, Algerian, Remus, Silver Prince, Cranbrook, Jebuiste, Thunderbolt, Meteor, Tranter, Pakeha, and The Charmer, in that order. Sardius walked in with tho crowd. Time, 3min. 28£seo,

After the Race 1 ' Another knock down for the public !" " Sold again 1" Such are the exclamations 1 suitable to the occa»ion when the great race

hais hae» decided, money suas' gone> into t&& hands of the ©*»hei' and' tfee ring, as the jjafolic Avoiild have nothing to do* with Dtmlop, and thea&fore the public hasbeen sol<ft- The night before the race the betting.oa»Mm ran to 20 to 1. The race wasa repetition ©f< last year, and so tiiuch'for? the public- They have been pretty badlyf bitten, thou^b not,. perhapajas- badly as last' year. The few scooped the pool (thevirtuous; of o&'arse) ; many found the fickle 1 jade had tuimed her wlieol the wrong: way. The cries o? disappointment, triumph,, surprise, and ex«ritement minted that rosefrom that great multitude rin^ in one'sears long .after tlue place where* they were is' all deserted. It- is interwoven' with th© melody that the band played jusb before; sometimes with the- voice of the porter> calling,- %< This way for the first train for Melbourne, gentlemen ;" but it is a sound • which* once heardj •is nob soon forgotten ; it is like the- roar of Niagara shot through and through- with the shrill plaintive oriesof the coon or the screech owl. Everywhere people are comparing notes-;, there are always more that dance to the wrong, pipe than to<the right* one. "Just my. luck, -all over,',' men- cry, and so, poor fellows, they get on th© wrong side of the post, and, .losing heart* ■ uever get the right side again.