MELBOURNE CUP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 November 1941, Page 3

MELBOURNE CUP

WON BY SKIPTON. BEAU VITE RUNS THIRD. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) MELBOURNE, November 4. The weather was warm and sultry lor the Flemington races today. The crowd was enormous. The Victoria Derby winner Skipton : established his claim to be regarded as ! one of the best colts of recent years by his brilliant Melbourne Cup win. Last ‘ at the end of half a mile, and third to ' last five furlongs from home, he came round the field, and with a paralysing burst in the last two furlongs he scored a clear-cut win. Son of Aurous moved up rather rapidly. He occupied a position near the rear early in the race, but was third at the half-mile, and followed Laureate into the straight. He had no hope with the winner. Beau Vite made a wonderful effort and did exceptionally well to get third when conceding the lightweights such a big weight. Velocity raised hopes with a dash at the straight entrance, but weakened. Laureate was a good fourth. Yours Truly was never dangerous. The placed horses outclassed the others, and Skipton cutclassed Son of Aurous and Beau Vite. Skipton’s trainer, the New Zealander, J. Fryer, prepared Wotan when he won the Cup in 1936. Fryer selected Skipton as a yearling, when he cost 250 guineas. His owner, Mrs J. J. Kitson, was not present to witness his win. W. Cook was engaged to ride Skipton on the eve of the race. It was a triumph for the trainer, as the colt is very delicate and a decision about starting him was held over till the last minute. Hesione, the half-sister to Ajax, maintained her unbeaten record in four starts for an easy win in the Mimosa Stakes. There was an exciting finish in the Yan Yean Stakes, first division, in which Link Boy withstood strong challenges from Hydra and Neutron. Omapo was going well when interfered with in the straight. M. McCarten, rider of Lucrative in the Cup, was suspended for a month for causing interference to Galliard. Results: — Cup Hurdle Race, 2m.: Isambard, 9.10 (L. Meenan), 1; Our Boy, 11.11 (W. Johnson), 2; Bureaucrat, 11.13 (N. Bracken), 3. Ten starters. Length; £ve. Time, 3.36. Railway Highweight Handicap, 7f.: Orteli, 8.6 (H. Mornement), 1; Plana, 9.1 (J. Purtell), 2; Crojick, 9.12 (A. Breasley), 3. Twenty-two starters. One length and a half; three-quarters. Time, 1.115. Mimosa Stakes, for two-year-old fillies, 42-f.: Hesione, 8.10 (D. Munro), 1; Burgee, 8.5 (H. Bastian), 2; Lady Valiant, 8.5 (J. Adams), 3. Seven starters. One length and three-quarters; three and a half. Time, 541. MELBOURNE CUP, of £7500 and trophy of £2OO. Two miles. SKIPTON, Mrs J. J. Kitsori’s ch. c., 3yrs., by' Marabou —Cupidity, 7.6, car. 7.7 (W. Cook) 1 SON OF AUROUS, L. Sluice’s br. g., aged, by Son o’ Mine—Golden Betty, 6.10 (T. Unkovitch) ' 2 BEAU VITE, R. Stewart’s br.h., 5 yrs., by Beau Pere—Dominant, 9.10 (D. Munro) 3 There were twenty-three starters. True Flight, Galliard and Tranquil Star led at different stages during the first mile, when Beau Vite was seventh just in front of Velocity. Son of Aurous was near the rear and Skipton was last at the end of half a mile. Son of Aurous moved to third place at the half-mile, where Tranquil Star led. Lucrative was first into the straight ■ from Son of Aurous, but Skipton outclassed his rivals in the run home, winning by two lengths and a half. Beau Vite was three-quarters of a length behind Son of Aurous, then came Laureate, Velocity, Maikai, Lucrative and Yours Truly, with Tranquil Star last. Time, 3.25 L Torrential rain set in just as the Cup was finishing. Cup Steeplechase, about 2m. and >f.: Winterset, 12.7 (L. Meenan), 1; Benduli, 9.10 (W. Selby), 2; Gracstello, 9.7 (S. McKee), 3. Fourteen starters. Six lengths; fifteen. Time, 3.531. Yan Yean Stakes, Im., first division: Linkboy, 8.1 (A. .Breasley), 1; Hydra, 18.3 (J. Thompson), 2; Neutron, 7.2 (H. McCloud), 3. Eleven starters. Neck; head. Time, 1.395. Second division: New Warrior, 7.2 (N. Sellwood), 1; Connaru, 7.10 (H. Toomer), 2; Darkfelt, 7.2 (N. Percival), 3. Nine starters. Half neck; half head. Time, 1.40 J.