THE DUNEDIN CUP.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 401, 28 February 1880, Page 2

THE DUNEDIN CUP.

* A handicap, 500 sovs. The second horse to receive 50 sovs, and the third horse 20 sovs from the stakes. Two miles and a distance.. Mr C. Coutts' b g Mata, syrs, Bst 91bs (Matthew) 1 Mr R Ray's b m Titania, 7st 51bs (Wattie) 2 Hon, Robinson's br h Foul Play, 4yrs Bst 121bs including 71b penalty (Derritt) 3 Mr H, Prince's ch g Longlands, syrs, 7stl2lbs 0 Mr Fraser'sb c Betrayer, 3yrs, 7st lOlbs 0 MrR. Ray's b c Hornby, 3yrs, 7st 81bs ... ... 0 Messrs Mason and Vallance's br g Camballo, syrs, 7st 31ba 0 Hon Robinson's blk c Grip, 3yrs, 7»t 121bs ... ... 0 Mr W, Walter's br c Libeller, 3yrs, 6st 51bs 0 Mr Chafe's b h Atlantic, 4yrs, 6st 51bs 0 Natator was scratched at 10.20 a.m. Mr Ray declared to win with Titania and and Mr Robinson with Grip. Betting: Even money against Titania, 3 to 1 Mata, 4 to 1 Grip, 6 to 1 Hornby and Betrayer, 100 to 5 Camballo, Longlands, and Atlantic, After one break away a capital start was effected,the.whole line getting off simultaneously. Approaching the stand, Libeller was found to be in the van, with Atlantic and Grip at his girths; Foul Play and Camballo heading the ruck, while the rearmost of the whole was Longlands, Going round to the right the Auckland colt was still in front, with Atlantic his immediate attendant, and Grip and Mata length behind and slightly in front of Camballo, 1 Foul Play, Titania, Hornby, and Betrayer, l with- Longlands tailing off. At the three-quarters of a mile Wattie brought Titania up through her horses. Passing the stand second time the favorite was fully in front, little before Libeller and Camballo, to whom lay

Atlantic, Mr Robinson's pair and k Hornby and Mata in a cluster. Rounding the turn to the right, Titania began to. draw further away, and as Libeller: and Camballojjegan to dropback at this juncture, Atlantic and Mata took second and third places. At the back of the course, half a mile from home, the field-momentarily closed together;again; with the exception of Longlands, but before reaching the distance post the final effort had found out the weak spots of the majority, and the final struggle was left,to -Titania, Mata, Betrayer,' Foul Play arid Grip." 'Mrßay's mare held a clear lead as they turned into the straight,.but Mata gradually-drew up on the outside and Derritt'at the same moment called on Foul Play. The Wellington Cup winner joined issue, and a most exciting run home ensued. Wattie rode the favorite desperately, and she responded gamely, but Mata hatlthe most in him, and once inside the rails he got his head in front, and gaining inch by inch won a grand race by a head. Foul Play, whose final rush was a little late, and on whom the weight told too much, could not get quite up, but he was beaten by only a length for third place. Grip. was fourth; Betrayer, fifth; Camballo, sixth ; Libeller, seventh; Hornby, eighth; Atlantic, ninth ; Longlands last of all. Time, 3min. 56|sec, the fastest on record for this race. Comment on the result of this is scarcely necessary, but it proves that the Press and general public were correct in their estimates of the handicap when it made its final appearance, Mata and Titania having been spotted at once and held the firmest of favorites ever since. There were £321 in the totalisator and the odds against the winner stood at sto 1. The next fastest time for the Cup was Templeton's 3 minutes 59 sees in 1878.