THE MELBOURNE RACES.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1024, 22 November 1872, Page 2

THE MELBOURNE RACES.

THE DERBY DAT. The V. R. C. Spring Meeting opened on Saturday, the 2nd inst., the weather being lovely, and the attendance very large—about 15,000 per. sons being present. The racing commencedjwith the Melbourne Stakes, one mile and a quarter, for which eight horses went to the postj including Dagworth, the Cup favorite, and Hamlet, also Pyrrhus. It was a weight-for-age race, and was won in a canter by Contessa, a four-year-old by Vagabond, the mare being at once installed as first favorite for the Cup. Dagworth, the winner of the Eandwick Metropolitan, far from up to the mark, was only fifth, and Hamlet, also not himself, was second, the flying Barbelle being third. Dagworth at once declined in the Cup betting to 8 and 10 to 1. The Hotham Handicap brought out a field of 15 horses, and resulted in a good race between Early Morn and Misty Morn, the former winning cleverly, and having been splendidly ridden by young Wilson. Old Nimblefeet was third. Early Morn is by Panic, and from the "Western district. The Maribyrnong Plate, to which Messrs Petty, Hunter, and Phillips contributed 650 soys., brought out a fine field indeed of youngsters, no less than 13 facing the starter, and a capital lot they were. The rice ended in a match between Mr "Wilson's Dagmar, by Maribyrnong, and Mr Saqui's My Leah, by Fireworks ; Dagmar, winning cleverly and easily at last. Nothing else was near the pair. Benvolio, by Peter Wilkins Jout of Juliet, and Lapidist, by Fireworks out of Chrysolite, were the next best of the lot, as far as looks go. The Victorian Derby, with its 500 sovs added, was a mere canter for the wonder Loup Garou, by Lord of Liune, out of Hebe. Ho is, perhaps, the best three year-old that ever ran in Australia, and the way he gets over the ground is something to witness. Ho is a fine colt, over 16 hands, rather narrow to look at from behind- and with not the best feet in the world,

but the style in which he ran through his field, and won, hard hold, in excellent time, Btamps him as a great horse. King of the Ring, Mr Thompson's game little colt by Aco of Clubs, ran well at the finish, but had no chance, with the " Wolf." The Essendbn Stakes, two miles, weight for age, was a run away affair for Mr Dowling'a Blue Peter, three years old, by Kingston, Mr legate's Dolphin second, and The Quack third. Sir Hercules won the Pootseray Plate, and was bought in for £220, the club profiting largely thereby.

THE CUP DAY , Twenty-two horses came out for the great contest of the year, the Mel-> bourne Cup. which was run on the 7th, The Ace looked well, though a little big. Valentine was in excellent trim so far as appearances went. Irish King did not bear out the favorable reports given out as to the improvement that had been effected in him since last year. The Quack's unpretending appearance did not attract much attention. Dagworth looked extremely well, and at the last moment many of his former backers returned to their good opinion of him. Con. Tessa was in great favor up to the last. King of the Ring eeeined rather stale. Benjiroo looked very gay and corky* and with his light weight, the backers of this muscular little horse felt that' he had a real good outside chance. The start seemed from the stand to be a fair one. Valentine, Irish King, and Benjiroo, coming away in the lead, almost abrest. Gironde, Count, and Contessa were running close behind the front rank. Dagworth must have got away badly, as he was in a very bad position when the horses came past the post. King of the Ring could not get on his legs for the first half mile, and, passing the post, he was fully 50 yards behind the first horse. Benjiroo led the field to the abattoirs. Irish King was in a good position till near the railway bridge, when he faded away. Valentine never showed in tho race after going the firßt turn. Contessa fell back until near the abattoirs, when she came up with Dagworth, but soon retired again. Quack took up the running at the sheds, and led all the way home. The Ace passing Benjiroo at the same time, and running the rest of the distance iu the second place. Dagworth came up to the leaders at the sheds with Barbelle, but he did not seem to get through his horses cleverly at the turn, and had a deal of ground to make upcoming the straight. He ran very gamely, and finished like a racehorse, a very close third. Misty Morn ran very well throught the race, and took up a much better position at the finish than Early Morn, who beat him in the Hotham Handicap on Saturday last. Contessa cut up badly, and Dolphin was very little better. The Quack's superior condition won him the race, and brought him home a comfortable winner when his two great rivals were in difficulties, Benjiroo ran very gamely from the sheds home, and finished in a good position. King of the Ring made up his lost ground in the last mile in a most wonderful manner. The well* known colors of Mr Taifc were loudly cheered by the people on the flat and the immense throng on the hill as the Quack came back to scale. The Quack is a bad winner for the bookmakers. He was heavily backed for the Cup when he ran second to Dagworth in the Metropolitan Stakes. By a strange coincidence, the Pearl, who won the Cup last year under Mr Tait's colors, was also second in the Metropolitan that year. The Quack is a low-set horse, of great muscular power, with a plain, determined head. He was long thought to be a secondrate horse, but after his performance this season, he must be placed in the front rank. It is a peculiarity worth noticing, that of the first five horses in the Cup not one is Victorian bred. Quack was bred by Mr Field in Tasmania, the Ace is an Adelaide horse, and Dagworth, Barbelle, and Misty Morn hail from New South "Wales. The race was done in exactly the same time as last year.