October
JulyAutumn meet, spring flavour
This is a bit of trivia but someone might be interested.
I have recently been spending a bit of time on the Trove newspaper site (tove.nla.gov.au/newspaper) researching Melbourne Cup winners.
In the Sydney Morning Herald I found a race meeting at Randwick on Saturday April 3, 1948, which featured 1947 Caulfield Cup winner Columnist, 1946 Melbourne Cup winner Russia and 1947 Melbourne Cup runner-up Fresh Boy clashing in the AJC Plate. Russia defeated Columnist with Fresh Boy out of a place.
I also noticed 1948 Melbourne Cup winner Rimfire racing in a one-mile, five-furlong (2600m) handicap where he didn’t run a place and finally 1949 Melbourne Cup winner Foxzami running in the Fernhill Handicap, in which he failed to run a place.
Going by the Friday formguide in the Courier Mail, Rimfire was a surprise winner on the Wednesday. He might not have run on the Saturday or he may be a horse with the same name as the cup winner.
I was wondering if it was the same horse. He won the cup at 66-1 but he must have been a big improver if it was him.
It was still a big day at Randwick.
I also wondered why the fields in the newspaper guides had no prices. Was this because they weren’t allowed to publish prices or because they only bet on track on the day and didn’t bet off course?
I hope you can answer these queries.
Rocky Point (NSW)