Evening star., 1937-04-26

" TORY, capturing Jllc NARY
land Hunt Cup after tax
ing the Deep Run Cup and the Mid
dleburg Cup this month, the most i'm
portant timber races of the season to
date. The way Virginians whooped
and yelled over in Maryland on Sat-
urday you would have thought each
owned Melbourne Jake. The smile
on Owner Paul Melons face, the grin
on that Of the trainer, Jack Skinner,
and the radiance Of the young rider,
John S. Harrison of Philadelphia as
the lovely gold cup was presented to
them by w. Wallace Lanahan was
thrilling to the sports-loving crowd
which looked on.
I have seen Maryland Hunt Cup
races over a period Of many years,
and the one Saturday was the best
ever. Seven of the nine starters fin-
ished. They stayed together and kept
you guessing almost to the end, and
there were fewer mishaps than ever
before. Blockade fell and Inshore.
the favorlte, ran out. All the rest
came in.
One year there were % starters, 81
falls and only five horses finished the
course. Talisman, ridden by Jervis
Spencer and owned by Allan Pinker-
ton, won that year.
l was talking to one of the old
timers Saturday, VINO said, The
horses in the Maryland Hunt Cup
race of today are older, better schooled
and can stand up better. We used to
run our hunters, many of them only
4-year- -olds. The farmers would en-
ter any likely horse they had. The
course has always been stif1, and
horses not well schooled couldn't stand
up. The boys of today pay more at
tention to schooling, get the best
horses possible, which they work over
from year to year, and so the entries
are getting better and better each
year"
THE Maryland Hunt Cup has been
gaining in Importance and the
crowds that attend increase each year
There are no tickets sold so it is almost
impossible to know what the attend
has averaged from 10000 to Is 900,
would say there were at least 10000
there on Saturday-certainly the larg-
est crowd ever. It is always such 4
Well-dressed, good-looking set of peo-
pie. Sports costumes Of plain, checked
and plaid tweeds mingle with bright
Spring dresses
Many parties were given in Green
Spring Valley before and after the
race, which was started at pm. One
of the most delightful was given by
Mr.. and Mrs. Richard K Meilon st
their apartment in the Belvedere Ho-
tel after the race.
At this gala affair-made colorful
by the many pink-coated men, the
hunting pink decorations and walls
painted in hunting and racing scenes
every one had good time. At the
winners table, in the most prominent
spot in the room, were seated Mr..
and Mrs. Paul Mellon, Mr.. and Mrs.
Jack Skinner, John 8. Harrison and
his guest, Miss Biddle OF Philadelphia,
and Mr.. and Mrs. Harrison, parents
OF the rider Of the winner, who was
the nero OF the hour.
TODAY Garden week in Virginia
begins. Those interested in old
homes and gardens will spend all week
visiting different parts of the State
and seeing the many historic places
on view. 1t will give them a change
and chance to rest up from horses
until next Saturday. But they will
be in Warrenton on that day for the
Virginia Gold Cup race.
Offlclals for the six brush, timber
and hurdle races to be sponsored by
the Virginia Gold Cup Association 1T
Warrenton May l have been an
nounced by George W, Cutting, secre-
tary and treasurer Of the meeting to
be held on the estate Of Alexander B,
Hagner
Heading the list are Agernon 8.
Craven, w. Wallace Lanahan, F. Wal
lis Armstrong and Harvey D. Gibson,
who will act as stewards. The Judges
are to be Fletcher Harper, Kenneth N.
Gilpin, Harry D. Kirkover, Col. F. S,
Greene and William P. Hubert.
Olllcl pIUullIlellL SpOTLSme0 from
Virginia, Maryland and New York who
are to serve in an official capacity at
the Broadview course are Louis G.
Leith, starter; G. R. Tompkins and
John R. Buchanan, timers; w. Henry
Pool, Capt. Sterling Larrabee, Ray
mond D. McGrath, Maj. Turner witt
shire, Robert B. Young, ]. North
Fletcher, Col. John c. Butler and Z.
Kenneth jenkins, patrol judges; How
ard c. Fair, paddock Judge; DR.. R. +.
Ferneyhough, veterinarian; judge
Frank j. Bryan, racing secretary, and
George W. Cutting, clerk of the course.
The Virginia Gold Cup of 4 miles
over timber will share the spotlight
with the Virginia National, a Smile
brush race for = purse of $500. as
headliners of a diversified program.
There will also be ~ a-mile brush
race, The Broadview, for hunters in
which purse Of $500 is offered, and
three hurdle events in which the
purses range from 5000 to $500.
A total Of 66 entries have been NJ
ceived for the six races.