NEW ZEALAND HORSES IN MELBOURNE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3218, 22 October 1881, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND HORSES IN MELBOURNE.

With regard to the New Zealand horses iv for the Melbourne Cup, "Beacon," the snorting editor of the Leader, says that a wiind of his has paid several visits to the Flemington training ground, more especially with a view of ascertaining how the New Zealand team are shaping, hut as Prince and G-oodman work them very early, one has to be up very long before the lark to get a glimpse of them. He was lucky enough to see them several times at exercise and twice in their stables, and his report is that they are doing splendid work and feeding well. With a fair share of luck he thinks Somnus -will be very hard to beat for the Derby, while Sir Modred !:• going admirably, and has only to fear in ttio Cup " dark horses " that may prove tohave been thrown in %vith unduly light weights. He sayß it is most amusing to hear the tr-uts remark on the New Zealand team. They do not like Somnus in his gallops, and say he cannot gallop, while they look upon Hilarious as a wonder; hut then these are the clever people who laßt season fell in love with Camballo at work, but could not stand Mata at any price. My friend does not seem much struck with the Australian horses he has seen, for he says that, with the exception of two or three very fine-looking customers, they are the greatest lot of rubbish to be seen on :.ny raefeourse —about the sort that Mr Lunn and the M'TCay brothers generally travel about New Zealand with. To return to the touts, these gentlemen have not much to say against Sir Modred, for he seems to have quite upset their notions of New Zealand horses; and they also admire Idalium. On the whole the best judges express the opinion that the quartette are the finest lot of horses ever seen at Flemington in one stable ; but the toutsgenerallv have it that Somnus cannot; stay, and some are doubtful of Sir Modred's staying powers also. If the lot continue lo progress as well ns they now do, and the climate as it gets warmer does not bother them, my correspondent thinks they will well satisfy the expectations of their friends.