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Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 679, 11 May 1859, Page 5

Sporting.—We lately announced the departure of Mr. H. Redwood for. Sydney, with four racehorses. To those who took an interest in that circumstance, the following extract from the ' Sydney Era,? of March-19, will no doubt be interesting:—"The report of the .Nelson Annual Races will be read with considerable interest by sporting men generally, and with no small amount of anxiety by those owners of racing stock who may purpose figuring in the Champion Race at Melbourne. When Mr. Gr. T. Rowe remarked, some two 3 rears ago, during his visit to Melbourne, that "any animal to beat Veno must do the three miles in 5 mm. 50 sec," his observation was treated as mere gas, no one deeming it possible for the old chestnut to do the distance in anything less than Sportsman's time, 5 mm. 55 sec. But what will be thought of Strop's performance in the Nelson Town Plate, three miles in smin. 43 sec. ? It will be imagined, perhaps, that the time .is incorrectly given, or that a misprint has occurred in the report. Private letters, however, confirm the statement, and there seems no reason to doubt the fact that Strop and Potentate have.fairly thrown into the shade the performances of all our best three-mile horses. Whether they will be able to sustain at Homebush and Melbourne the honours' thus achieved remains to be seen. The sea voyage and a heavy course—Homebush, for'instance —will be against them; but, nevertheless, if these animals are really what they are represented to be, we -may cease to speculate upon " the greys.'-'.and." the chesnuts," when looking for the winner of the great match at Melbourne. When parting with Zoe, Zingara, and Chevalier, last year, Mr. Redwood comforted himself with the reflection that:.:;there; still remained at home a few animals that were able to sustain the credit of the colony; indeed,.- if we remember aright, he promised to pay us another visit this year, in order to prove the soundness of his conclusions. This intention he is about to fulfil to the letter, having ordered four boxes at. Homebush for tli'e coming meeting. That he will also have a shy for the Champion Sweepstakes can scarcely be doubted; that is, supposing his horses should arrive in good condition, and meet with no accident in the meantime. Mr, Redwood, it will be remembered, expressed himself pretty strongly while here upon the superior capabilities of New Zealand as a horsebreeding country; and should success a second time reward his exertions, we think, taken into connection with the late performances of the Sir Hercules stock, the circumstance should induce the sportsmen of this and the sister colony to reflect whether, in estimating the quality of the colonial horses, they have not, while severally priding themselves as holding the premier position, overlooked entirely a province which is capable of pro-ducing--animals' infinitely superior to those which we have been taught to regard as the best and fleetest reared in this portion of the globe. As it is, the Nelsonites may justly feel proud of their stock, and commend, as they do, the spirit and enterprise of their breeders. We (eel satisfied, too, that although his appearance will cause commotion in some quarters, the sporting public of both colonies will be prepared to extend a warm welcome to Mr. Redwood when he arrives with the four flyers that ho purposes/bringing as specimens of what

the Nelson province is capable of] producing. We mny remark that Stvop is .by II Barbiero, the sire of Zingara and other celebrated animals. Ho is said to be the best weight carrier in all the colonies, though we are inclined to doubt the statement, while Zoe and Ben Bolt are in the land of the living. Mr. Redwood, we understand, will leave for Sydney by.the April steamer. — Nelson Exam. An Old Boy.—A correspondent writes:—-There is now living in the parish of Ombersley, on the banks of the Sevscn, a good lad} r, whose son being a somewhat lively, venturesome youth, occasions his mamma considerable anxiety when he has been long absent from home, for fear that he should have got into some mischief. On "such occasions she generally goes among her neighbours inquiring if they have seen anything of ■" her boy." Strange to say, " her boy" is actually a great-grandfather, and she is, of course, a great-great-grandmother, being the oldest of five generations, allalive and well.— Worcestershire Chronicle.