SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XIII, Issue 752, 21 January 1860, Page 4

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

The rapid approach of our annual nieeting reminds us that a few- hints of what is.going' on in the-racing world may not be out of place. Tlift amount of money to be run for, at so early a stage of our racing career, would alone prove that we shall before long bike a..marked position in ihe sporting circles of the antipodes ;" while the pains taken to introduce first-rate'blood from England year by year, and the universal desire to breed from the best stock, show that the sporting feeling inherent in the breasts'pf Englishmen in all parts of the world is not wanting here. With a firstrate climate and line grazing'lands we have every prospect of raising as good stock as is found in any part of the world.

Bjfore we proceed to notice what is doing-here now, we shou'd "%entinn a sprious loss which has befallen one of the supporters of the turf, Mr. Lee of Kiiiapoi, in the shape of the well known horse Scrip, who died on Thursday morning from the effects of over-exercise. It is reported that he dropped down dead at the end of rather too stiff a g;illop. Scrip was a brown gelding, bred by Mr. Ludlam. of Wellington,. 12 years ago, by Figaro, an imported Sydney horsp, out ol"Z<>e, a Valparaiso mare. His merits were not discovered till late in life, as we believe bs was in the bauds of the Maorips till he was a six-year-old, and was not, taken into training before he was aged. He was a remarkably game horse and has left few better behind him. He was purchased after the races last year, when he was ;rWnirkably successful, by Mr. Lee, for 145 jjuineijs, who, rumour says, beside-; the loss of Ihe horse, has an uncomfortably heavy book on him.

We have the prospect of a strong muster for the approaching meeting. Our own training establishmen's will turn out. some seventeen or eighteen,and we hear of eight or nine visitors expected by the mail steamer now due. Messrs. Moorliouse and Holland's lot consist of Betty Martin, Cassandra, Hawkeye, Sultan (MV Britain's), Sultan (Mr. Parlierson's), and Emerald; all of which iire reported as doing well. Mr. T. W. White livings to the po4, our old friend Captain Yorke, Bedlamite, and Fossicker- (;V Wanderer colt). Jieport says Bedlamite is not doing quite so well as his best friends would wish. Mr. Cathy's lot consists of Polka, Whi per, and perhaps another. Mr. Mallock hrinrs up Altna, the Comet, and a lilpndon filly lor the Djrby. Their as visitors we have Mr. Stafford's Namu, a filly out of Princess by Si. Aiibyn, and Ultima, own sister to Betty Mai >Lin ; all ugly customers. A dark filly of Captain Tr»iffnrd's, and five horses from the stud of Messrs. St. Hill and Donald, of Wellington, complete the list. We shall be happy to see our visitors, though we scaivoly wish them to win ; but if they do, perhaps we shall learn our weak-points from them. We have every prospect of the best meeting hitherto held in Canterbury, and have no doubt that year by year our own produce will take rank and hold its own against all comers. At this meeting an alteration in (he form of prize will take place foi- the Canterbury Cup, for which a handsome embossed silver cup,has been obtained from ICngland, and was exhibited a few days pist at Messrs. Burnell and Bennett's rooms, in Christchurch. It is the manufacture of Garrard, of the Hnymarkpt, iind was brought out by Mr. W. H. Harris, having been chosen !>y him, with the help of Sir Charles Clifford and other sportiiiiT' friends of the colony 'iir London. Its value is 100 guineas. ■'?';'■' > ..■■•: