THE MELBOURNE RACES.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 200, 23 October 1869, Page 5

THE MELBOURNE RACES.

The Melbourne Spring Meeting is to commence on October 30th, and be continued on November 4th, sth, and 6th. The following is from the Melbourne Argus of the 6th instant :

“ To the delight of his numerous supporters, Manuka, the celebrated New Zealand champion racehorse, arrived by the Omeo on the Ist inst. By the same vessel Mr. Redwood brought Peeress and Misfortune. All three horses were landed in excellent condition, and were at once taken tt) the bazaar of Messrs. M’Kersie and Go., where they were visited by a large number of the sporting community. Manuka, taken altogether is one of the grandest specimens of the bred horse that has ever been seen in this colony; His condition is all that could be desired, not quite ripe enough for racing, but sufficiently forward to be in excellent trim by the Cup day. Of course the news of the arrival of this renowned animal spread like wild-lire in Melbourne, and his price in the betting market sensibly decreased as the day wore on, and from the outside odds of 100 to she advanced to 100 to 12. Peeress is a very powerfully-built chesnut, daughter of the Peer, and during her turf career in New Zealand she exhibited very superior racing qualities. She is not engaged in the Melbourne Cup, but the presence of so excellent a performer will render the weight-for-age race at the forthcoming Spring Meeting doubly interesting. Misfortune is a daughter of Towton, and we understand will be trained for the V. R. C. Spring Meeting. The arrival of the New Zealanders, Mr. Field’s string (including Strop), and Mr Tait’s horses, has visibly increased the interest in turf matters ; and the prospects of the Spring Meeting are of so encouraging a nature that it is now almost certain it will prove the most successful ever held at Flemington. Strop and his companions have taken up their quarters at the Race-course Hotel, Flemington, under the care of the wellknown Victorian trainer and jockey, Sam Haynes* who will again put Mr. Field’s horses through the mill ; and Mr. Tait’s horses will go to Chad= wick’s Laurel Hotel.”