CANTERBURY RACES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4199, 4 September 1874, Page 3

CANTERBURY RACES.

Some lively interest in the matter of horseracing seems to be taken in Nelson, where the breeding and running of blood horses may be said to have been initiated in the Colony. A writer of racing notes in the Oolomst f who discourses|authoritativelyon coming events, makes the following reference to the forthcoming Canterbury and Wellington meetings : The'Canterbury Jockey Club was first in the field for the Metropolitan Meeting, on the 10th, 11th, and 13th November. This is substantially the same as last year, hut the various races are differently arranged. The Derby and Cup have changed places, and the former is now to be run on the first day of the Meeting, and the Cup on the second. We learn from Christchurch that active work has commenced in the local stables, and Mr. Redwood, not to be behind, has sent* down some of his young ones to be put' into work. The absence from New Zealand of Lurline, Papapa, and Calumny, will give other stables a chance, which they would not have had a ghost of, had these horses been kept here. It is not desirable, in the interest of sport, that one stable should monopolise all the good things. With all weight-for-age races of the season literally at their mercy, it was a bold step of Messrs. -Redwood and Watt to throw up a certainty for a non-certainty, and ship their horses off to Australia to meet opponents “ worthy of their steel.”’ As to the Canterbury Cup, it is premature to speak of the probable winner. We may be pretty sure, however, that “ Old Tam ” will be entered, and several of the Canterbury four-year-olds. Of these, the most formidable should be Castaway, brother to Lurline, —the onlyopponent Papapa had last year in the Derby tomake him gallop. Traitor, a son of Deception and Traducsr, who got third place in the above race, is regarded by a party in Canterbury as the “ coming horse.” He is certainly wellbred, and of good staying stock, and if the race ia not taken by a three-year-old, Traitor is not unlikely to prove the winner. The Derby lias forty-one nominations; but the Canterbury three-year-olds of the year, as a lot, are not of much account. It is tolerably safe to predict that the race will go to a Marlborough or Nelson-bred animal, and Sounambula, a railing filly, sister to Tamhorini, is regarded by some persons with great affection. Then Hercules, a brother of Mon-arch,-who ran so successfully in Nelson last year, is spoken well of. He has been stationed at, lliccax'ton for some months past, receiving rudimentary lessons, and is said to promise well. Mr. Redwood's stables will probably be represented by Wliinui and Toi-toi—the former a full sister to Papapa, and the latter a halfsister to Kakapo—the two colts who did their owner such good service last season. Wainui won the two-year-old stakes at the Christchurch autumn meeting, when she exhibited very superior form to her opponents, and won as she pleased. The filly,'we hear, has wintered well, and is now a magnificent animal, and were she in England, fit to go for the One Thousand Guineas or the Oaks. An offer to purchase her at a long figure lately reached Mr. Redwood from the South, with an intimation that if the price offered was not sufficient he was to name the price at which he would part with her. The reply was : —“ She’s not for sale at any price” which, of course, put a stop to all further. negotiation. If the filly continues to do well up to the races, she may repeat the victories achieved by Manuka in 1809, and-win the Derby, the Cup, and the Christchurch Stakes. Mr. Redwood has, however, so many strings, that we expect he will nob find it necessary to trust to one. _ Toi is probably not more inferior to her sister in blood than was Kakapo to Papapa, and he has several promising yomjgstera in addition. Wellington has come out with a programme for a meeting on the 3rd and 4th December. Besides the Derby, with its eighteen subscribers, there is the Cup (handicap) of 200 sovs., with a sweep of 10 sovs. added ; another Handicap of 100 sovs., with an added sweep of 5 sovs.; a Maiden (weight forage) of 100sovs.; a Provincial Plate of 100 sovs.; and several races for lesser stakes, including two hurdle races. This is undoubtedly the best programme ever issued in Wellington, and should ensure a successful meeting.