CANTERBURY AND NELSON RACES.

West Coast Times, Issue 103, 16 January 1866, Page 3

CANTERBURY AND NELSON RACES.

The " Lyttolton Times" has the following notice of the horses oxpoctod to run for the Cup, afc the Metropolitan Meeting nt Christchurch, on tho lGth instant : — The representatives of Canterbury in the Cup are all in one stable (Webb's), and ineludo the following four : — Stormbird, by Sledmere (by Daniel O'Rourko), out of Spray, 4 yrs old ; Belle of the Isle, by Malton ■ (by lljfloman), out of tho same mare, Spray, ?> yrs old ; Idle Boy, by Slediuero, out of Merry Lass, 4 yj'S old ; and Master ltowe, by Tow ton, out of Miss Howe, 3 yis old. The first three are all tho property of Mr-W. If. Harris, who imported both Sledmeio and Malton, their sires. Stormbird, who rnn third for the Champion Race last year, when anything but fit, must be a most formidable opponent this year, as he is sure to have justice done him in tho way of training. Ho is a remarkably dark chesnut colt, of great power and substance, though not a very big one. His action is perfect, oven, and strong, and, barring being a trifle coarse, wo have seldom seen a colt .we coveted so much. Belle of tho Isle, another of tho sumo family, is a very lengthy, nicelooking filly, not so dark a chesnut as the colt, and perhaps a trifle lighter all over than he is. Sho has never appeared before ; but if she is tho selected one on tho day, we should be sorry to stand heavily against her. Idle Boy is a great big 4 -year old gelding, but wo funiyy there is other work more suited to him than trying to win a champion race. Master Howe, tho property of Mr Lancelot Walker, is a great slashing 3. year old. Wo think, however that he wants time, and if he does not get too coarse, "will make a better colt next year, as ho wants to fill out and furnish. Wo should not bo surprised to see him amongst the first four, though wo don't think ho is likely to turn up the actual winner. Tho representative of Qtago is the Hatter, by Bay Middleton, aged. He has not been doing much work lately, and if he wins the Champion Race we Avill cat him. Kathleen and Tarndalo next claim our attention, though wo do not think the latter will show. Kathleen is a big, racing looking mare, but has never done anything to justify the belief that she will be very prominent in the race. Tarndale, a dies nut mare, by II Barbiere, we do not like. Otto, who was to win last year, has again arrived in Canter bny, and looks better than when ho was hero boforc. Holooks big.ho we ver , and we th ink never was really as good as Ladybird. Ladybird and her stable companion, Julia, have not come at the time of writing this, but we can't help' thinking tho old mare must bo getting slow, and hardly expect to see her carry Mr Stafford's colors to the front this year. Julia wo hear good accounts of. Uno was sold a cripple, and wo don't fancy that Mr Farmer can patch her up to win a thvee mile race on hard ground against sound horses. Corsair is not coming. Blackboy(by Priam), a4-yr-old gelding, bought by Mr Henry itedwood, is in too good hands for us to disregard him altogether, but his winning tho Cup is, we think, an unlikely event. . In conclusion, wo must say that wo think it is the most open raco that wo have over had in Now Zealand, anrl at prosont wo shall stand our own province to beat tho rest of New Zealand, and as wo arc bound to take a good public performer before untried horses, we believe Stormbird ,\vill show the others tho way homo on the 10th of January, 1866. Tho Nelson Meeting, the Examiner says, will take placo on tho 20th und 21st of March, those days haviug been selected in order to suit the convenience of visitors, as persons wishing to bo pro* sent at tho lueoting, cithor from AuokljuW ov the &mih{muy.ttmvfi qn tjw

20th, witness tho races on both (lays, and leave tho clay following- The mooting is likely to bo an unusually good one.