RACING NOTES.

In my notes the other day by a typographical •nor, I am made to say that- Tim Whiffler is descended from Tramp, through Gamecock j it should have been Lanercost. I also notice a mistake which has been repeated in several of ! the papers. It is to the effect that Timothy, who ran third in the Melbourne Cup, is by the tame sire as Briseis and SybiL He is by a horse of the same name — Tim Whiffler. — but the latter is a Colonial-bred horse, and is generally known as Sydney Tim, Tim was a great performer on the Colonial turf, having won the Australian Jockey Club Queen's Plate three times, the Metropolitan once, the Australian Cup once, and the Melbourne Cup onco. He is a son of New Warrior, and consequently represents the Buzzard strain of blood. The last news from Victoria shows Briseis's performance in the Derby to have been a very wonderful one — her time being 2.43£, the fasteat Derby time on record in the Colonies, and one that has been only twice surpassed in England—by Blair Athol and Kettledrum, who both did the Derby in 2.4 a The entry for the Dunedin Cup this year is one less than that of last year, but the quality is immeasurably superior. There are five entries from Melbourne, put only one of the animals is of any account. The first on the list is a filly by Macaroni from -~ GlenshM, and if breeding goeß for anything, •> the ought to be a clipper, for her dam is a full •ister to Glencoe, a winner of the Melbourne Cup, and a good performer otherwise, while her «ire IB by Lord of the Hills from Amethyst, and is, I' think, full brother to Westminster, a horse who has lunwell in New South Wales. The Send— Chloe filly — »a highly bred, but she is a narrow filly, and doesn't impress us at all favourably. Old Stormbird has been entered, but m he is now in his fifteenth year, and only left the turf when his understandings went wrong, we are hardly likely to see him at the post. He is one of the handsomest horses in New Zealand, and is by Sledmere, sire of Daniel O'Rourke, from old Spray, dam of Wetsail, Belle of the Isle (Templeton's dam), Scud and other good ones. In his day he ran among other races the Canterbury Cup, then a three mile race. Merrybird is a daughter of Storm bird ; but has hitherto run badly. Glengarry might; I think, be turned loose without much danger, and Mr Goodman's other two nomina. turns' have still lef a chance. Tasso is, I hear, a duffer in spite of the Fireworks parentage. King Philip, by Cambden— Lady Dowling:, has strains of both the Premier and Kelpie blood, and though he has never run well in New Zealand, he ran a very fast horse in, I think, the only race he started for in Victoria, with about Tat. 61b. he would h»ve a fair show. Eob Koy is a son of that much neglected horse Golden Grape, than whom a better bred one was never imported to this Colony. He, however, has always given me the impression that he prefers it race under two miles to one over that distance. Steamer by Sledmere— Tantrums cannot be thought of. Mr Delamain has a very ■strong team, and I should not at all be astonished to see him pull the cup off for the third time < in succession. The ■first! of his nominations is Templeton, by Traducer— Belle of the Isle, one of the best and gamest little horses we have ever Been on the turf. ■ He won the Cup the year before last with "top weight, and had he been fit, I feel convinced he could have won hut year. He is particularly partial to our course, as the soft ground suits This feit, and being a little horse, he loses no ground at the turns. I regard him as certain to be placed if he starts, and as one of the most dangerous horses m the race, Pungawerewere, by Golden Grape— Atalanta, resembles her dam in being of uncertain temper, in consequence of which she can seldom be, relied upon. We have seldom seen a faster animal, and the way she won the Cup last year shows that shewn stay as well as go fast when .she chooses. Should she take it into her head to race on the Cup day, she will be very difficult to beat, and the horse that does beat her will certainly be the winner. Elfin King, Malton— Mountain Nymph, is a useful little ' horse, ytry fast for a mile, but hardly able to get the distance. Titania is a full sister to Elfin King, but has not shown anything like racing form yet. Follefarine, by Golden Grape, from Templeton's dam, has not hitherto performed satisfactorily. Kathleen is by Roebuck, & full brother in blood to Peeress, but she is quite out? of place in the Dunedin Cup. Bight Bower, by the Peer, has for two successive years been second, and I dou't think he ia likely to get any nearer. Ariel, ■by' Dainty Ariel— Una, ran like a Btayer last year, but has not shown good form this season, though he may improve. Dead Heat, by Traducer— Misfortune, is a colt a good deal fancied still, though his performances in Christchurch were poor, and he is blessed with a most unamiabfe temper — a bad fault in a racehorse. Freestone, by Scud, is hardly likely to ray np. Danebury, Traducer— Ada, though inferior to some of the old horses, is still by far Jjbe best three-year-old of the season — the •Traducer blood, having, as I anticipated, nicked with the St. Albyn blood of Ada. Danebury can evidently stay, and, if fairly treated in the way of weight, will have a capital show. Princess Mary, by Havens* worth— Begina, is well enough bred for anything, but hitherto her performances have been bad. Fallacy, by Sledmere —Deception, 1 don't care about, none of Deception's stock having yet proved of any account. Tadmor (Caledon— Brunette) was » favourite last year, but he doesa't care about two miles and a distance. Guy Fawkes, by Ravensworth — Fidget, has proved himself the best weight for age horse in New Zealand, and his performance in the Canterbury Cup shows that the suspicions as to his staying powers were groundless. He is fairly entitled to top weight, and even then will be a hard nut to crack. Koran, by Towton— Harakoke, h a wonderfully good little horse, but he has a leg which will dispose of him. Puriri (Towton— Waimea) is also under a cloud, ana Stirabout (Towton— Shrovetide) is in the same predicament, so I can't givo any opinion about them. Amanda is by Towton — Plover, dam of Hercules, Malvina, Patch, and one or two other good animals. She has never raced yec, so there's no way of forming an opinion about her merit*. Fishhook (Traducer —Laurel) is a good,' fast colt, with a capital style of going, but he's not partial to a distance unless he has a pretty light weight. Cloth of Gold (Eavensworth— Sweetbriar) is fast, but can't get beyond a mile and a half. However, if the handicapper treats him very leniently he may just have a little chance. Middleton (Traducer— T .-ady Florence) has shown himself a good colt, as was to be expected from his breeding, and it won't do to take liberties with him. Kingfishsr (Dainty Ariel— Fanny Fisher) has a capital pedigree, but is apparently not quite first class. His best performance was beating Guy Fawkes, from whom he received a year and 261b. in the Auckland Cup. Isaac Walton, own brother to Kingfisher, is apparently a few pounds better. The Fanny Fisher colt, another full brother, got second for the Canterbury Derby, but apparently he is not partial to a distance. Cleolite is by Angler— Cornborough mare. She won the Wagga Cup last year, but under a light weight I dont think she is equal to the majority of our hones, but if she goto a

moderate weight, she may have a chance. Spring Jack I don't know the pedigree of, but as he has so far as I know never shown anythiag above plating form, I can't think why he should have been entered. Benjiroo, by Touchstone, is a fair horse with a light weight, one mile and a-half, but I think our Cup is too far for him. Stiletto I don't krow anything about, not having the N. S. W. Stud Book ; nor do I know the King's pedigree ; however, 1 should fancy he is a very moderate animal, as he ran eight times last season in moderate company, with light weights, and was never even placed but once, and then he only carried sat 111b ; moreover he has been entered in Selling races as low as L2O. Taking them all round, I like Templeton, Punga, Danebury, Guy Fawkes, Middleton, and the best of Mr Walters's three, probably Isaac Walton best ; and I shall exI pect to see the winner come from this lot,

The entries for the Spring Handicap are unusually good, thus showing the advisability of increasing the stakes if possible next year. Should this bo done, no doubt owners will Bend their horses to Dunedin after the Metropolitan Meeting, before sending them north. Indeed, several owners appear to be going to do this at any rate, and we may expeot to have a Spring meeting this year quite equal to the Autumn meetings of a few years s go. The handicaps for the St. Andrew's and Spring Handicaps, the Trot, and the Hurdles, are already out. For the firat named, Tommy Dodd i« top weight, with 9st., which I think he will find a stopper. Fishhook, with Bst. 101b. , also has a few pounds too much for a two mile race. Kingfisher is pretty well in with Bst., while at the same weight, I do not fancy King Phillip at all, and I consider him badly treated. Rob Roy, at 7a*.. 121b., is remarkably well in, and will be very near winning ; and if' he does every one will be pleased, for he belongs to a genuine sportsman, and one, moreover, who races for sport alone — a class of racing men that are scarce in the Colony. PuDgawerewere, 7st. 111b, looks like a remarkably good thing, and if she is in the humour to go on the day of the race, holds everything else as tafe as if they were bailed ; but her performances since she won our Cup have been so bad, and she has bo behaved herself that I Buppoße Mr Moore hardly felt justified in putting more on her, though, myself, I should have been inclined to givo her 4lb. or 51b. more. Right Bower, 7st. 101b , seems very fairly treated, and cannot be considered out of it. Glengarry, 7st. 101b. » ran pretty fairly last year, bnt his up-country running this season has been bad, and I don't fancy him much at that weight. Sir William, 7st. 71b. , has no reason to comolain of the weight allotted him, but I don r t care about him at two miles. Dead Heat, at 7st, lib., is very well in indeed, and, should he choose to run, cannot fail to be near tbe front at the finish. He ia still very muoh fajjeied by Lis party, who consider him one of the best weight-for-age horses in the Colony, but time will show. Stanley, 7«t., has not done much yet, but he is very fairly handicapped, conbidoring the fact that he has not run with company that could teat his merits. Fox, 6st. 101b., ia quite out of place with the horses he will meet. Steamer, 6st. 71b., I would prefer over a shorter ' course/ and Wild Deer, 6st. 71b., though said to be a full brother to Mabel, is not cUsa , enough. . Taking the handicap all round, I think it a very creditable production. I like Rob Itoy, Dead Heat, Kingfisher, and Punga best of the lot, and expect to see one of the four turnish the winner. The Spring Handicap, a mile and a distance, has a capital entry of nineteen. Tadmor, 9st. 51b., is top weight, and as he has shown considerable speed over this- distance, he would not expeot less, fishhook, Bst. 121b., and Rob Roy, Bst. 51b., are rather fairly in, particularly the latter. I think Isaac Walton, 7at. 121b.» has been under estimated, as he has performed very well last year, and won the Publicans' Purse at Chriatchurch, carrying 9at. He cortainly seems to me the best in it. Sir William at 7at. 121b. is pretty well in, and has shown a considerable amount of pace at different times, having improved wonderfully last year. Haphazard at 7&t. 91b., I don't fancy at all, and consider a much overrated animal. Dead Heat at 7at. Gib., doesn't seem to me particularly well in, though he io a good deal fancied. Fanny Fisher colt, 7st. 21b., I consider next best in to Isaac Walton. He has shown a considerable amount of pace, and this race will be juat the proper distance for him, I think, Kathleen, 7st. 21b., ran fairly two years ago ; but I don't think she will do much. Ceoleno, 7st.,> has a little too much. Stanley, Ist, if he is worth anything cannot complain. Sultan, 6st. 121b., is wanting in pace, and won't be in the hunt. Fox, Cat. 121b., would do better if kept for up-country races. Nelly King, Gat. 101b., has shown great pace once or twice, and so haa Darkie, who carries 'the same weight. Rosina, 6st. 91b., though she was very un successful, was at one time considered a very fast mare, but she has been off the turf for some years, and ia hardly likely to do much now. Flying Beauty, 6st. 91b., though in very light, I don't think has much show ; but Steamer with 6st. 71b. ia one of the dangerous division if he chooses to go. Rosemary, Gat. 51b., ia hardly fast enough, I think. Isaac Walton seems to me to have conaiderably the beßt of the weights, and next to him, I like the Fanny Fisher colt, Steamer, aud Rob Roy. The trot is one of those mysterious things that I never like meddling with, though Snip and Dry Ash, with 300 and 250 yards respectively, seem very well in. For the hurdles, Tommy Todd has tbe steadier of 12st., to which, however, hia performances entitb him. Banjo, list. 71b., has also a lump of weight, but he couldn't well be put in at leas. Kildare, lOst. 41b., ia remarkably well in, and I bhall expect to sco him pull this event off. Te Kooti with 9st. 71b., I don't like ; but Darkie, 9st , if he can jump at all, will make the race a very hot one. Taking the handicapping all round, I think it ia very good, and Mr Moore i* to be congratulated upon the success of his first handicap under tho new system. The privileges aro to be sold on Saturday, and as I,he entries are good, with good horses to run, and as the railway ia open to the Beach and the Course, the attendance on the race days is bound to bo very large, and consequently the privileges should fetch good prices. The St. Leger at Home this year seems to have been a rather sensational one, aa Petraroh, who was so easily beaten in tho Derby, won, with Wild Tommy, who was a

rank outsider, and started at 100 to 2, second, being beaten only by a head, Julius Caesar third, while Kisber, the winner of the Derby, was a bad fourth. The latter, however, was no doubt very stale, and he appeared on the course with a band on every portion of his legs on which it was possible to get one. JuJiuß Caspar has been, placed in the Two Thousand Derby and St. Leger, and must be be a very fair animal.

Merlin.