CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1966, 29 October 1891, Page 27

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By RATA. The acceptances, further payments, and entries for the 0.J.0. Metropolitan meeting are eon. ■idered fairly satisfactory here. Medallion was soratohed before the advertised time of receiving acceptances, and it is rumonred that he broke down somewhat badly on Thursday morning when being given a rasping wlndlng-up gallop. I have also heard that he was considered one of the greatest "morals" for the New Zealand Oup that the Yaldhurat stable has had for any race for some time back. Of course one cannot' believe' altogether in such a rumour, bnt when coming from a good quarter a certain amount of colour is given to the report. *Ehe faot of Mr Stead having scratched the horse on Friday morning also shows that something must have gone wrong with Medallion almost immediately before the pen was put through his name. It is impossible to say how many of the dozen left in the Cup will go to the post, but there is little doubt that a fair field of averagely good hones, well handicapped, will start for the prize. Whisper and Oynisca arrived here on Saturday, and both were on the couno yesterday (Sunday) morning. Whisper looks uncommonly well, and there is no doubt about her pace. Mr tfosworthy, who bred her, tells me he knew when she w as a.foal that she would develop into a very fast mare. Oynisca is also well trained, and will travel fast in whatsoever races she may compete in, but I doubt her ability to get the New Zealand Oup course, though the is fanoied by some people here for that event. Oraokshot is Improving every day, and a well-known horseman remarked to me the other day that that horse will want no end of beating. There is no doubt about the quantity of work he has done ; there is no horse at Biooarton that has done more galloping throughout the winter and spring, and especially the spring. Irhere Is 2it lib between Freedom and Flinders, and in a gallop a few mornings since there must have been nearly that difference between them, and Freedom was hard held at the finish while Flinders was being ridden out. No doubt Mr O'Brien would like to win with Flinders for Tasman's sake, but I fanoy Flinders will want another year on his back before his real brillianoy will be teen. Freedom was never better than be is at present Oruobfield is undoubtedly well in at 7 6, and Outts has been slipping the work into him at a great rate lately, but I do not know what time h" has done, and I have never seen him alongside of anything better than Yon Tempaky. Cajolery ia in capital nick, and it appears that his connections fanoy him for the Oup, but I greatly doubt his staying capacity. Blizzard wa» expected here on Saturday, but he did not arrive, and I fanoy on his form that Mr Goodman has a very fair chance of netting the big handicap with his horse weighted at 7 9 ; yet Freedom will be bsd to beat at a stoae and three pounds. At pretent the race appears to me an open one somewhat, though when the winner passes the post- the real criterion of - quality— matters may assume a different complexion. In the published list I have of the Welcome Stakes Sneenan's colt appears in the nomination of Mr Goodman. I believe that the latter owner owns a very smart filly by Gorton— Lady Gertrude, hut that the does not claim a liability in the Welcome. Sbeenan's colt has not done anything like as muoh -work as some of the tworyear-olds here, but there is no. doubt about his pace, and however he may perform as a two-year-old he will be a rattling good racer later on> Sheenan says he is not for sale. I fanoy he could have gota " monkey" for him a day or two ago. Wakawatea it a nice horse, and he goei quietly enough ; he was gelded as a yearling, and that may keep him quieter than the Apremonts usually are; but I do not believe in gelding all the same; a horse muit be deteriorated by it in any capacity. A good many people think tha*; Wakawatea will win the Weloome, and it appears that his connections think him little short of a " moral," hut. I fanoy he will find his match in the four-fur-long race. Launceston and Tamar are both going well, and Mr O'Brien's best will want a deal of beating in the Welcome Stakes. The Derby ought to produce a good race. Rosefeldt is supposed to be a good mare, but I bear that she is gettiDg a bit Btale. Ido not know whether that is right, but her recent running does not augur first-class form. . Ido not think Eros has got muoh show in the Derby. He has certainly improved considerably since coming to Ohokebore Lodge, but he hat not yet done anything like an exceptionally fait gallop, and Outts says he is not fait, though his paoe has Improved since coming to Canterbury. Morpheus is another St. George in the Derby, but be is a very much better horse than I have ever considered him to be ere be oan win the blue riband. Lebel, Florrie, Flinders, and Cajolery are all good, and that quartette should produoe some spirited betting in consideration of their supposed relative abilities being publicly estimated at nearly on par. There is very little known about Lebel at Biooarton, but should he be well he may make the best of them gallop. Fit and well be Is certainly a firstHjlasa horse,

Florrie will Btrip in grand fettle, bar accident, and she will make moat of the opposition gallop in both Derby and Oaks. Cajolery has been given some rasping gallop's recently, and he can certainly compass a mile and a-half in very good time, and tome good judires think he will win the Derby eaiily. He ia a bad horse at the poib, however, and my Impreesion is that beyond that Florrie could beat him lor pace. She i* in fine niok now, and it appears to me that she can travel at last as any thrse-year-old about Flinders is doing capital work, and he will run m the Hew Zealand Oup, and his running in that event will be a reliable indication of his Derby prospects. Both Ilium and May have paid up for the Oaks, and May is certainly going well, wbiie Charlie Stratford thinks that Ilium can gallop fast. Ifc appears to me, however, that the race is little short of a " dead snip " for Florrie, bar accident. Seven are left in the Canterbury Oup, and Mr 0 Brien must have a good ohance of winning the event. I do not know anything authentic about Lebel ; rumour says he is well and doing well, and I have no doubt he will run a good colt should he strip Stand well. * j Freeman, Christmas, Norton, Oheßhunt, and Lyndooia are the local entries for the Spring j Hurdles. Freeman and Ohristmas ace the best of these, and in the absence of anything better a good race ought to be witnessed between the pair. The entrieß for the 0.J.0. Metropolitan ! meeting are supposed to be very good, and should i the handicaps be satisfactory some good fields will contest the various events. Whisper ia looking very well, and she will have a good say In the Stewards' Stakes. A miserable lot of selling platers have been entered for the Islington Plate, and I shall not be surprised to see Lady Sookburn win it. Some good trotting was witnessed at the show grounds on Friday, and Beveral of the most prominent raoing men at Biooarton attended, and some of them made money too. A good many horses are expected here in the course of a day or two, and matters will be very lively presently. Indeed galloping has been very interesting for the last three weeks.