CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2160, 18 July 1895, Page 36

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Rata.

This (Monday) morning the ground was very hard where there was no coating of anow, but oa the middle of the course there was plenty of enow, i and Mr Murray- Ay nsley tent three of his along at : half pace. His argument is that they do not know what Enow is about hero, and that may be quite right. My own impression is that we shall not have ordinarily good work in view of the National meeting for another week. Should wo have it previously it will be due to the practical knowledge «,f the caretuker. Just at present you can get a very decent slide of some 20 yaids here and there on the plough. Norton, Mjstical, Repo, and Lascar, the property of Mr Gollan, arrive i ou Saturday, and Couranto and Mutiny arrived by the same boat. I have only seen them to-day on the roads, however, and 1 mustntces arily reserve my judgment in respect of them. I have heard a good bit of talk regarding the National aud National Hurdle Kaee weights, but from what I can hear veiy liitle faulc caa be found with the handicapping. When Geoige Hope purchased Roscius after the last Grand National meeting I eaid that were I a backer I would take a long shut about him for the coming National, and I may not be far out now. ButUr and Piper, who only recently arrived fiom the North Island, tell ma he is in rare good n'Ck in comparison to what ha was here last year, and I will at present go for Liberator and he. Home stranger "dandy" may yet appear, however. Since his arrival from the North Island Libsrator has been on the course, and as Butler tells me he does not think that any harm will accrue from his i-light accident up north, I faucy he U a dangerous candidate both for the National and Uraml National Hurdle Race. lUgaidiug the big hurdle event, however, my present f ncy is Barnardo or Oouraato. I hive only seen Couranto to-day on the roads, but it is said he is iv rare fettle, and from the little 1 saw ot him and hearsay I incline to the id«a that he will be " there or thereabouts" bar accident. I went over to Bob Derrett's the other morning with Butler to tee a foal by Artillery fiotn Ciown Jewel. He is the property of Butler, and he is a nice enough foal, but he is big, aud 1 think he will want a bit ot age ere he races well. Artillery's stock are that way. Bub Deriett has a real good chestnut filly foal by Medal.ii.-n— Adulation, aud I think she will be a rattlins goad two-year-old. She is big, but I fancy she will come early, and she shows every indication of btsconiiiig a quod sprinter. A brown filly by Artilleiy— Miss Webster is not a ba > sort of foat, but of the three in Derrttt's stable I like the Adulation flily best and Butler's colt next. From some of tto3e who have visited the North Island 1 hear that the Hon. Mr Ounoud has some clinking good foals and yearlings; and I underbtaud that a foal by Dmuluought— ldalia is as beauiiful a young one as one might like to interview. The Lancaster Park Trotting meeting has been posti oned twice, and it will now be hold on Saturday should weather permit. The fixture ought to be a success. 1 saw Dan Roberts at Riccarton this afternoon, and Iv will presently be located at Gifp Lodge with ICai and a roan colt, by Apremont— Silver Queen, the property of Mrs Knight. Dan also expects to have a hunter or two presently. Duiiug the week Cutts hib been exercising his horses in a paddock, and 1 fancy he has acted very wisely in that. No accidents have happened so far as I know, but that is luck Birmby and Bisley have also been worked in a paddock during the week, and apparently Mr Shetwin does not like to risk the probability of a breakdown in either of his horses in training. I have not seen Sam fliggot on the course during the week, and evidently he is practiting Euglish experiences. lam sorry to say that Cutts is not up yet. He has had a most severe turn. July IG. A strong sun heat yesterday and only a little bit of fro»t this rnorniug enabled trainers to S'.'nd their charges through some fair work on the tan to-diy. Lunn made a reappearance with his team, and he is pretty ceitaiu to win a race at the forthcoming meeting. 1 think Kulnine is looking well, aud though Barnado looks big he ra^ea well that way Shearsby has a five-year-old chestnut horse by Johnny Faulkner— Tolly in wotk that he says may run in a. welter at th-j meeting, but the hoise does not appear to have had enough wui'k, and should he win a welter in his pre-ent condition he will go past the post with a bad lot behind him. Cable, by British Lion, is not a bad kind of hunter. Mr Kimbel rode Blackbird in a galloji with Senator to-day. Blaekbiul is a gooi stamp of hunter whatever he may prove to be as a racing hunter. Booties, lookii g very well, arrivtd today, and no doubt he is expected to make a big show at the Nation tl meeting, but he is a horse L never cared much for.