CANTERBURY DOINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2179, 28 November 1895, Page 37

CANTERBURY DOINGS.

By Rata.

It is not often one hears of horse 3 being backed for particular races 12 months ere these race 3bo set for decision, but Mr V. Harris has taken 1000 to 20 about Quiltiri's chance of winning the next New Zealand Cup. Should that horse, therefore, come* into prominence for the Cup ere next Metropolitan meeting, backers can depend on having a run for their money bar a break down on Quiltiri's part before tbe eventful day. The wager also shows that Mr Harris has a big opinion of his horse's quality. Mr Harris is an owner who spends a good deal of money at racing, and a win for him in the New Zealand Cup next season would be popular enough here. Quiltiri looked a dear enough horse when he was purchased after the Metiopolitan meeting, but I fancy R. Ray thinks a lot of him, and that trainer is not in the habit of making very many glaring mistakes in resuect of horses. Couranto's win at Wellington meant the recovery of his purchase money at the first time of asking. I nnderstand the stable was very sanguine of victory, and Couranto was backed accordingly. Beyond the 1000 to 20 taken by Mr Harris about Quiltiri for the New Zealand Cup, I have hoard of a long price being wanted about Donald M'Kinnon for next year's National. Bookmakers do not care to lay very long odds against anything, however ; HO to 4is no reasonable price against a probable Grand National candidate now. The quality of some of the North Island hacka has frequently given rise to discussion at Riccarton, and some of the tamers hero have reason to know how fast they can gallop. Lunn, for instance, has now come across three beauties, and has got put down on three occasions by horses from whom he hardly anticipated great danger. In the past, too, handu-uppers have been in the habit of treating the so-called North Inland backs too leniently on occasions. Almost everybody admits the excellence of Mr Henry's handicap- I ping, but I have heard two or three strong arguments advanced against his lenient treatment of North Islind hacks, though he knows that class of horse well. Lunn only took one horse to Dunedin instead of the three or four he was expected to take. Solano has split hi 3 hoof, aud perhaps that is the reason of his not journejing south. From the work he was doing a wede ago one would have thought he was certain to be seen under colours at,Duno»J .n. The few decent horses now in R. Ray's stable seem to have put new life in that trainer. He is I a regular attendant on the course of a morning in all weathers, and he appears to be as well now as when I first came to Riccarton. He told me yesterday morning, however, that Dunediu was a bit too far afield for him. Wedlock will be put in a selling race presently with a view to disposal. He is not a bad sort of horse, but Lunn appears to be pretty nearly lull up of him. Ambush is undoubtedly as nice looking a mare as comes on the Riccarton course, but her trainer does not seem to have as high an opinion of her quality as a good many other people at Riccarton. ■Vet, however she may perform on the turf in the future, there is little doubt about her making an. exce lent brood mare when she goes to the stiid. Ale* stis, who fell away in condition considerably prior to Metropolitan meeting time, is now beginning to pick up again, and ia all probability she will be seen out at New Brighton. Indeed, there is likely to be some good racing at New Brighton. I hear that some horses of very fair class will be contestants for the various prizes. Sheenan does not seem to think that Bogengang will be very profitable as a two-year-old. He is f rowing somewhat rapidly, and his racing at tke letropolitan meeting failed to satisfy his owner I shall not be Burprised should he run well dining the back end of the present season notwithstanding. The luck of the C.J.C. in respect of weather has been exemplified thin spring again. Just before the Metropolitan meeting we had a good deal of wet weather, and during the past week we have had pretty nearly continuous rain. Shearsby, who got such a nasty fall when Liberator jumped the raijs on the first day of the Metropolitan meeting, is able to get out occasionally again with the aid of a stick. His leg is still badly swollen, however. Dave Mitchell has been jumping Black Jack, and though that horse is by no means a beauty he may develop iato a fair kind of hunter ere next hunting season comes round. Barnardo was galloped this morning, but his trainer tells me he is not going to do very much with him for some time yet. Perhaps no attempt will be made to string him up before winter. Hia leg looks sound enough now, though. I understand The Shrew was fairly well supported here for two of her races in "Wellington, and those who know her tell n>e she is ouly a pony She caa evidently carry weight, however. Shearsby has got another horse in work, a brown gelding by Betrayer. He came from Otago, I believe, and he is not a bad stamp of a horse at all — a bit plain looking, perhaps, but he is strong and well put together. Sbearaby tells me Kit was a far better horse than most people thought, and but for the accident he feels confident he would have won the race he came down in during the_ Metropolitan meeting. Goodwood is not going on as well as his trainer would like, but he may be good enough to pay hia way on the West Coast notwithstanding I hear that a bigger coutingent of horses than usual will make the journey to the West Coast from Canterbury this season. It is about time Neroli won a race now. She looks very well, but her wayward disposition does not seem to have improved with age. She and Miss Madge are a pair of the same kidney, and though both are faat on the exercise grounds neither appears to be reliable in public. Montacute continues to potter about, and evidently his hoof is not as badly split as was at first thought. From what Cutts told me, however, I should hardly think he will be well enough to race for tome little time. Sheenan does not intend to race Spurned again, he tells me. He is a first-rate back, and h« will be kept for that game, with perhaps a run after the hounds now and again in the winter. I dare say Spurned paid Sbeenan all right, but a3 a rule i horses of his type are not worth buying for racing purposes. Beyond the work done on the grass by the horses going to Dunedin before their departure, there has been very little exercise got through during the week in consequence of the bad state of the tracks through excessive rain. Riccarton is now comparatively deserted, a majority of trainers and jockeys being absent. The professional element from this neighbourhood will be strongly represented at Dunedin this week. "