of a dozen, and a most beautiful race, won by Forth's Turquoise filly, a feather. The pace was very good, and the result was, as it very constantly is, when a handicap is run from end to end, the heavy weights were the first to cry "peccavi." Among the "scabies" was Industry. What a turn of luck was it to win the Oaks, and net stakes to the melody of upwards of four thousand three hundred pounds, in one season, with such a mare! The Ascot Derby was won by Bloomsbury (who started under protest), with 5 lb. extra on him ; but in a vastly different fashion from that in which he proved victorious for the same named stake at Epsom. He was all but beaten by the Corsair, or rather by John Day, whose rush was a "touch and go' affair. Of the matters to which this race has given rise, as well as those to result from it hereafter, they will be considered more fully in another place. The remainder of the sport, though excellent per se, had no feature of interest beyond the mere running, which the Turf Register details. Every thing was propitious: her Majesty was pleased the northern principalities and powers were pleased-the lieges were pleased, and so the sun set upon a day that deserves to be marked with a white stone. Wednesday was a meagre day-in company, sport, and fun. The Swinley Stakes, though but two started, could not be called a match, Ion beating the mare as he pleased. The Albany Stakes produced a better muster and an interesting contest, though undeserving the character of a race of interest, seeing that the winner was Ether, a sorry specimen of the Newmarket three year olds. A good 100 sovs. Sweepstakes (nine subs.) followed, which was won by Euclid, a nag of a different class: Sir Gilbert's filly has not the gift of pace-La Bellezza is a misnomer, according to the old "saw," "pretty is that pretty does." A slashing fight for the Postmasters' and Innkeepers' Plate of £50, won by Mr. Corbet's filly, well ridden by Wakefield, (who, by the way, is fast rising in his profession,) closed the business of the day. Whose affair is it to look after the approaches to the ground? The "steppe," over which you pass from the highway to the side of the course appropriated to the carriages, is the superlative of "shocking bad:" such a carriage-way was never seen in a Christian country. Thursday-the gala-was all itself; everybody was there that anybody ever heard of before, beside dust enow to put all Arabia Deserta to open shame. The arrival of our fair "hope of many nations" was a scene of moving interest-how young, how gentle, and how placed! But such musing belongs not to our province. As the cavalcade passed, we stood adjacent to the turn into the straight running, with a friend, RATHER a nationalist, at our side. "The Russians are gone," said he; "and I don't think the cortège suffers by their absence, or that of their prince, with his flat ungainly face." "And yet," was my comment, "I dare to say, Mr. Mivart found his countenance neither flat nor unprofitable." The Buckhurst Dinner Stakes, a tidy prize worth a clear £800, was run a match between the Corsair and Bosphorus, and won by the former; another variation upon the Derby running. A Sweepstakes of 30 sovs. for two year olds, half a dozen to the post, was the opening of the mistakes of the day. After a fine race, Defendant was pronounced first by a head, whereon charge was made, and successfully supported, that the start had not taken place from the T.Y.C. post, according to the articles. For the second heat there was another splendid struggle, which was won by Jeffy by a head. This was certainly a very hard case for Isaac Sadler, one of the most straightforward and honourable men upon the British Turf. He loses a good stake from no fault of his own, and by a combination of the "slows," probably unprecedented. How so proverbially wide awake a crew as a set of professional jocks, could be out in their reckoning as regards a starting post, is past our divining. The Gold Cup, (as the splendid trophy, of which we gave an engraving in our last number, was called,) which, at one time, promised to bring together a most interesting field, terminated, after many changes and chances, in the appearance of four at the ringing of the bell for saddling. To such as value a race merely for its numerical strength, this was a sore disappointment: to those who rightly estimate consummate skill, and rare artistical display, the Cup race at Ascot, in the present year, afforded a treat such as the Turf but seldom yields. Of the game played at the commencement, it is not necessary to speak; no move of importance was made, and they entered the straight run home upon good terms, with the exception of the Dey. Past the distance, the three came at their best, and so by the Grand Stand, where Robinson, with his electric rush, shot between St. Francis and Ion, winning, by half a length, one of the most magnificent races ever seen. His riding was a chef-d'œuvre; we will not go the length we heard one of the best judges of racing of the day venture, who exclaimed, in his enthusiasm, "he could have won upon either of the other two;" but we will say, that, if the style in which he won this race has ever been equalled, it never has been, and never can be, surpassed. A Sweepstakes of 200 sovs. each, for three-year-olds, (eight subs.) was won in a canter by Bloomsbury, Lord Lichfield's sister to Hector being merely started for the chance of the disqualification. The running for the Stand Plate was of an ordinary character, and Mervan was an easy winner; the same may be said also of the Windsor Town Plate, which was won by the Drama, out of the same stable. The wind-up of the day's business was the Windsor Castle Stakes, reduced to a match, for which the Corsair was eagerly backed at any odds that could be got a dozen to one a begging. As had been settled, John Day came home a winner in a canter; but very unexpected was the issue. The penalty of 5 lb. for winning the 2,000gs. Stakes at Newmarket-a condition of the race-had been overlooked: the objection was raised; honest John had ridden over weight, but not enough; his bridle was brought, to scale again he went, all would not do. There was plenty of gravity in John's phiz, but too little in his corpus-the Corsair was pronounced "distanced." Now, certainly, the unfortunate odds-layers had cause to grumble loudly in this instance. Their courage and their skill all gone for nix; the system of bets going with stakes has been working anything but smoothly during the present season. Friday, the last day of this splendid Meeting, in all natural appliances equalled its more attractive predecessors. The company, however, was not numerous, neither was it particularly select. The racing, which began at a good hour, terminated betimes; and a bril liant evening closed upon as palmy an anniversary as the annals of Ascot Heath furnish record of. For the first event, a very minor one, a Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each (three subs.), Euclid walked over; he is clearly a lazy one, and required plenty of shaking to keep him to a canter. The Wokingham Stakes, generally a spirited betting race, followed, and brought out a strong field. Industry was the best favourite; but if others had confidence in her, she had none in herself. Never was there, apparently, a worse hearted one, and when Scott went up to mount her, she seemed disposed to prostrate herself bodily. Of the event itself nothing more can be said, than that Alendar got to the head as soon as he could, kept there, and won very cleverly by a good length. The £50 Plate, given by the Members for the Borough of New Windsor, produced a capital race, won by Clover, admirably ridden by young Cotton; the £50 Plate for beaten horses, another close contest, the victory awarded to I-wish-you-may-get-it; and with these two dashing rallies the week's sport terminated, with but one opinion of it—that it was good. HAMPTON RACES, Wednesday, June 5.-What a pleasant place is Moulsey Hurst, and how pleasant its approaches for all who travel by land or by water. With sorrow we watched its ebbing popularity in late years with joy we hail the turn of tide in the present, and earnestly hope that those who have the control of its destinies will wisely avail themselves of the flood which now sets, and assuredly "leads on to fortune." The late anniversary was the most brilliant within moderately retrospective memories, and it was no more than was due to the exertions made to enhance the convenience of all who might patronize it, whether for the actual business of the turf, or the enjoyment of rural sports and scenery. The course has been most judiciously enlarged and treated; the sod, naturally excellent, was improved by careful levelling and rolling, in short, as good a mile and half run was presented as need be desired. The ground was well kept a striking contrast with its condition last year, when the carriages were actually driving in the course while the horses were running. Not the least cheering exhibition at this meeting was the goodly muster of the patrons of the road. Now that the iron age has in part returned, it is no small consolation to see half a dozen teams (done as alone in this island they can be done) assembled upon any one given spot. No reproach is meant to the "hell-in-harness" system, when you're in a hurry, (which every man is now and then,) it's a fine invention that "riding on a rail;" but, if the look of a thing be of any worth, what chance has the "bubble" steam against such a set out as that with which his Grace of Beaufort descended to Hampton on the cup day! Fine weather brought thither fine company, and fine dress'd company, and, as we have said, an excellent meeting was the consequence. There were, to be sure, a rubber or two, which all who play at bowls are told they must expect. Beyond these the running was not of a character to call for more than its mere results. The first then of the "rows," in intensity though not in chronological order, was that induced by the Palace Stakes, for which a Mr. Theobald "flared up" like the gas-light of a gin-shop. Let it be by these presents known to all peoples and lands, that the aforesaid is not the Theobald of that ilk, eminent for horses and hosiery, albeit his traffic in horseflesh on the occasion referred to is likely to be worsted. The T. of our tale had for those stakes a mare, hight Pauline, who didn't win though she could, whereby all who had laid on her undoubtedly were done to tinder. One Mr. Curwen rode her "a rig," as he has since published to the world, by means of his "professional adviser," a certain Doctor Gray, who wrote a peccavi for him (through his nose) to the sporting journals. This was a most raffish affair, and no mistake; and, considering the proximity of the Thames, shew'd no want of nerve in the principal actor who, according to Mr. Gray, made his appearance in the character " upon that occasion only." The second sensation arose from the drawing of Ruby for the second heat of the Queen's hundred on Thursday. We beg to assure all who may protest against such practices, that the Statute of Limitations is fatal to them. There was a time, certainly, when such things were not done: when indeed they probably could not have been done. But precedents by dozens are now in the books, and it is strictly honourable, according to the letter and spirit of racing laws in the present day, for a man to do as he likes with his own. "Money makes the mare go," says the proverb, and so it does in the new practice that is to say, if she occupy her business on the turf-it makes her go for the race, or back to her stable, as her owner may decide, upon a due "consideration." BATH MEETING, Wednesday, June 12th.-How happy was the elderly valetudinarian of whom the story goes, that he was wont to thank Providence when the gout visited him that it was not the lumbago, and when the lumbago came, that it was not the gout. He had got hold of the only genuine specific of life-the grand recipe for existence. It is this principle that enables a man to snap his fingers at fortune, or in the more poetical phrase of the author of "my boat is on the shore"-exclaim, "here's a heart for any fate." To apply it to our present purpose, we admit the premises that goodly meetings are those of Epsom and Ascot, but propound, non constat that two guineas are well laid out for four nights' "dry lodging." Now here we are at the Bath with, certes, a beggarly prospect of sport, but then we shall live like fighting-cocks, look you, for the same charges which at Windsor, should only provide us a dormitory of the size of a "wooden surtout.' You've been to Bath, reader courteous? Or thy maiden aunt liveth there, or, more pleasantly to express ourselves, did live there? In short you know all about it, and desire that we "leave off our d-nable topographies and begin." Well then, Lansdown hath been scaled, and here we are in the midst of a trysting of "vamous Zummerzetshire." If you want to know anything be sure you ask no questions, as that would be the last way to acquire information. By'r Lady! but the local gibberish is an inhumane "cacolology." Resolve, however, to fast from speech; imagine thyself taking the air on the great wall of China, or doing a bit of fête champêtre with the King of the Cannibal Islands, and postpone all palaver with the natives. Of the racing it is not our intention to say much beyond the details furnished by our Turf Register. It opened, as will be seen, with a fifty sovereigns sweepstakes, which gave rise to all sorts of objections: their merits, or at least the merit of one of them, will be found dealt with elsewhere. The Somersetshire stakes were another item in support of the good judgment which made an investment in Caravan. Ĥe is an honest horse, though none of the best of tempers, and his form will make him a little fortune when the "go" is departed. Mr. Margerum, to every attention to the business of the meeting, added the considerate politeness of providing a band of music, as if resolved that the meeting of 1839 should go off harmoniously, however out of tune things might have been in its predecessor. BIBURY CLUB, AND STOCKBRIDGE MEETINGS. These meetings have now become so completely roll'd into one, and the union seems so likely to be permanent, that we purpose treating them as one and the same, merely giving priority to the Club-racing, because such was the order of the arrangement. Those who have seen the Bibury course need not be told that it is, without exception, the most perfect in all natural requisites of any in England. Much care has lately been bestowed upon it, and now that art has been enlisted to serve with nature, it will be conceived that the force is an imposing one. The contiguity of the great south country stable, (as John Day's training establishment is generally termed, in contradistinction to that of John Scott), of course furnishes a supply of horses, as also does that of Mr. Isaac Sadler, a good sportsman every inch of him, and a credit to the turf. It is rarely that any man is seen standing the beating that he bore till very recently; none ever faced ill-luck with more honour, or warmer wishes for his better fortune. The rising character of this Siamese-twin meeting requires that a word or two about localities should be written for their learning, who as yet know nothing about them, but who, in future seasons, no question, purpose becoming visitors to the Newmarket of Hants. The trysting place, then, is at Andover, some eight miles from the ground, where the lieges are accommodated for a consideration, comfortably. Like everywhere else, in short, as you can pay so you may fare; but "point d'argent" has its corollary all over the world as well as among the Swiss. To return to present matters, this year brought its contribution of patronage, quite up to the hopes of all concerned in promoting the success of the meetings. The gathering of good company was altogether satisfactory, and the sport, which occupied three days, capital. The Club-racing was the greatest in quantity, and of course excited the most attention-good gentlemen-jockeyship giving an individuality of interest to issues which otherwise they would not command. Our Turf Register, to which we refer for details of the running, will also explain the character of the racing, from a glance of the horses which it brought together. One thing the experience of these three days has made manifest, and it is to be hoped the knowledge thus obtained may not be disregarded. The future fate of the twin-meeting is in the hands of the members of the Bibury Club. Unless they give their countenance to the latter as well as the former division of it, the Stockbridge portion must dwindle into comparative insignificance. The interests now amalgamated, are, there is reason to believe, for the time to come, inseparable: you cannot deprive any part of the foundation of its strength, without endangering the stability of the whole fabric. This hint, we trust, will be taken in the spirit in which it is offered. We cannot afford to jeopardy the fragment of a fragment of our good-fellowship: the true way to tie the social knot is with "the pull altogether." |