RACING IN ENGLAND.

Many Englishmen who arc concerned with racing have (our correspondent "tentaur" writes on July 3) been krenly interested in the race tor the (Jrand Prix de Paris, which was decided on Sunday lart at that lovely course iv the Bois de Boulogne. There were many present to see what happily proved to he one of the finest niece 'witnessed on any racecourse for many yean?. Moreover why should not English breeders and owners be much concerned with this particular event? It is one of the few imporiunt French races open to any country. In this, of course, it differs from the French Derby, in -which Engli.-'i horses are not allowed to compete, though, a=s is generally well known, the French are always welcome at Epsom for our own Derby. It is otherwise, as has been remarked, where the Grand Prix is concerned, and <-ertainly it attracts our breeders, aR may be gathered from the fact that for the event decided last Sunday there were originally no fewer than 94 entries made in England. The total entry -was between five and six hundred, and the value to the winner was little short of £15,000. This, of course makes the Grand Prix the richest race in the world, ana the nearest approach to it in England is the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park, which laßt year was worth between eight and nine thoueand pounds to Mr August Beimont, who was successful with Tracery. The city of Paris guarantees £10,000 towards the gross value of the prize money, which can be put at something like £16,000. For apart from the tig cum earned by the winner, the second and third 'hor.-es get substantial amounts, and there are also various breeding grants. Altogether, therefore, it is a truly wonderful race. and has undoubtedly done a great deal in encouraging the breeding of the thoroughbred in France. Unfortunately for its international aspect, there -was no candidate to rei>re sent England on this occasion. The last time an English horse won was in lflOO, when the Derby winner. Spearmint, was successful. This year our Derby winner was the French-bred Durbar, which wae included in last Sunday's field. There was ce-rtainly some curiosity to see how he 'would shape, although in the interval he had 'been beaten for the French Derby by Bardanapale. A rich man in Baron Maurice de Rothschild won the richest race, and it wae this horse, Sordanapale, that enaibled him -to add the distinguished honours of the Grand Prix to those of the Derby. And what a race it was— so thrilling in its closing tstagea, and so eminently satisfactory in what it yielded! Only those who were actual witnesses can realise the intense nature of the struggle that developed to a jrrand climax between Sardanapale and Baron Edonard de Rothschild's La Farina. On an earlier occasion this year the latter had defeated Sardanapale, and in consequence there was a sharp division of opinion in France- as to which would prevail. Thus there was only a *hade of difference between them in the betting on the Pari-mutuel, the preference resting with Sardanapale. Thie long drawn out T>attle .began over half a mile from home when Sardanapale drew up to La Farina, who to this point had made all the running. From that moment every yard was doggedly contested, the jockeys Stern O'Xeill giving a brilliant display, and stamping themselves as quite the finest jockeys in Europe at the present time. It was only in the last hundred yards that La Farina wae mastered, Sardanapale's supremacy being demonstrated to the extent of a neck. Four lengths away, Durbar was third, a fact which suggests that the English three-year-olds are poor by comparison, though it is as well to remember that the race for the Derby at Epsom was a fiasco owing to the convptetc failure af the start. Rardanapale ie a better-looking horse than Iα Farina, the latter being light and narrow, while the other one haa a lot of STihetance. He ie by Prestige, a great Wree in his day in France, for in seaeons 1905 and 1906 he ran sixteen times and was never ibeaten. Coming to English racing again it ha? to be noted that at Sandown Park the chief race, the Sandriiifjham Foal Stakes, ■wa* marked by another most expensive failure on the part of Mr J. B. JoePe torse Happy Warrior. When this horse •was surprisingly ibeaten for the St. James' Pakce Stakes at Ascot, it was said tha* the owner had the enormous 6um of £10,000 on him. He .was again an odds-on favourite now, and could not gain a place! The fimt of the extremely pleasant etid informal July meetinge at Newmarket opened on Tuesday, being honoured with the presence of the King. His Majesty was suitably dressed for the ■weather, which was eimply tremendously hot. On this course, however, the saving gxa-ce is the stately plantation, which affords a cool and grateful shade. Society men in white flannels and Jacks, and the ladies in the "irreducible minimum" of garments, gathered undet these treee, only emerging to watch some ■fairly interesting racing. One of the events on the opening day "was the July Stakes, perhaps the oldest race for two-year-old3 in the country. Some famous horses have won it in the past, but the last winner, subsequently to win the Denby, was Lord Rosebery's Cicero, in 1904. This year there were only four runners, of whom Mr Bassett'e Roseland so completely dwarfed the others in point of merit as to be made a long odds-on farourlte. He mron In a canter ■by six lengths, and thla son of William the Third L« unqtieatlonably one of the best young horses of the eeaeon. Others are Ladjr Josephine end King Priam, ■'both Ascot 'winners. Roseland was not the only 'high-claw two-year-old at this Newmarket meeting. At Ascot hn had jnet faflcd to give 7tii to Colonel Hall Walker's debutant, Let Fly, * handsome, eon of White. I'aglc. which now came out again to »in the Exeter Stakes. He had not a I'ig disk, but he won in such immuculiite fashion as to suggest he must be right among the top class. Another -:narl two-year-old winner at the meeting to Security, who wen the Brooklesby 6takes in the lirs.t week of ti)*> reason for Lord Villinrs. She etill retains ln>r form, as she showed by taking the. Stud Produce Stakes. Many young horses that win early in the eeaeon train rlglit off, and are -never heard of tpO*

Of course, the event of the third day was the success of Lord Cadogan'e The Cuxragh in the Princess of Wales' Stakes, a mile and α-half event that was once of a nominal value of £10,000. It is still a valuable race, and some famous horses have won it in the past. The Curragh had not much to beat, and be won at even money l>y a neck from His .Majesty's Brakcspear, which was receiving 51b less than weight for age. He had no chance of winning at this margin, but he ran well notwithstanding. Only one other event need be mentioned. Golden Sun won the July Cup for Mr Jack Joet. This is a famous race for sprinters, and for the .second year in succession Hornet's Beauty was beaten by one of Mr Joel's. That horee is on the down grade, as he did not even run into a place.