SPORTING NOTES FROM HOME. London, June 1.

Our groat national has past and gone — the Derby Day — a day of jollification, and the talk of last week, which was all about horses and their trainers, h is lost the best half of its interest — still thi. j,ic.it day is not the same as of old. The faultlessness of routine, and the pcifection of system have giadually stolen from it its recklessness and its humour. The holiday lust over is remarkable farmoio for its <juiefc .solidity thnn its impulsive fun. 1 have not the least idea of repeating the old calumny about English people taking their pleasuie sadly, but it is inevitable, considered philosophically, that the Derby, as a holiday, has come to mean an aniui.il lecuriing festival so oidered by rule of thumb that somehow or other its spontaneity is lost in its system. The business like character of the Derby festival this year has seldom been so prominently marked. The day was lovely, the dust was not, after all, so very distressing,! the rain kept ofF, in fact, it was a beantiful day. The old tci in ' ' fun of the road " has lost its meaning, and now 1 ef ers only to those days when the journey was a matter of considerable foresight and care ; when the hoiscs were carefully selected ; tho tiap ]iidiciously tested ; the lunch was elaborately oidered ; and even the colour of the veils a matter ot anxiety, and it was considered the thing to have a wonderful " turn out" for the IX'iby. In those days there were blocks and stoppages at well-known corners ; there were crowds, tussles, and sometimes fights at the roadside inns. Now if you want to do the road there is a row of well-appointed four-horse omnibuses at the top of Parlia-ment-sheet, and the expenditure of a few shillings would take you along tho old route which legulanty has redueed to uniform solemnity. There is no time for fun, and no oppoi tunity for 1 lvalry. As regards tho attendance it was quite up to the mark of previous Derbys. But to come to tho race, of which of course you had the name of the winner telegraphed. Of the ninety-six previous winners of the Derby, none over seemed tho " Blue llibbou " in easier fashion than the Mineral colt alias Kisber, in fact the lace m a .speetaeul.u sense seemed poor and unintoiesting, there was but little excitement and the Held was small. Within a few minutes of the tune for the start the fifteen runners emerged from the paddock, .Skylark and his stable companion showing the way, they being immediately followed by Coltncss, Wisdom, Hardrada, Kisber, and Wild Tommy, then l.oid lloseberry's thice, with All Heart in ft out, and the favounte, tho Russley pair and Advance being tho last of all. After pioceeding up the com to, wheic they waited a few minutes, the handkerchief was waved, and the canter past began, Skylark again being at the head of aflans, ■while All Ifcait pulled veiy much, the iavounte and Kisber sweeping along in the most business-like manner. A f ter the canter Foi ei iinnci i rtui ncdtothewoighingenclosuie, Webb having Inokcn a stirrup-leather. A new one was soon supplied, and he went to the post, where the field was joined by Brauonnier, who did not pass the stand with the otheis. When in Mr. M'Ueorgo's care, All Heart at once biokc away, and when he was l)i ought back Advance followed his example, and so delayed the start a trifle. At the next attempt a fair start was effected, All Heart being, however, slightly in the icar. The fiist four off at a moderate pace weic Kisber, Petrarch, Coltness, and Father Claret, who were followed by Forerunner and llardrada, but before going a fin long the favourite and Kisber were pulled back', and this left Father Claret in front, followed by Coltness and Hardiada. Next came Wisdom and L'etrarch, clear of Great Tom and Skylark, then in a cluster the Itusslcy pair, with Biaconnier and Kisber, who had some dilliculty in settling down, the rear lot comprising Advance, Bay Wyndbam, and All Heart, and before reaching the City and Suburban Post, Bay Wyndham was several lengths last of all. Here Loid Koscberry's thud sti ing was still cutting out the work, while Coltness held a lead of the favourite and Hardrada. As they neared the mile post there was no alteration in the older of the leaders, but the second division was now headed by Braconnier, Wisdom, Julius G.usar, and Skylark, while still further off came Kisber and Foierunner, who in turn weie clear of Wild Tommy and Advance. When fanly at the top of the hill, Father Claret was rapidly dropping into the background to his stable companions, but Coltness was now sailing along two or tlucc lengths ahead of Petrarch, who, as they came to Tattonhani Corner, raced up to the former. This pair, ou coming down the hill, wero joined by Great Tom and Wisdom, while at a clear interval came Wild Tommy, Skylaik, and Kisber, Hardrada now being unable to hold his ])Odition, and rapidly falling back into the rear, which division still compiised Advance and All Heart, with Bay Wyndham and Father Claret beaten off. Meanwhile the leaders, as they raced at a good pace into the stiaight, wero Petrarch, Wisdom, and Coltncss, and the first-named of the trio, with Skylark, was in the wake of the leaders. Kisber w as alongsido Lord Faluiouth's colt, and on the upper ground, and a length or two in the rear of these wore Julius Ciusar and Forerunner close together. Before reaching the distance Wibdom had given way, and Skylark had also failed, when called on, to make up his ground. Kisbcr meanwhile rushed up to Petrarch, and obtained the lead just before tho distance, and as ImvlI Dupplin's colt was at once in trouble the issue was beyond doubt. Opposite the stand Petrarch was passed also by Julius Ciusar and Forerunner, the latter a few strides from home getting in front of his stable companion, but not within hail of Kisber, who, without ever being asked to irallop, won by five lengths, Julius Cisar being three lengths behind Forerunner, and cleai of the favouiitc, who was a moderate fourth. Then came Skylaik, Coltness, Wisdom, (Jieat Tom, and Wild Tommy, in the order given, while Braconnier headed Advance, Hardrada, and All 11 eait, who where the three last, as Bay Wyndham and Father ( Jlaret did not pass the post. Kiaber, by Buccaneer— Mineial, 8st 101b. 1 ; Forei miner, 8st. 101b. 2 ; Julius Caesar, Sst. 101b. :5. Betting— 2 to 1 agst Petiaich, 7 to 2 agst Kisber, 100 to 15 each agat Forerunner and Skylark, 100 to 12 agst All Heart, 35 to 1 agst Great Tom, 100 to 3 each agat Ilardrada, Wild Tommy, and Julius Ctesar, 40 to 1 agst Bracounier, CO to

1 agst (Joltnc-s, ami Off to I c.ich .i<^l lUy Wymlham ami Wisdom. Time : ihuni. 44sco. Net \aluo of the .stakes : C<">,(>()0. The winner is a brown colt by Buccaneer. Mineial was bred in Hungary. Last year ho first appeared in the July Stakes at Newmarket, in which he v as not placed, Levant being fust, Farncsc second, Gilcstone and Camelia finishing a dead heat for third place. At the samo meeting he ran third to Parneso and M. do Fligny m the Stetchworth Stake«. For the Middle Park Plate at tho Newmarket Second October Meeting ho was unplaced. In the Hotighton Meeting he won the Dowhurst Plate, beating Springfield by three lengths, Glcndall being a bad third. Kisbci is engaged in tho Grand Prizo of Pai is, tho Doncaster St. Leger, and the Select Stakes at the Newmarkot Second October Meeting. The other events were decided as follows : — The Epsom Town I'late : Philip Green, 1 ; Iuglowood Ranger, 2 ; Tangible, 3. The BcntinckPlato: Killiecrankio, 1 ; Seamark, 2. The Epsom Manor Stakes : Diana, 1 ; Annette, 2 ; Victoire, 3. So passed away, without variety and with little animation, the ninety-soventh Derby. As a day, it was a success ; as a picnic, it was a failuro ; and, as an opportunity for enjoyment, it was hedged round with difficulty. Cam mu.o.