THE ST. LEGER.

THE AUSTRALIAN - OWNED JED-

DAH BEATEN,

(From Qur Special Correspondent.)

LONDON, September 9

Despite, battles, coronations, and mail robberies, the most interesting event of the week to many of us has been the race for the Doncaster St. Leger, in which for the initial time in history an Australian-owned horse started first favourite. I refer, of course, to Mr J. W. Larnach's colt Jeddah, the 100 to 1 Derby winner. At Ascot you may remember Jeddah set a seal on his Epsom exploit by giving away 7lb to Batt (second in the Derby) and beating him anyhow. From that time he was not seen in public till Wednesday last, but training reports were most favourable. The field for the Leger (which is this year worth . £ 5,000) numbered a dozen, Jeddah's most formidable opponents being Disraeli (winner of the Two Thousand), Dunlop (third in the Derby), Creenan (winner of the Great Yorkshire Stakes), Ninus, and the Irish Wildfowler.

On Monday the long odds of 5 to 2 were betted on Mr Larnach's colt, but the following afternoon saw stout opposition break out, the price freezing up to 7 to 4. This, however, did not seriously scare Mr Larnach's party, it being remembered that Iroquois, Ayrshire, and Ormonde were subjected to similar attacks on the eve.of their victories. The weather at Doncaster was hot, and the ground adamant, the latter fact accounting for long prices offered against the alleged 'crocky' Ninus. On Wednesday the mysterious hostility to the favourite increased, and when the Ring, from requiring backers to lay 7 to 4 on the favourite, reduced their demands rapidly to 15 to 8; 6 to 4; 5 to 4; 11 to 10, and finally evens, the gravest apperehensions prevailed. Meanwhile the Irish colt Wildfowler grew rapidly in favour, and before racing commenced w;as backed down from 10 to 1 to 6 to. 1. Later a large commission for the favourite steadied him somewhat, whilst Wildfowler, who was not liked when seen, went back in the betting. The starting prices were 6 to 5 on Jeddah and 10 to 1 Wildfowler.

St. Leger Stakes of 25sovs each, for three-year-olds; the owner of the second to receive 300sovs, and the third lOOsovs. Old St. Leger course (about one mile six furlongs and 132 yards. Captain Greer's Wildfowler, by Gallinule —Tragedy (Wood) .. 1 Mr Larnach's Jeddah, by Janissary

—Pilgrimage (J. Watts) Mr A. Bedmont's Bridegroom 11.,

by Eavon d'Or—St. Bridget (T. Loate. Lord Stanley's Schonberg (T. Ric-

kaby) .4 Also started:—Prince Soltykoffs Ninus (M. Cannon); Lord Ellesmere's Pheon (O. Madden); Prince Soltykoffs Canopus (W. Bradford): .Mr W. Ward's Dunlop (F. Pratt); Mr J. H. Houldsworth's Greenan (F. Ailsopp); Mr Wallace Johnstone's Disraeli (S. Loates); Mr K. C. Garton's Heckler (N. Robinson); Duke of Devonshire's Neish (R. Jones). (Winner trained by Darling, Beckhampton).

Betting:—G to 5 on Jeddah, 10 to 1 against Wildfowler, 100 to 8 against Pheon, 100 to 7 against Ninus, 25 to 1 against Bridegroom 11., 25 to 1 against Schonberg, 33 to 1 against Greenan, 100 to 1 Heckler, 100 to G against Disraeli, 20 to 1 against Dunlop, 200 to 1 against Neish, 250 to 1 against Canopus.

The story of the race is only too easily told. Heckler, making the running for Ninus, led to the bend, where both he and nis principal were beaten. Jeddah then shot boldly out and looked like winning to the distance, where Wood let Wildfowler g-o and cantered home four lengths to the good, Bridegroom IT. third. Time, 3min. 13sec. Stakes, £5,000.

The defeat of the favourite was anticipated by experts after his gallop on the Town Moor on Tuesday morning. He did not please anybody then and opinions were loudly expressed that the long hot journey had upset him. On Wednesday, in the Paddock, however, he semed all right, and looked an equine prince beside the cobby Wildfowler and the 'crocky' Disraeli. Nevertheless, the Irish colt beat him easily enough. I fear both are commoners, and that the average Leger winner could give either 141bs and a handsome beating.