ENGLISH SPORTING.

LONDON, June 19.

Whether as regard.! sunshine, company, or sport, Ascot was royal indeed, and the Australians who attended the meeting declared it almost (not quite) as good as Fleniington. The feature of the racing was, first, of course, its superior quality, and secondly the recrudescence of Kingsclere. Porter's stable carried all before it, winning the Prince of Wales's Stakes, the Coronation Stakes, the Hardwicke Stakes, arid several minor races to the value of over .£IO,OOO. Persimmon did not start for the race named after his Royal owner the stable preferring to be represented by Balsamo, which, however, was easily beaten by the Duke of Westminster's Shaddock (by St Serf— Orange). This colt is understood to be a stone behind Regret, which his Grace scratched for the Derby, yet on Friday he again beat a good field. No doubt, however, the three-year-olds are exceptionally good this season. The Gold Cup on Thursday went some way to prove this. Mr Haraar Bass's Love Wisely, 3yrs, 7st 71b (Wisdom — Lovelorn) showed himself quite 101b inferior to St Frusquin in the Two Thousand, yet here, ho easily defeated a splendid field of older horses, including his Royal Highness'? Florizel 11., Omnium 11., Sir Visto, Laodainia, and Victor Wild. The latter was, of course, a red hot favourite, and his owner said he would eat him if he did not win , easily. Such remai'ks are invariably i unlucky. The dual Jubilee winner, as a matter of fact, btfoke down, and has probably run his last race. How good Mr Worton's horse must have been at Kempton, the Wokingham Stakes form presently showed. Captain Greer's Kilcock (placed third in the Jubilee to Victor Wild) was made favourite in a field of twenty -one, and won by ten lengths, though carrying Sst 41b. As somebody asked, " Where would Victor Wild have been with lOst ?"

Of the Gold Cup field John Corlett writes in the Pink 'Un : "It is difficult to say what was the value of the six horses that competed for the race. Tom Jennings put Doncaster's Ascot Cup field at .£60,000. For one of the runners on the present occasion, viz., Florizel 11. there was some nibbling at .£16,000 on the night before the race, and for a time it was believed that he had actually changed hands at that figure. The French horse Omnium 11., as far as looks are concerned, was the commoner of the party, but there was nothing of the commoner about him when he galloped. He is a grand goer, and he tried to cut down the field as his stable-companion did in the Ascot Stakes. All along, however, Love Wisely was pushing him from behind, as also to some extent was Sir Visto, who has grown into a grand horse. Love Wisely had got the race well won more than a quarter of a mile from home, and it was seen with dismay that something had happened to the great popular idol, Victor Wild, who was going very well .until, as is believed he trod on something or one of his hind legs slipped from under him, with the result that he wrenched badly one of his hocks, and he may never bo seen in public again. His owner, Mr Worton, was much sympathised with, and general regret was expressed that the good horse did not stand up to tho finish, as at home nothing had ever been known to tire him. As far as sporting owners are concerned, however, there is not a more sporting one anywhere than Mr Bass. There wc.ro plenty of races of great value for Love Wisely to have won, but that would not suit Mr Bass, who is a second Lord Glasgow in always having fa "go" at the giants. We have known him to oppose aDerby winner with a horse that was not worth ten pounds. After the Two Thousand Guineas, he offered to take a stone from St Frusquin and run Love Wisely against him for .£IOOO. It is a great pity that the colt is not in the St Leger. Florizel 11. ran a great horse considering that he, had not done nearly the strong preparation he was credited with having done, and he is another that may not be seen in public again. Mr Corlett seems to forget in talking of Doncaster's Ascot Cup the even more famous field of 1874, when the mighty Frenchman Boiard beat Doncaster, Marie Stuart;, Kaiser and Gang Forward.

The two big handicaps at Ascot (the Royal Hunt Cup and the Wokingham) were both won by first favourites. The latter, as we have said, fell to Kilcock, and Lord Rosebery's Quarrel (oyrs, 7st lllb) carried tons of money and won the former.

The ring, however, had their revenge in the St James's Palace Stakes in which the Duke of Portland's His Reverence (unbacked for sixpence) overturned a red hot favourite in Conroy and in the two races won by Mr Brassey's Pride (by Merry Hampton — Superba). The latter was supposed not to be in the Queen's Vase with the Chester Cup winner (The Rush), but making all the running ■he got home comfortably. The talent, however, pronounced this a fluke, and on Friday, in the Alexandra Plate over three miles, stood Bard of Avon and Omnium 11. in preference. Once again they were all wrong, and Pride won handily,

Several stylish two-year-olds debuted at Ascot, the most likely to win the Derby of 189!T being Lord Eosebery's Velasquez (by Donovan — Vista), a half-brother to Sir Yisto, which carried off the New Stakes with great 6clat. " At the present moment " (says " Vigilant "), "though Velasquez is better than anything we have seen this year, he is not a ' smasher.' At one part of his race we began to doubt whether he would get home, but on his jockey showing him the whip he sprang out and won after the manner of a good horse. It must be borne in mind in extenuation of the greenness he showed that this was the first time of his being called upon to race. Lord Eosebery very wisely objected to having him tried, and all that was known about him was from a ' Yorkshire gallop/ He is a beautiful mover, and is of that class that does not seem to touch the ground in their strides, and therefore he should be an eas y horse to train. No strength is wasted, and he does not bring his feet down as though .they were battering rams. We heard some objection taken as to his alleged want of size. As a matter of fact he stands 15h 3in. His splendid quality he gets from both St Simon and Sweetmeat."