ENGLISH SPORTS AND PASTIMES.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9300, 30 December 1895, Page 2

ENGLISH SPORTS AND PASTIMES.

(By Vekax.) Lon'dox, November 8. THE TURF. The Lord Mayor's procession will once more proceed through the narrow streets of London city to-morrow, a positive proof that winter*is close at hand, and that the flat racing season is nearly over. November has certainly kept up its reputation as one of the most miserable months in the year, so far, although as I write the sun is shining and a brisk breeze is fast drying the muddy roads. I am almost tempted to put down my pen and go outside and bask in the passing gleams of sunshine, for I can assure readers it is a very scarce commodity here. Since the Newmarket-Houghton meeting, an account of which I gave in my last, we have had a lot of racing, the bulk of it being uninteresting. There was not much inducement to visit Northampton and Lincoln, but business having taken mc to Bedford I made the journey to the " boot town " and Lincoln afterwards. The town, " Labby " is member for, is an old fashioned place. " Labby," I may mention, was one of the few Radicals who did not receive " the order of the boot " at the last general election, but he had to put up with a Conservative partner in the representation of Northampton. The racecourse at Northampton is one of the good old fashioned sort where no charge is made for admission, except to the enclosures. It is by no means a good course to race on, being uneven and not on the level. The principal race, the Naseby Handicap Plate, was won by Give It Up, who beat two strongly fancied ones in Mecca and Dornroschen. Give 'It Up ■was, I think, bottled up for this event. He had run badly this season, but on last season's form the race was a gift for him. He won easily, and young Grimshaw, who is apprenticed to Tom Jennings, rode a fine race on the winner. Griinahaw will, I fancy, prove as valuable to Tom Jennings as Bradford was during his apprenticeship. The last time I was at Lincoln, I saw Tonans win the Lincolnshire Handicap, and other animals I can remember seeing win the first principal handicaps of the flat racing season, are .Rosy Cross, Poulet, Buchanan, Knight of Burghley, not to mention others. It seemed like old times to stroll down the High Street and walk under the old archway of the Saracen's Head and enter the comfortable hostelry to taste a glass of bitter. I like Lincoln. It was one of the few old fashioned cathedral cities that has some life and go in it. On the Carholme, the famous racecourse, some great horses have run. There was nothing out of the common there at the end of last week. Godwit landed the opening event. He is seven years old and one of the very few aged horses in England that are any good. M'Neil won the Great Town Stakes. He is by Galliard, who has not been such a success at the stud as might have been expected. The Lincoln Autumn Handicap went to Lord of the Dale, by Riversdale— St. Athelda, who beat Opera Glass and Pet of the Chase. Opera Glass, with M. Cannon in the saddle was a hot favourite. Royal Mask won the Welbeck Stakes for Mr Wallace Johnstone. In the last race of the meeting, the Elsham Stakes, odds of 4 to 6 were laid on Margaret of Branksome, and although she had the assistance of Cannon she was beaten by Recorder, much to the dismay of the punters. Kempton Park had a day on Saturday last and despite the weather it was enjoyable. The Prince of Wales' Handicap, for 500 soys, was won by Dornroschen, who made amends for his defeat in the Naseby at Northampton earlier in the week. He only won by a short head from Bowline. Gen. Owen Williams appropriated the National Flying Stakes, of 300 soys, with Conifer by Bruar—Foliage. Lewes Autumn Meeting took place on Monday and Tuesday. I have always sad recollections of this particular meeting at Lewes, for it was here Fred Archer caught the severe chill that brought on his illness and drove him to shoot himself. By the way, the great jockey's daughter is growing apace. When she comes of age she will be an heiress, the money her father left having accumulated considerably. The Lewes Autumn Handicap was won by King's House, by Royal Hampton—Glen Isla, who beat False Step and Lady Halle. Tom Loates rode the winner. On Tuesday, the Southdown Welter Handicap fell to Knight of Rhodes, who was ridden by his owner, MrF. B. Atkinson. Mr Gollan's horses are under the care of Mr Arthur Yates, and they could not well be in better hands. The " Special Commissioner" of the Sportsman does not consider tham much to look at. He thinks they will not have pace enough for the English horses because they have been used to bigger fences in Australia and New Zealand. If the "S.C." had ever witnessed a steeplechase in Australia, he would have no fear about the pace. When I saw Waterbury and Mutiny run at Randwick some twelve months back, I thought I had never seen horses gallop over big fences much faster. I hope Mr Gollan will pick up a race or two, for he deserves encouraging. Liverpool Autumn Meeting commenced on Wednesday, in most unfavourable weather. It was cold, wet, and dreary. The Liverpool November Hurdle Handicap, two miles, commenced the programme, and Detonator,with Mr Lushington in the saddle, won. The fates were against backers, and on the day they were out, although several well-backed horses won. The Great Lancashire Handicap of 500sovs. went to a rank outsider in Lord Ellesmere's Villiers, by Thurio —Lady Clarendon. Col. North's Clwyd was favourite and ran last. Yesterday the "racing was not of much account, but I was glad to see another Galliard win in McAlpine, in the Aigleburth Plate. M. Cannon, I may mention, rode four favourites on Wednesday without scoring a win, and on two of these, including Clwyd, he was last. In the Liverpool St Leger Wise Virgin was defeated by Bride of the Sea. Odds were laid on the Virgin, but she looked unfit, and I think ought not to have been started. The Liverpool Cup is run to-day, but I shall not be able to put the result in this letter to catch the mail. I hear Paris will start at Derby next week and if so he ought to go near it. He cleaned Marsh's trial horse out this week ; gave them a regular eye-opener I believe. I have just received a letter from Mr E. A. Day, from the Duke of Portland's stables. He informs mc that Carbine and his son, Lerderderg, are doing well and are ridden about for a couple of hours daily. They were all delighted at Welbeck when they heard Wallace had won the V.R.C. Derby."

Mr Tattersall, the head of the firm, is now lying at death's door at Newmarket, and Teddy Weever, the well-known trainer, died yesterday. He trained Emblem and Emblematic, "winners of two successive Grand Nationals. This week has been brimful of interest to j mc, for I eagerly looked forward to the I cabled results of the V.R.C. Derby ;uul Melbourne Cup. I was present to sec the last six Derbies and Cup run for, previous to the meeting this year. On Cup morning I woke at half past four, and I remained awake until half past five, about which lime I calculated the Cup would be run for at Flemington, the tiuio being ten hours ahead. The scene was vividly before my mind. I thought of the brilliant scene when Carbine won, and the terrible downpour in Glenloth's year, of the consternation of backers of Carnage, when Tarcoola beat him, and of the genuine surprise afforded when Patron beat Devon and Nada last year. The winner, Auraria, I saw run at Flemington last year ami liked her immensely. I notice thirty-six horses ran, and the time was 3inin* 29sec. I shall eagerly look out for a detailed account of the race, which I have attempted to describe on so many occasions. When I returned from Flemington to Sydney last November I wrote an article in the Sydney Referee in which I said if all went well with him I had seen nothing in Victoria to beat Wallace for the Derby the next year. Wallace, I notice, won, but Auraria must have turned the tables on him with a vengeance in the Cup. At the time I selected Wallace, the general opinion favoured Challenger as being the better of Mr Wilson's pair. lam a little obstinate when I fancy a horse, and I backed Wallace last November for a moderate sum at long odds to win the Derby. I shall have a trifle to draw when I see Australia again. As a three-year-old I have seen few better colts in Australia than Carnage was at that age. His run in the Melbourne Cup when Tarcoola beat him was simply marvellous. I shall never forget it. I hope readers will pardon this slight digression, but I cannot resist the temptation of a few reminiscences in Australia when I have just read the result of the Melbourne Cup. In a book I gave the title of "On and olt the Turf in Australia" to, and which Messrs Routledge published for mc last month, I have given a Drief account of some Cups I have seen. Carnage was my pick fo¥ the double the year he won the Derby and ran second in the Cup. James Gough rode him in the Derby. Had lie been allowed to put up 21b overweight and ridden him in the Cup, I think Carnage would have won. Moran, who rode Carnage in the Cup, has described the race to mc personally. I like Moran's riding and he is a good jockey, but he wae not well enough to handle a colt like Carnage in a race like the Melbourne Cup on this particular day. Moran hag acknowledged to mc that he was more beaten than Carnage at the finish of the race. It was a mistake not to put James Gough up. Moran knew nothing about Carnage, and cams over from Sydney specially to ride him. James Gough had ridden the colt in races, and knew the sort of horse he was, and he will acknowledge, if asked, that Carnage took a lot of riding and careful handling. In my opinion, Carnage Mould at three years of age have simply smothered a colt like Sir Visto, who won the Derby and Leger this year. I hope the irate editor will not run his pen through the rambling notes I have just dotted down. It has bean interesting to mc to write them, I hope it will interest those who read them.