ENGLISH SPORTS AND PASTIMES.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9327, 30 January 1896, Page 2

ENGLISH SPORTS AND PASTIMES.

[By Vkrax.] London, December 6. In my last letter I had no opportunity of alluding to the Manchester November Handicap, the last big race of the flat racing season of this year. Paris ran again, but shaped very little better than at Derby. On this occasion Rickaby rode him and ho ran in his trainer's colours. The running of Paris has to mc been very disappointing. I have seen very few better performances than the "little 'uns" win in the Caulfield Cup of 1894, and naturally I expected him to do better here. lam afraid colonial horses will never show their best form here, and it is hardly likely, as the conditions are so diff event. As You have heard the Handicap was won by Mr 0. Hibbeit's Ivor, by Isonomy—Qailt, a four-year-old turned loose with <>3t 71b. The unlucky Count Schomberg was second, and he is, I hear, to be tried at the jumping game. The French horse Aceapareur ran third. Mr Hibbert, the owner of Ivor, is a Nottingham man, and a big bookmaker. He won a large sum over Ivor and must have known & good deal niore about the horse than the public as Ivor shaped very ; badly this season. The clever young jockey, H. Grimshaw, had the mount. Young Grimshaw is a son of James Grimshaw, who was the. light-weight for the Danebury Stable in the Hastings plunging era. If success does not turn the lad's head and cause him to ride •' flash " he should be high up in the list of winning jockeys next year. During the last fortnight of the season, H. Grhnshaw won nine races, each of them being of importance, and including the Liverpool Autumn Cup, the Manchester November Handicap, and the Leicester November Handicap. If Persimmon wins the Derby next year, there will be a great scene ou Epaom Downs. The Derby should be a good betting race this winter. St. Frusquin is favourite but ho is not much in advance of Persimmon. The Duke of Westminster has a good one in Regret, who will be the mount of SI. Cannon in the Derby if all goe3 on well, and he has a slushing good filly in Omladina. The hurdle and steeplechase season is in full swing, and the hunting men so far are having a good time. We have had no fresfc to speak of aad no very cold weather up to date* There was some good racing at Kempton Park last week, the November Handicap Hurdle ."Race being won by Harold, a useful sort by Discord. The Newmarket Steeplechase Meeting held for the first time on Mr M'Calmont's new course was a decided success, but the races are no. worthy of niuoh note, nor would they be interesting. . Lingfield Park Meeting may be classed among the mediums, the sport being tame. There is a lot too much 'chasing to bring out good fiolds, and there are far too many meetings. As far as I can judge, backers have a much better time at these meetings than at the flat races. The favourites seem to win pretty regularly, and the form is fairly true. Gatwick is one of the new courses and it is pleasantly situated about half way to Brighton. It is a fine course, and wiil be a gold mine to the owners. This week a meeting was held on Tuesday and Wednesday u,nd the attendances were large. The National Hurdle Ilace on. Tuesday* brought out ten runners, and was wou by Mr F. B. Irvine's Keep Out, who was well ridden by Mr T. G. Widger. The clever rider, Halsey, won three races during the day. the Timberham Hnrdle Ilace on Zone, the Easper Hurdle Race on Gamma Donati, and the Winter Steeplechase on Nepoote. The last t.vb winners are owned by Mr J. A. Miller, who is very successful with jumpers. On Wednesday the Metropolitan Steeplechase, 3 iuihSs, was won by Mr J. Haie's Moriarty by Chippendale, and ridden by Mr H. Kipley, Mr C. Hibbert, the owner of Ivor, ran second with Marcoilns, and.the pahstarted equal favourites at 3 to 1 each. Strange to say, Halsey only had one mount during the day. I like Gatwick. It is well managed, and within easy distanced London. So far as I can judge at present, I think Mr Gollan's team could win a few races here on form in the colonies, but as I said before, the horses from Australia and Now Zealand never seem able to show their best work here. Last week I met Mr Ernest Day in, London. He was up from Welback ior a week on a visit to his home at Ormonde Cottage, Epsom. He looks well, and speaks highly of Carbine's colt, Lerderderg, whom he says has grown very like hia sira, and inherits nifciiy of his qualities. He tells mc he has been fully employed in looking after Carbine and his colt, and that no horses he has ever brought to this country have done better. Mr Day is; not very loud in hiq praises o£ the generosity of dukes, nor does he know whether he shall remain at Welbeok. Sandown .Park Meeting is now on, and yesterday, although the weather was boisterous —a regular gale blowing across the course— there was a fairly large muster. The Selling Handicap went to Leprechaun, who started at Bto 1. Mr J. A. Miller's Carrington was made favourite for the Three-Year-Old Hurdle Race, but succumbed to Crio Ci-ac, a 100 to 12 chance. The Prince of Wales's Steeplechase, 2 miles, was won by March Hare, list 9lb, with Noiseless, lOat 61b, second, and Croaghpatvick, lOet 21b, third. M r J. Hammond won the Elmbriige Se'iliug Hurdle Ba.se, 2 miles, A. NightingalJ ridiujf. Mr TAnson started at Sandown as Mr A. ; Coventry is taking a well earned rest.