THE DOWNFALL OF FRIARS KALSAM.

Evening Star, Issue 7646, 23 June 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE DOWNFALL OF FRIARS KALSAM.

SENSATIONAL RACE FOR THE TAG THOUSAND. [From Our London Correspondent.] London, May 5. Since that fatal afternoon at Epsom eighteen years ago, when Macgregor, on whom odds of !) to 4 were freely laid, collapsed utterly before half the Derby distance had been traversed, there has been no downfall in a classic race so sensational as that of Friar’s Balsam iu the Two Thousand Guineas yesterday. Last year Lord Ahington’s eolt won every race for which he was started, without even being extended. Seabreeze, Ayrshire, Hazelhateh, and Galore alike failed to make the sou of Flower of Dorset galop, and it was well known that both Ossory and Orbit were inferior to him at home. The youngster wintered well, and when seen in the paddock yesterday before the race was pronounced in the pink of condition. Crowds of admirers surrounded the crack, and Lord Abington and Porter looked as proud as though the race were already over. Orbit and Ossory, like the favorite, came from Kingsclero and ran untried, but it was well understood that the stable-money was on, and the stable confidence in Friar’s Balsam. The only genuine opposition to the crack, therefore, came from Ayrshire and Crowbcrry, and as the latter was manifestly not “ fit,” most people dismissed him from their calculations. The Duke of Portland’s eolt was another matter. Rumor said Ayrshire had been coughing, hut he looked grand, and both his owner and young George Dawson were quietly confident of success. In the King there was any amount of money for the favorite, but most of the bookmakers had closed their books. The few willing to do business asked for 3 to 1, and in many cases 7 to 2 was laid on Friar’s Balsam. In London some large sums were saved through commissioners being unable to get them on. One firm, 1 know, tried fruitlessly to lay 1,000 to 300 on the favorite, About Ayrshire, on the other hand, 8 to 1 could have been had to large sums. Crowberry’s price was 15 to 1 ; Orbit’s, 100 to 7 ; whilst 25’saud 50's were, nominally, on offer against Johnny Morgan and Ossory. The small fields got away at the first attempt, and came sweeping along at a smart pace, led by Johnny Morgan, with Ayrshire on the right and the favorite in the centre. Ossory was beaten after going half-a-milc, and at the bushes a deafening roar informed all whom it might concern that Cannon was at work on the crack. In another moment the hope of Kingsclere fell hack beaten, and Ayrshire collaring his stable companion in the dip won in a common canter by a couple of lengths. Orbit was only beaten by a head by Johnny Morgan for the second place ; then came Crowbcrry, some distance iu front of Friar’s Balsam, with Ossory tailed off last. Excuses are made for the favorite on the ground that he was suffering from an abscess of the jaw, which broke iu his mouth whilst running, and almost choked him with blood and matter. Be than as it may, the eolt never fairly took hold of his bit, Cannon says, and, when asked to join his horses, gave way at once, Ayrshire is now favorite for the Derby at (! to 4, as much as C to 1 being offered about Friar’s Balsam. TUUI-’ NOTES, Ricli stakes, large fields, and fine finishes arc the invariable characteristics of Derby race meetings, one of which was brought off with the usual success on Wednesday and Thursday last. In the future Derby will probably be the most important of all midland snorting centres. Not only is its position central and the arrangements all admirable, hut its straight mile course is the finest in England, save, perhaps, the famous R.M. at Newmarket. On Wednesday, in the Welbeck Cup, a live furlong handicap, worth LI,OOO to the winner, Sir George Arthur’s Rose Window (3 yrs, 7.2) made an example of a good field of sprinters, Mr Peek’s Jack o’ Lantern (4 yrs, 7.0), who shewed an unexpected return to form, being alone able to get near the son of Rosicrueian and Bonnie Katie, Mr Lawson’s Gervus (4 yrs, 7.5) and Baron Rothschild’s Prudence (5 yrs, 8.12) wore favorites, hut ran nowhere. The chief two-year-old event of the day, the Sudbury Stakes, of 000 sovs, Robert Peek carried off with Dulcie, a smart brown (illy by Dutch Skater—Paraffin, that was well backed, hut only won after a close finish with Wenonah, by Galopin—Esa. On Thursday Lord Lurgan’s Touchlight (4 yra, 0 11) was made a great favorite for the mile Doveridge Cup, of 500 sovs, and seemed to he winning at the distance, where, however, the top weight—Mr Renfrew’s Lisbon—took up the running, and fairly galloped him down. The Lincoln winner, Veracity, was third, and the field included Oheron, Tib, Tommy Tittlemouse, and other fair animals,| so that the performance was a good one. On paper it makes Thunderstorm almost a certainty for the Kcmpton Jubilee Stakes, which looks like developing into the biggest of all the spring handicaps. Not a wager has yet been laid on the Chester Cup. Who could have foreseen such a collapse as it has become twenty years ago. THE BRIGADE 01' PLUNGERS. Lord Rodney’s “ wonderful luck,’’which was the theme of every turfite’s conversation last autumn, has lasted no longer than such freaks of fortune usually do- The series of successes which commenced at Goodwood culminated with Humewood’s Cesarewitch victory. This season his lordship has suffered disaster after disaster. As he could do nothing wrong last year, so ho can do nothing right now. His account was rumored to be missing from Tattorsall’s after the City and Suburban week, and to settle it Hume wood and Kilwarlin have been sold. The buyer of the former is your late visitor, Lord Dudley, who races under the obvious nom tie guerre of “Mr Wardour.” The good hick generally accredited to novices on the turf has not, so far, been conspicuous in Mr Wardour’s operations. At Lincoln, Liverpool, and Leicester he experienced terrific facers, and, though the victories of his two-year-old (Present Alms) may have improved matters somewhat, the defeats of Obcron, Chancellor, and others must have left a heavy balance on the wrong side. Fortunately, his lordship can afford to lose a good bit without feeling it. The Jubilee Plunger has lasted longer than the Ring expected; ’tis said, indeed, byMrFiyand others, who should know, that if ho had confined himself to betting and steered clear of cards and pigeon-shoot-ing he would not now be much on the wrong side. Cards were what really ruined the late Lord Hastings, Only the other day the Duke of Beaufort, recalling the old story, calculated that despite the disasters of Hermit’s year Lord Hastings must have iron quite as much money as he lost on the turf. Mr Behzon is now said to be in extremis. If so, he certainly doesn’t show it. Nevertheless, the Ring are generally right about such matters.