DONCASTER RACES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1322, 24 November 1864, Page 2

DONCASTER RACES.

THE ST. LEO EH lUY. (From the Times, Sept. 11.)

There are always features pertaining to the great races of the year which prevent the record of them lapsing into the dull detail of routine events. The Derby and the St. Leger have each their distinctive history, and though there may he a stereotyped similarity, in some of the details, yet the chief actors in the scene stand out with a marked individuality always fresh and new. Last year we were chronicling a story of which Lord Clifden was the hero. To-day it is Blair Athol and General Peel, whose achievements created an excitement as to the respective merits of the two horses scarcely paralleled. It was only on the Town Moor of Doncaster that the question of whether the Derby was a true run race, whether too much was not made of the General in the early part of it, and whether the course here would not suit him better than Epsom Downs, could be decided. Among the vast crowd that thronged the streets of Doncaster from an early hour, but two names, those of the favourites, were on every lip : — " Would Sam Scott win t'Leger, or would it go to Malton ?" Nobody seemed to think of other destination for the prize, despite the claims of the Miner, for had not the Wizard a second string to his bow in Baragah, whom clever people continued to back despite reports of lameness and breakdowns ?

There are few more striking scenes than the approach to the course from the town on the Leger Day. Confined within a more limited space than a similar assemblage at Epsom or Ascot, the order and regularity of the vast throng, all intent on seeing the event is a sifeht that often as it has been described has always something of freshness about it. The weather, which had been threatening all the morning, gave a taste of its quality half an hour before the race by a downfall of great violence,

which robbed the cantering past of much of its interest. The favourites looked magnificent, General Peel a different horse from what he did at Epsom, and Blair Athol in the perfection of bloom and condition. The same may be said of Ely, Cambuscan, and Baragah, the three that came more immediately under our notice ; but the increasing rain, which drove in sheets, rendered seeing anything a difficulty. In the midst of such a storm as has not been seen since Flying Dutchman's year, the lot were dispatched in excellent order, the General, Ely, Blair Athol lying in front, and maintaining this position until the rain hid them from the sight. The detailed account of the race is given below, and it is sufficient here to say that on coming into the sight, the colours of General Peel, Cambuscan, Ely, and Blair Athol were seen in the van ; that at the distance a shout was raised, " Cambuscan wins," while the General, near the rails, seemed rather in difficulties, and Blair Athol coming out at the Stand proved the correctness of the Derby .running, and the green and yellow jacket amid as much cheering and excitement as could reasonably be expected under the influence of the weather.

The St. Leger Stakes of 25 sovs each, for 3-yr-old colts, Bst 101b; fillies, Bst 51b. The owner of the second horse to receive 100 sovs out of the stakes. St. Leger course. 217 subs. Mr W.TAnson's ch c Blair Athol, by Stockwell (SnowdoftV * Lord Glasgow's b c General Peel (Wells) ... 2 Lord Stamford's ch c Cambuscan (Edwards) ... 3 Mr. Launde's ch c Miner (Osborne) ... ••• * Duke of Beaufort's bl c Black Rock (Fordham) 0 Mr. Bowes's b c Claremont (J. Goater) ... ... 0 ; Mr. Bowl's ch eßaragali, by Stockwell (AshmaU) 0 Mr. W. S. C»irtWright's b c Ely, by Kingston

(Cusftusce) — ••• Mr. J. Johnstone's b c Knight of Snowdon (Aldcroft)... — " Mr. Pedley's ch c Brindisi (F. Adams) u Betting—2 to I agst Blair Athol, 3to 1 agst General Peel, U to 2 agst Miner, 8 to 1 agst Baragah, 100 to 6 agst Cambuscan, 25 to 1 each agst Lly ana Knight of Snowdon, 30 to 1 agst Claremont, and 50 to 1 agst Black Rock and Brindisi. After one failure, in which Ely, Cambuscan, Miner, and Knight of Snowdon broke away, they were dispatched from the post in a drenching shower of rain, which speedily destroyed the difference m the colours of the riders, and rendered it all but impossible to discern the relative positions of the horses, but as near as we could make out with the » of the principal jockeys, General Peel on the got away with a slight lead, having Ey, BlairAtl 01, Baragah, Knight of Snowdon, and Clarennont ab» immediate attendants, the next division j by Miner and Black Rock, Brindisi and Cambuscan bringing up the rear. After running in th » P tions a quarter of a mile General Peel was p back, which left Ely in possession of the lead. Mine going on second, Biragah third, c ose in whose wake Same Claremont, Ely, General Peel, and thefavounte, but as they neared the hill Miner assumed mand, followed by Baragah, Claremont and Hjr, but on rounding the bend they * J an by the two favourites, and Gam" l » » this lot running in company to t butts, where Baragah was observed in » having his stable companion m his rea ; P however, were headed at the Red-house ) p '!k us . whose girth, .ere Geaeral Peel, Mmer, «d can, wlio came on ao cloaety together tha ficult to discern which was leading. Wl ? en ly the straight Ely gave way, and was headed by General Peel next the nils, ® p £ e was to l«ad »» well as anything, but shortly afte in ioined hy Cambuscan aud Blair Athol, ojmpanyto the distance; when Sn . o^ l on ' 1 d ha a to ing to split the pair, was disappointed. lQjt pull round and come up on their right. him some ground, but waiting with exeinp «> tience to the enclosure, he came up, ai few strides had both his horses safe at th rby won, amid the most vociferous c ] ,e ®" n .&: t he second a couple of lengths, General Peel obtain g: four raoaty by ahead from Cambiiscan, who Barftgab lengths in advance of Miner; Ety wa ' gnoff don sixth, Brindisi seventh, and Knight ° laSt next. Black Rock and Claremont trotted two. ——=

Lakd Sales at Wangasui_ The —" Several pieces of land m tlns ». j[ r . hare changed owners lately at fair p ]ig fine Churton, of Mataongaonga, has sold mo estate (1800 acres), to a Mr. Cham«. ftjm, get . lianw, Htwke's Bay, who, we belie e, b eing tling here. The price, we learn }, lß vicini tyof the about £3 12s an acre, which, fronl tl ® # , na y be land to the town, and its taaag Jfr considered a low P"«f- , We ■), s ,° JK acre s of Qoodson, Of Woodlands, ] IRS s ° Prel?or McGregor, land on the No. 3 line to Mr of the Mataraua Valley. lt ls . realised partly laid down in grass, and na. Upwards of f2,000. Vjrtau 7SfiMl«W'r have also changed hands, among acres divided noticeable a suburban block of n twent i e th part into 90 allotments, each measuring the It [ S of an acre, 54 of which hare , d be building certainly very desirable that there doubt the prosites to suit every one a P urse be built so priety of allowing wooden bouses t aC . Closely together, with suchanivrr block . cess to half of them as is laid off througn The Town Board ought to have ®° n * e ' h A ea ltli of these matters; and if they consumed the je . fi . the town, they would put some restriction definite subdivision of sections. u line is Tub Telegraph.—The Siberian teg l j rkuts k, working to Queenstown ire and, di atcl , was Siberia, a distance of 6500 miles. r8 _- ft greil ; transmitted the whole distance in two appa rent fSt, making a fair allowance for gam m tim i? SEB or Wood Dusx.-The waste ma £ b^ sawyer and turner has several ec , o ."° m fig | 1; box dust faogany dost te valuable for smokujg ' cedi(r for for cleaning jewellery; the s, '* vl " g 00lb producing making the otto of cedar wood, iooid p ! SBoc*