UNKNWON

Northern Advocate, 21 January 1888, Page 3

UNKNWON

ever against such practices, eschewed al^ reference to racing in his sermons for the

Blood stock still continues to be a great drug in the Victo rian market, if we are to judge from the paltry prices realised at recent sales. Of 46 lots, consisting mostly of beautifully bred mares and yearlings submitted by auction in Melbourne last month, only five reached three figures. Procella (a half-sister to Mr T. Morrin's mare Albatross) brought the highest price of the 10t— 250 guineas.

The determine tion of the Duke of Westminister to run his grand horse, Ormonde no more was recently announced in the Sportsman. That the resolve will give general satisfaction there can be little doubt. It would fcsre been a thousand pities had a splendid record been marked j by defeat, even with the reasonable! excuse existing in such case that the horse's wind has boco-me affected. Nothing was to be gained so far as fame is concerned had Ormonde continued to win races for the next two years. Much would have been lost haid he, over-' weighted or stoped by hia infirmity, found at last a victorious riv^l. As it is the Duke of Westminister may look with just pride on a horse whose tiareer has been more brillant than tha»t of any predecessor for which the title of <c the best that ever ran " has been claimed. Bay Middleton was undefeated it is true, but it would be unfair, probably to place him on the same level with Ormonde. From what has been told me by one able to speak with great knowledge as to i l .he quality of Pleniotentiary, I imagine that he more nearly approached Ormonde's class than other celebrites of more recent days, asserted during the brief period that their racing life lasted to be " The best that ever .ran." I never saw a horse that so much gave the impressioii'' of extraordinary superiority to^ f Til opponents as did Ormonde at 6jsfCpt jn his three-year old season. The Poroti races are fixed for Thursday, the 16th of February. ||L^

tiiel^Rou, there JiWl^. more bit^cjFpi/nent of this nixing up of a gcyfe/^cottt With ihe blade gown than JJpf^SfWardes, one of canons of Salisbury Cathedral, and the iniquity of such things v\rere frequently ; the subject of his sermms. Toby Randall, the canon's coachmair;4had formerly been a jockey ; and though he had now become sober and sedate, as befitted the charioteer of a dignitary of the church, the old leaven ■was in him, and he never could look at a bit of good horseflesh without the leaven beginning to ferment. The canon had boughfra nice little mare — a good goer, with plenty of blood in her — for his wife's riding; and Toby's task it was to break her in and render her manageable. Just about this time a local meeting that was held every autumn about 20 miles from Salisbury was nearly due, and Toby, as he felt the spirited "little animal : bound beneath him, sighed as he thought of what he could have made her do in the old times. One day he stopped to refresh at a roadside inn, where he met several horsey-looking individuals whom he knew, and who were doing likewise, He soon fell into conversation with them about the coming race, and expressed himself somewhat contemptuously aboul the four horses that were entered for the event. " I've got something outside," lie said, " that would lick the lot in a canter ; you just come and have a squint at her." The next moment all the party were outside, putting the mare through her paces, and the consensus of opinion was that she was a beauty. " Why don't you enter her?" suggested one. "Lord love you," cried Toby, aghast at the idea ; " why the master would have me transported for such a thing." How's he to know it? he never reads any racing news, I'll be bound ; and if you enter her in your own name he'll never be any the wiser," suggested a tempter. 7 Well, to cut a long story short, the drink and the temptation proved too strong for poor Toby, and that very day the mare was entered. Two days after the race came off, and Toby steered the gallant little animal to victory, winning a3O o •• 40-guinea cup and bets beside. Of course there were plenty of people who knew him, and who enjoyed the joke against the canon mightly, but none who were likely to split. A week had elapsed, when one morning the canon summoned his coachman to his presence. One glance at his master's pale and agitated face told him that there had been a discovery. Without speaking, Dr. Edwardes handed him a cutting from a local paper which he had received that morning in a letter from his bishop. It ran as follows : " The Digby Cup, value 40gs, for all ages ; six furlongs ; the Rev. Dr. Edwardts' br m Rose (T. Eandall)." "Now, sir, perhaps you will explain this ? " said the parson sternly. Toby turned white as death, dropped upon his knees and implored forgiveness, saying the devil had tempted him. But the canon r.-^s not to be moved by prayers of entreaties. That his name should ever be associated with horse-racing! How would those unworthy members of the cloth, whom he had so often denounced, rejoice over his humiliation and disgrace ! It was too dreadful to contemplate, and Toby was sternly ordered to leave the house, and be thankful that he escaped without further punishment. Randall, however, was such an excellent coachman, and was so humble and contrite, and vowed nevei again to enter a public house, that aftex a few months he was reinstated. Bui Canon Edwards, though inveterate a*