ENGLISH SPORTING NOTES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1107, 19 May 1893, Page 25

ENGLISH SPORTING NOTES.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) London, March 4. THE LAST OF ' THE SQUIRE.' To the hungry mobs of pimps, peris, pugilists and bettine men, who lived on or through Mr Geo. Abington Baird, the premature death of 'the Squire' iron pneumonia in New Orleans comes as a severe blow. To the world at large, however, it cannot truthfully be said his decease matters much. He inherited vast wealth and misused it grossly. His enthusiasm for sport of all sorts was the deceased's chief creditable characteristic. He cared for nothing in the _ world so much as jockeyship. To ride in a big race Mr Abington would travel any distance, and train himself down to a skeleton. He likewise thoroughly enjoyed a prize-fight, and must _ have proved a perfect mine of gold to Mitchell and his gang. The illness which resulted in poor Baird's death was brought on by exesses following the recent AustralianAmerican tussle. Whilst acting as one of the seconds he wore a thin shirt only, and knocking around the town later caught a bad cold. It settled on his chest and carried him off. George Abington Baird was a curious combination of reckless prodigality and Scotch canniness. He had a kind heart, and would help poor people unexpectedly, in the strangest ways, but woe betide the 'pal' whom he caught trying to 'land| him. Nothing would induce ' the Squire' to help such a one again. It was not losing the money he cared about, but hatred at being ' had.' I recall seeing him give a billiard marker .£SO who 'pitched him a yarn' about being sold up. His misfortune arose (said the marker) through backing Mr Abington's Father Confessor for the Manchester Cup. ''The 'orse was only beaten by a short 'ead, and (pretending not to know his visitor) if the Squire himself 'ad been ridin' instead of that b Watts I'd not be in this 'ole.'

. Baird beamed all over his face and, as I say, lent the scoundrel iJSO on the spot. The next moment he was slanging a waiter furiously for charging him 8d instead of 6d for a glass of white port. Abington never tired of hearing of the exploits of the notorious Marquis of Hastings, and I think rather modelled himself on that sorry hero. Once at a time when ' the Squire' was going the pace so violently that D.T. appeared imminent he was missed by his alarmed friends and finally-traced (through his private hansom) to Kensal Green Cemetery. They found him surveying Lord Hastings' monument. ' That,' said he ' is a good motto, " Judge not that ye be not judged." I wonder where it comes from. I think I should like it on my tombstone. He died at 26. I shall have a longer innings but not much.'

Mr ' Abington' was not a handsome or even moderately good-looking man, but some woman always had him on hand for plundering purposes. Such shreds of propriety as charitable people gave Mrs Langtry credit for were dissipated when that, I fear, greedy dame, last year accepted huge present after huge present from the deceased. The title deeds of her splendid house at Chelsea, the .magnificent yacht in which the Lily is now sailing off the Riviera, the thoroughbred Milfom, and the ruby necklace, worth, it is said, J-25,000, not to mention other jewellery, were all given Mrs Langtry by poor Baircl Within about 18 months. Already there is talk of the deceased's brother obliging the lady to disgorge. Certainly no will made in 1891—throughout which Mr Baird drank very hard—will be allowed to stand unchallenged. George Baird, or Mr ' Abington ' was heard of on the turf as- long ago as 1880, but it was four years later when he started his meteoric career by giving 8000 gs. for Busybody at the historic Falmouth sale. Though everybody cried, ' what folly,' this purchase proved one of the few good bargains of the dispersal. Busybody won both the One Thousand and the Oaks, and had she stood training would have landed the Leger also. Her son Meddler was the champion two-year-old of last season, and but for his nominator's death, must have played a prominent part in this year's classic races. The nominations voided by Mr Abington's death number over 200. and represent in cash to various meetings between £3OOO and £4OOO. Other good animals of Mr Abington's which won races for him were Necromancer, Alarm, Jack o' Lantern, Merrv Hampton, Quilp,. Juggler, Snaplock,' tommy Upton, King of Diamonds, Father Confessor, and Lady Bosebery.

COMMENCEMENT OF FLAT RACING. The saddling bell was rung at Lincoln on Monday under unusually favourable auspices, bright sunny weather and a goodly company ushering in the flat racing season of 1893. Tommy Loates showed that a year's enforced inactivity had not impaired his cleverness by winning the opening event—the Trial Stakes—on Mr Cabin Boy in good style. Then the first two-year-old event, the Tathwell Stakes, gave Monty Cannon winning mount. The youngster (Captain Greer's Favour Royal by Favo—Royal Queen) is not more than plating form. The Batthyany Stakes (Handicap) of 500 sovs I ', over 5 furlongs, was as usual the piece de resistance of the afternoon, and attracted 20 runners. Lord Kesteven's lonia (4yrs, 7st 41b) and Lord Dunraven's Tinkler (3yrs, 6st 71b) were favourites. The winner, however, turned up in Mr John Bibby's Earl of Anriandale (4yrs, 7st 41b) by FitzJames—Loch Maben, a colt tipped'by several papers, but which did not go well in the betcing. The favourite and Mr Noel Fenwick's Gossoon (4yrs, 7st 21b) led to the distance, where the former compounded,; and Earl of Annandale challenged the latter. A goou race ensued, Mr Bibby's colt winning by a head, whilst Mr Jennings' Vaulter (3yrs, 6st 51b) was only the same distance behind Gossoon. LINCOLNSHIRE HANDICAP. With the fashionable light weight, little Bradford, in the saddle, and two such good judges as Chas Archer and Mr ' Rosebery ' Smith confidant of victory, it seems odd Wojf's Crag (3yrs, 6st 71b) should be allowed to stay at such long odds as 20 to 1 for the Lincolnshire Handicap on Tuesday. The truth was, when seen, the colt wasn't liked. Experts pronounced him too fine drawn, and besides precedent goes against three-year-olds winning at Lincoln. Up to last March, when Clarence broke the chain, a three-year-old had not won the first big handicap of the season since 1873. Who, therefore, could have supposed first, second and third would this time all be young horses. Twenty runners went to the post, the ' readied'' Mina (6yrs, 7st2lb) finishing up favourite at 4 to 1, whilst s's was the best offer against Sir J. B. Maple's Gangway (3yrs,6st 61b), a great public fancy, and 11 to 2 against Captain Machell's Pensioner (4yrs, 7st 81b). These were the candidates that carried the heavy corn. Bar three, 100 to 6 could be had, this being the price of Acrobat and Simonian, whilst Wolf's Crag, Marcion, Sabra, and King Charles stood at 20'sto 1, and from 25 to 100 to 1 could be had about the others. No time was lost in preliminaries. Acrobat, Mina, and Pensioner led the parade, the latter being the first to canter. He had drawn, like Mina, an excellent left hand berth on the rails, Gangway being in the centre of the course, and Wolf's Crag and Friar John on the extreme right. The field seemed, through glasses, to come along almost in line for a furlong, when old Wrinkles took up the running and made the pace a ' cracker.' The Mina gasbag soon burst, absolutely the first in trouble being the favourite, on whom Seth Chandley was at work quite half a mile from home. Pensioner, too, presently disappeared from the van, as did the much over-rated Friar John. On the other hand, Marcion, despite his 6st 121 b, seemed well on the premises, and in the centre Gangway appeared to be holding her own. At the quarter-mile post Wolf's Crag on the right shot out with a commanding lead, soon placing a couple of lengths between himself and Gangway, Marcion, and Wrinkles. Approaching the distance Bradford brought his mount across to the left, and it was seen to be ail

over but shouting. Gangway put in tremendous work from the bend, but he could never reach Wolf's Crag, who won by a length and a half, Marcion a bad third. Time, lmin 46sec. Wolf's Crag is by Barcaldine out of Lucy Ashton (who as a two-year-old won the Brocklesby over this course), and did moderately well last season, landing a nice nursery at tbe back end.