ENGLISH SPORTING NOTES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1172, 17 August 1894, Page 23

ENGLISH SPORTING NOTES.

THE END OF A BLACK ASCOT, From Oar Special Correspondent. London, June 29.

Backers have seldom experienced a

blacker Ascot than the one just over. From the Stakes on Tuesday to the Hardwicke on Friday, good thing after good thing was steadily bowled over. Perhaps the Hunt Cup afternoon was the worst, for in addition to bad luck, punters enjoyed bad weather, the rain pouring down in torrents all the time. Nevertheless, the usual number of “ absolute certainties" were whispered about in the dripping enclosures and the bookies under their umbrellas seemed as busy as usual. The ultimate winner proved to be the one

animal of the twenty-three never men

tioned. Mr Worton, the owner, contented himself with two bets of 1000 to 15 and

the trainer had a solitary wager of 500 to 10. In the race itself Victor Wild (4yrs, 7st 71b) slipped the field and though the Jubilee winner Avington (4yrs, 9st 2lb) got upsidos with him a few yards from home, he couldn’t quite get in front and was defeated by half-a length.

For the rich Coronation Stakes of 2600 sovs, for three-year-old fillies, the penalised Oaks victress Amiable (9st 101 b) was not so much fancied as Mr Manton’s Jocasta (Bst 101 b) and the Australianowned Glare (Bstlost). Neither, however, had anything to do with the finish, Sir F. Johnstone’s half-sister to Common, Throstle, by Pelriarch—Thistle, winning by a head from Mr Maple’s Royal Victoria, by Springfield—Hackness, and Jocasta and Amiable making a deat heat for third place. Betting 10 to I against Throstle. On Thursday the historic New Stakes, of 1790 sovs, for two-year-olds, fell to an outsider from Kingsclere. The

Duke of Westminster’s Kissing Cup (by Hampton—Sterling Love) had been beaten in her trial and ran unbacked, starting at 100 to 7. When, however, it came to racing she beat the favourites, Nipper and Kirkconnel, easily, winning by half a length from Mr Houldsworth’s Cheery (by St. Simon—Sunrise). Kissing Cup is a sister to Wedding Bell and was purchased by the Duke as a yearling for 2400 guineas. The Gold Cup (value 1000 sovs with 2000 added) proved the good thing it looked for La Fleche, syrs, 9st lib, who had only the Fiench Callistrate, 4yrs, 9st, and three commoners to beat, and Baron Hirsch’s grand mare easily landed the 5 to 2 plungers laid on her. She should thereafter have retired from the turf, but the Baron foolishly started her for the Hardwicke Stakes, of 200030v5, against the unlucky Ravensbury, on Friday. It seemed all the odds of 5 to 1 the ring invited “ the talent" to lay on St. Simon’s daughters. Probably, however, she was stale after the Cup race. Anyway the mare could not best Mr Rose’s horse in a

severe finish and stalling her off the latter won by half a length. This performance of Ravensbury speaks well for Isinglass, and when the latter meets Ladas at Newmarket next week the odds on the younger horse will not be as long as they would otherwise have been. Another “ big pot" went down in the Rous Memorial, when Colonel North’s EL Diablo, syrs, Bsl 121 b, was easily beaten by Lord Cadogan’s Court Ball, 3yrs, 7st 91b, three others being behind. Odds of sto 2 were laid on El Diablo, 6 to 1 being betted against Court Ball. On Friday Aborigine followed up his Stakes victory by winning the three miles Alexandra Plate, Callistrate, who was favourite, suffering defeat, mainly through Dodge’s bad riding, by half-a-lenglh. The only other feature of the meeting I need refer to was the success of the Royal Colours in the St. James’ Palace Stakes and Thirty Third Triennial, the Prince of Wales’ Florizell carrying off both, to the delight of the mob.

NORTHUMBERLAND PLATE. Since the removal of the venue of the Northumberland Plate from the Town Moor at Newcastle to Gosforth Park, the great summer handicap of the North has lost much of its vitality. This year Red Ensign, who ran so well at Ascot, was made favourite directly the weights appeared, and with I’Anson’s Newcourt (6yrs, Bst 31b), who won in 1892, practically monopolised the wagering. On Tuesday evening Sir R. Jardine’s colt was backed down to 6 to 4, Newcourt standing at 4 to 1. On Wednesday morning however, the former was scratched, having lamed himself in his box, and Newcourt

became a raging hot favourite. Eight animals went to the post and Newcourt finished up at 5 to 4, whilst 6 to 1 was betted Lord Harewood’s Xylophone (4yrs, 7st 31b), 8 to 1 Mr Sherwood’s Hawkesbury (4yrs, 6st 101 b), 10 to 1 Mr Rothschild’s Rodomont (3yrs, 7st), and 100 to 6 any other. The race requires little description, as Newcourt always held a nice place, and shooting to the front at the distance won in a canter by two lengths from Hawkesbury, Mr Wilson’s Tilton (4yrs, 6st), third. Newcourt won both the Northumberland Plate and the Northumberland Autumn Plate in 1892, and was only just beaten by Paddy for the Manchester November Handicap. Last year the only race he won was the Lewes Handicap, but he ran unplaced in several.