ENGLISH SPORTING NOTES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1188, 7 December 1894, Page 26

ENGLISH SPORTING NOTES.

From Our Own Correspondent. London, October 25. CHILD WICK’S CBS ARE WITCH. “ Everything comes to the wise man who waits," says the proverb. . When Sir John Blundell Maple gave 6000 guineas for the famous Plaisanterie’s first yearling, many shook their heads and predicted that he would never see it back again. At two years of age this appeared only too likely to prove true. Childwick was more or less a cripple all the season. Last summer the colt made its first appearance on a racecourse at Ascot in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and was unplaced. In the autumn, however, lie defeated Orme in the Limekiln Stakes at a difference of 831 b, and accounted for Canning, Glengall, and one or two others in' the Doveridge Plate at Derby. This summer Child wick debuted nowhere in. the Gold Vaso at Ascot, but his obvious staying powers attracted attention to his chance for the Cesarewitch, and when it-was seen he was given 7st 91bs, many at once backed him. Unfortunately Sir J. B. Maple had nothing to try him with over .2 miles and a-quarter, so he and the stable supported him but moderately, and up to the last 100 to 5 could be had. Childwick nevertheless won them quite Jj20,000. ,The “certainty " of this year’s Cesarewitch was Filepa, a filly trained in a stable notorious for its successes in the great long distance handicap. She had won such a trial that Goater pooh-poohed defeat, .and money ] was simply piled on “ the Findon filly."

Though the weather on Cesarewitch day was depressing, cold, rainy, and foggy, the rings were crowded and speculation brisk, there being most money for the highly tried Findon certainty Filepa (4yr3, 7st). Twenty-three runners went to the post, including three previous winners, Ragimund, Burnaby, and Cypria. Goater’s Filepa was favourite at 4 to 1; then came the French Callistrate (4yrs, Bst 131 b), the Oaks victress, Amiable (Byrs, 7st 111 b), M. Lebaudy’s Great Ebor winner Quinlon (4yrs, 7st 21b), and Mr Ellis’ Opera Glass (o3 7 rs, 6st 31b), each of whom were well backed at 10 to 1. Comedy (6yrs, 7st illb) and Farndale (3yrs, 6st 31b) found friends at 100 to 6, and Sir J. B. Maple’s Childwick ‘(4yrs, 7st 91b) and Mr Manton’s Shrine (aged, 7st 111 b) were on the 20 to 1 mark. Of the outsiders, Newcourt (6yrs, Bst 8lb) and Cypria' (4yrs, 7st lllb) at 33 to 1 had most friends^

Through the mist and rain nothing could be seen of the early part of the race and the field was half down the Rowley mile before the shout “ They’re coming," was raised. “ The favourite is there " was lhe next cry, and Sir Benjamin, Amiable, Callistrate and Childwick each in turn had their names echoed by eager friends. Filepa’s backers wefe soon out of their misery, for- both she and Amiable died away descending the hill. Childwick was then left in tlie van with only Shrine and Callestrate near. The latter tried hard to overhaul Plaisanterie’s son, but lie drew away up the incline and won by four lengths, Callestrate being'thesame distance in front of Shrine. Luten was fourth and there the placings ended. Both the favourite and Amiable ran well for two miles, but' the extra furlongs in heavy ground finished them.

Childwick’s victory Was extremely popular, the mounts of little Bradford, by whom he was ridden, being always well backed.

On Thursday the Middle Park Plate fell to Mr Fairie’s Speedwell, by Springfield —Lady Muncaster, who won by a neck from Lord Zetland’s - keelson, after Mr McCalmont’s Raconteur (by St. Simon —Plaisanterie) had seemed to have the race in hand. The latter is of course own brother to Child wick, and started second favourite at 4 to 1. Opposite Tattersall’s odds were betted on his winning, but a hundred yards from home he suddenly threw up his head and; let both the Australian owned Speedwell and Keelson pass, finally finishing a poor third. Despite Lord Marcus Beresford’s taunting epistle to the papers, Mr McCalmont declined to challenge La Fleche with Isinglass for the Champion Stakes. He was wise in his generation for the game little mare was at her best, and simply ost Ravensbury, whom Captain Macheli had tried to be in excellent form. The manner in which La Fleche pricked her ears and ran up the hill was, according to those who saw.the finish (I didn’t), one of the prettiest sights ever witnessed racing, and loud cheers greeted her as for the last time, she swept past the winning post. La Fleche now goes to tho stud and her progeny will be watched for as eagerly as Busybody’s, - Plaisanterie’s, or Marie Stuart’s. The first two celebrities are doing well at the stud, but'Mr Merry’s magnificent Leger winner, though mated for long years with the most successful sires of her day, never threw a race-horse worth sixpence. . SIR J. D. ASTLEY. To those who want to know the Mate as he was and, to enjoy one of the best books of sporting reminiscences ever written, I commond the cheap edition of “ Fifty Years of My Life," published on the day tho author died. Sir John Astley had Bright’s disease and those who saw him recently recognised that his days were numbered. He had lost 4st in 4 months, and at Doncaster, sitting apart, felt too ill

to care much what was going on. Latterly “ jolly Sir John " looked a bit better, and after a stay in Scotland he was coming South to shoot with the Duke of Cambridge when he caught cold at Xempton. That was Saturday, and the following Wednesday he lay dead.

To make a living on the turf and yet keep name and fame unsmirched is as great a feat as to touch pitch and yet not be defiled. Sir John Astley achieved this. For 20 years he had an income of LISOO and made about LIO,OOO a year. Of course the luck came by fits and starts, and in the end the run o£ ill-fortune prevailed. But never once was Sir John’s name associated with a questionable transaction or an ugly story. On the turf as elsewhere he was sans pear et sans reproche.