ENGLISH SPORTING GOSSIP.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1221, 26 July 1895, Page 23

ENGLISH SPORTING GOSSIP.

Oar London correspondent writes under date June 15th.:— TROTTING. Trotting is a sport which boasts but few votaries in the Old Country, but thanks to the enterprise and energy of the few it is slowly but surely gaining in popular favour —especially in the north. The Manchester Trotting Club, which possesses a fine cinder path, generally manages to provide good sport for patrons of the game. On Monday an exciting item in their programme was a match between Mr Seddou's Lady Combermere and that splendidly consistent performer “ Time.” The mare was backed by her owner to trot 20 miles inside the hour. As she had failed in a similar essay last June by llsec, “ Time” found plenty of backers. On Monday, however, the mare just pipped him by two-fifths of a second. Lady Com* bermere only broke once during her long journey, but went in a, distressed fashion for the last two miles. Her performance is, of course, a record for England, but the Yankee record, made so long ago as 1848, stands at 59min 35|see.

PEDESTRIANISM. Another " World's Record " was buried on Monday evening. The cemetery was Hampden Park, Glasgow, the gravediggers A. R. Downer and B. C. Bredin, and the'mourners the members of the West of Scotland Harriers and some 6000 of the populace. To quit nonsense, Bredin and Downer ran the second of their 300 yard matches at the venue named. On the first occasion Bredin won, but on Monday the Scottish champion turned the tables in a most decisive fashion. To an equal start the pair went off the mark at a spanking pace. At the end of the first hundred Downer led his opponent three yards, and running with great fire and determination, had placed a good six yards to his credit by the time the second hundred had been reeled off. Bredin put in a desperate spurt in the last hundred, but Downer ran on strongly, and landed home full ten yards ahead, in the magnificent time of 31 2-ssec. The previous record was 31|sec. A rather strong breeze interfered with the runners, or a better performance still would , have been recorded.

On the same evening T. E. Bacon won a five miles handieap by 100 yards in 25tnin 15 4-ssec, beating the Scottish record by 35 4-ssec. >

Mr Gerard Aston, an employee in the Union Bank of London, successfully essayed a walk from London to Brighton under 10 hours on Saturday. Admirably paced, Aston covered the 52 miles in 9hrs 55£min. He covered the first thirty miles at the rate of five and a half miles per hour. The weather at the time of this performance was all could be desired, but taking into consideration the nature of the roads to be negotiated, the walk is worthy of recording. THE OAKS. Glorious] weather favoured the " Ladies' Day "at Epsom. A smart overnight shower laid the chalky dust on the roads down, rendering the drive pleasant beyond expectations. But the ra ,- n had not been sufficient to soften the sun-baked earth, and by the time the big race was run the course was like iron. As was the case with the Derby, the race presented a very open appearance, and the field, swelled by fillies with perhaps thousand to one chances, numbered fifteen. Of these the most fancied at the eleventh hour was Garter Queen, which was rushed into favouritism whilst the parade was in progress. Next in demand was Sir James Miller's La Sagesse, by Wisdom out of St. Mary, whilst the One • Thousand heroine Galeotha was freely supported at seyea and eight tg gne, At slightly longer

! odds Gas, Hoat, Saintly and Ella Tweed ! were backed in earnest, but against Hare, ' Choice, Penkridge and Silver Hill long odds were cried in vain. Mustered at the post in excellent time, the fillies behaved with exemplary coolness, and without a break away , were sent off to an excellent start. At the ! outset Silver Hill set a very slow place, but at the mile posi the Oaks winner took up the i running and at a greatly improved rate took , the field to the top of the hill. At this point Garter Queen ran into second . place, and they raced round Tottenham j Corner in this order, Galeotha, Garter I Queen, Auriga, Silver Hill, Hare, Penkridge, ILa Sagesse; the others bunched behind. As | they came into the straight La Sagesse | rapidly improved her position, but at the Bell with Garter Queen in difficulties, Galeotha looked an easy winner. Then Penkridge challenged and collared the leader, only, however, to be beaten off in a few strides, and once more the Oaks heroine seemed to have the race in hand. Suddenly, however. La Sagesse appeared on the scene, and galloping with great fire and determination quickly caught Galeotha inside the distance and beat her easily by a length and a-half.. Penkridge just managed to deprive the game Garter Queen of the 100 sovs attached to third place. i

Sammy Loates was the pilot of Sir James Miller's filly, and he thus achieved the distinction of riding the winners of both Derby and Oaks in the same week. The tiins occupied by La Sagesse for the mile and a-half was 2min 48 4-sth sec. The value of the stake was L 4500, but of this sum the nominator of the winner gets L4OO, the owner of the second L2OO, and the third LIOO. THE ECLIPSE STAKES. London, July 21. At the Sandown Park Second Summer Meeting 1 , the race for the Eclipse Stakes, of 10,000 sovs, about one mile and a quarter, was won by Baron Schickler's Le Justicier, 3yrs, by Le Sancy—North Wiltshire, Mr Russell's Whittier, 3yrs, running second, and Mr Henry Milner's None the Wiser, 4yrs, third.