ENGLISH RACING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1265, 28 May 1896, Page 25

ENGLISH RACING.

From Our Special Correspondent. London, April 7. Tho opening of tHo flat racing season tit Lincoln last week was signalised by weather of an unusually pleasant kind considering the age of the year. And taking things all round, the sport provided during the meeting on the Carholme was extremely good. So late in the day, however, it would he unprofitable to go into details and therefore 1 content myself with a few remarks on Hie chief events, giving precedence to tho piece de resistance, tho LINCOLN 11A N'DICAP. For this mile race a field of seventeen turned out, including that gay deceiver, El Diablo, aged, 7st K»lb; Clorane, oyrs, fist lib; Amandier, aged, 7s b 1 Hi b ; Laodamia, Oyrs, fist 3lb; Gangway, Oyrs, Bst 01b; Court Ball, oyrs, 7st HI); Quarrel, oyrs, Ost (carried 0.,t 9lb); and Minstrel Boy, Oyrs, 7st 81b. The public were pretty evenly divided as to the chances oi Court Ball, Gangway and Clorane, but when tho flag went up the first-named had a slight call in the betting, 0 to 1 being the best odds on offer. At a point longer Gangway and the topweight were in receipt of continuous support and El Diablo was backed down to 9 to 1. Quarrels supporters would not accept less than 100 to 7, and at this prico Ainandior and Minstrel Boy were in good demand. Laodamia was backed down to 100 to (5, and against Tithonoous, Vigouroux, Hebron and Lesterlin any prico from 20 to 25 to 1 was always obtainable. The rank outsiders were Anlaf, King’s House, Chasseur, Cold Steel and tho Earl of Annandale, against which batch from 33 to 1 to 50 to 1 could be obtained. The race itself needs little description. Tho Earl jumped off in front but Quarrel soon gave him the go-by and at a hot pace took the field along for three parts of tho journey. A long tail of beaten horses had by this time been established, and tho issue lay between Clorane, El Diablo and Quarrel. Soon it

became apparent that the topweight had the race in hand, for whilst Quarrel and El Diablo were struggling under difficulties, tho big chestnut was striding along at his ease. A hundred yards from homo Morny Cannon let his mount out, and in a moment Clorane shot past Quarrel and sailed home in gallant fashion, a length and a half to tho good. El Diablo was a similar distance behind Quarrel, and Court Ball was fourth. The time of the race was lmin •15 l-ssec, and tho value of the stakes £lßls. Tho result was of course a triumph for Mr Ford, the lmndicapper, Quarrel being tho bottom weight iu tho handicap. But for tho nine pounds extra which Grimshaw had to declare his mount would have probably won. Clorauo is a Hue chestnut horse by Castleroagh, out of May Girl, owned by Mr A. F. Basset. The horso in winning under fist 41b created a fresh record for the Lincoln Handicap, the heaviest weight carried to victory previously having been Sst 111 b, by Tho Rejected, in 1890. Tho time record, however, belongs to old Bendigo, which in 1885 carried Sst slb to victory in lmin 3ti l-ssec. Of the remaining races little need be said. Tho 11ATTHVANY STAKES HANDICAP, of £1(30, decided over five furlongs, produced a field of 13 and resulted in the victory of Blue Mark (Mark —Blue Pennant), 4yrs, 7st Gib, by a short head from Soothsayer, oyrs, 7st 91b ; Remember Me, 4yrs, 7st lib, being a similar distance in the rear. It was the most exciting race of the mooting and a fair-sized sheet would have covered tho first half-dozen. The n HO C lv L E SI! Y STAKES, of £1215, for two-year-olds, attracted a field of 18. The public for once in a way made no mistake in selecting Mr L. do Rothschild’s filly, Jest (Juggler Memo Lassie), as the “ pea,” for iu tho hands of Tommy Loatcs the filly won comfortably by half a length from Princess Anno (St. Angelo Princess Louise Victoria) and Eager (Enthusiast— Greeba). The betting at the start was 4 to 1 Jest, 9 to 2 Eager, and 10 to 1 Princess Anno. Mr Rothschild also Avon the LINCOLN STAKE, of £lB5, for two-year-olds, with Gelatine, a brown filly by Galopiu, out of Koumiss, and tho liROCKLESDY TRIAL STAKES, with Little Bob, a throe-year-old son of Chittabob, out of Lowland Bello. During tho three days no fower than 229 horses sported silk. LIVERPOOL. And nOAV for tho Liverpool Meeting, which commenced on Thursday last. Tho weather, while not so propitious as at Lincoln, was not unkindly during tho racing hours. Big fields ruled once more, 13 being the main for the opening event, tho Liverpool Hurdle Handicap, £325, Avon by Mr Lebaudy’s Morello, Oyrs, list Gib, after an interesting race with County Council and Golden Ring. The march two-year-old stakes, of £145, brought out nine youngsters, and fell to Mr Dobell’s filly, Laguna (Fitzhampton—Sylvan Lake) which started at 100 to 14. For tho rich MOI.YNEUX STAKES, of £755, for two-year-olds, only eight animals faced the starter. The punters speedily rushed the filly by Tristran — l’olenta into favouritisms, and accepted 9 to 4 with good grace. But tho pot boiled over badly, for Mr Rose’s filly Molfitana (Melton—Fame) collared tho favourite just below tho distance and heat her easily by a length and a half. The next item, tho PRINCE OF WALES PLATE, of £G2G, decided over a courso approximately six furlongs, brought out 13 sprinters. On the strength of his Lincoln third tho public took 100 to 30 about El Diablo, H.st 101 b, and Mona, Gyrs, Sst 41b, was a Avarm order tit 7 to 2. But neither bad anything to do with tho finish, for .Sir R. Jardino’s Fealar (by Prism—Queen of tho Valley) led nearly all the way and won by a length from Dinna Forgot, 4yrs, 7st lilb, which heat Athol, Hst 31b, and the favourite by a head for second honours, Mountain Chief, Gyrs, Sst 31b, being a head behind the dead-heaters. Tho UNION JACK STAKES, of £721, for three-year-olds, decided over the mile course, fell to Mr Wallace, whoso colt Spook (Oboron— Lady Lothian) just heat the favourite Melango (Molanion—• Amalgam) after a despot ate race by a short head. The Avinner started at 7 to 1, and Melange at 13 to 8. On Friday an immense concourse gathered at Aintree for the (IRANI) NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE, which in my civil opinion is tho most interesting race to Avatch docided in the course of tho year. No less than 28 animals sported silk for this event, the field being tho biggest since Disturbance beat soven-and-twenty others in 1873. Of the runners on Friday, seveial were old stagers, to Avit, Father O’Flynn, aged, IGst 12lb, which Avon in 1892; Why Not, aged, list Dili, tho Avinner in 1801; Wild Man from Borneo, 12st, last year’s Avinner; Cathal, list 131 b, second last year; Tho Midshipmito, list 41b, and Ardcarn, list lib. The light-Avoight division comprised many animals most unlikely to got the course. The hotting was voluminous, and of those supported by good money, Rory O’More, Gyrs, lOst 91b, Avas left in position of favourite when everybody had done betting. At 7 to 1 his backers piled money on, but there was also plenty of support afforded to At dcaru, Avhich started at 8 to 1. At 100 to 12 Waterford, lOst 131 b, was brisk business, as Avas Cathal at 100 to 9. Caustic, aged, Ost 71b, Why Not and Manifesto, aged, list 41b, each found backers in plenty at anything better than 14 to 1, and March Hare, aged, list 71b, had friends enough at 100 to 0. At twentieittiwanshot.

Gyrs, lOst 131 b, Van der Berg, aged, lOsfc 91b, and Alpheus, syrs, 103 t 101 b, were moderate business, and at odds of 25 to 1 Biscuit, aged, lOst, bad a little money entrusted to him. Barcalwliey, 6yrs, 9st 81b, was backed at 33 to 1, and at 40 to 1 odd sovereigns were placed on Father O’Flynn, The Soaror, aged, !)st 131 b, Moriarty and Wild Man from Borneo. Against Dollar 11., fiyrs, lOst 111 b, fifties were always on offer, whilst Clawson, Gyrs, 10st 41b, and The Midshipmite the bookies were pleased to give 66 to 1. The forlorn division included Eedhill, JOst 12lb, Fleetwing, St. Anthony, Kestrel, Westmeath and Emin. There was plenty of place betting, prices ranging from 3 to 1 against tho favourite, Ardcarn, Cathal and company, up to 50 to 1 against Emin. The big field mustered at the post in good time and the flag fell almost immediately. Why Not led out at a rather slow pace, but casualties began early. Manifesto set the example at the first fence in the country and his blunder brought down Redhill. Alpheus then took up tho running with Kory O’Moro and Caustic in near attendance. At the fence previous to Beecher’s, Wild Man from Borneo came to grief and the Canal fence disposed of Anthony. Shortly afterwards Emin was knocked over by a loose horse. Meanwhile Alpheus was leading the field a merry dance with Clawson, Cathal and the Soaror as his immediate pursuers. Coming on to tho flat, March Hare slipped up and then bolted. Coming to the water jump, Alpheus stdl acting pilot, the field was yet numerically strong, but soon after this obstacle had boon negotiated Midshipmite came a cropper, Fleetwing was pulled up and l’hilactory refused to go farther. At Iloocher’s lirouk tho second time, Tho Sourer and Kory O’Moro wore at tlo head of affairs, and at the next fence Swan,shot fell and, getting away from his jockey, soon brought \\ atorford and Alias Baron to grief. At the Canal turn, Father O’Flynu wont to the front, and shortly afterwards both Caustic and Ardcarn fell. Tho Father hung lire at the last ditch, ami Biscuit-, closely attended by The Sourer, showed the way on to the course, Kory O’Alore and Barcalwliey being the next pair, well clear of Father O’Flynn. At a respectful distance came poor old Why Not, with Cathal and Kestrel m pursuit. The favourite now began to drop back, and two fences from homo Biscuit, failing to answer a call, was headed by Tho Soaror, and Barcalwliey took third place. Over the last fence Tho Soaror took a strong lead, but in the run heme Father O’Flynn put in a mighty piece of work which took him to within a length and a half of t he leader w hat time the latter passed the post. Biscuit was third, throe lengths behind the winner, and Barcalwliey was a good fourth. Twenty lengths away Why Not was fifth, Kory O’Alore sixth, and Cathal eighth. The time of the race was lOinin 11 Doth sec, and the value of tho stakes ,£1975. Tho Soaror, a bay gelding by Skylark, is tho property of Air W. 11. Walker, and was ridden by his previous owner, Air D. M. G. Campbell. The bookmakers must have had a really fine race. The winner started at 40 to 1 to win and 10 to 1 for a place, the second at identical odds, and the third at twentyfives and sevens. Paris iir. At length the Australian-bred Paris 111. lias done something so sustain the reputation lie brought with him from your side of the world. On Thursday last tho now ancient gelding credited Lord t\ illiam Berosford—most popular of popular sports —with the thousand sovereigns attaching to the first place in the Northamptonshire Stakes, run over a course which the booksays is “one mile and a half and 200 yards.” The opposition to tho son of Grandmaster was not of the strongest, not one of the dozen being in the category of first-class handicap animals; but the way Paris smashed the best of them up in the last 200 yards or so indicated that he could have won with another stone or so ;n the saddle. As it was, tho gelding carried Sst fill) to victory, Lord William voluntarily burdening his horse with 311) above tire weight allotted by the handicapper in order to secure tho services of “Alorny” Cannon. Of the remainder, Dare Devil, aged, Sst 41b; Bach, aged, Sst 31b, and Alerrywi.se, fiyrs, Sst, were considered “ best goods ” by the weight apportioner, and the field included also Linhope, 4-yrs, fist 12lb; Sweet Anne Page, 4yrs, 7st loll); Powick, -lyrs, 7st 51b; Black Andrew, fiyrs, 7st fill); Vue, 4yrs, 7st lib; Nagpore, 3yrs, fist Sib; Berkely, fiyrs, fist fill); Aloor, fiyrs, fist fill); and Pilot, aged, 7.st fill). On the strength of a good trial, Paris was at once made favourite, and what time tho flag went up tho fielders had nothing better than 2 to 1 to oll'er against the Australian. Against Blade Andrew and Moor 7 to 1, or a point or so over, could be obtained, whilst Merry wise and Dare

Devil were always on offer at tens. Any price from 100 to 8 to 20 to 1 could be got about tho rest. From an excellent start Black Andrew led out, followed by Paris. The gelding was pulling double as soon as he got into his stride, and Cannon had to hold him in hard to prevent his mount going to the head of affairs right away. Little change occurred till the bend for home was reached, when the leader had shot his bolt, and the rest of the horses began to feel the whip in earnest. Their jockeys might have spared them, for the moment Cannon let Paris have his head the gelding shot away from the crowd and, leaving them as if they were standing still, flashed past the postsix lengths ahead of Dare Devil and eight in front of Linhope, which secured third honours by half a length from Aloor, So full of running was Cannon’s mount that the jockey had to steady him in the last hundred yards. The victory was naturally extremely well received and the sporting writers suddenly conceived an immense respect fur the winner, by whose aid they seem to think either the Chester Cup or the Great Aletropolitan will fall to Lord Atm. Berosford. Paris ill. will carry 9st 91b in whichever race he goes for, and will, of course, meet some very much better-class horses.

The Sji'irUinj L[fc’x “Special Commissioner” naturally finds in Paris’ victory the necessary ground-work for a disquisition on the horse’s pedigree, which, he says, is “worthy a great Derby winner.” Ho also mourns the fact that circumstances over which Paris had no control have rendered “this strongly-knit, well-balanced horse.” unable to “ perpetuate his own excellencies.” THE ENGLISH DERBY. London’, ALiy 21. Tho hotting on the English Derby is 11 to 10 on St. Frusqnin, 5 to f agst Persimmon.