A GREAT ST. LEGER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2539, 12 November 1902, Page 52

A GREAT ST. LEGER.

*" I jope everyone backed her." This was lth» first remark made by Sceptre's owne. aftet Hie filly had made a hack of 4ier opponents and created a record by ' placing four out of the five "classics" to Siei credit. In these days of heavy wagering k is not often that an owner Jakes the public into his confidence, but all along Mr Sievier Has unhesitatingly pronounced his confidence* in his filly, and no matter who •pproached him they received the same Answer. This being Jhe case, it was not surprising tha' she should regain hei position a» favourite, and tfie only thing to be wondered at is the fact that 100 to 30 was obtainable on the field. Had the daughter of Persimmon been located at Kingeclere •lie would in all probability have represented an odds on chance, but her owner •has only an amateur reputation as a trainer, tnd hence the market opposition. - Even good judge, found fault with her appearance before the race. " She looked light," " She v,-as over-trained," or " She went short," were among the opinions expressed by her detractors, and to a greatextent these were justified. The filly, naturally excitable, was perspiriaig profusely, and she has a lazy kind of action which certainly does not tell in her favour. During the last three days her owner has been most assiduous in his attentions. Every gallop has been under lm personal supervision, and to-day he hardly ever left her (writes the Yorkshire Post's representative at Doneaster). "Well coated asid gloved, wearing a tall ha»t, and smoking a cigar — American in length — this sensational owner personally attended to the saddling of the Jilly, gave a few final infractions to Hardy, •and then, with &. self-possession quite unnatural to the occasion, proceeded to a ■^position of advantage from which to watch •the raca. Nobody would have dreamed that the next few "minutes would decide the r winnirig or the losing of an individual for;tur.e. The artisan who invested liis shilling 'on the course was probably mor excited. We had not long to wait before the barrier went up to one of Mr Coventry's happiest efforts./ St. Brendan, who had the advantage of the inside berth, actually was first away, but Ciaro, whose mission was to make the running for his stable companion, Iriar. Tuck A soon. SfctaMjshj»4_l^ jfflM'uJPgj* ,

whioh he maintained until reaching the rifle butts, when lie gave way to the Duke of Portland's first string. At this time Sceptre was sixth, but in the next hundred yards she had drawn to the front, and from this point the race was over. The mare passed all her opponents as though they were mere selling platers, and eventually won in he commonest of canters. Long before reaching the distance the cheering commenced, and it was till well after the "all right" had been called that the thousands of enthusiastic admirers of the best maare that ever. looked through a bridle realised that they had given her an appropriate welcome. Her owner, still cool as the proverbial cuouniber, walked on to the course to lead her in. Once under the paddock gates it wae Mr Sievier's turn ito come in for a reception. " Bravo, Bob," was heard on all sides, and the cheering was so spontaneous and hearty that most men would have been overwhelmed. Not so Mr R. S. Sievier. He accompanied Hardy into the weighing room, congratulated the boy on the race he had ridden, lit another cigar, and walked with some of the committeemen to the private refreshment room. The scene was one that can never be forgotten. Bain 'had been falling steadily for hours, and the public might have been excused had the miserable conditions damped their ardour, but a Yorkshire crowd lov-ee a good - racehorse, and to-day's heroine stands alone as fche most wonderful filly of modern -times — or I might reasonably go further and say of any time*.