English Sporting Notes.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5113, 22 November 1894, Page 4

English Sporting Notes.

London, Sept. 29. | The racing at Manchester at the end of j last week, calls for little notice, if I i except the Devonshire Plate of 888 sovb j {or two-year-olds, and the Prince Edward Handicap, value 2000 soys, which has taken the place of the 11,000 soys Lancashire Plate. The latter attracted a capital field, the fourteen tanners including La Fieche (5yr5,.93t 71b), Mr Bestfs Worcester (4yis, Bst 41b), winner of the Chesterfield Cup at Goodwood, and the Pevril of the Peak Plate at Derby, Lord Ellesmire's Esmond Syre, 7st 91b), Captain Machell'a Buckingham (4yrß, B<»t),the Duke of Westminster's Grey Leg (3yra, Bit llib), Colonel North's recent purchase, Clwyd (3yrs, 7»t 101 b), Mr Hanbury's Cabin Boy (sy rs, Bat lib), and Mr Douglas Baird'3 Seraproniuß (3yrs, 7ab 81b.) La Fleshe looked very well, and started a good favourite at 11 to 4, 5 to 1 being laid aget Worcester, 8 to 1 Esmond, 10 to 1 Buckingham, 100 to 8 each Grey Leg, Clwyd, and Cabin Boy, 20 to 1 oohers. After a. few breaks away Barbary made the running for a quarter of a mile, when Sempronius took the lead, vith Esmond, Worcester and Cabin Boy as nearest attendants. When fairly in the straight Pot Luck became S9cond, but only for a moment, and, as ho fell back beaten, and Clwyd, Worcester and La Flecho took close order with Mr Douglas Baird'e three-year-old. Then ensued ono of the grandest finieheß between four ever witnessed. La Fieche, Semproniug, Worcester and Clwyd each in turn flattered their supporters, but the latter stayed longest, and won by a neck, Worcester was second and Sempronius and La Fieche beaten heads third and fourth. The proverbial cloth would have covered tbefour. La Fieche ran extremely well, in fact, but for getting off badly and having to go round her horses at the bottom turn, she would probably have won. Though he was placed fourth Clwyd wbb not half a length in front of her. The Devonshire Plate, of JEBBB, for two-year-olds, fell to Lord Zetland's smart Panzerschiff colt Eielson, who must be nearly first class. An excellent portrait of the late Alec Taylor in his prime, appears in Whyte Melville's " Digby Grand," where he figures as Mr Nobbier. The Firet October Meeting at Newmarket, which invariably takes place in September, commenced on Tuesday, when Mr Douglas Baird'B Sempronius (Bst 121 b), by Wisdom out of Hamptonia, won the Great Foal Stakes. This ib a three-year-old contest ran acrosß the flat, and worth J61470. It has been carried off by many good hones since its institution sixteen years ago, Bobert the Devil, Dutch Oven, Ossian, Melton, Ormonde, Beve dOr, Ayrshire, Morion and Orme being on the roll of winners. On Tuesday the seven runners were, however, of a common order, the winner being the nearest to high class. Lord Bradford's Beighterton (Bst 2lb) was favourite, having 1 the beßt of the weights, but could get no nearer than third. Sempronioua met, however, a dangerous opponent in Mr Eothschild'a dark Bevil (Bst 21b). With 101 b the best of the weights he made a good raceof it, and wsb only beaten by a neck. Betting : sto 2 agat Sempronius, 8 to 1 Bevil. On Wednesday Baron Rothschild scored a double event, carrying off the October Handicap with Harfleur 11., and the Great Eastern Railway Handicap with Amandier. The .event of the week was, however, the Jockey Club Stakes, of 10,000 soys, a new race, whioh, like most of these big stakes, fell to a millionaire in Mr Hugh M'Calmont. '".-■ Seven runners only went to the post, and though penalties brought the burden of Isinglass np to lOat 21b, long odds would have been laid on him, but for Throstle's (Syrcr, 9at 41b) presence in the race. Even aB things were, punters tumbled over one another to lay 2 to 1 on Isinglass directly betting opened, and though the Leger. winner was well backed from 10 to 1 down to 100 to 12, Mr M'Calmont's colt hardened steadily and finished up at 6 to 2, and in places an 11 to 4 on chance. None of the others were at all genuinely supported. The race would have been more interesting if Throstle hadn't ruined her chance in the first, hundred yards by bolting. This was just what she did in. her Leger trial aad why John Porter didn't believe her to have a 1000 to 15 look-in for that event. When the filly disappeared from tbe Newmarket race, it became any odda on Isinglass. Nevertheless, at the Bushes he seemed to be beaten, and Eaeburn going great guns was hailed as possible winner. A second or so later Eaeburn compounded and Gouvernail looked promising, but only for a moment. Pounding along like a steam-engine, Isinglass soon took his measure and ultimately won in the easiest fashion. Counting the second moneys they have secured aa well as stakes, Isinglass, with upwards of £56,000, has outdone Donovan and beaten the record. He will set the Beal on his fame by winning the Ascot, Goodwood and Doncaster Cups next seaaon, and then retire. As yet his escutcheon has been tarnished by but one defeat, and in La Fieche, Ladas,Eavensbury, Eaeburn, Bullingdon, &c, &c. he has met and conquered more good horses than even St Simon and Ormonde (barrio £ Minting and Bendigo) did. Though there may' be doubts about Ladas, La Fleclio is undoubtedly a mare of the bigheßt class. Tbe late Alec Taylor failed in one duty to the sporting world. He never wrote bis reminiscences. What a mine of useful and interesting horsey gossip the "owd mon" might have opened if be had only cared to do so! The Hon Francis Lawley gossips pleasantly about this "old-fashioned trainer in the current Bailey, and he tells one good Btory of a grievous disappointment Buffered by Alec and his principal employer, Mr Payne, in 1859 — " Mnsjid's year." It seems that in 1855 Mr Greville was possessed of a mare named Gaze, for which, ho was sick to death of trying to find a racer-producing mate, so he sold her to France. The entry attached t© her name in the eighth volume of the stud book ie, "Sent to France, 1855 ; covered by Orlando." Two year 3 late Sir Harry Hoare, chanced whilst in Pariß, to take a fancy to a rather ficrnggy yearling filly, whioh he bought for JJBO, and passed over to Alec Taylor's care. After being at Tyfield for about eighteen months, the "weed" developed extraordinary galloping powers. She could give lumps of weight to good four and five-year-olde, and while her speed waß terrific, she seemed to be able to etay for ever. A child could have ridden her with a string bridle, bo docile and lamb-like was the filly's diepoßition. Sir Henry Hoare, Mr Payne, and " Old Alec " were possessed of unbounded confidence in their equine treasure, but all knew the value of cloae Bhut lips, and when the weights for the Spring Handicaps for 1859 appeared, though but 53t had been apportioned to Sir Henry's purchase, the buokies laid 100 to 1, and 66 to 1 agat the filly for the Chester Cup with, great avidity. Not a aoul outside the Tyfield group knew what the daughter of Orlando arid Gaze waß capable of. and the worthy trio were already counting the fortune Bhe would win tbein before her true form was shown. It was as easy in those days to win .£2OO 000 on an animal of the Virago type aa a tenth of that sum at the present time. All went well with the omre till one bright April morning when she was brought out for exeic-se. She was asked to do nothing beyond an easy ranter, but in tho middle of it the filly collapsed suddenly, and when the horrified watchers reached the spot tbe gallant little " weed " was dead. She had burst a large blood veaeel close to the heart. Alec maintained to hio dying day that this mare was the very best animal ho had through his hands during the whole of his long career as a tram er or racehom s. One can only imagine the feelings of the trio when she dropped like a stone before weir eyes. Truly the slips fwixbicup and lip are many in the sport oc kinga.