ENGLISH SPORTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5570, 20 May 1896, Page 4

ENGLISH SPORTING.

[CORRESPNDOffNT " CANTERBURY TIMES."] LONDON, April 7. The opening of the flat racing season at 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 Carholine was extremely good. So late in the day, however, it would be unprofitable to go into details, and, therefore, I content myself with a few remarks on the chief events, giving precedence to the piece, de resistance, the Lincoln Handicap. For this mile race a field of seventeen turned out, including that gay deceiver El Diablo aged (7st 101b), Clorane syrs (9st 41b), Amandier aged (7st 131b), Laodamia 6yrs (9st 3lb), Gangway 6yrs (Bst 61b), Court Ball syrs (7st 4lb), Quarrel oyrs (Cst, car 6st 91b), and Minstrel Boy 6yrs (7st 81b). The public were pretty evenly divided as to the chances of Court Ball, Gangway and Clorane, bxit when the flag went up the first-named had a slight call in the betting, 6 to 1 being the best odds on offer. At a point longer Gangway and the top weight were in receipt of continuous support, and El Diablo was backed down to 9 to 1. Quarrel's snpporters would not accept less than 100 to 7 and at this price Amandier and Minstrel Boy were in good demand. Laodamia was backed down to 100 to 6 and against Tithoneus, Vigoureux, Hebron and Lesterlin any price from 20 to 25 to 1 was always obtainable. The rank outsiders were Anlaf, King's House, Chasseur, Cold Steel and the Earl of Annandale, against which batch from 33 to 1 to 50 .to 1 could be obtained. The race itself needs little description. The 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 the journey. A long tail of. beaten horses had by this time been established, and the issue lay between Clorane, El Diablo and Quarrel. Soon it beoame apparent that the topweight had the race in hand, for, whilst Quarrel and El Diablo were struggling under difficulties, the big chestnut was striding along at his case. A hundred yards from home Morhy Canon -let his mount out, and in a moment Clorane shot past Quarrel and sailed home in gallant fashion a length and a half to the good. ElDiabolo was a similar distance behind Quarrel, and Court Ball was fourth. The time of the race was lmin 45£sec and the value of the stakes £1815. The result, wa3 of course, a triumph for Mr Ford, the handicapper, Quarrel being the bottom-weight in the handicap. But for the 91b extra which Grimshaw had to declare his mount would, have ' probably won. Cloraue is a fine chestnut horse by Castlereagh out of May Girl, owned by Mr A. F. Bassett. The horse in winning under 9st 41b, created a fresh record for the Lincoln Handicap,/ the heaviest weight carried to victory previously having been Bst 111b, by The Rejected in 1890. The time record, however, belongs to old Bendigo which, in 1885, carried Sst 51b to victory to lmin 35£sec. Of the remaining races little need be said. The Batthyany Stakes Handicap, of .£460, decided over five furlongs, produced a field of thirteen, and resulted in the victory of Blue Mark (Mark — Blue Pennant), 4yrs, 7st 61b, by a short head from Soothsayer, oyrs, 7st 91b ; Remember Me, 4yrs, 7st 41b, being a similar distance in the rear. It was the most exciting race of the meeting, and a fair-sized sheet would have covered the first half-dozen. - The Brocklesby Stakes, of ,£1215, for two-year-olds, attracted a field of eighteen. The public" for once in- a way made no mistake in selectingMrL.de Rothschild's- filly Jest ( Jugglor-Merrie Lassie) as the " pea," for, in the hands of Tommy Loates, the filly won comfortably by half a length from Princess Anne (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 Anne. Mr Rothschild also won the Lincoln Stakes, of .£lB5, for two-year-olds with Gelatine, a brown filly by Galopin out of Koumiss, and the Brocklesby Trial Stkkes with Little Bob, a three-year-old son-of Chittabob out of Lowland Belle. During the three days no fewer than 229 horses sported silk. And now for the r Liverpool Meeting, which commenced on Thursday last. The weather, whilst not so propitious as at Lincoln, was not unkindly during the racing hours. Big fields ruled once more, thirteen being the main for tho opening event, the Liverpool Hurdle Handicap of .£325 won by Mr Lebaudy's Morello 6yrs, list 61b, after an interesting race with County Council and Golden Ring. The March T.Y.O. Stakes, of .£145, brought out nine youngsters, and fell to Mr DobelTs filly Laguna (Fitzhampton — Sylvan Lake), which started at 100 to 14. For tho rich Molyneux Stakes, of .£755, for two-year-olds only, eight animals faced the starter. The punters speedily rushed the filly by Tristran — Polenta into favouritism, and accepted 9to 4 with good grace. But the pot boiled over badly, for Mr Rose's filly, Melfitana (Melton— Fame), collared the favourite just below tho distance, and boat her easily by a length and a half. The next item, the Prince of Wales' Plato of .£626, decided over a course approximately six 'furlongs, brought out thirteen sprinters. On the strength of his Lincoln third the public took 100 to 30 about El Diablo Bst 10lb, and Mena, 6yrs, Bst 41b, was a warm order at 7to 2. But neither had anything to do with the finish, for Sir R. Jardine's Fealar (by Prism — Queen of the Valley) led nearly all the

way, and won by a length from Dinna Forget, 4yrs, 7st 31b, wliich beat Athelßst 31b and the favourite by a head for. second honours, Mountain Chief, 6yrs, Bst 31b being a head behind the dead-heaters. ; The Union Jack Stakes of .£724, for three-year-olds, decided over the mile course, fell to Mr Wallace, whose colt Spook (Oberon-Lady Lothoan) just beat the favourite Melange (Melanion — Amalgam) after a desperate race by a short head. The winner started at 7 to 1 and Melange at 13 to 8. ■ On Friday an immense concourse gathered at Aintree for the Grand National Steeplechase, which in my opinion is the most interesting race to watch decided in the course of the year. No less than twenty-eight animals sported silk for this event, the field being the biggest since Disturbance beat seven and twenty others in 1873. Of the runners on Friday several were old stagers, to wit, Father O'Flynn, aged, lOst 121b, which won in 1892 ; Why Not, aged, list slb, the winner in 1894- ; Wild Man from Borneo, 12st, last year's winner ; Cathal list 131b, second last year; The Midshipmite list 4lb, and Ardcarn list lib. The light-weight division comprised many animals most unlikely to get the course. The betting was voluminous and of those supported by good money Rory O'More, 6yrs, lOst 91b, »was left in position of favourite when everybody had done betting. At 7to 1 his backers piled money On, but there was also plenty of support afforded to Ardcarn, which started at 8 to 1. At 100 to 12Waterford lOst 131b was brisk business, as was Cathal at 100 to 9; Caustic, aged, 9st 71b, Why Not, aged, list 41b, 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* 6. At twenties, Swanshot, 6yrs, lOst 13lb, Van der Berg, aged, lOst 91b, and Alpheus, syrs, lOst 101b, were moderate business, and at odds of 25 to 1 Biscuit, aged. lOst, had a little money entrusted to him. Barcalwhey 6yrs, fat 81b, was backed at 33 to, 1, and at 40 to 1 odd sovereigns were placed on Father O'Flynn, "The Soarer aged, 9st 131b, Muriarty and Wild Man from- Borneo. Against Dollar 11. 6yrs, lOst 111b, fifties were always on offer, whilst Clawson, Gyrs, lOst 41b, and The Midshipmite, the bookies were pleased to give.66 to 1. The forlorn division included Redhill lOst 121b, Fleetwing, St Anthony, Kestrel, Westineathand Emin. There was plenty of place betting, prices ranging from 3 to 1 against the 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 casualities began early. Manifesto set the example at the first fence in the country, and his blunder brought down Redhill. Alpheus then took up the running with Rory O'More 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 Soarer as his immediate pursuers. Coming on to the flat, March Hare slipped up and then bolted. Coming to the water jump, Alpheus still acting pilot, the field was yet numerically strong, but soon after this obstacle had been regotiated Midshipmite came a cropper, Fleet wing was pulled up, and / Philactery refused to go farther. At Beecher's Brook the second time The Soarer and Rory O'More were at the head of affairs, and at the next fence Swansbot fell, and getting away fi-oni liis jockey soon brought Waterford and Miss Baron to grief. At the canal turn Father O'Flynn went to the front, and shortly afterwai'ds both Caustic and Ardcarn fell. The Father hung fire at the last ditch, and Biscuit, closely attended by the Soarer, showed the way on to the course, Rory O'More and Barcalwhey being the next pair, well clear of Father O'Flynn. At a respectful distance came poor old Why Not, with Cathal and Kestrel in pursuit. The favourite now began to drop back, and two fences from home Biscuit, failing to answer a call, was headed by The Soarer, and Barcalwhey took third place. Over the last fence The Soarer took a strong lead, but in the run home Father O'Flynn put in a mighty piece of work, which took, him to witWn a length and a half of the leader what time the latter passed the post. Biscuit was third, three lengths behind the winner, and Barcalwhey was a good foiu'th. Twenty lengths away Why Not was fifth, Rory O'More sixth and Cathal seventh. The time of the race was lOmin ll^sec, and the value of the stakes .£1975. The Soarer, a bay gelding hy Skylark, is the property of Mr W. H. Walker, and was ridden by his previous owner, Mr D. M. G. Campbell. The bookmakers must have had a really fine race. The winner started at 40 to Ito •win and 10 to 1 for a place, the second at identical odds and the third at 25's and 7's. . .