ENGLISH RACING NOTES.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume II, Issue 60, 17 September 1891, Page 3

ENGLISH RACING NOTES.

The Derby for 1893 has closed with two hundred and forty subscribers. This shows a great increase since the new conditions have come into force.

“ Bovis,” of the English Referee, writes :— “ * Ribbledon ’ has compiled a list of the performances of yearlings that have realised 2,000 guineas and upwards during the last six years.” It is wonderful to see what amount of money has been wasted On useless thoroughbreds. In six seasons 49 yearlings have been sold by Messrs. Tattersall for 2.000 guineas each or more. The total amount of the purchase money is 132,750 guineas, this being an average Of 2,709 guineas. It is scarcely fair to deal with the yearlings of 1890, as they have had but little chance to get back their purchase money. Thus we only deal with the 37 that were disposed of from 1885 to 1889 inclusive. These cost 95,350 guineas, and 21 of them, costing a total amount of 52,350 guineas; never won a single penny in stakes. The 19 winners, whose purchase money was 43,000 guineas, won £2%, 381 in stakes’during their career on the turf. By cablegram we learn that Sir F. Johnston’s Common, by Isonomy— Thistle, won the Doncaster St. Leger from M. E. Blanc’s Rdvdrend, by Energy— Reveuse. Colonel North’s St, Simon of the Rock, by St. Simon—Blue Rock, third. Common came out a dark horse ,and won the Two Thousand Guineas in such an easy manner that he was installed first favourite for the Derby, which he annexed in a very easy manner. He was then installed nearly an even money chance for the St. Leger, Mimi, the best filly of her year, being second’in demand, but her chance was rendered hopeless after, her running in the valuable Prince of Wales Stakes at Leicester. The backers of Common then got a shock over the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown, when Surefoot beat him, Gouverneur second. Common finishing third. Surefoot is one of the worst-tempered brutes that ever was trained, but when in the humour he is a first-class horse. Moreover, he likes a hill like the one at Sandown Park, which Common does not. The Frenchmen, knowing that R6v6rend was better than Gouverneur, backed him to win a large stake. The Doncaster course just suited Common, who has proved himself the best colt of his year, and is now enrolled as the fifthwinner of the treble event. It is stated that since he won he has been sold to Mr Blundell Maple for and he must be considered a dear horse, as from reports he is not likely to train on.

We take the following from a contemporary. Some of our readers must remember Jack Sharpe, who many years ago was one of the leading jockeys in England. In iB6O he was leading jockey in Russia and to the Emperor. Mr. Merry had a claim on him, and if anything had happened to Custance he would have had the mount on Thormanby for the Derby. He several times had good mounts, and was a civil; obliging fellow. “John Sharpe, a man nearly seventy years of age, and in his day one of the leading jockeys, was found on July 9th in an outhouse close to the Ashley House, Lewes with his throat cut. The wound was selfinflicted, and he was no doubt driven to put an end to his existence by his sufferings from rheumatism. He was in receipt of a pension from the Bentick Benevolent Fund. From the latest accounts Sharpe was recovering,” ;