a better day, and, if well, will be in a good place for next year's Leger.

At St. Alban's this year (which by the way has, through the activity and perseverance of the Clerk of the Course, Tom Coleman, made great progress, and would, with a little better course, itself be a lion among provincials), we had another proof of the ridiculous and absurd restrictions put on Hunters Stakes, and so opening the door to fraud, by limiting the stake to horses not thorough bred; when at this time of day it is well understood that nine-tenths of the socalled cocktails in the country are quite thorough-bred. In this case the winner, a thorough-bred mare with a fictitious half-bred pedigree, has since been identified, and consequently disqualified: but the injury done to the race is irreparable, besides the confusion among the other horses engaged in it. When will an end be put to this humbug of half-bred hunters stakes? Are not thorough-bred ones more valuable, and the race more interesting? The evil cries out more and more every day, and must be remedied. There was another fraud, in the shape of false pedigree, successful here; but the robbery (and an unblushing one it was) has since come to light, and I shall notice it in its proper place.

The immense popularity of Riddlesworth at Epsom this year, from his having won all his races so easily, totally put a stop to all speculation on the race, and produced on the day, in the Ring, the most extraordinary betting ever witnessed--the odds, out of an entry of one hundred and five horses, and a field at the post of twenty-three, being 6 to 4 on Riddlesworth, and 16 to 1 against anything else!--All sorts of "sayings and doings" have been promulgated since Riddlesworth's defeat, in the way of accounting for it; but on that day the running was true; and had it been run over again twenty times, it is more than probable the result would have been the same. The truth isand the public found it out when too late-the state of Riddlesworth's legs

had not permitted him to do anything like the work he ought to have done to have won such a race as the Derby; and when, on the Saturday, he took what was called a sweat, or rather an apology for one, it was great luck to carry to London as news that he had not broken down. The whole sort, Filagrec, Cobweb, &c., were always an infirm lot. The day was made for Spaniel, a little light wiry sound horse, who was just made to hear his hoofs rattle over the hard ground; and for those who backed him at such extreme odds as were laid against him, the little Spaniel may indeed be called a lucky dog." The most unfortunate of his friends was his jock, Wheatley, who, after taking a thousand to thirty about him, liked it so little after his race for the Shirley, as actually to get it off: and it must have been this which sent him back in the betting, as the little horse was a worse favorite after than previously to winning that race. However, the money which was obliged to be brought into the market by those who were against the crack, and had no other means of getting out, kept all the field at a respectful distance. very terror of the name of Riddlesworth, perhaps, prevented the Derby from going into the pocket of Lord Orford; as, had his Lordship started his Medora horse, he being well, and having the day before run a good horse for the Cup, as matters turned out, the probabilities are that he might have wrangled through, and, instead of being only a Grand Duke, have become a little King. According to the running of Spaniel with Naiad in the autumn, the Grand Duke had plenty of weight in hand to have given the Spaniel a good licking.The nearest prototype of this year's Derby was Patron's yea; the favorites at about the same betting, and both defeated through the

The

same

causes: and the merits of the winners about equal; though of the two I am inclined to give the palm to Spaniel, as he may get through something yet; but Frederick ne

ver yet has, nor ever will, win another race.

If the Derby was a false run race, the Oaks at least was altogether as true a one; and nothing but the sterling gameness of Oxygen got her through. Had the same sort of use been made of her at Newmarket, she would there also have told a different tale. It had long been my intention to have noticed the paltry and disgraceful contributions at this place to the different Stakes, the more particularly when viewed in conjunction with the numberless impositions practised, or attempted to be practised, on those persons who may be so unfortunate as to send race horses there. There have lately appeared in a weekly print several very sensible and pertinent letters on the subject of the Epsom Race Fund; and although I cannot quite agree with the writer on the whole of his positions, yet the thanks of the Sporting World are eminently due to him for drawing public attention to the subject. Will it be believed that the sum total of the moneys added to the different Stakes in the Spring Meeting from the Race Fund amount to the enormous sum of fifty pounds! Now, that there must be some gross mismanagement somewhere can readily be shewn by just stating, as the lawyers say, a case in point." At Goodwood this season, two of the "une, deax, cinque" booths paid each one hundred and twenty-five pounds for the ground; and the occupiers of the ground formed into standings for horses, of which there were several in different

66

parts of the course, paid sums varying from 101. to 201. Out of all this, look at the sums so liberally added to the Race Fund-nearly ten times as great as at Epsom. Now, if these advantages are derived from Goodwood, in how much greater ratio ought the produce of the Epsom Course to be, where the booths and standings are in comparison as a hundred to one! The money may, or may not, be collected from the occupants:-if not, there is the most culpable negligence, to say the least of it, shewn-(for I have understood that the Town, in conjunction

with the Lord of the Manor, possess full power over the occupation of the Downs): but if, on the other hand, the money be properly collected, then is the public account of the appropriation of it imperiously called for: for, be it remembered, that although great expenses have been pleaded as belonging exclusively to Epsom in keeping the course clear, which difficulty, for obvious reasons, does not exist with any other course; yet no part of such expenses can be called for from the produce of the standings—as for the last four or five years, the winners of the Derby and Oaks have, by a condition in the article, been mulcted of no less than one hundred pounds towards the expenses of additional police: thus forming an annual revenue of two hundred sovereigns-amply sufficient, if properly applied, for every purpose of police that can be required. Beyond all the proceeds of the booths and standings, there is the subscription to the Race Fund. Of what that consists, or who are the subscribers, remains a mystery; but that there are subscribers we have evidence from a precious document put forth by them, as specious authority for further peculation on the wretched owner of race horses, as follows: :

"At a meeting of the subscribers to the Epsom Race Fund, held at the Spread Eagle Inn, on Thursday the 23d of December 1830, it was resolved, that the sum of ten shillings be paid for every horse that shall be trained or exercised on the Downs from the 1st of January next to the 1st of July following, towards the repairing and keeping in order such exercise ground: and for every horse

trained or exercised on the said Downs from the 1st of July to the 1st of January, the like sum of ten shillings: and that such sum shall be paid by the trainer, or servant having the care of such horses, and be charged by him to the owners thereof: and that this resolution do apply to succeeding years the money to be paid in advance, or the Treasurer to stop all horses going on the exercise ground.

(Signed) "T. SMITH, Treasurer."

A precious document truly! It is now a year ago since in your pages I called the attention of the public to the disgraceful state of the course, more particularly at the ending, where the ruts were quite sufficient to either throw or break down the best racehorse in the world. So then a knot of these worthy subscribers meet, and promulgate an Edict, whereby, at the expense of others, they are to repair their bad ways, which, but for their own neglect and bad management, would never have lapsed into the wretched state they had done! That those persons who train horses on the ground may have a right to contribute something towards keeping it in proper order, I do not deny; but even that is a hardship, considering the publicity of the ground, and the number of hunters which are continually, at the most destructive season of the year, gallopping over it: but that such an extortion should be attempted on the persons who send horses there merely for the purpose of running, is monstrous, although quite worthy of such a resolution, signed by a trainer residing on the ground. For my own part, and I think there are many others who will agree with me, that the threat, in case of non-payment of the extortion, of stopping horses going on the race-ground will at most times be a boon rather than otherwise; for those persons who are unfortunately obliged to send horses to Epsom will generally prefer their being gollopped on the hard road (which at least has the merit of being the most free from stones and flints), to their being exercised on such a mass of rocky chalk as Epsom Downs.

There is one other matter relative to this delectable place, and then for the present I have done. One of the printed resolutions of the Jockey Club was, that they would countenance only such trainers and stable-keepers as made fair and moderate charges: now, if amidst all the scandalous and numberless impositions at this said Epsom, was to be shewn up the outrageous charges of certain of the worthy stable-keepers, in office too, at this place, during the time of the

meetings, a climax would be given to the encouragement which Gentlemen have held out to them, to send horses, for either Stakes or Plates, to this most liberal and enticing spot.

Ascot this year, as last, lacked the spirit of preceding meetings; and though patronised by our good and straight-forward King, yet the mixture of politics is incompatible with the sports of the Turf, and consequently, as far as Royalty was concerned, the course was somewhat "shorn of its beams." Here at length fell "the noblest Roman of them all." The Colonel, in his only appearance this year, having taken the shine out of all his competitors for the Craven at Epsom, was compelled to give twenty-nine pounds to a mare which the previous year had run second for the Oaks; and, with 9st. 6lb. on his back, actually ran a dead heat ! But Nature will not be denied, and failed him in the second attemptthe hind leg, which stood sound when the other gave way two years previously, having now gone, like the other, in the suspensary ligament. The horse is now, however, at Hampton Court, sound and well, and will be certain, I should think, to have plenty of mares next season.-To shew the truth of the Oaks running, here met again the three first mares for the Oaks, and the running again exactly the same, although the distance was not so great. The confined Articles of the Cup, made through a false notion of Aristocratic privilege (now happily fading away), brought but a very short field to the post. The admirers of racing for the sake of the sport may, however, live generations before they again see such a race, the riding on both sides calling for the highest expression of admiration: and the race of Cetus and Augustus for the Ascot Gold Cup deserves much to be put on record as any race ever run. Both the Two-year-old Stakes were truly run; though I am inclined to think the result of the first might have been different, had Beiram been in the same condition he was in at Newmarket in the July.

as

It was considered at Bath this year

that the meeting was injured by the division of the Somersetshire Stakes into two Classes, the attendance of Gentlemen having been thin; but this has been the case at all country races throughout the year. It is proposed to make only one Stake next year, with a race for the forfeits: but I cannot think this will be any improve ment, as the latter stake will necessarily be uncertain as to what horses will go nor will, I conceive, the stake itself be very inviting, from the difficulty experienced of getting in the small forfeits; unless, indeed, the Fund would guaranty them to the win

ner.

The activity of Mr. Margerum, the Clerk of the Course, however, will go far to obviate any difficulty on this head. As a proof of this Gentleman's zeal, we need only refer to the handsome and commodious New Stand which this year was opened under his auspices; but at the same time I am bound to say, that the New Course (to which we are perpetuated from the position of the Stand) will hardly give the satisfaction the old one did: indeed, the complaints were heavy this year against the bad turns and confined state of the ground; and there is nothing like the same running space as in the old one. However, everything that can be done to compensate for these disadvantages will, I am sure, be effected under the watchful care of Mr. Margerum, to whom the good folks of Bath, and the racing public in general, are greatly indebted for his perseverance in having resuscitated these races from "the sear and yellow leaf," into which a few years ago they had fallen.

The spirit with which the two Liverpool meetings are conducted, and the liberal manner in which money is given, must insure, as it has done, capital sport. The Tradesmen's Cup is the very best in the kingdom; and, were not the locality rather too distant for the best horses to travel, would be the race of the greatest interest of its kind in the country. The great Birmingham, by dint of continued hammering, according to the true Brummagem recipe, was beaten in the July

Meeting, for the Stand Cup, by a Newmarket nag, bought of Colonel Wilson in the preceding autumn for little more than three hundred pounds!

The Newmarket July produced but little interest, the running for the July Stakes proving the truth of the Ascot races also, Beiram and Non Compos being in their old places. The Middleton brute of Lord Jersey's, exalted into a flyer, by, as usual, some private measurement, turned out a rank impostor, and has since, by his subsequent public performances, satisfied every one of his wretched pretensions to the name of a race-horse.

Cheltenham, like all other places which give no public money to be run for, has been gradually dwindling away. The Gloucestershire Stakes in every view is but a shadow of what it used to be, and the withdrawal this season of the Bibury Club to Stockbridge reduced the meeting to two poor days' sport; and if it was not for the locality, which is just convenient to Messrs. Day, Sadler, &c., they would have no racing at all; nor can any other result be expected: people will not send horses to run for their own money, or, perhaps, be at the expense of travelling to no purpose, the Stake not filling in consequence of the miserable addition held out. Why, in the very same Calendar with Cheltenham, is recorded Enfield! at which leather-plating place they actually give nearly double as much public money as at Cheltenham!

As a contrast to the preceding, here is Brighton, with plenty of money, and the attendance always good, reduced to a collection of Plates; and this only through want of a little good management. One or two small Stakes have been got up for next year; but nothing like what has been, and what might be now, with the use of a little industry and perseverance of an active Clerk of the Course and Committee; but both of which appear the reverse of what they should be.

York August Meeting produced another two-year-old of Jerry's get, and, had Julius remained well, would have carried off the Champagne from Doncaster. These Jerries must not

be lost sight of for next year's Leger. Liverpool, although made so good a favorite by party influence, and "cooked" for the Produce in this meeting, did not cut so shining a figure as had been anticipated, having only just got through. The Saddler appeared a winner also, though with apparent difficulty; but it is well known the horse was not fit to run, and ought not to have started. Cho

IN

rister's running, however, ought to have satisfied every one the most, having beaten a field of old ones, and with the weight and distance not favorable to young ones, and won in a canter.Had the flying Marcus been out of the way, Chorister, after this performance, never would have gone so far to the outside in the betting.

THE YOUNG FORESTER. (To be continued.)

N our last December Number we gave, as one of our Embellishments, a print of British Game Fowls, from a beautiful Picture by the YOUNGER MARSHALL. For this picture eight as good fellows as Newmarket can produce, and all noted Cockers, each anxious to call this gem his own, resolved to have a shy in their own way for its possession. A Welsh main was in consequence soon got up; and on the 23d of February Arthur Pavis became the successful competitor. This spirited little Jock, determined to have a companion to his prize, commissioned the same talented Artist to embody the result of the last battle for the main, with some of the leading characters present on that sion,

осса

The winning Cock (the property of Arthur Pavis) was bred by Mr. Sadler, at Aldworth, Gloucestershire, by one of his old Duckwings out of a Tribe hen. The down Cock is own brother to Diggory (a well-known brood cock in Newmarket, the property of George Edwards), bred by Mr. Garner of Coombe Wood, got by one of Sir H. Halford's Reds out of Wood's hens. Two better or more scientific fighters never entered a pit: they were in the finest condition and feather, from the superior feeding of May and Fenton, the corner portraits.

The elegant burin of ROMNEY has been called in requisition; and we trust our readers will be gratified by his able delineation of a decidedly clever picture.

TH HE bettings since our last have evinced very little spirit, and the LEGER has been scarcely named. For the DERBY Lord Exeter's Beiram still ranks first, though without any variation during the month worth mentioning. Mr. Dilly's Margrave (winner of the Criterion at the Houghton Meeting) and Lord Chesterfield's Non Compos have gained several points: the former now stands second, and the latter third on the list. The OAKS remains in the same inactive state, Mr. Chifney's Emiliana still being the only one mentioned, and at the same price.-Among the

double events sported are-4 to 1 agst Lord Exeter's stable; and 1000 to 20 agst Margrave winning the Derby and Emiliana the Oaks (taken).—The following may be quoted as the present state of the odds :

DERBY.

9 to 1 agst Beiram. 10 to 1 agst Margrave. 11 to 1 agst Non Compos. 12 to 1 agst Dulcinea. 16 to 1 agst Darioletta. 20 to 1 agst Emiliana. 20 to 1 agst Pastille colt. 22 to 1 agst Folly colt. 25 to 1 agst Minster.

OAKS.

6 to 1 agst Emiliana,