they went towards the post to start, Mr. Nolan, the owner of Blucher, rode up to his jockey-no unusual practice in giving orders—and told him-I copy from the account of the occurrence in Bell's Life of the 8th ult.-that "his wish was merely to start the horse, and then pull him up, as he was afraid of his off fore leg." The report goes on to say, "These directions being given just as the horses were called to the post, L. Keegan, the rider of Blucher, most unthinkingly performed, and then walked the horse back in the direction of the Stand-house, where he was taken by his trainer, without the rider going to scale. Such a proceeding of course excited great astonishment, and anxiety to learn the cause, when Keegan, who was greatly annoyed at his own thoughtlessness, in not at once dismounting when he received such directions, told the truth and put the saddle on the right horse.".... The result was the following announcement from the authorities of the Curragh...... "The Stewards of the Turf Club having inquired into the conduct of the rider of Blucher, in the Queen's Plate, on Wednesday, are of opinion that under the 9th Rule of the Queen's Plate Articles" (the Irish Queen's Plate Articles, I suppose), "Keegan be disqualified" (I suppose they mean is disqualified) from riding for Queen's Plates and further, that we consider the instructions given by the owner of Blucher to his jockey to be highly improper. We are also of opinion that the conduct of the trainer is extremely culpable. All bets to stand. 66 In the next number of the journal referred to above, there appeared the following paragraph :-"The Stewards of the Jockey Club have shown their sense of the disgraceful proceeding at the late Curragh Meeting, by handicapping Blucher for the Cambridgeshire, at 10st." I was not previously aware that the handicap for the Cambridgeshire Stakes was made by the Stewards of the Jockey Club. In Bell's Life of the 22nd ult., there was a long and unwise letter from the trainer of the animal, one John Davis by name. The gist of it was that the horse having a queer leg it was thought imprudent to run him to win, or rather, to try and win. The less turf professionals say about "legs," the better. The issue I presume to suggest for the consideration of the racing public (all "our public," that is to say, at this present writing) -is this: What difference is there in fact and effect between the case of the horse started not to win the Goodwood Cup, and that of the horse started not to win the Queen's Plate at the Curragh of Kildare? Both were pulled up" to allow another to win at least, so it is written. Blucher pleads infirmity in palliation: Cariboo, more prudently, holds his peace. But the fact of the "pulling up" is not denied on either side. Now, is it lawful to "pull up" at Goodwood, and unlawful to "pull up" at the Curragh? Are we to go to Lear for a solution? Listen to him : "Through tatter'd clothes small vices do appear: Never ask such a question as "what's in a name?"-inquire of John Davis.......The Right Honourable John Davis, indeed, might have another kind of answer for your learning. "Heu! prisca fides.". People can't afford to be over nice on mere questions of honour just now, whatever they could when the classics were indited. What's honour?-a trim reckoning?" There's terrible crossing and jostling in the race of life and it won't do to be distanced for a trifle of principle more or less. Hear Douglas Jerrold, the disciple of proper practical philosophy-" If we did not come here to better ourselves, we might as well have stayed where we were." Warwick and Leamington Races commenced on the first Tuesday in September, as usual. Considering the patronage which has been so long vouchsaved them, a higher average of accommodation and general mise en scene might, without being over fastidious, be expected at that sporting rendezvous. The Grand Stand is eminently inconvenient and ill-suited to its present purpose, and the course also admits of much improvement. The bungles that occurred may be charitably attributed to those accidents which, as the proverb asserts, will occur in the best-regulated systems. A slight epitome of the racing will answer all the demands it has upon our records. The Foal Stakes came off a match, whereof the Old Commodore, with 6 to 4 on him, had the worst, succumbing, after a very poor struggle, to "Miss Judy Macau." The Racing Stakes, six subscribers, brought the whole half-dozen to the post: Hind-of-the-Forest-labelled to be sold for £40-was the winner. The Castle Park Stakes, 17 subs., induced seven of the two-year-olds to show. They backed Prime Minister at 6 to 4 on him, and they were right, for he won, having the race in hand from the start. He is a son of Melbourne, and no discredit to his lineage. The Leamington Stakes -the handicap of the meeting-had 100 nominations, and of these sixteen went to the post, and fifteen got off-Lye, on Priestess, who did not go when the flag fell, making one of the "bungles" aforesaid. As she was the favourite, at 7 to 2 against her, this was a heavy blow to her backers. With a bad start, then, off they went somehow; and after a various scurry round about, once settled into the straight ground for home, Doubt was hailed as the winner-a salute which she merited, being first past the chair by two lengths. The Juggler was second...... "Thou juggler, Fortune!" Estimating by the future, this was a race thrown away. The Corinthian Stakes-an amateur display-brought four of the six entered to the outrance: won by Captain Little on Magician, in two heats. The Queen's Plate of 100 gs. introduced Little Jack to the ring, at 4 to 1 on him he won the first heat as he pleased, and walked over for the second. 66 Somewhat too much of this." Here endeth the first day's list. Wednesday had its feature, which was the début of a certain Irish nag subsequently named Rushborough, then known as the Cruiskeen colt for the St. Leger. From 30 to 1 he sprang to 18 to 1, and was very near, but we must not anticipate. The Great Warwickshire Stakes being a walk over for Milcote, the Town Plate brought to the post five, whereof Joc o'Sot had the call," at 6 to 4 against him. This too was a "gentleman jock" affair: the winner, Egis: the rider, Captain Little. The County Stakes-41 nominations-mustered but 66 half-a-dozen starters. They laid 7 to 4 on Uriel; but they were wrong, for the German, Turnus, was the conqueror; the crack a very bad third; Little Jack being second. The Avon Stakes, for two years old, had another half-dozen exhibitors. They took 5 to 4 that Harriet won-and so she did in a canter, by a couple of lengths; Turtle second. The Borough Handicap, 6 subs., was run a match between Little Jack and Jack Briggs, the little-'un winning by three lengths in a canter. The Warwick Gold Cup, 22 subscribers, came off a quartet. They laid 6 to 5 on Priestess-which she justified-beating her field in a canter; the second being four lengths behind her. Scarborough won the Scurry Handicap, beating five others. Defaulter did the same by the Selling Stakes in two heats, four starters; and the programme was run out. In the newspaper returns of the running, the report of the Cup race is as follows......" The race never was in doubt, Priestess taking a dccided lead at starting, never being approached, and winning in a canter by four lengths. Collingwood and Madesafe were beaten off at the T.Y.C. post the second round, and did not pass the chair." Was not this the head and front of Blucher's offending? Lincoln Races fell on the 5th ult. They were not of a character to call for their details here, more especially as from the crowd of provincial meetings which occur at this period of the year, space can only be found in these pages for those of the first class, or which involve more than mere local or temporary interest. For this reason mention was not made of the racing at Egham-which indeed was no great loss-Paisley, Derby, Eccles, Stourbridge, Taunton, Stirling, Canterbury, Rochester and Chatham, Morpeth, Weymouth, Barnet, Wilmslow, Ayr, cum multis aliis. Advancing into September we come to Lichfieldin days to which my memory turns with many a fair recollection, a pleasant place. A drought of nearly three weeks had baked most of the county courses as hard as "the kissing crust" of the rural loaves, and thin fields and diminished sport were the consequence. Thus while each of the days on Whittington Heath had its four races, five was the outside muster at the post for any of them. Axbridge, it must be said -but with all respect-comes within the class "Leather Plate:" may it have a happy deliverance! ditto Folkestone; but Radcliffe ranks among the legitimates. This sporting Lancashire tryst came off on the 9th, 10th, and 11th ult. It has a pretty course, plenty of rural patronage, and occupies a locality in which the taste for speculation in Olympics is not second to its more serious enterprize. There was nothing, however, in the three days' running to claim more particular reference. Knutsford cannot be passed without a word of memorial— pleasant English Knutsford! where, lang syne, we used to go forth for a race or two, and return to dinner and a bottle of claret or two (or three), and then go back and race the sun to bed, and then-ah! forbear, audacious minister! ink, flow not! pen, trace not! remember the warning of the oracle of Abbotsford-"Let byegones be byegones!"......Leicester Races occupied the 11th and 12th ult., with a sufficiently agreeable gathering for all whom it concerned. Townsfolk and country folk mingled together in hilarious good fellowship. I wish the same could be said of places of higher pretension. Lynn Races were near enough to the metropolis of the turf to command a good supply of currency, if only fair value be proposed in exchange......Totness and Bridgetown, the Liverpool Hunt Club Autumn Meeting Over Hoylake, Abingdon, Bungay, Cheadle, Dover-the very catalogue of localities without one item of their respective properties, is "a caution." as Jonathan says. And all this in a country going to the dogs! districts made desolate by the repeal of the corn laws; among people labouring without food or rest, and losing money by their toil-behold "Sport, that wrinkled Care derides, And Laughter, holding both his sides." In Where is the rural ruin of which so much is said and sung? Where are the farmers, the yeomen, the labourers who cultivate a graceless land, that refuses them bread in return for the sweat of their brows? In what nook or corner of rural England lies hidden the famine, the nakedness, the despair, whose universal existence is howled forth by venal voices ? Is this rural ruin proclaimed by the jovial troops of hearty husbandmen that gather together at the national merry-makings whose number is Legion? We now come to the most popular of all the autumnal meetingsDoncaster Races. Shakspeare speaks of "a tide in the affairs of men," which, suffered to pass without advantage being taken of its flood, henceforward all is "bound in shallows and in miseries." Homer is not the only poet who sometimes nods. The logic of the Swan of Avon is shown to be naught by the modern instance at issue. The once imperial Olympic Games of the north had dwindled, between apathy and mismanagement, to the shortest space, when, long after the tide of ebb had set in, there sprung up a favouring gale-a fair trade wind which bore them hourly against the current. But a few years back, and the Leger was on its last legs: in the season of 1850 it has arisen like a giant refreshed. The race of the Hambletonians is itself again. Indignant and invincible it arose. First came one hero of the Derby to the rescue then another-and last not least, Voltigeur-"the third is the charm.' Nothing like the late incursion upon the land of the Tykes is extant in men's memories. The onslaught cry was- York, you're wanted!" and lo! in millions they went forth, even in chariots drawn by fiery drag-ons. Since its first establishment," says one of the historians of the day-" the St. Leger was never witnessed by such an incalculable mass of human beings...... Thousands were disappointed, from the impossibility of obtaining carriages for their conveyance. This was especially the case at Sheffield, where, although any available carriage was pressed in the service, and loaded inside and out, an inmense crowd was left behind. At Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, York, and other populous localities north and south, extending from Edinburgh to London," (!!) "a similar spirit prevailed, and the excitement produced admits of no parallel"-not even Miss Lind's apotheosis by the Yankees. "Such was the crowded state of the special train on the Great Northern from London, that it was impossible to receive the throng waiting for conveyance at the intermediate stations-a remark equally applicable to trains proceeding in other directions, whether special or regular. To calculate on the number of persons thus wafted to their destinations is utterly beyond our powers, but judging from the influx of both sexes arriving on the platform at Doncaster, from an early hour in the morning till the afternoon had far advanced, there must have been between forty and fifty thousand. And when to these are added those who came by other conveyances, the assemblage may be described as unequalled in numerical extent. It was not, however, till all had assembled on the race-course, that any notion could be formed of their amount; and then, when viewed from the Grand Stand, it seemed perfectly miraculous that such a multitude could have been collected by human agency in so short a time, and from such distaut quarters. From the area around it was estimated that at least a hundred thousand persons were present." Faugh! "I stifle while I scribble, 'pon my soul!" Here we breathe to venture on a peep into the town......" The Subscription Rooms were opened early:" (do crocodiles shut their mouths against their prey ?)-" and were speedily thronged; while the congregation of anxious inquirers in front almost blocked up the High-street! after exposing themselves to the risk of being crushed under the wheels of vehicles of every description, which came in rapid succession, the travellers cheering most vociferously as they pursued their route"...... The gentle reader who accompanies me to Doncaster may judge from these particulars what he has to expect during his visit. Peradventure he might foregather with more worshipful company; but sayeth not Flaccus, Dulce est desipere in loco? Sunday the 15th ult. drew all the world and its mother to Hyde Park Corner. The Sabbatarians have not as yet burnt their fingers with Tattersall's......" Plate tin with gold"......There is something not quite tuneful to an English ear in the recitative of such passages as these......" In the golden age of the turf, the betting on the Sunday immediately preceding the races took place at Doncaster; but, thanks to the increased facilities afforded by the railways, this necessity has ceased, and business is carried on as usual at the Corner, and on Sunday last the assemblage in this locality was unusually numerous." 66 as With your leave, we will take up the thread of our narrative from the dawn of Monday the 16th. It was of course distinguished by a rendezvous at the scene of future action. The ground was hard as a hammer," according to the "touts." A good show of horses, however, rewarded the early birds; but the on dits then and there current would now be as flavourless as one of -'s jokes. The advent of the conquering hero may be worth mention, as emphatically infra dig. "Voltigeur arrived early on Monday afternoon......He was accompanied by his trainer and two London policemen, bringing not only his own corn, but two water-casks, filled from the Richmond pump.' As the day advanced the promise of sport grew with its growth. Teams continued to arrive from every point of the compass. men and horses" became hourly more and more in request, and a 66 Entertainment for |