The Express.
London, England, 1862-09-18 00:00:00

DONCASTER SEPTEMBER MEETING.

WEDNESDAY.-THE GREAT ST. LEGER DAY.

placing carnivals are the only greet festivals of the English
public, mid what the " Derby day" is to the metropolis the
St. Lager diiy" is to the millions of the vast manufactur-
ing districts of Yorkshire. The striking distinction in the
sharacter of the holiday-makers at Epsom and Doncaster
iti that the masses who crowd the Surrey hills think and
know little of the actual sport, while the crowds of spec-
tators who flock to the Dosimeter Town Moor are enthu-
siastically absorbed is the grand encounter, and are, almost
to a man, practically informed upon the chief incident of
the Jay. end learned in the lore of the Legere, from the
memorable encounter of Fah° da Puta and Charles the
Twelfth down to the exciting struggle of Caller On and
Kettledrum. At Dencaster there is none of that wild, exu-
berant, and uproarious tun which bursts out at Epsom, hut
the sense of enjoyment at Doncaster assumes • hearty and
exhilarating appreciation of the majored pastime in all its
exciting phases. The " St. Lager week" has for many yeas
been regarded as the last grand turf reunion of the year,
and during the interval the most ardent devotee of double-
barrels or " breech-loaders" forgets "the birds" and the
stubble, and makes his way to the clean and pretty little
south Yorkshire town. In this respect the present meeting
has fully sustained its ancient prestige, for • larger eon-
coarse of noble sportsmen were certainly never present to
witness the last important three-year-old contest of the '
season ; and probably • more interesting St. Leger never
occupied their thought*. The rime is invariably regarded
with especial interest, from its confirming or contradicting
the truth of "the Derby" running. It is seldom that the
great Epsom event pines over without some question and
mairoversies being nixed as to the genuineness of the issue,
and there was no departure from the rule on the present
anniversary. Carectacus's victory over the Marquis was, by
the friends of the latter, declared to be nothing more than " •
finks." and it had been stoutly maintained that, from his
jockey not having sufficient command, the horse had wore
himself out before coming to the finish. Ceder this impression
the Marquis has with little deviation from the period of the
"Derby lay" held the position of first favourite. Canie•
tech, however, bore closely upon his heels until some few
weeks since, when, as the turf phrase is, be became " fishy"
the market, arid liedly was driven to 100 to 1, ad ulti-
mately scratched, owing to his having injured the ligaments
of his forelegs. With Caractecus out of the question, there
still existed a fresh soave of disputation among the fol-
lowers of racing as to the truth of the Marquis and Buck-
stooe's running second and third at Epsom, as the partisans
of the latter have always insisted that his chance was ins-
'sired by sundry "cannoning." and misadventures in the
neatest on the 4th of June. Then Argunaut's admirers
ascribed his defeat at Epsom to his backward condition, and
satin trusted him, reposing every confidence in the dan-
gerous and somewhat mysterious Sir Joseph Hawley. who is
perhaps more often to be feared when his animals agplat:
least formidable than at any other moment. John Sc
hiaddition to the mighty Marquis, bad Hurricane—the
former Oaks favourite—engaged, and she was Lacked for
large amounts and spoken of cautiously, from the renowned
Yorkshire trainer's skill in effecting surprises. Her defeat
in the fillies' race at Epsom was also declared to be altoge-
ther inconsistent with her actual merits. tJarisbrook, too,
who was formerly trained by John Scott, but sold out of the
stable from his reputed bad temper, also appeared upon the
acme as a formidable rival to the favourites, for at Ascot
this year, Laving become " Rareyfied" in disposition, and
having made tremendous improvement. he came out to the
astonishment of the sporting world, and won three MIMS.
sive engagements in tree style of a first-class roe-hone.
Among the outsiders was the celebrated thoughuufortunate
Old Calabar, believed to be the best 2-yr-old of last seaway
and who was lamed villanously, it is feared, so an to pro-
vost his running for the Two Thousand Guineas in the
awing. Exchequer, Johnny Armstrong, Warminster, and
Iniperatrice were looked upon by some as not at all nu-
' likely to overthrow the best of the competitors for at
Doncaster it has been constantly found as hazardous: to
pat "faith" in favourites as "in princes." The Mart is
had previously met and defeated nearly all the horses likely
to be brought out for the St Leger this season and the last,
and having won all his 2-yr-old engagements'. the Two
Thousand, and been second for the Derby, he was upon
his public merits fully entitled to the position he occupied
as the reigning favourite. Thus is will be seen that the
St. Leger decided this day was not deficient in exciting ele-
ments, and no wonder that almost before daylight people
began to arrive until the streets were swarmed, and the
large space in front of the betting rooms blocked up
with an almost impenetrable body of men, anxious to ascer-
tain the latest state of the odds, and if possible glean from
them who emerged from the crammed subscription room
if anything had befallen the favourites. Before proceeding
to the details of the day it may be well to election the
features of the midnight betting which preceded the 86th
St. Leger. The subscription room began to fill early iii the
erasing, but nothing of importance occurred until close
amp midnight, when the Marquis evinced much greater
firmness, whilst, on the contrary, the disposition to operate
against Buekstone caused Mr. Merry's colt to retrograde
slightly in the Letting. Cariebrook gas firmly supported by
his owner, but nevertheless became no better favourite. An
increased feeling in favour of the Stockwell colt reduced the
adds which had been offered against Lord Glasgow's horse.
Without any heavy outlay, Impel-atria) was made a leading
featureof theadvancedones, andthenumerous inquines about
Old Calabar induced the bookmakers to reduce the aids they
had previously offered against Sir it. Bulkeley'e champion.
The arrival of the acceptances for the Cesarewitch and Cam-1
Iridgeshirehandicam creatad much curiosity, and scratching,
for the St. Leger were also eagerly inquired lifter' but the
only notable animals who had had the pen put through
their names were Ace of Clubs. Welcome, and Costa, whose
absence, however, created no surprise whatever, as they bad
taken no prominent position in the betting returns. A more
beautiful morning never opened upon the wishes of holiday
seekers ; the air was fresh and even bracing, and the sun
delightfully tempered it, with alight breezes. Towards mid-
day, however, the sky became overcast with heavy
clouds, but the day was altogether favourable to the sport.
The scene at the railway station was almost beyond descrip-
tion, and the immense excursion trains from London, Shef-
field, Leeds. Huddersfield, and Bradford seemed to dis-
gorge upon the platform the population for a Babylon. The
shrill screech of engine whistles, the thundering rush of the
locomotives, the vociferation of fiymeo, the cries of the
eared-nellers, and the clatter of pedestrians upon the pave-
ments made a perfectly bewildering din of confusion. The
betting-room was of course the centre of attraction, and
amid the stifling atmosphere, the smoke of rank cigars,
speculation was carried on, and the odds taken to hundreds
and hundreds of pounds, although the morning's trauma-
tines were not nearly of the extent of former years.
It would require a powerful pen to depict faithfully the
scene upon the course. Up to the very moment appointed
upon the card for the decision of the St. Leger, people con-
bayeder, to pour on to the course, advehicles of all kinds
crowded the road leading to the back of the grand stand,
from the summit of which floated several of the national

standard of England. The betting ring was crammed. and
the stewards' and private stands presented • remarkable
array of distinguished persons. Bat time will not permit us
to compile a list of " fashionables." l'pnn the outside of
the course the Town Moor was crowded with pedestrians,
and altogether the spectacle had no parallel except on the
Derby Day. Racing was appointed to commence at 1.30,
at which time two animals only contested the Municipal
Stakes, the favourite. Clarion, winning easily ; and the sue.
seeding event, the Handicap, commenced the excitement of
the day by a dead heat between Barchettineaud Donnybrook.
Little attention was, however, bestowed by the geoend
body of the spectators on the two opening events,
sad the repeated shouts from the ring of "I'll bet
300 to 100 against the Marquis," plainly told
that the bookmaker' had still • strong prejudice against the
favourite; but, on the other hand, the veteran John Scott
was neutering among the nobility, and quietly protesting
that his horse would be victorious, though the followers of
Yr. Merry seemed equally sang tine that their " boy in
yellow would win the day." The grand event waa ap-
pended for 2.45, and Mr. blanoing. the active clerk of the
males, pushed the business on so indurtriously, that the
Leger jockeys were "scaled" in capital time. Much inte-
rest was manifested to ascertain the runners, and the tele.
graph apparatus was surrounded by • large number of
people. who were busily engaged "ticking off" upon their
earls the actual starten. Twenty-six were "coloured,"
the absentees being (No, 7), colt by Barlett', dam by
Pyrrhus the Firel, ; (9) c by Y. Melbourne ; (14) Veteran,;
(111)The Knave ; (17) Victrix ; (18) Biocide& ; (21 IstcYdro
M) Keane ; (73) Mtaple Oak ; sod (26) Berths. Thus
Mesa came out to do battle. the jnumber of runners being
billow that of bat year. Betting up to the finish
ye mated few notable changes, but Buclartone became
slightly favourite at 3to 1, while 100 to 30 was had against
the Marquis. When the horses emerged from the saddling
snakenre, the utmost excitement prevailed, and each fa.