The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-04 00:00:00

TO TIM Eon!' OT TBll RITOZO/1.

SlR,—Tbe two days Twang at York were only
remarkable for the brilliant form displayed by Adventurer
in the Great Northern and tibias Dutchman's Handicaps,
as in both be proved himself • first elate horse, his perform.
ewes being some twenty pounds better than we might have
anticipated after him Epsom running. Salisbury was not
productive of incident, the Derby not being speculated upon
tithe extent that hes been noticed in former years,

,
a▪
lthough the striking out of Automaton was not known by
the talents present. It created a greateensetion io London,
and for twenty-four hours was sot believed, many
thinking the Hews. Weatherby bad been hoaxed,
or that some error had been committed, for the
horse was reported to his many friirods as doing
well on Thursday ; but it is now said he broke away at
exercise early on Friday morning, threw the lad that was on
him, and severely iojured himself before caught ; and as he
was always • most awkward brute to ride, the story is
generally believed to be too true. Happening as it did, the
" aobblers "had not • chance of getting • guinea out of him,
owing to the promptness of Lord Stamford in having him
struck out ; at.the time, the stable could not save any of the
money put on the horse for the Derby, and everybody must
sympathise with his lordship for hie disappointment, which
is doublylgalling when following so closely oo the break-
down of Brick on the eve of the Two Thousand.

The Cheater programme is large enough in extent, and
the 29 prizes advertised would be of sufficient value to at-
tract large fields, did they not threaten to clash so much
OM with the other. No fewer than ten minor
handicaps are already completed, and some of them are
so peculiarly coostructed that they really do not
deserve good fields, it being unsafe at this writing to, touch
upon more than the lot contested on the first day, the chief
of which are the Wynnatay, " nearly • mile," and the
Chesterfield, seven furlongs. In the last namrrl for three-
yr-olds only, the Mountain Maid filly has 6st 10Ib, and Erin-
go.Bragh, 7st 41b ; while in the Wynnstay the filly has
fist 121 b to the Irishman's fist 81b, sod it is impossible to
think otherwise than that the handicapper has road* • great
mistake. The filly looks literally turned loose in the Ches-
terfield, as u also Marigold, Est 21b, so far aer public form
may be followed, and they should frighten • great many
from the starting post, as it looks really • match between
the two, unless Binifinder, fist 61b, is the good horse they
think him at Middleham. In the Wynnatay the three-yr.
olds have considerably the worst of the weights, with such a
trio en Alchymist, 4 yrs, 7st (or Merry Maid, 4 yrs, fist 81b);
Heroics, 3 yrs, 6st 12Ib ; and Brilliant, syra, 7st 12111, in
the field; but if Antipodes, 3 yrs, fist, u wanted for the
half-mile 50/. Plate, I know not where the old one is to
wine from that can beat him. The Palatine Cup Stakes,
one mils and • half, would not be a bad Chester Cup trial if
Bonny Breast Knot, 4 yes, 7st 41b; Valentine, 3 yrs,
bat 41b; Serf, 3 yrs, Est 21b; and Lady Superior, 3 yrs,
sat I3lb, met; but the four-year-olds haveonly Valentine to
fear on public form. The other events are out of my lati-
tude.

The Tradesmen's Plate, or Chester Cup, has been what
is termed a bad betting race, those that were first intro-
cooed into the market having kept their positions so
steadily that the layers have had • fearful time of it, and
it lies been impossible for much money to be got ou the
cracks, es in the days of St. Albans, Leamington, Joe Miller,
Ito., when fortunes were won by several without doing the
ring serious harm. W. Day's formidable stable has Ind
in the market, sheavyspeenlator hevingstopped Dr.
Syntax (supposing him to be • good bone) by taking 40,C30
to 1,030 about him of the " wrong party, and Woodyeates
will not be represented, unless by the treacherous Catch .'ens.
alive. Gadding's stable, too, is without • favourite, only
Black Deer sad Amdahl ever being backed, and they are now
autos( the "kaocked out," it being doubtful whether the
latter will run ; and Lad Stamford is supposed not to run
either of his four, dangerous se they all looked at one time.
Mr. Hughes might run a couple M. Philippe and Real Jam,
the latter being "doubtful, Sir Joaeph Hawley Asteroid
and Cowley ; the Frenchmen Stradella and Valentine (the
latter to make running) ; and T. S. Dawson's stable Had.
dington and Serf ; but Mr. Merry may not run both
Buckstone and Knave, or Lad St. Vincent Zet-
land and Bahian, the starting of Buckstone and
Reiland being very doubtful ; and there has been
nothing done to shoe Mr. Saxon intends running
either Double Xor lady Superior. The Plover, Caller On,
Dunkeld, Gardener, (humeri's°, Fitz• Ana, Amelia, Fantail,
Ben Webster, Forester, lady of the Isles, Erin-go-Bregh,
Hartingtoo, Port Royal, and Contralti' are the only others
that are talked about as likely to figure at Chester, and I
have my doubts about all the list-named seven, despite the
price Bea was brought to one day last week. Thus, at the
outside, more than twenty starters cannot be expected, and
the only animals really in the market are Stradella, Caller
Os, the Plover, Asteroid, Haddington, the Serf. Dunkeld,
Gardener, the Knave, Camerino, H.Philippe, and Fits-Avon,
although previous to their defeats this season Cowley, Buck.
stone. 7..etland, Fantail, sad Amelia were all entrusted with
"good money," and should they seethe starter among be in-
cluded with the above dozen as "going for the money."
But there is no question about StradeUs, Caller On
and Dunkeld having all the best of the weights, so far as
recent public performances can tell us ; and nothing appears
to me capable of splitting the trio, unless Camerino and M.
Philippe have returned to their old forms, this latter pair
affording the only charm of bookmakers getting oqt of
their difficulty. It is but a forlorn hope for them, as
Canaria° is an infirm horse, and might fall lame in the
race, which he did more than once last Deana ; while the
old borne appeared to be used up years ago. The three
cracks—Stradella, Caller On, and Dunkeld—l have • liking
fain the order named, the favourite hating the beet of
the weights with both t_he others. _ _

The Biennial and the Sweepstakes look like "good things"
for Flying Fish and Fantastic; and the Dee Stakes, oti
Thursday, may reduce itself to a match between Borealis
and Avondale, the latter for choice, for Newchurch, Falcon,
BirdAnder, Lady Superior, Overture, Trump Queen, and
Bohemian, are the best of their opponents. The only other
item that can claim attention is the Stewards' Cup, decided
on Friday, for which Stradella, should she win the Chester
Cup, will have only Fairwater and Asteroid to fear.—
I ars, Au, METEOR.