The Express.
London, England, 1865-11-30 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGENOE•

CROYDON STEEPLECHASES.
(moat oun ors connesrotredwr.)
Croydon, yesterday, wan an admirable specimen
of • cockney holiday. The sport was steeplechasiug, thll par-
ticipators in it Londoners purr et simple, the enthusiasm,
pleasures. and associations, all such as could only he seen
within • few miles of the metropolis. The weather wan
heavy and doll, the ground so loaded and sloppy that thou-
sands of spectators stood ankle deep lir • thick slime, which
wantoan compared to the mud at Balaclava ; but the
spor Was good, and the enjoyment so keen as to furnish
one more proof were any needed of that deep instinctive
attachment to the horse which is such an integral part of
the national character. The fields which were yesterday
appropriated to steeplechasing were well suited for the par-
pose. The grand stand, the betting ring, the fringe of
eating and drinking booths and list-keepers' temporary
offices, the broughams end carriages parodying the famous
hill-side at Epsom, the last jumps, and thewiening-post itself,
were all on the brow of a gentle acclivity, commanding, even
through the purple winter haze of yesterday, an extensive
view of a thoroughly English landscape. Here for several
hours • good-tempered, jovial crowd were assembled. The
booths for luncheons and dinners seemed to be priecipally '
owned by ex-heroes of the prize rieg, and Inch names as '
Alec Keene, Jemmy Welsh, and, others met the observer
at every turn. Within them the scene was curious and
suggestive. Long tables, at which were seated a mixed
company of City clerks, pugilists, betting men, groom%
gentlemen, tradespeople, and rough-looking vagabonds whose
characters were anythiag but dubious, stretched from ere
end of the booth to the other ; while • gory joint was
being dexterously dissected, and huge portions of bleeding.
creasy meat being rapidly handed round end devoured.
There was neither hesitation nor nicety ae to aceepting
what was proffered. Now and then aome ultra-fastidious
pereon--always one whose appearance wee the lead re-
potable —isolated upon "more lean," or " leas burnt
part," but the rule was to receive gratefully, to pay
largely and silently, and to devour with all possible speed.
The *angular good temper of every one present was not
the least remarkable feature of the day. The crowding
was rather festive than hostile, and se in each booth we
visited some mighty man of war—the hero of many a ring
side—was seated with his little crew of sdmiriog satellites
clustered round him, it was curious to note bow
completely the classes represented, even when " poor Tom's
sale" was named, entered into the spirit of the hour.
The races themselves were commenced end concluded
much after the fashion in which races are invariably gone
through. The jumps, or such of them as were near the
stand, were taken with the monotonous saes of the bold
to:hunter at Astley's, the brushwood at the top of the last
one " giving " with a compliant readiness which
strengthened the comparison. The great race of the day,
for which more than a dozen horses started, and on which
large sums depended, was, of comma, not won by the
favourite. Out of the handsome cluster of horses whit*
started up the hill, bet three or four came in within mode-
rate distance of each other at the finish, and the soiled
jackets of the lagging riders and the limping of some of
the distanced steeds spoke painfully to the severity of the
struggle in the fields hidden by the fir-crowned brow.
When " the certainty" was found to be falsified by n•
salts dismay predominated, until the people, who had
come out fur enjoyment rather than speculation, set up a
mighty shoat, and coogreddations on " gameness" super-
seded moans over defeat. Then the vast multitude—mer-
chants, local residents, shopboya, betting men, pagilida.
publicans. grooms, clerks, and countrymen—turned 'Mk
one accord to the gate, still carefully guarded by the polies,
and once more plunging bodily through the mud, emerged,
bespattered, draggled, dirty, bat joyous, to scramble to one
of the little stations, where they indulged in rough chaff,
turf talk, and horse play, till the buoy officials succeeded in
packing them off to town.

(FROM GETEI SPORTING COSSESPONDINT.)
The attraction of the principal handicap drew a very large
attendance, notwithstanding that the weather wee of the
most diaagreeable description. All interest oentred in the
decision of the principal event of the meeting, epos which
some very extensive speculation had taken place durieg
the week. Fourteen numbers were hoisted on the tele-
graph board, but, even in the face of such • field. L'Afrioain
maintained his position of first favourite, even money being
very freely invested. Every particular of the race will be
found below ; enfine it to soy that at the moment when
L'Africain was apparently going to the front he fell on his
heed in the middle of a field, from the heavy nature of
the ground, and tuning a oomplete summersault, be was
not remounted, and walked' into the paddock smothered
is mud from his heed to his heel. Hu,fall let up Old
Oswastry, who had been going well, and who always maw
pied a good position throughout the race, and he wos is a
canter from Cortolvin, the latter, after making pearly all
the running, tiring very much in the last quarter of a mile.
The following is a full return of the day's sport :
Tin STAND PLATE of 40 sore ; winners extra. About
two miles and • half.
Mr. lialfora's The Hornet, by Lord of the Wes—Wasp,
6 yrs, list7th (Griffiths) I
Major Plinths Disappointed (late the Objected), 6 )11.
104 (Mr. Grant) I
Mr. Green's Sir Robert, 6 yrs, Ilst Ith (C. Boit* 3
The following also ran Tiptop. Bravo, Oscar, Lucky Star.
and Kiugfitber.
• 5 to 2 apt Disappointed, 3 to 1 apt Sir Robert,
andikflettuot each apt The Horset and Tiptop.
A Section HANDICAP of 3 son. each, with 20 added;
the winner to he to
ld for 40 eon. About two miles.
Mr. B. Land's Ace Trumps, by Ring of Trumps—Free
Gift, 6 yrs, Itut (Stales) 1
Sir C. Tattenall's AmelM Ann, 4 yrs, 11.471 b . (J. New',
Mr. Hamlin's Idiot, aged, Hai 71b (6l.r. =sea) $
Panther also ran,
Betting : Eves on Au of Trumps, and 10 to 1 (at IRA 7
to 4) apt Idiot. An of Trumps, after running • qurter
of • mile, took a strong lead, and, never being caught, yea
in a canter by 40 lengths from Amelia Ana. Idiot walked
in third ; Panther beaten off. The winner wee bought by
Mr. Merton for 71 guineas.
Tag GaaND MITROPOLITAN STPdPLECEIASZ HANDICAP
of 20 son. each, 10 ft, with 200 added ; wieners extra.
About three mites and • half.
Mr. Halford's Old Oswestry. 6 yrs, lOst rib .... (Griffith.) 1
Mr. Carew's Cortolvin, 6 yrs, Ilst Mb ' Mr. Y..dwards. 2
Mr. T. Dolby, Church Militant, 6 yrs, list 2lb 'W heeler) 3
The following also ran L'Africstne (late Folsndrti. (•dy Fos,
Balder, Globule, Goldfinder, Benaset (late Gentilhomme), Farn-
borough, Arlescott, Laura, Goshawk, and Rochester (late Atla-
ntan,.
Ball Court wee struck out at 220 pan.
Betting: Eves on L'Africaine,p3 to 1 apt Bennet, 100 to
9 apt Old Oswestry, 100 to 8 each apt Conolyin,
Bl
Fox, Goldfioder, and Farnborough, 100 to 7 opt Laare, 100 I
to 6 eget Church Militant, 20 to 1 each apt Balder sad
Globule, 30 to 1 each apt Rochester aad Advent. The
fourteen competitors having taken their preliminary ean.
tars, were started at the first attempt, Globule immediatoiYi
rushing to the frost and leading past the Stand, followed
by Old Oswestry, Church Militant, Cortolvin, and L'Afri.
Gain • but after going a couple of hundred yards, Globule I
disappeared; from the front, and Cortolvin assumed the I
Lmend. Church Militant going on snood, followed by
fricain and Old Oswestry. They ran past the Stand in
the same order at a great pace, the most promiuent of the
next division being Laura, Sly Fox, and Bennet, running
abreast. Goshawk sad Arlin:on were outpeced.after going
• mile, and were toiling. hopeleeely, a lug way in the rear.
Little varistioe occurred in the second round till reaching
the Stand, where Old Oswestry ran into wooed place, fol-
lowed by the favourite, who was going well, end pang
double. The rear was brought op by Arleosott and One.
hawk, who were stopped, and walked into the
enclosure, being beaten off. Going across thelidq
lo
L'Africein shot past Old Oswestry, and was going or
pursuit of Cora:grin as they disappeared behind the bill •
but here the limonite met with such a mishap that his
chance was extinguished, for while crowing • field he
floundered on the heavy ground, and falling heavily oe hie
head turned a complete summersault, burying his heed in
the mud ; but although shaken it was extremely lucky that
George Holman, his jockey, sustained no injury. Old
Oswestry now was the only antagonist to Cortolvia (for
Laura, Beeaset, and Balder had all coins to grief), and
rushing to the front a quarter of • mile from home Old
Odin:try took such • lead that be landed in the winning
field defeatedths in front of Cortunin, whom be even.
tuallywith the greatest ease by ten leaphs,
Church Milligan struggled home third, • ling way behind
the second, and Globule went the entire cures, but
nothing else passed the post
A plate of 50 soya, did not produce • race.