The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-23 00:00:00

TO TEI VIDITOR 01 TEI 1111116.

Six,—After the first part of the season had
brought to light such performers as Lady Elizabeth,
Athena, Leonie, Formosa, Contemp., Europa, Suffolk,
Blue Gown, Rosicrucian, Le Sarra, and TT le it
might naturally be supposed there was little room for
many more ; yet there were several clippers waiting for
the autumn, and during the second half of the year the
above were pretty nearly matched by Green Sleeve, Lady
' Coventry, Virtue, Beauty, Pace, Typhceus, The Earl,
Banditto, Michael de Basco Court Mantle, and Bel
Giorgio. But I am anticipating ; and, to " take up the
running " from the Newmarket July week, must not over-
look the lesser lights, one of these Balsam° showing to ad-
vantage at Reading, when he beat Grimston (penalised
51b., and all the worse for the dressings Lady Elizabeth
had given him), and the mystifying Lictor. Thiswas the
most important wove during the four data in Berke, Orion's
defeat of Pyrenees and Milton, with Veda's easy overthr owof
her troublesome Windsor opponent, Maesderwen, in the
Hungerford Stakes, being fully expected by the know-
somethings, who were also prepared by the betting for La
Illouette's Nursery success. Passing over Pontefract and
Liverpool, and merely noting that Orion took higher
honours than ever at Nottingham, by his easy upset of
Charnwood and Vex, I am carried on to Knutaford and
Stamford. The Earl took his first degree at the latter
fashionable resort, giving plenty of weight to the useful
Chivalry and Patti, and proving himself a far better hone
than the 2,500-guinea Angus, who just suoceeded in win.
sing a tithe of his purchase-money by • head from Wild
Blood. In Cheshire, IA Monett' created • sensation by
beating Charuwood, two other prizes also falling to the
share of this promising daughter of Voltipur, who was
beaten by a " duffer" three or four days afterwards at
Radcliffe, where her stable companion Uncu, just to keep
her in countenance, figured behind the plating Lady
Diana, Europa and Seesaw travelling to Win-
chester and Southampton (where Chivalry won
both Nurseries), they had it all their own
way, the colt showing in his best form when
he beat Ninny six lengths, two days before which
he had figured second under a crushing weight in a
Nursery at Huntingdon—the scene of the uaed•up Grim.
stone last effort. We did not see many fresh faces at
Goodwood, the principal winners on the contrary, being
all old friends. Idaho, improved since the July week,
was good enough for the Ham, it being her good fortune
to meet • far inferior lot to the seven that met Athena for
the Levant, this filly running so soberly that she very
easily defeated the " backward^ Bel Giorno, Innerdale,
Balsamo, Le Sarrazin, Vale Royal, Dulcet, and CapA•Pie,
thereby regaining the prestige she lost in the July week.
Rabican, haying nothing better than Vale Royal and
Phaetoa to oppose him, " walked in" for the Findon, Lord
Stamford's ally not being at his best about this time, or
he must have finished further before Phaeton, a colt want-
ing more time even than his stable companion Bel Giorno.
The Parson next enrolled himself among the win-
ners, and pleased his friends very much afterwards,
when he ran • good second for • Triennial to
Formosa's bad third, Tregeagle being the winner.
But the filly was all wrong now, and it was scarcely judi-
cious to pull her out under the circumstantial. Bncou•
raged by what Bel Giorno and Phaeton had done for them,
and by the improvement Banditto had made since Ascot,
the Viroodyeates division stood their Banditto heavily
against the 51b. penalised Europa and Le Sarrazin for the
Molecomb, and he just got home by • head, following up
which form he overthrew Innerdale, Maeallwch, and •
sumo very easily on the last day. There was only the
Nursery now left to introduce us to a new member, and it
happened that the three oft-defeated, lightest•weighted,
and most heavily backed—Paul Jones, Kingaland, and
Eastby— beat all comers, their parties having worked the
oriole so cleverly that they each had about a stone the
best of the remainder. Weather Isle's upset of Vex and
Belphegor for the March Stakes was only a consequence of
their getting the worst of the start ; and the latter's party
showed they still possessed some excellent youngsters
when Contempt beat Banditto, with Forest King and
Philosopher, at Brighton. This was Philosopher's first
appearance, and be showed there was morns stuff
in him before the week was out, by, with
the weights a little more in his favour, not only taming
the tables on Contempt, but beating Teda, See Saw, and
others very cleverly. Veda had previously created • great
stir by beating Speculum, who yet won his race in good
style at Lewes. Here Leonia made • lot of head-way,
Orion and Speculum having no chance against her in the
Cup, for all their pull insthe weights, and-Retty:did a good
thing in the Nursery, though Beauty, giving her but 71b,
ought undoubtedly to have won her autumn form showing
quite • 2st improvement. The Dunbar: people made
great mistakes at both the Sussex meetings, Mr. Brigp
having no chance against the turned-loose and well-kept
Cecil in the Brighton Nursery, and See-Saw only beating
Ninny at Lewes after • dead heat ; but younpters cannot
run on for ever, and the son of Margery Daw may give •
better account of himself next season.

Whilst the southern division were so busy teaching
the young idea, they were almost standing still up
north, and going as slowly at Ripon—where Mr,
Bowes won with Thankful and Merry.and-Wise—as
at any of their earlier meetings, and without any ex-
cuse, the Tykes were still madly at a discount. There was
no Plaudit to greet us the following week, at Stockton,
where only the old hands distinguished themselves, with
the exception of Mercury, Kingaland, and Russian Bear
having each given the "tip" beforehand what they might
do sonic day; and they could send nothing to Wolver-
hampton to measure Gnosis, who, by defeating Lady
Highthorn, Ninny, and Vale Royal so easily, more than
wiped out the stain of his Radcliffe disgrace. In the
Black oountry, Beauty was again a hot one, and won the
Staffordshire Nursery with 2 to 1 on her, picking up
another plum at Oxford on her way home, though among
a most indifferent lot, barring Paul Jones. It was for
Watson, of Richmond, to first checkmate one of the south
country cracks, as he brought out a very clever filly,
aptly named Quality, for the Convivial at York, and she
beat Tregeagle, with a goodly proportion of her 71b advan-
tage in the weights to spare, showing herself most un-
doubtedly the beet young Voltigeur out. Mercury next
did good battle for Yorkshire in the New Fairfield
Stakes, allowing that he ought not to have beaten
Uncas ; but further they could not go, Janet Raweliffe,
Lady Highthom, Thunderstorm (suddenly improved since
I Stockton), Belfast, Pompano, Vale Royal, and the Earl
being the best performers. The latter came out in his true
colours at last, beating such a troublesome-looking French-
man as Ouragan over a mile, and easily, being a great per-
formance ; and another much improved gentleman was
Vale Royal, who won his two races without showing any
symptoms of that softness displayed in all his previous
races when the pinch came. At any rate, by so summarily
disposing of Innerdale and Lady Highthorn be showed
how radially wrong were his doings at Goodwood and
Wolverhampton ; and to gauge his form through Suffolk,
it will not do to think too meanly of his Newmarket con-
queror), Typhmus, because only three parts of a length
divided them. The fortnight between York and Doncaster
is generally a dull one to three watching two-year-olds,
except for nursery, purpoess, few of any account that
are to be seen being well and wanted ;" and it is suffi-
cient that I should observe how Heather Bell, Helder,
Weather Isle, Ligurian, Redivivus, Mariner, Formosa,
Orion, Cation, Lily, The Earl, and Veda distin-
guished themselves. Formosa made a great hit
at Abingdon, the way she beat Orion, without
her sex allowance, confirming the statement that
she was amiss at Goodwood ; and the Earl also gave
a wonderful account of himself, the way be ran with
Redivivus at Warwick, giving him 331 b. and also defeated
Veda, still further improving hischarac4r, especially after
Veda had run a respectable three-year-old like Python to
a head over six furlongs, giving him no leas than 121 b.

Doncaster, that so many had been anxiously looking for.
ward to, showed the Tykes to some advantage at last,
albeit there was no brilliant south-country flyer to tackle
them, and it is worthy of note that in the great all-aged
races the elder horses gave none of the two-year-olds •
chance, Friponnier running clean away from Beauty, Spe-
culum, Cottyto (who beat the Parson for the Municipal),
and Mercury in the FitzwWiam and Eglinton, whilst the
Portland Plate saw Belphegor behind Bounosaway, with
all his stone the best of the weights. Athena held her
own in the Filly Stakes, and another old hand, Blue Gown,
displayed • decided superiority to all comers in the Cham-
pagne, as he won by threeperts of alength after being"dis-
appointed," and carrying a few pounds overweight. By his
disqualification Virtue became triumphant, although it
Is questionable whether Parry could not have just screwed
in Bel Worn* had he thought the second place worth
trying for, and it is more from what this splendid daughter
of Stockwell and granddaughter of Laneecost promises that
I anticipate so much of her next season. There were some
good horses behind the trio just named, the soft Iron-
muter, Vale Royal, Mameluke, and Pace to wit ; and
thus the Gown looked • " clinker" until his ignominious
defeat over the seven furlongs on the last day of the meet-
ing, when Pace, Court Mantle and Michael de Bean were
all • long way before him. An improvement on the part
of the two latter was here apparent, for Pace bad pre-
viously put the Champagne running aside by beating the
Earl and Ironmaster very cleverly, his winning two such
long races as he did in the space of 24 hours giving him the
character of the best staying bone of his year. Minnie
Warren and Welton won the brace of handicaps so popu-
lar always at Doncaster ; but the latter having died since,
their doings become of no importance ; nor did any of the
minor events tell us anything new beyond the fact of Bal-
sam° having gone to the bad, Vex and Lily leaving him a
long way behind in • scramble.

Until the Troy Stakes and the Middle Park Plate were
established, it often occurred that we had no new sensa-
tion after the Doncaster week, and there were certainly
many meetings held during last September and October
that are drnwn blank for the purpose I have on hand.
For instance, all the many gatherings in Scotland taught
us, worth storing up, was that Weather Isle could beat
Minnie Warren at even weights, and Bel Giorno "make
mincemeat " of Quality ; again, the most important of the
other doings northwards were the defeat of Frolicsome by
Evelina, and the disgrace of the vaunted Giant des
Batailles, at Richmond ; and the bad winning race of
Lord Palmerston, at Cheltenham, with the still further
falling off of Maesderwan, at Northampton, comprise the
only remaining items of the slightest interest. However,
to make amends, the three weeks' propedinp at bead-
filmier, were most eventful, nanny of the Wtnowledged

" crack' of the season " being ganged pretty well, in des-
pite of Sir Joseph Hawley taking me Reath on his shoul-
dm; with Blue Gown, Aasicrucoan, and Green SWIM.
The first-named ran:up to his Champagne form in the
Clearwell, beating St. Bona' so very easily that he left
Newmarket with quite as good a certificate as that
Green Sleeve obtained when she beat the Saint
in the Prendergast. Virtue, furthermore, ran as well
with the filly is she had done with the colt at Doncaster,
looking at the imposts, as she was second, beaten half •
length only. Fourth to Green Sleeve, we had Ouragan,
with 716 the best of the weights, Suffolk finishing last ;
so that as the Earl could not give the Frenchman 121 b.
when they met, his pretensions were depreciated, and by
consequence those of Pace and Court Mantle too—the
latter, by-the-bye, running an arrant rogue when beaten
for • good stake by Michael de Bosco, to whom Rosicru-
cian could have given quite a stone in the Troy the day
before. The Earl it is true, was stale " last back-end," as
is instanced by his succumbing to Suffolk in the third
week after running away from hum in the first, and which
running will doubtless deter " Sir Joseph" from placing
any reliance on Xi's overthrow of the Danebury second
string ; still, there was no making Suffolk out, for he only
ran well when not becked, and in one case did such a thing
with Lionie as would make him second to none but for the
excuse that this filly was amiss at the time. Pace went to
the dogs on his own account twice, Athena running
a severe race with him over six furlongs, and
Typliceus disposing of him most summarily afterwards,
he being actually lengths behind Vale Royal in the
latter case. But for Lord Stamford's colt having been in
the way, the son of Typee would have taken the highest
honours through his victory ; and as he will make • much
better three-year-old, with ordinary luck, than the ordi-
nary run of colts that have shown about the same form,
. the green " must be admirably represented next season,
what with Count Batthyany's jacket and Sir Joseph
Hawley's " Sleeve." Typhceus ran fast for a long way in
the Biddle Park Plate, but was too " backward " for such
a finished lot of scholars as Green Sleeve, Roaicrucian,
Lady Coventry, Formosa, and Lady Elizabeth, who ran
home pretty chme together, and at such weights as make
them "all of a heap,"with the exception of Lady Coventry,
and she will improve more than any other of the quintet
by next May. Lady Elizabeth's subsequent overthrow of
Julius at 916 made this a crack lot, and it will depend
mainly on the length of the °mune as to which will win
when they meet next season. Among the tuiplaced for the
rich prize there were two colts for whom time may do
greateythings ; and there were many of the same
out, as usual, during the autumn cam-
paign at headquarters more especially in the minor
affairs, though it will be quite sufficient that I should
take cognizance of them when they are likely to
be wanted in 'CM. In fact, to descant at all upon what
occurred at the Newmarket October reunions is almost
superfluous, seeing bow recently they had to be reviewed ;
and to relate how Clarion beat the dead-amiss Seesaw,
Beauty did such great things, the useful Belfast took a
winning diploma, and UllOlll settled Tregeagle easier
than Athena did ; or how Gloire de Dijon, Inspiration,
Corinne, Ritualist, St. Angela, Clemenos, Ifaivete, Ado-
ainda, Pompter, Bessie Dixon, Parson, Rhine Vine,
Mysotis, • Bab at the Bowater filly, Noyau, Slander,
Franchise, Yardarm and Lector, came out strong, would
only be overtaxing the reader's attention. The same may
be said of the November meetings, which simply showed
the Last Rose of Summer and Nelly Rose in their true
colours, and would have done nothing else that could
create more than a passing interest, had not Leonie accom-
plished such a wonderful thing with Knight of the
Garter, Bounceaway, and Liddington in a cup at Shrews-
bury, raising the supposition that this years crack two-
year-olds are the best we have had for • long time. These
nave only to be handicapped for my analysis to be sim-
ple*, and this is • task I shall amuse myself with (pre-
paratory to entering into the Derby, tsc..} for the next few
days, whilst promoters of steeplechasing, insulting Old
Father Christmas, are struggling on with their unfortu-
nate "gate money " meeting; and owners of horses are
making up their minds what to enter in the groat stakes
that close on the Ist or the 7th of January.-1 am, Ste.
METEOR: