The Express.
London, England, 1867-04-22 00:00:00

TO TIM WITOR or THI ZIPALBS.

SlR,—Durham and Catterick races in the far
north, besides a ed affair at Manchester to siLd up
with, the Irish National Hunt at Punchestown, where
something like a steeplechase can be witnessed, a real
Cockney meeting, not far from the Edgware-road, and the
other fixtures too numerous to enumerate, will doubtless
amuse all the holiday folk they are intended to bring toge-
ther during this holy week ; nevertheless, the racing nice
proper, except the truest Tyke, will hie to Newmarket to
spend his Easter, and nut a few pleasure-seekers, at the
tame time, will intrude'upon the heath to assist in keep-
ing up the Two Thousand day. Royalty will be
there, just to bring about an increase in the
number of people " in the way ;" and Plaudit, Marksman,
and other celebrities whose names have so long been in
the mouths of slaves to the Blue Riband, will join in the
demonstration too—but not the " real genuine flyer," the
son of mystery that had only to come out from ita seclu-
sion to beat everything into fits, Hermit after all having to
remain in his stable whilst the 5,000 gs. are being con-
tended fur, to the dismay of the many "clever ones who
thought they knew all about it, and the joy of the select
few who would not believe in the colt that was fairly
"done up " before his first season was half over. How bad
be was in October last may be guessed when he had to
forego races that would have put him before Achievement
in the list of principal winners in 1866, had he pulled
through for half of them ; and it having been a moot point
ever since whether he would ever be right again, those
who instituted the novel plan of working on • doubtful
horse, by making " books" against his starting in addition
to his winning or getting a place, are to be complimented
at least for their ingenuity. Thousands have been won
and lost over the Hermit's downfall ; but his cwner, it is
said, has the good fortune not to be among the sufferers,
for he took the precaution to back him with a start, and
thus his three or four thousand pounds " on" were saved
when he wan compelled to declare forfeit. This was on
Saturday morning, the horse having, by a singular coin-
cidence, " won his trial and gone home lame" just on the
eve of the contest he had been five months in the market
for ; and the poor public, who all the time he was so
continuously thrust before them by the metallicians were
made to doubt whether the really " good things"
would perform, will not soon forget the Easter
offering they have presented the ring over the
second Chattanooga. Without him, the Two Thousand
will lose much of its interest, though it will still be a
great event, and help to keep us in a whirl of excitement
during the week, the first spring meeting at head quarters
being big with the fate of many a celebrity, dark or
otherwise, and several thousands of pounds in stake alone.
A 1100 soya, sweep is one of the items in Monday's
list, and this is between four gentlemen, just the right
sort to pay the full stake, the Duke of Hamilton having
the great Middle Park yearling, for which he gave 2,1100
guineas, the Marquis of Hastings a filly called Athena,
supposed to be the equal, if not the superior, of the
flying Lady Elizabeth, and Lord Glasgow • Sister to
Amhara, to join issue with Grimston, who, however, has
only to fear Athena. If he can bring thia off, his party
may have a great day—Bismarck in the Spring
Stakes, and Miss Harriette in the Princess of Wales's
Stakes, promising to do them good service, and Eau de
Vie should beat all but Pyrenees I know of in the 20 soya.
Sweepstakes. Not having seen the acceptances for the
Prince of Wales's Handicap, that shall not occupy my at-
tention ; and the only other item in the first day's bill of
fare of any consequence is the match wherein Pericles will
just about beat Pantaloon. The minor races in Tuesday's
list that have closed are all rather tame, only the 200 love.
Sweepstakes holding out any promise of producing a race,
with Friponnier in the Coffee Room Stakes, and West.
wick in the :WO soy'. Sweepstakes ; and I know
of nothing at present fit to cope with the Grimston in the
first named.

But the Two Thousand Guineas, the first of the great
three-year-old oontests,will keep us going, for all the strik-
ing or knocking out of Hermit, The Palmer, Cannon Ball,
General. Van Aniburg, ke. The following all look pretty
certain runners :
Jockey. I Jockey.
Plaudit Snowden. The Miss Harsh colt Aldcrott.
Julius
Marksman ..... Orinultaw. Mandrake
Vauban
Trocadero
Knightot theCiartsr Cestance. Yerragus
Star of India French. Huntsman
The above statement does not include the horses that will
be started merely to make a pace, Pericles far Julius, and
the Young Melbourne oolt or Lord Brownlow for Lord
Glasgow's unnamed one, beingvery likely to perform in this
way, whilst for others a Manger or two may be
borrowed. They may, too, fancy they have something
better at Houghton Down than Huntsman, though Ido
not ; but on the other hand, there is the chance that
Ferragua (a dark Frenchman) and Mandrake may not be
ready to perform, and a field of fourteen is about all we
can expect. Scarcely half that number will find favour
with the talent henceforth, last year's running making out
Plaudit to be immeasurably superior to everything else
except Marksman, and a little better than he ; whibt the
improvement Vauban exhibited the other day, and that
Julius, Trocadero, Star of India, and the Miss Sarah colt
are said to have shown at home, should safely dispose of
all the others except Knight of the Garter, whose victory
would be a strange ioale to the pegging out of Hermit
It must not be forgotten that he was better than Vauban
last season, both directly and collaterally, and if he can
get the Rowley Mile be ought really to beat everything
but Plaudit and Marksman (though I must admit that
Julius is the best privately tried horse in the race), of
which pair my preference is still for Plaudit.
The Two-year-old Plate on Wednesday will be quite an
event, with Suffolk meeting Lady Elizabeth on 91b better
terms than at Northampton, and many reputed clippers
(Piper for one) receiving weight for them. King Alfred,
said to be better than Suffolk, is not to run, I believe, and
the latter will be quite good enough to be on in his stead,
great filly as Lady Elizabeth undoubtedly is. In the
absence of Stagbound,the Peer will have it all his own way
for the Prince of Wales's Stakes, and he should win even
if the Fyfield horse does oppose him, Friponnier having
only Pericles to shake off in the T.Y.C. Sweepstakes, albeit
he is not quite such a certaintßose and Ostreger
for their sweeps, Demonstration being my fancy for the
match. The One Thousand Guineas tis for three year old
fillies only, and would be a most open race with Achieve.
ment out of the way, there being many in the undermen-
tioned lot of probable starters that are close together on
last year's form : _ .

Jockeys Jockeys
Achievement Custanoe. Sunnylocks
Ines Cannon. umur de Cholla .. Lemke.
Lady Hester or Se- The Sunflower Mly. °Hinshaw.
Hite Yordham. Midwife
Manuella
Rose Snow den. Lady Lambton .... Ouster.
Ravioli or Moleskin Aldcroft. Hawthorn Bloom.. Doyle.
Manuella has been a long time on the shelf, and Sunny.
lacks went off dreadfully after her Ascot and Stockbridge
performances ; consequently, as we shall not see Hose to
perfection for about another month or two, and there is
no talk of a foreigner being dangerous, it will not be very
difficult for Achievement to win. The other events to be
decided are either incomplete or out of my latitude, as the
Two Thousand should settle the Newmarket Stakes, and
probably Knight of the Garter's matJi also.—l am, Ice.,
METEOR.

TAT'TEREIALL'S—SAroanhx.

The asembly at Albert-gate was not a very numerous one, nor
was the business done of any great extent. The transactions of
the afternoon were chiefly confined to the Two Thousand, for
which event the first four horses in the betting absorbed nearly
the whole of the speculation. Plaudit was in extraordinary
force, so much so that the instant the odds of to I were offered
As they were some three or four times; there was quite a struggle
backers for priority. Subsequently anything over 7 to 4
afTanlitakers, 980 to 200 being accepted, while several smaller
bets were ultimately booked at 7to 4 only. Julius was In good
demand ; in occasional Instances 5 to 1 was taken ; but If layers
could have extended their offers to 3 to 1, he would have found
heavy support, the noble owner offering to take three mon-
keys," and other speculators expreWngtheirwiWngness to accept
this price In ponies, finite, and hundreds Marksman oc
the post of third favourite all the 74 that could be obtainedc
were snapped up, and at the dose 6to 1 was taken. Meanwhile
Vauban trod closely on the heels of Mr. Merry's colt, for after
8 and 75 to I had been laid, bookers contented themselves with
half a point lees than the last-mentioned price. Trocadero was
backed at Is to 1, but to a limited extent only, and layers were
evidently desirous to pencil his name. All doubts respecting the
starting of Derma were set at net by a notice posted in the
room, to the effect that be was struck out this day at 1051 a.m.
The consequence of this withdrawal was an anxiety to get on
Knight of the Garter, but the pace offered-100 to 6—was not
considered liberal enough, 20 to 1 being asked for. Marksman
and Vauban coupled were liberally supported at 5 to 1, and
towards the finish this price, although industriously sought,
was not obtainable. For the Derby Plaudit and Dragon were
meet in request, 9 to 1 being taken kindly about the first-
named, while 11 to I was wanted about the latter. Vauban and
Marksman were backed respectively at 100 to 8 and 100 to I,
Julius coupled with Vauban was supported at 6 to 1, and Julhu
wakalso backed to win the double event at 4,000 to 100. For
the Chester Cup, the only horse we saw backed was Lucifer,
about whom 52 to 1 was taken. The prices at the close were as
follow :

TWO THOUSAND.,
7to vat Mayor Elwon's Plaudit it and .!
11 to Duke of Newcastle's Julius it and off)
st.to Mr. Merry's Marksman it,
7 to Duke of Beaufort's Vauban it)
13 to Count F. de Ingrange's Trocadero )t and off)
100 W Captain birchens Knight of the Garter (off,
take 20 to
3to Marksman and Vauban coupled (t and w)
6 to on Plaudit, 1,2, 3
6 to 00 Juno.. 1, 2. 3 iod, t6to 4)
100 eve on Plaudit apt Julius, 1,2, 3, best of places (a)
DEBBY.
9to 1 apt Major Minn s Plaudit (t)
11 to 1 -- Count F. de Lagrange's Dragon (w)
100 to 8 Duke of Beaufort's Vauban i,t)
100 to 8 Nike of Newcastle's Julius (off)
100 to 0 Mr. Merry's Marksman it
600 to 15 Mr. Chaplin's Hermit (often to I)
6to 1 Julia* and Vauban coupled it,
4000 to 200 Julius grinning the Two Thousand and Derby it)
0000 to 17.5) Julius winning the Twu Thousand and Dragon
the Derby
CHESTER CUP.
20 to 1 &gat Lord St. Vinoeut's Lucifer, 4 yea, lot 41b (t)
BIrITINO IN LONDON,—SATuaDar.
_ _

The business helmeted at the clubs, is to se the Two Thou-
sand was concerned. foreshadowed the later doings at Tatter-
mire Yoe the Derby the moot noticeable movement was in con.
neetlos with hermit, about whom this, were an sorts of re-