The Express.
London, England, 1867-02-18 00:00:00

*parting fate Marna.

CoNINIENCEMENT OF THE RACING

SEASON.

TO THE EDIToR OF THE ETTRE•O4.

Slit,—Everything indicates that the rating season
of lab 7, unlucky a. one or two steeplechase "fixtures"
turned out, will open without any tiresome " postpone-
ment on aCCOUIit of the frost," that plays such havoc with
a race meeting when it does come about. We have had •
few weeks of open weather, too, to allow of horses ap-
proaching something towards titmse ; hence the large
number under orders for Lincoln, where ten contests of
the legitimate order, in addition to a couple of steeple.
chases, 3 hunters' scramble, and a hurdle race, have
to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday. All the
wenn! (racing) will be there to witness them,
of course, the Duke of Hamilton, the Marquis
of Hastings. Mr. Savile, Lord Westmorland, Mr.
Chaplin, Captain Hswkesley and Mr. Pryor, Sir F.
3ohnstone, Count F. de Lagringe, Prince D. Soltykohf,
Lord Stamford, LOl,l Bateman, Mr. Ileathcote, Count
Battliyany, Mr. Payne, Colonel Forester, Mr. Eastwood,
Lord Coventry. Baron Rothschild, Lord Uxbridge, Lord
St. Vincent. and the Duke of Newcastle, having horses
already engaged ; as the " gentlemen" and the " pro-
feeble:ands " will meet in force for the first time since last
November. we shall The
see the drift of some per-
fermium:es concerning The Rake, Hermit, and other things
that have so perplexed outsiders during the '• recess," for
both backers and layers will find tune to operate upon
future events, despite the seven races a day they have to
work upon ut Lincoln, and moat of which will give the
playmenauch good employment. The Trial will searoelybe
worthy of its name as regards what it may tell us about
the Hanulietp, as only -Vice Versa for Vigorous, Wild
Agnes for the Beadle, and Spurgeon for John Halifax,
may be running to get a " line," and the prospect of one
of the trio whining is not very bright. Saccharometer,
now that he looks so haul for the great event, may start ;
lout he has to give Volunteer ilb, and as the son of Alarm
disposed of him at even weights when last they met, we
may trust him to beat all the elders, it being rather too
early as yet for a horse of Honesty's stamp. Volunteer's
victory would greatly delight the Lincolnites, for if he
does not actually belong to the Illankney Squire, be is in
the same swim, and were Lord Westmorland to decline
opposing him with Timonium (not at all unlikely), he would
just about win. despite the weight he has to give to Prim-
rose, Vice Versa, and a couple of four-year-olds.
The Lincolnshire Handicap business has shown the
" workmen " to he clever as ever, Saccharometer,
Christmas Carol, Mount Palatine, and Problem, fatal
being served up very "warm," having gone out of betting,
to make way fur four other favourites that had scarcely
been heard of a week ago. Others have been in the mar-
ket, and retired again, though Low many are really
of lea.)" has yet to he determined, and I shall be asto-
nished if the l)auebury party do not make a stir before the
start, badly as the Duke and Copenhagen " gu." It is rather
too early fur the former, but the old'un, for all his having
been in existence six years without once getting his head
first, must have an " outside " chance, if no worse than
when he ran fifth to Delight, Brahma, Ostreger and Skir-
mish in the last city and Suburban; and unless it happen
that quirina is thought better of by his party, he
will surely come back again to some taking
price. The Danebury clique have five to pick from ; and
J. Day's brother, of Woodyeates, with his son, has the same
number, but nothing that is carrying money at present.
Now that Problem turns out to have no chance, old
Volunteer may try his luck here, instead of in the Trial,
the 71b. penalty being sufficient to stop his backing the
two; and the rushy taint hanging about Succharometer
raises the suspicion that Fortunatus will perform on the
fiat again, for he was deemed • fair horse until he lost
the good temper he is said to have regained whilst at the
huolle-jumping game. However, it is just possible that
the "old Sac." ulivision have found mettle more attractive
in another Newmarket stable, the Beadle, Leases, and
Bismarck having all been very highly tried indeed. The
Beadle is a revised favourite, having been sent to the
right-about when he brat gave signs of coming ; but he has
never been "sick or sorry " since H. Dawson had him, re-
port saying he has, on the contrary, much improved at
Newmarket, and to be much better than Sultan at the
weights is all his backers, need ask for. Bismarck and
Leases are in the same boat as Lecturer and Proserpina
were before the Cesarewitch, the same horse having mate-
rially assisted to put them both through the mill, and
each party thinking they have the best of it. On paper it
looks a needle gun to an olul Brown Bess on Mamma
against his neighbour, as be ran at least 211 be. the better
colt last season ; but I am not sanguine about any Once-
year-old winning, and it must not be overlooked that, after
two of the brothers Dawson have discovered themselves
with such "good things" as the Beadle anal Bismarck, •
third should have one at the finnan, the hone (?) old
Vandervelde, that could "clean out Mount Palatine
and King Charming in a walk," and to get on
whom certain operators only seem to be awaiting
a good opportunity. With the ground terribly heavy,
a turned-loose old on like this must be useful, if he can
race at all ; so that any serious demonstration in favour of
Vandervelde will give him all the appearance of a second
Suburban for Count Itatthyany. Whether Christmas
Carol has quite " gone" certain parties connected with
the stable appeartodoubt,and it isaverred that he and Mrs.
Allan have not been tried together ; however, there can
be no mistaking the amount of money put on the latter,
nor the terrible party behind her, "4yrs.,fist. 71b.," look.ng
well, if her performances do not. Treasure Trove is •
good honest horse that will contest every yard of the
pound, and he may surprise the world again over this
event ; but the same character can hardly be given to
Moldavia and Dulcimer—horses good for anything at
bonie hut for nothing out though they do say
Moldavia has been trained under a new system that has
worked wonders ; and a bad roarer like Thalamius will
never do. At one time it appeared as though Vigorous
were likely to do the trick, the money looking as right as
the weight ; she, nevertheless, has been on the shifty list
lately, owing to rumours of "no money on," and all that
sort of thing, the moderate Violent being introduced in
her stead. The latter's advance may be a mere ruse, and
if so the favourites will have to be very careful. Vigorous,
although some of the Epsom people are more inclined
towitois Lady Pam, a three.year-old that, like Rejoinder,
meets Bismarck at too slight an advantage to enlist my
vote. Of what use can the youngsters be supposing John
Halifax, meeting them under great advantages, is worth
only the money he has recently been backed
fort This be ought to be, for he is in
hands that know well how to try a home and the very
manner of his being backed for this and; the City and
Suburban—as though Mr. Saxon has • great idea of the
"double event "—tells us to ignore his four miserable per-
formances. It often happens that the winner of the Lin-
golneldre Handicap is a bad performer; and thus there is
nothing very dreadful in my pleading to a fancy for Mrs.
Allan, John Halifax, and Vandervelde now, in the face of
The Beadle, Leases, Bismarck, Treasure Trove, and Vigor-
ous. Moyrneitilection for the trio ie in the order named :
and in 10 • forward to the victory of one of the two
turned-loose our-year-olds, my greatest fear is that Vigor-
ous may revive.

The new race, called the Blenkney Stakes, is likely to
become popular, and there are some promising two-year.
olds in the entry before me, one of them being a colt by
Vedette, out of Doralice, called Speculum—whose owner,
however, is in possession of the best of the three.year-olds,
Nike, and may be content to let her do the business for
him. The Brocklesby Trial Handicap is another half-mile
spin, in which Indian Star ought to shine, unless Jos.
Dawson is as much on the qui rice as he was at Lincoln
last year, when Tragedy won &similar race to this for him ;
and the Hurdle Roca is just as open, especial=
writing, when it is so uncertain whether Fan,
Sweep, and others that look well, will be reserved for the
Grand National. If they are, there will be a chance for the
jumping Queen of Trumps. The second day's items of the
legitimate kind are all subject to the results of the first,
Indian Star being in the City (with Confederate and St-
eelier, that look " well in"), and eleven of the Blank-
ney lot in the Brocklesby, which I dare not enter
into after bearing such glowing accounts of Roll
Call, Speculum, Chantilly, Pearl, Mosque, and about s
dozen other candidates. I can do no more than presume
that Mr. Chaplin and Captain Machell will he very near
winning with one of their team of six, which ought to
comprise a flyer, cotisiderieg it took over 2,0044 to buy
the lot, and they are picked from nearly twenty others
under Illosies care, that cost a fortune. For the steeple
chases, its is nut hard to discover that, at the weights,
Lincoln on the one hand, and Simplicity on the other,
look well ; and the other events of the meeting have to
close, except the hunters' race on the first ilay.
Three minor meetings are to he held in the course of
Thursday and Friday, but the programmes do not require
any notice at my hands, and when Lincoln is over the
" public " will turn their attention to the Dogs' Derby,
that is to occupy the greater part of the week.—f am, he.,
METEOR.

BEITING IN LONDON.—SATIIIIDAT ArrEn.voort.
The clads presented en appearance of Whines, and activity
today, and speculation was kept up with an unflagging spirit
throughout the afternoon. The Lincolnshire Handicap proved
the centre of nttractinn, and in addition to several ontsiders
being supported some half dozen horses were hacked, each to
win a good stake. The pair that played the most conspicuous
part wore Itehille and Urn Allan. A limit the fiitmLr 500 to 100
want:Aim three or lour time... he was then hacked at 7 to 1, and
finally MO to lh was take.., the total stake that Ids friends went
tor falling little short of 15500. AL the commencement of
th, desire to hack Mrs. Allan was not so apparent es
yesterday, 10 to 1 being at one tune °nerd, but as the morning
advanced her supporters declared thewsclvm, sod in the end
1410 to 12 was readily accepted. Isa.ea also appear. dto have •
had of friends, and although early In the day as much r. 20 to I
was laid, Just one-halt this price was hooked at the nniall. Hee
=reit fluctuated somewhat, for whereas Into I wax at one period
all that could be ohlitinell Omni him, ponied" were even-
tually laid. and his final q notation was Matra Ile was ohm backed
with a start of is to I. John Halifax greatly improved as be
went, nn hit commencing price was 25 to I, and before business
cloned backers were glad to accept II to 1, while In to I with a
ma was apparently Linked as a good thing. Lady Pain, who
was hacked by her owner to win a large ;duke on the preceding
day, was in considerable demand, and fond flamer.. sup
porters at 100 toe. Vanderrelde, who at onetime appeared to
doe hopelemly gone, ;rare signs returning life, militia as 100
to I; being at one period taken, but he afterwards twisted to 100
to 4. The other bone In the same Interest • Mount Palatine—
wart driven lack to 1.0 0 1. hut the pair were harked at ISO
to t. Mr. Hodgman's two, Vigorous and Violent, were also made
the medium of several coupling bets at 100 to 7. Last year's
Winner, Treasure Trove, found support at 1000 to 40 and 500 tore,