The Express.
London, England, 1866-03-19 00:00:00

10 TEI lIVITOII 01 TEI ILPILI6B.

&s,—Winter has lingered long enough in " the
lap of ipriee to
.give • somewhat dreary aspect to ail the
Before-Wee ri-ensons on the turf, and since Linooln there
bas bees nothing very lively chronicled beyond the Grand
NaMoreal Steeplechase (which, for all the tumbles and mis-
, tales% was won by the best horse, as Salamander proved at
Werwiek) ; oonsequeatly it cannot be said that the wind
has been taken out of the mils of the Ant grand meeting of
the " racing season," to take pikes on Tuesday and Wed-
at Northamptra, and it may reasonably be ex-
pectedthat the Thal, Queen's Plate, Northamp-
tombire Stakes, and Whittlebary on the " fast*
day, with the Earl Spencer's Plats, St. Liz, and Altborp
Park Stakes on the next, will create quite as much
interest as usual among all classes of the rides community.
No fewer than eleven minor races are crammed into the
programme, so that if the five dill to be entered for come
to heed, we shall have nine per diem. This is rather over-
doing it, perhaps, the wonder being that the mastitis is not
extended to three days with so many "features" at dis-
posal, for the 'peculation would more than pay, at the
same time that the sport.' would be more thoroughly enjoy-
able. There are few piaoea this side of Doncaster whereat
me mush importanos attaches to the Trial Stakes, a mile
spin that has been productive to the most brilliant con-
tests here, and last year introduced us to Wild Charley,
quite a new candidate for Derby honours ; but what will
be its fate on Tuesday there are no means of judging, an
the entry is not yet beads. It may happen that the
great farm of finotherometer (who beat some first-class
horses at Warwick, though how many ci them were fit to
ram is another thing) will have the effect of frightening a
great many ; whilst, per coetra, some may cut m for the
expenses purpose of getting each a good horse's measure.
It will, however, require a Gladiateur, Duke, or Regalia,
in its beet form, to beat hint • and if one of this trio should
join issue, the measure " li:ohmmeter will take most be
more useful to the dab* for Mr. Bryan's p Derby
colt, Unmet, than his triumph would be. Of Derby out-
siders there are plenty in the Whittlebury Stakes, • two
and three year old race over six furlongs ; sad the contest
will afford as an opportunity of judging what improve.
meat Magician (51b ex.) has made during the winter, for he
assets Mr. Pitt (71b ex.) almost oa the same terms as et
York last August, when the Prime Minister was
• good 71b his superior. Chibisa, Vespasian, Qui
The, Mount Palatine, Nutria, Miss Harriette, and
Toarmalin, the best performers among the others, are
penalised 51b. or nb., and do not seem able to give the
weight away to all those with the 51b. allowances, if they
can to the Rector, King Christian being too good looking to
be peened over. Nevertheless believing Mr. Pitt will do
battle foe Dawsbury, and that the two-year olds are inca-
pable of competition with him, I must look to hie just
getting through, both the Rector and King Christian
having plenty to do to beat even Magician. The Ncethemp-
Menhir. Stakes, two miles, reads like an awful failure,
the mosey pat on Mail Train seeming to satisfy • great
may it is no use their ranging. All John Day's, five in
num are now quite out of the market, though the Vol-
tigeur, ber,
Bleck Prince, or John Davis may run ; and Seaman-
der, Pearl Diver, Raglan, Pintail, Matchbox, Ethelred,
Guinevere Valiant, Little Goy, Whisky, Nutrition, Dart,
Hebe, the Knight of Kam, and Black Priam comprise
all the others that look like running. Kingsley,
once one of the hopes of the fielders, was dis-
gracefully beaten at Stocithriige ; sod nose of the
thres-year-olds appear to have done well enough to travel
home with the Mail Train, who, after the failure of Valiant
at Lineal*, appears as great a "certainty" as it is possible
to redoes a ram of this sort to, &amender and Pintail
being " next best." The minor events are soon disposed
of, the Stand Plate being but a question whether Tins is
is form, and the Pitsford Stakes whether Goodfellow or
Pneumatic (the former much the better performer) will be
allowed to run, whilst the lot in the Brixworth Stakes are
so bad that Lady EOM) or Forester may get through. The
Deism Handicap, Queee's Plate, and the Pytehley Stakes
are incomplete, as are also two selling
.events set for in
the mooed day, when we have the exciting Earl Spencer's
Plate to get through. It is worth about 7001. to
the winner, and thus should attract to the poet the
majority of the thirty-four left is, all the opinion
as to the result of such a scramble I an venture upon
being that the winner might turn up in Caustic, Mr. Pitt,
Arbutus, Peon, or Sylph, supposing the two first-named
carry their owners' money in preference to Panacea or
erythema, both "well in." The St. Liz Mandie.p, one
mile md • quarter, another rich stake, is subject to the
first day's rasing, the Rector having to run in the Whittle-
bary, and show whether he is worthy of respect. Of the
elder horses, Baoohus and Perfumer should show the
best,_ if the former's lege stand. For the Cup Stakes Miss
Marlette may not have many opponents, and it has to be
Proven that it is worth anybody's while to out in against
Mr. Pitt for the mile Racing Stakes. The 20 soya.
Sweepstakes for two.year-olds has an entry that augurs it
may some day rival the Althorn Park ; but there is no
money added, and with the fast Problem to get over it
will set be worth much, for most of the subscribers
will elect to pay the 5 soya. forfeit. The Altborp Park is a
5001. stake, and is thus sure of a good field, Problem and
Josuoio Doane (Cl.. aptly wood filly by fined*" out of
Sacrifice) having beaten only Arial, the Blanche of Mid-
dlebie filly, Phantom Sail, tionnesaway, and Libertine, of
their forty odd opponents, at Linooln, end only the Novice,
Lady Rosehill, Primer Thyra, and Opoponax, being dis-
last week. Problem has a Sib penalty that leaves
rearld
ieDeans the beet of the public lot ; and it will un-
doubtedly take a first-rater to best the latter ; however,
there an many darkies engaged in this event that have the
highest characters, and Captain Christie's white jacket may
again have to suortumb to a Newmarket flyer.
Lewee will close the week's fiat riming ; bat the pro-
gramme, pending the Northampton &Inge, is hardly worth
'catering into.—l am, Aso, METEOR.