The Express.
London, England, 1867-11-04 00:00:00

TO THI EDITOR or TIM EIPI2/01.

SlR,—Rapidly as we may be approaching the
"dead season," there are scant signs of deadness apparent
just now, for the turf organs are full of interesting matter,
apart from the lengthy returns of 'port, which was capi-
tally sustained at Worcester and Lincoln, and would not
have proved so tame at Chelmsford had there been any-
thing like a " company "to look on. The luck of backers
all the week was not much better than that they bail at
Newmarket, soil grumbling will again be the order of the
day at Tattersall's, though complaints are so common now
at the end of a racing season that they are scarcely worth
mentioning, unless you sit down to preach a long sermon
on the horrors of "excessive gambling." I anticipated
last Monday's doleful story even before the Houghton
Meeting commenced, for it was but a natural conse-
quence after nearly sixty races, the majority of
which were merely instituted to' keep the pen-
cils going, and which probably would not have
possessed the slightest interest had it been impossible
to gamble over them. No wonder gentlemen retired for
the season after such a week, one noble duke having seen
enough to make him not only cut it, but scratch all his
horses for their remaining engagements this year. There
are some compulsory retiren.eota also chronicled, and one
of the latest acquisitions to the turf, whose reputed wealth
turned out all moonshine before he hail been many weeks
among the " monkey " betters, is suddenly pulled up by a
most summary proceeding, for hie " instruments of
gaming," as Lord Derby would call them, are on sale, and
he had not even " Hobson's choice "in the matter. Many
weeding-out sales have to take place this month, it having
been hinted that the Marquis of Hastings' expensive team
will be at least reduced, whilst all of Mr. Chaplin's horses
in training except Hermit are actually advertised, osten-
sibly to make room for his large batch of yearlings coming
on. It is an awkward time, this month of November, to
" sell," and I ant afraid the nineteen lota will
fetch but a very small proportion of the fortune
they cost, the good blood in the veins of the four great
guns- -Breadalbane, Broomielaw, Blinkhoolie, and the
Two Thousand Guineas yearling, St. Ronan, notwithstand-
ing. Rama was sold before his great triumph at Lincoln,
though he ran in the " rose" so popular at the meeting,
which may be looked upon almost as Mr. Chaplin's own.
The victory must have been peculiarly gratifying to all
Forties concerned, beating Lord Lyon at oven weights
being no joke, albeit Rama did the trick for him once
before, with Illb pull in the weights. It was even a more
surprising performance in this case, the victor having run
so badly all this season that it was concluded he was not
within two stone of his former self, and how much Lord
Lyon is depreciated aa a stud horse, to suffer • defeat at
has hands—allowing for the "stumble" when close to the
chair—it is impossible to tell. His "softness" will be
insisted on now more than ever, as will also the
argument that he was only a " lucky " horse
to win the three great events of his year;
and it must have been mortifying to Colonel Pearson, who
has only let the Lord to Mr. Sutton for a term, that his
lessee, after netting an immsuse fortune over the horse by
sheer luck (and Custance?) in great events, should have so
risked his reputation by running him, out of his distance,
in a paltry Queen'. Plate. Strangely enough, it was for
hie old jockey to beat Lord Lyon on Rams—and I wonder
whether he was " greeted" on returning to scale by the
gentleman wbo made such a fuss about Achievement's
Oaks defeat, and who with such good taste met Custenoe
as he entered the enclosure at Doncaster, bitterly
disappointed, on the back of the beaten Hermit?
Had Regalia been in Rama's place when Lord Lyon
faltered, she might have been the heroine of
the Lincoln Queen's Plate surprise ' • but her
jockey judiciously steadied her when she had bad enough,
and hence, after the six lengths beating recorded against
her, she is still an outsider for the Liverpool Cup, as is
also her stable companion Caithness, who won the Lincoln
Handicap in such a style as to raise the cry he must have
won next Friday's race had he been reserved for it. This
is the opinion of good judges, and one speculator, having
made a proposition to one of the Caithness " party " to take
10,000 to 1,000 if he would only let him hare the horse to
manage until the event is over, was instantly " shot."
The transaction created quite a hubbub at the " Vic.,"
and was considered a plucky bet ; but as it was made
" with a start," the taker has only to think bet-
ter of his bargain (he mustnot" try "Caithness beforehand,
so as to make a certainty or otherwise of it) for the whole
matter to be quashed. It had been evident for • week
that some people were laying against the horse as if he
were dead as Hemming, another candidate whom the
handicapper had unmistakably favoured, if she could
only run ; and those who were very wide awake at Lincoln
say Regalia could beat Caithness at the original weight
over the Liverpool Cap distance, and that she will win " if
wanted." In the same swim there is also Scipio, a bad
performer, that has once or twice been threatened us in
handicaps, and at one time he looked like the genuine a-
tiole. Anyhow the party ought to about win ; and when
they make their demonstration (which must be at the
clubs, so far as the London market is concerned, now
street betting is put down), it will be hard enough for the
poor " public" to follow suit, unless they take a very Alert
price. My ideas are in favour of Regalia, who is fit and
well, and has only to have her heart in the right place to
win, especially as all the other too " well in" .horses are
understood to Ise defunct—Ackworth, Dalby, dio., as well as
Heaving. The trio just named, with Salamanca, all
belong to the same clique, and should they be in earnest
with one of the quartet, and that one Ackworth, even the
Chepstow brigade may find themselves checkmated, if
irethey a ever so sanguine. Just now, however, matters
aren such n state that it is impossible to make any cal-
culation as to what will run, and I must defer my *beery*,
floes on the race until later in the week, when it can be
better determined whether bloulsey or Conundrum, or
anything else, will represent Wadlow's stable, and
Cotporsi or the " fishy " looking Mandrake T.
Dawson 'e ; also what game is to be played with
the " lots " above alluded to, and with Honesty,
The Peer, hlontgoubert, Primate, and others so strangely
worked in the market. About the only genuine article at
present appears to be Knight of the Garter, • " thou "
having been put on him very cleverly on Saturday, and
should things go wrong with some of those in the balance
he will be in the hunt, though I would rather trust to a
more decided stayer like Bracken, a gentleman that will
take his own part whatever happens to the others.
There are many other events set for the Liverpool
Autumn Meeting that require my attention, the pro-
gramme embracing fifteen items, besides the Cup,
that are already completed. These include staple-
chases and hurdle races, attractions that went
down so well—barring the objections—at Worcester and
Lincoln, and are sure to do well at Aintree, at least one
steeplechase being ordered for each of the four days.
There will be two in Tuesday's card ; but they can only
interest those looking on, and I cannot recommend en in-
vestment for either, nor for the hurdle race, unless Helen
is in the field. The Welter Cup is a more legitimate
affair, and should create more interest than most races of
the description, the chances I like best being those of
Frost and Lord Westmorland's Master Willie. The
Flying Handicap is nought but a scramble, in which the
speedy Dawdle or Lady Clinton (both in one interest) will
be served by the weight if the ground is at all sticky ;
and there is just as much uncertainty about the Knowsley
Nursery, another half-mile spilt, unless Buttercup can run
up to her good looks, Morning Star, Brenda, Epworth,
and Miss Osborne being all closely handicapped, though
the latter looks well enough after Vortigern's Lincoln win.
On the second day we have a six-furlong Nursery, with
nearly all the lot just named in, but opposed by Yardarm,
who looks sol like a winner "barring " an Amendment ;
and there is also an all-aged handicap over the same
course, with many of the flying horses engaged in it, my
present fancy pointing to Skylark and The Skipper. The
Hurdle Raoe and Steeplechase will both be " touched by
the first day's doings, notwithstanding which I like the
Doctor or Tennyson, and Reporter, for the latter ; and
Thursday's events are in the same predicament, all it is
necessary to observe being that if Minster Bell is started
for the Westmorland Cup she is almost bound to win.
The Bromley and Harrow meetings are sure to be ex-
tensively patronised by Cockney sportmen, and I am
afraid Cockney roughs too, who will find plenty of " fun "
in the programmes, neither of which, however, comes
within my province.—l am, &c., METEOR.

BETTING IN LONDON.--SveußnoT.
There was a numerous assemblage at the clubs to-day,
and several important movements cause on the board in
connexion with the Liverpool Autumn Cup. The Peer
wax decidedly first favourite, albeit there was no general
desireto hack him, the most marked transaction in his
favour being the taking of 1,100 to 100 ; beyond this the
support awarded was not of much account. In the early
part of the morning Mandrake was supported at 100 to 8,
but as the day advanced lie did not go so healthily, as
much as 100 to 6 being offered at the finish. Honesty was
touched upon now and then at 100 to 8 and 100 to 7, but
there was evidently no commission in the market in his
favour. One of the feature. of the day wee the sudden
advance of Knight of the Garter, against whom as much
as 1,000 to 30 was laid in the first instance, but
very shoetly afterwards 1,000 to 70 was accepted
six times in succession, and the backer would
evidently have increased his outlay had layers been dis-
posed to go on. Scipio WU in good request, 25 to 1 and
't to 1 being taken to good money. Blacken also found
favour at 2.) to 1, one large commissioner finding some diffi-
culty at one period of the morning in obtaining these
odds. Towards the close of business there wax an em-
phatic desire to back Regalia, but no one would offer a
price, and it transpired that all the '2o's to 1 that could be
got had been quietly absorbed, and these odds would have
been freely accepted if obtainable. Among the outside
division, Corporal played the meet prominent part, 5000
to 150 being accepted in one bet, followed by several 1001
to 3. This as a matter of course had the effect of driving
his stable companion Mandrake back, as previously noted
Moulsey was also made the medium of several investments
at 100 to 3 and 100 to 4. That Beeswing had utterly
" gone " there could be no doubt, 1(810 to 10 being
offered without any sort of response. In the course of
the day a bet was booked which may be deemed
most sensational, even in these sensational times. A large
speculator, who if not the absolute owner of Caithness is
generally accredited with having the entire control of the
horse, laid another large speculator 10,000 to 1,000 against

Caithness. The taker of the odds stirdatfei, lit, that the
horse should be maim% ; 2nd, that be should start :
that he should be delivered as speedily as possible into his
(the backer's) hands ; and 4th, that he (the backer) should
bet up any jockey he thought ',toper. The layer of the
t stipulated on the other band that the horse should not
be tried previous to the race, and that • person on his
behalf should accompany the home and remain with bin
until the race was run. It should he mentioned that after
the bet was hooked the layer offered to repeat it, but the
backer declined. Nevertheless the last named seemed
peifectly aitidied with his bet, and articles agreeably to
the before-mentioned conditions were duly drawn up and
signed. The closing prices were as follows :

LIVERPOOL AUTI'3IN CUP.
11 to 1 oast The Peer Ot) 25 to 1 agst Bracken I`
100 to 7 Knight of the 25 to 1 Conundrum ;t'
Garter 't C 25 to 1 ncipin t,20t0l
100 to 7 Honesty it &0; previously t)
100 to 0 Ilandrake 'oft 25 to 1 >Louise, (Ito,
after 100 to 7 25 to 1 Fair Wind to)
had Leon tkn. 100 to 3 Corporal .t to
20 to 1 Regalia ,t t w, L 200)
20 to 1 Ackwotth tt & 100 to 3 Dalby DoT
off 40 to 1 New Guinea o)
20 to 1 Mnntgoubert3; 40 to 1 Excitement o)
20 to 1 Primate ,off, 1000 to 10 Beeswing toff,
PLACE BELTING.
- - - - - - -

3 to 1 apt The Pe474t7 I apt Ackworth t &
4to 1 Mandrake t; I off
6 to I Regalia (t) 6to 1 apt Moutaey
to 1 Bracken kt &
off'
MISCELLANEOUS BMX

_ .... .
10000 to 1000 obit Caithness, with a start, and other conditions
ma specified shave
1000 to 1,0 -- Knight of the Garter, with a start oil
2000 to 200 Mandrake, with a start t,
1010 to 70 Bracken, with a start toil)
20 to 1 with a Wart it
100 even on Mandrake v. The Peer, with a run .t'
100 even on Scipio v. Mandrake off,
1000 even on Scipio agahist let of any Ore (off)
10 even that Mandrake dues not run it!

BETTING AT MANCHESTER.--SATURDAT.
LIVERPUOL AUTIIIN CI'P.
10 to 1 agst ma Peer toff, t 20 to 1 eget Caithness 'off)
11 to 1. " Regalia (off,
100 to 8 Honesty (olf) 25 to 1 Pearl Diver A 6:
100 to 6 Knight of the off,
Garter it & oth SS to 1 Dahl 't•
100 to 0 Mandrake (off) IS tot Denelt
20 to 1 Scipio .t' SO to 1 Mrs. Allan t
20 to 1 Ackworth (oft) OS to 1 beesning t 6: off,
120 to 10 ypit Caithness with a start ,t)