The Express.
London, England, 1868-03-16 00:00:00

apgrting *McManus.
THE BEAUFORT SALE AND THE
WARWICK MEETING.

too TEI EDITOR 01P THE ETTIMIPS.
SIG,—Another large stud has been broken up ;
andthe great Danebury stable, that last season sent forth
its two score of winning hones, and swept up about one-
sixth of the sum total of stakes run for in 1867, is tempo-
rarily reduced to • third-rate power. I say temporarily,
bemuse it is evident the Duke of Beaufort has not resolved
to give up altogether, from his having retained his brood
mares, stallions, and yearlings, whilst John Day will soon
find plenty of new masters to fill the stalls vacated by the
Marquis of Hastings's team last November. Saturday's
sale at Ascot was simply of his grace's horses in training,
that may be considered well got rid of, taking them as •
whole, " • good sale" being the general verdict as the
Ring broke up when the last lot was knocked down
by Mr. Tattersall 16,254/. is • nice little sum total
for 20 heroes the majority of which are either untried
youngsters or old ones with their best days gone by ; and
the money given for Vauban witl take some getting back.
It is true he has four Triennials at Newmarket, Ascot, and
Goodwood, worth nearly 2,000/. clear in the aggregatm on
each of which it is even betting that he wins ; and if he
cannot beat Julius for the Pert, be has only to stand up
sound to save his stake ; still, 3,200 guineas is good money
for a horse with his forelegs, no matter how many geed
lights they may have carried him through, and the Duke
could hardly have expected such a price when he offered
the whole stud to Ilr. Patiwick for 10,000 i. Yet there
were some real good judges bidding, for, put in at 1,600,
*Vauban wasqfflerly run up to 2,200, jumping froml,7oo ,
to 2,000 in one stride. At 2,640, Captain Nathan, bidding
spiritedly all through, spin said 3,000; and sifter one
more round with Mr. Pryor, the prize was finally knocked
down to him at AO over Everybody seemed pleased
that be had got ce
into Guth good hands, not expting the
horse himsewho, although be " 0111110 smilisg," and
behaved very soberly in the ring, had no sooner been taken
away than be reared and fought until be got quit of the
man leading him, when he gambolled to the end of the
paddock, and qeietly waited to be caught again. There
had previonsy been a " sensation" caused by Viridia,
albeit the bidding for her was not very glinted, and she
hung so long at 1,800—only 800 over the 1,000 they started
her at—that Mr. Tattersall's persuasive powers were
severely taxed to get her up to 2,000. When it was known
Mr. G. Angell was the last bidder, great anxiety was
manifested tokoow whom he had purchased her for; and on
its oozing out she was to join Dalby at Warrener's, Mr-
Bennett was instantly " spotted." Ho waver, to the last there 1
WWI a great deal of needless mystery kept up on the subject, I
and I can only offer the opinion that Viridia's Cheater Cap
backers, under any circumstances, have rather a poor
chance for their money. Not only was she light all over,
but when in the ring she broke out into a nervous sweat,
and withal appeared so dull and sleepy, that it might
easily be supposed she had been recently amiss. Hence,
newithstanding this is such a bad time for mares, and
that another month will improve them materially, it is
to be feared Viridis will not be in full bloom by tee 600
of May, some judges going so far as to say she ought to be
"turned up" almost till that tine, to give her • fair
chance ever to win a great race this year. Gomera did
not look so well either, and Europa would have been the
queen of the sale but for her suspicious-looking off fore-
leg, which stalled up many intended bidders. A " thou"
for • filly with her engegements (that the purchaser
is not obliged to take upon himself, all he has to do being
to pay half the stake when he likes to run her, and give a
third of what the may win to the vendor) looks very low,
especially when compared with the 1,.'u,0 given for Lord
Ronald, who began life as • selling plater, entered to be
sold for a score, and now fetches over 50 per cent. more
than a top weight Goodwood Stakes winner or a real Oaks
filly. The old horse certainly looked "better than ever,"
and will prove useful to his purchaser in more ways than
one, se he can soon tell them at Richmond what o'clock it
is at Chelsea. Poor old Ceylon, the hero of • Grand Inter-
national Prise of Paris, was too bad on his fore legs to
make much money; a trio of three-year-olds that are
simply " promising." and of which Aquila may prove the
beet bargain, beating his three figures.
It will be CUTiOUS. now that the opposition have seen
Viriilis, to watch the Cheater Cup market for the next few
days, for several important commission may be started.
Nevertheless, whet with the business to be done concern-
ing Abergeldie, Captain Kidd (a real "good thing," if all
is right), Illinkhoolie, The Breach, Cheltenham, Cor-
poral, Franchise, Hippie (beaten in her trial), Honeatish,
Knight of tbe Garter, Lady Mosehill, Laurent, Mayflower,
Nemes, Priority, Ravioli, Speculum, and there is no telling
how men, others, for the City and Suburban, bookmakers
have their hands pretty full. Immediately this event is
decided, too, there is the Metropolitan and Nertamptom
shire Stakes to take up the running ; and already Ram-
ming, Mandrake, Ackworth, Romeo, Wolsey, Tormentor,
Lord of the Dales, Roquefort, Lord Hastings, and Leap
Year, have been in some demand for the last-named. There
are very sad reasons for Mandrake being • doubtful starter,
his owuer having jest suffered • severe domestic affliction,
but simply market operations may keep one or two of the
others in their stables, and at present Lord Hastings, Leap
Year, Roquefort. and Revering appear the best worth
looking altar, the latter being pretty certain to run hero if
the owner of Dalby mewls busiuefe with him for the
Chester Cup. ft appears as though " the money" has net
gone right with seine of the cracks in the City and Subur-
ban, Itliiikhoolie, Nemec, and Speculate holding very
dubious positions in the market. The friends of the latter
may yet be glad that they could not get on when in the
humour, fur it does not seem feasible that he
will give the year and 21h. to Captain Kidd
"in tons," and Uneas might beat him in the Trial
Stakes at Warwick on Tuesday if he went then.
Did the pair meet, this paltry stake would excite the mad
important race of the week, as Umus's Derby reputation
would depend on how he performed. My ideas incline
toward this Hednesford colt ; and the Duke of Newcastle
may be checkmated by Cliff fn another old feature of the
Warwick Spring Meeting, the Willoughby Welter Handi-
cap, ss it will take tiilenua all his tune to beat Master
Willie over a mile. It is not worth while venturing an
opinion on the Hurdle or Hunters' Race ; and the 25 move.
Sweepstakes looks a certainty for Hilda. l'lphus and
Fishy are best in for the Stand Plate, as are also
Lord Westmorland's Misletoe and Star in the 501.
Plate, presuming Kathy will not prefer that to
his mile race. In Wednesday's list there are
two hunters' stakes, • handicap dependent on
the first day's results, the Two-Year-Old Stakes that
Hilda looks very nearly • " certainty" for, and the Great
Warwickshire Spring Handicap. At first sight Milton
looks very dangerous for this, the principal race on the
flat ; nevertheless, the handicap is very light, and there
may be more danger in one of Mr. Brayley's (probably
Stokeley) and Grand Cross. Thursday's closed races are
ell steeplechases, one being the Grand Annual, for which
ninny of the Liverpool Grand National cracks may meet
again. This is too inipeciaut to be dismissed so long
beforehand, the running at La Narehe and Rugby being
worth waiting for too. The latter meeting is a combina-
tion of the Grand Military and Rugby Hunt, extending
over Monday and Tuesday ; and some good hones are en-
gaged, the Doctor and Huntsman's Daughter being among
the celebrities in the Open Handicap. Whichever may
run should just about win, the most difficult to shake
off, perhaps, being Albrighton and Sir William. Many
rivals to Rugby and Warwick are among the "fixtures"
for the week, single clays' sports at Margate. Bishop Start.
ford, and Pontefract occupying the first half, and Newport
Paguell winding up on Friday and Saturday ; but these
have no stronger adme to the notice of • " prophet " than
any of the minor bunt meetings that help to make the
week such a heavy one.—l am, &0., METEOR.

BETTING IN LONDON.-SATURDAY.

The sale of the Duke of Beaufort's And had the effect of
taking a number of speculators away from town to-day,
so that the clubs were not so well attended as they
usually ere on Saturday. Nevertheless a fair share of
business was transacted, and on the City and Suburban
especially there was a considerable amount of wvering.
For this event Blinkhoolie continued to be nominally the
favourite ; but he was not backed, repeated offers of 100
to 8 failing to fix a single transaction. Captain Kidd was
in most repeat of anything, being backed for large sums
at prices ranging from 20 to 1 to 100 to 7, and he left off
exceedingly firm. The position of Speculum was difficult
to be made out; in the early part of the morning be was
supported freely at 16 to 1, and 1600 to 100 was booked in
in one hand. Subsequently, however, the taker
of the bet laid 20 to 1 several times, but at
the finish no more than 100 to 6 was forthcoming.
Neither Nelms, The Breach, nor Mayflower were in much
demand, but there wee not on the other hand any great
desire to lay against them. Abergeldie was invested
upon pretty freely at 20 to 1,100 to 6, and 14 to 1, but
just towards the close 100 to 7 was laid and offered.
Following upon these several horses were backed at out-
side prices, but the outlays were comparatively trifling in
each instance, and demand no special allusion. Foe the
Northamptonshire Lord Resting 's kept his place at the
head of the poll, 100 to 8 being booked in his favour
several times ; some good business was also transacted in
favour of Beaming from 20 to l down to 100 to 7. Man-
drake went anything but well, as 100 to 6 Gould be had
about him at all times, and in the end as mesh as 20 to
1 was laid ; 8 to 1 was likewise laid and offered against
him " with a start." Roquefort was supported for a little
at 20 to L For the Earl Spencers Plate, Byoee
was favourite at 20 to 1 taken kindly, the remain-
most tranaacs cm this event
!wing for the
part ancy bets and to. trdling amosima.
For the Chester Cupp;
Viridis, pending her sale, was not
mentioned ; Delhi was the hero of the day, for not only
were the comparative short odds of 12 to 1 taken, but one
speculator offered to accept 1200 to 100 or any part of it
without meeting with a better bid than 10 to 1. With
the exception of Aberpldie, Paul Jones, and Owein Glyn-
der Sang each backed for a httle at their respective
=shies else was done. There was no perel* =6:e
on the Two Thousand. Reeicruoian remained firm at no
more than 5 to 1 offered, and the other candidates were
in stets quo. The only thing in the shape of a feature was
the backing of Banditto, 30 to 1 being booked freely and
asked for. The principal doings in oonnexion with the
perby were about lke Saw and Uncea, each being backed