The Sun.
London, England, 1855-07-30 00:00:00

TELE SUN, LONDoN, MONDAY EVENING, JULY 80 1855.

SPORTING NOTES.

GUESSES FOR GOODWOOD.

The programme contains thirty-three items, and pre-
sents a pelmise of sport which is likely to be fully
realised. For the leading Handicaps the field will, per-
haps, be numerically important, while the principal
Two-year-old events are likely to attract many animals
to the starting post. The only " short-comings" which
will be displayed with respect to the number of com-
petitors will, perhaps, be with reference to the Good-
wood Stakes, and certain races for three and four-year-
olds. The betting has, down to the present time, been
marked by,little activity ; the paralysing effect produced
on all turf speculation throughout the year by the war
exercising a peculiar influence on the meeting under
notice. Still, the Stewards' Cup, which will be run for
on Tuesday, is likely to occasion what sporting men call a,
good betting race. Sixty horses, of all ages, have been
handicapped for it, and many have already been
hacked. The filly by Van Tromp out of Queen Mab
and Cineas are the leading favourites. Goodwood is a
popular meeting among our French Allies, who attend
it iu large numbers. Their interest will be repre-
sented for this event by Monarque, a horse bred
in France, and the winner of tho Prix du Jockey
Club (the French Derby) at Chantilly, in May last.
For that event he beat Baroncino—the second fa-
vourite for the Goodwood Cup—very easily by
two lengths. In addition the Stewards' Cup will
be decided on the opening day, the Ham Stakes,
for which Fly-by-night, the first favourite for next
year's Derby, is engaged. The 300 Sovs. Sweepstakes,
which were won't to occasion such stirring encounters,
will be:this year comparatively barren of interest.
The most important items on Wednesday's list are
the Goodwood Stakes and the Great North and South
Biennial Stakes. On the former event speculation is
almost at a stand still. Only three horses are now
backed, Epaminondos, Quince, and Surgeon-General.
The field for this event is not likely to comprise more
than a dozen runners. A French mare, named
Hervine, who has before run in England, has arrived in
this country, it is said, to run for this stake. St. Hubert,
the sometime first favourite for last year's Derby, but
who broke down and was "scratched," will, it is ex-
pected, fulfil his engagement to-day. The " Cup" race
will, in the opinion of sporting men, be confined to two
horses. Coniston, after a temporary depression, is again first
favourite, Baroncino, another French-bred horse, being
the only other really backed. Expectations are excited,
however, that the starters will also comprise Rataplan,
Muscovite, Neville, Andover, and Scherz, who are re-
ported under orders. The most prominent "features"
on Friday's list are the Chesterfield Cup and the Nur-
sery Stakes. Such are the leading characteristics of the
programme. I will now endeavour to determine the pro-
babilities and calculate the comparative chances.
The 300 Sovs. Sweepstakes for four-year-olds, Queen's
Plate course, seems likely to be reduced to a match be.
tween Honeysuckle and Daalbec. Both animals have
been saved and "bottled up" for it, the stake being
worth at least about 2,0001. Honeysuckle will receive
an allowance of 51bs. for the difference of sex, but her

owner will not in my opinion taste the sweets of success
with her. Moderate, as he is, Baal" ic I fancy will be
able to gallop the longest. The Ham Stakes will,
doubtless, be placed in the Fly-by-Night's list of achieve-
ments. Polmoodie will perhaps obtain the barren
honours of second place. The Gratwicke Stakes may
bring out Cavalier, Chalice, Paletot, Dirk Hatteraick,
the Miss Whip filly, Ferrara, and Glenfiddich. Chalice
will, doubtless, place this stake to her owner's ac-
count. Still, she would prefer a shorter distance,
and Dirk Hatteraick may be capable of making
a race with her. Should Voivode put in
appearance for the Lavant Stakes, I shall be inclined
to place some faith 11. l his chance. If reports, however,
have overrated his racing ability, I shall expect either
Spindle or Pyrrha to carry the black jacket and orange
cap of Mr. Howard first to pass the chair. I
"The handicapper for the Stewards' Plate has cer-
tainly made a most lenient estimate of the Queen Mab
filly's racing ability. If she had been merely a moderate
three-years-old he could not well have placed a lighter
impost upon her. Her weight will unquestionably
render her formidable. Cirteas, too, has not been harshly
treated, and if ever he possessed a chance of winning a
large stake he could not have had a more favourable
opportunity of fulfilling his owner's wishes than is
afforded him on the present occasion. Still, despite the
prominent positions to which these two animals have
been advanced in the betting, there are others whose
pretensions must not be overlooked. Among the top
weights Orinoco, Dervish, and Comfort may be marked
"dangerous ;" from the " middle weights" I shall select
Strutaway, Rosaline, and Duke of Lancaster as being
worthy of consideration' ; and among the three-year-olds
Daffodil and Sicily are entitled to notice. Whether
Comfort or Sicily will represent Mr. Morris's interest I
am of course unable to d etermine. My present partiality
is, however, for the form er. The lot which, in my opi-
nion, is most likely to (lomprise the winner comprises
Dervish, Comfort, Strutaway, Duke of Lancaster, and
Daffodil.

Opinions seem pretty 'well agreed respecting the nu
merical insignificance of the field likely to contest the
Good wood Stakes. So fax as the betting affords any
criterion the race seems virtually confined to four or five
horses. I have so recently expressed the favourable
opinion which I entertain of EPAMINONDAS, that I am
spared the trouble of recapitulating the arguments which
I adduced in support of it. To me he seems every inch a
race horse; and among the -comparatively moderate ani-
mals which he will encounter he can scarcely fail—how-
ever large the field—of getting home in the foremost
flight of competitors. Ivan is another animal of proved
racing merit, and although sinister reports are circulated
respecting his staying qualities, yet I have sufficient
faith in him, and in the skill and judgment of his trainer,
not to regard his chance slightingly. SURGEON-GENE.
RAL owes his position in the betting to his very light
weight, and his reported favourable trials. It is said
that he has been tried with Mishap three or four times
at 6st each, and that on each occasion he was successful.
If this rumour be founded on truth—and I have no rea-
son to discredit it.---the probability of seeing Mr. Stan-
ley's colours in the van is certainly very strong. Still I
scarcely deem it possible to bring a good horse and a
bad one together within the range of "racing weights,"
and shall, therefore, al low my faith in Epaminondas to
remain unshaken. After his temporary depression
QUINCE has risen witii increased force in the betting.
Since his performances at Epsom and Northampton, his
running has been so utterly bad that I have lost all con-
fidence in him, and do not expect that he will figure
sufficiently forward in the race on Wednesday next to
regain whatever good opinion I was once inclined to
entertain of him. Son ie expectations have been ex-
cited about Kingstown and Ireland's Eye, but
the absence of both tb ese animals will not sur-
prise me. Robgill and Mortimer have been occa-
sionally mentioned with favour, but their chance
of placing the stake at Mr. Parr's credit seems somewhat
remote. I see nothing am ong the three-yr-olds division
with a chance, unless rode ed Mr. Drinkald surprise the
ring agreeably with either KATERFELTO or LE FRIPON.
On comparing the chances; carefully, I have formed the
deliberate opinion that the three mostformidable competi-
tors will be IVAN, EPAMIN-ONDAS, and SURGEON-GENERAL
—and were I inclined to- stand on one alone, that one
should be