The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-22 00:00:00

SPORTING NOTES.

WAIFS AND STRAYS.

The alma interval which occurred " between the
croste" was employed at Wolverhampton in holding the
t,ice postponed meeting. The discou, aging eiream-
sta,nces which paralyeed the efforts of tie promoters of
he gathering would have caused persons less eager in
the pursuit of sport to have abandoned the undertaking
altogether. The determination of the race party at
Wolverhampton, however, is not easily altered ; they
‘Thole up their minds to run the appointed events off on
•Ite first " open day," and run them they did. The
iieeting was perhaps more successful than was antici-
pated, albeit the sport was not eutEciently interesting
t rouse the few shivering spectators that assisted at it
even into momentary activity. The " incidents" re-
vire neither description nor comment ; the fields were
umerically insignificant, and the result of the principal
races were in accordance with the anticipated remarks
published in he Sun.
The shocking death of Mr. Conk, better known on the
turf by the name of "Pell," and the disclosures made on
the coroner's inquest, kayo created a deep and painful
sensation among all classes and conditions of spotting
men. This ene subject only engrosses conversation. The
deceased gentleman was mach respected, and the feelings
of all who knew him are much excited by hie horrid
death. His connection with the turf was very unfortu-
nate until the close of the past season. He owned severa 1
racehorses, but his best animal was Pole Star, who wan
backed heavily by her late owner for the Cambridgeshire
Stakes. For that event she was defeated. In the week
preceding that race she had also been beaten at Warwick,
and on these two occasions poor Cook lost about 5001.
Pole Star, however, subsequently won a small handicap
at Newmarket, a race at Worcester, and two races at
Shrewsbury, her owner informing me, if my memory
serves me aright, that by her successes he won
nearly 3,0001., which. was a portion, but scarcely
hal of the money whica he hail lost in the early
part of the year. All persons who saw poor
Cook on the last day of Shrewsbury races remarked bow
iil he looked, and the attack which he had in the night
was then well known, and was a ruling topic of conver-
sation.

Palmer was the owner of " Goldfinder," that won the
Chester Cup in 1853. His principal runners this year
were a filly called Staffordshire Nan, and The Chicken.
His horses were trained at Hedeesford, with those be-
longi❑g to the late Mr. Cook, with whom he was be-
lieved to be a confederate in racing matters.
Clerks of courses are bestirring themselves to prepare
for the reception of nominations for the stakes adver-
tised to close on the let of January. From the reports
which I have received I am induced to believe that there
will be no diminution in the numerical strength of the
entries for the principal stakes. Much discussion has
been provoked on the subject of handicapping, and an
organised crusade is seemingly about to be made against
the light weights. Even the " Early Village Cock,"
that ancient and facetious bird, has again mounted his
perch for the purpose of crowing down light handicaps.
The reaction which has set in will doubtless have a
salutary tendency, for certain handicappers would shortly
have to look to Lilli put fora realisation of their theories.
This subject is too important to be lightly dismissed. I
shall therefore, on a more fitting opportunity, express
my views respecting it at length.
Dec. 22. A FRESH MAN.