The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-10 00:00:00

The Cup Day on the Heath may be ranked among the
most permanent of our racing institutions. A wet day does
most materially and seriously affect the DerLy ; but, wet or
dry, hot or cold, there is a certainty about both the quantity
and quality of the Cup Day's audience at Ascot which as
yet at least no other of our great national games has been
able to command. If anything could have prejudicially in-
fluenced the attendance on this occasion, the calamitous
railway accident, whieh so sadly marred the first day of
this great meeting would have done so. Yet we are sure
we are speaking within the limits when we say that the
gathering of visitors yesterday was as much beyond the
gathering of last year's Cup Day as that of Tuesday sur-
passed its predecessors. As a matter of course, every pos-
sible precaution was adopted by the railway company on
this occasion, and such extra rules of caution had been im-
pressed upon the drivers of all the engines as to make the
journey both down and up one of the slowest for its mileage
by rail that could well be effected. The 26 miles from Wa-
terloo in most instances took neatly two hours to accom-
plish, and, though by these precautions perfect safety was
in a measure insured, yet, as a rule, the public seemed by
no means gratified at this display of solicitude on their
behalf, and rather resented than otherwise the practieal
application of the maxim "slow and sure" when applied to
themselves on a racing day. From these remarks it may be
guessed that a considerable proportion of the visitors from
town were late—not too late, indeed, to see the cup run
for, but, in many instances, much too late to see at leisure
the aspect of the course itself and its wondrous throng of
sightseers. At Epsom every rank, Gom the very highest to
the lowest, is blended in indiscernible gradations, and the
crowd which assembles on the Downs is for the time being
only a houseless London, carrying with it all the extrava-
gance and squalor, all the vice, folly, and enjoyment, of the
great metropolis. At Ascot it is not so any more than at
Goodwood, where the line is broad and well defined which
separates high and low.
It is needless to enter here upon the thrice-told tale of the
appearance of the course. Every one knows now how it
has certain rural refinements, which even in their bois-
terous aspects differ from the wild saturnalia which mark
the Epsom gathering. Viewed from its moral aspect, how-
ever, it may be remarked that the proportion of every grade
of sharpers is three or four to one at Ascot as compared
with the members of the same fraternity who honour Epsom.
The men with the three cards, those of the three peas, even
those who have to sell sovereigns and bank-notes, and who
adjure the spectators in moving terms to enable them to get
rid of a certain number before the clock strikes two, are
getting rare at Epsom. London visitors form a most un-
profitable audience for such transparent sharpers, though
among the Ascot rustics they thrive in such a rank luxu-
riance as leaves little else to see or hear upon the course
between the races but their incessant bellowing and en-
treaties to bet on the cards. For the rest there is much the
same role of acrobats and nigger minstrels, girls on stilts,
and monkeys on round tables ; children scarcely able to
walk upon their feet, yet earning a precarious subsistence
by tottering on their hands, and, in short, what one sees
always at all the races. Decidedly there is an utter want
of novelty in the amusements which these Bedouins of the
racecourse offer to their patrons. Is there no genius among
these wild tribes who can start something new, something
not on stilts, or with its face not blackened, or which has
not been pelted at before? It is not easy, we admit, to
make the discovery, but, on the other hand, neither is the
reward small or uncertain which awaits the fortunate in
venter.

The improvements effected in the Grand Stand since last
year make it now by far the finest, handsomest, and most
commodious Stand in the kingdom. It is, in fact, a model
of what such a Stand should be, just as that at Epsom may
be said to be in the opposite category. Yesterday all parts
of the Stand and its stalls were crowded. The en-
closure afforded scarcely more than standing-room,
while the long slope at the opposite side was
crowded, even down to the °curse, both with
carriages and with dense rows of spectators, in such
numbers as we have never seen before. Another great im-
provement, which may be said to make this place of racing
meeting perfect, is the formation of a saddling paddock,
close in rear of the judge's chair, where the animals before
starting can be carefully looked to by their trainers and
owners, instead of being, as heretofore, saddled anywhere
on the coursa in the midst of crowds so trying to horses of
unequal temper as the majority of racers generally are.
The new paddock, though not very spacious, is convenient
and well kept, has a lofty stand from which the whole
course can be viewed, and, above all, admission can only
be gained by properly issued tickets, so that the large,
rough, and very mixed crowd which fills the paddock at
Epsom is hero altogether done away with. It was well
attended yesterday. and the 10s. fee was grudged by
none when they found that they had really got what they
had paid for—namely, a quiet view of all the horses before

starting.
A few minutes after 1 o'clock their Royal Highnesses
the Prince and Princess of Wales drove up to the Royal
Stand in an open carriage and four, preceded by outriders
in the Royal liveries. The suite in attendance followed in
an open phaeton drawn by four greys. The reception ac •
corded to the Prince and Princess was what may be called
quietly hearty and respectful—a reception in which the
enthusiasm for the Royal family never passed those bounds
beyond which it would have been impossible for them to
enjoy the races. The Princess, who now wears half mourn-
ing, took her place at the window of the Royal Stand, and
with a little book of the races in her hand, gave herself up
to the enjoyment of the scene with the moat vivid interest
—an interest apparently as great in its way as that of the
Prince himself, who stood beside her.
The first race brought a large field of competitors. Fore-
most in interest and favour was Mr Merry's Scottish Chief,
who won his first honours on the Ascot Course, where there
was nothing much to speak of after him who was beaten at
Newmarket by Cambuscan, and afterwards at Goodwood
by Fille de l'Air in a canter. Still he was the favourite,
though a slight-looking horse, but perfect in condition and
temper, with a deep chest, powerful forehand, and arched
loins, and, above all, a light, easy, long stride, that told of
" going" when his jockey should call on him near the chair.
The Knight of Snowdon and Young Rapid, the former a
black colt, whose reputation for staying is fast rising; the
latter a light chestnut colt, of great power and endurance.
and who in the two-mile race on Tuesday so easily defeated
Littl© Stag, Birch Broom, and half a score of more cele••
brated antagonists than himself, were Scottish Chief's most
formidable opponents. As it turned out, however, they had
no chance. Scottish Chief won easily, and, by his subse-
quent still more easy victory over Lord Clifden for the Cap,
vindicated the judgment of the public who lately made him
first favourite for the Derby.
The St. James's Palace Stakes was a most hollow affair,
in which The Beadle had to canter, and the riders of
Alpheus and Myrtilas spur hatd to follow him at a modest
distance. The race for the Plate was carried off by Mr
Payne's Lemonade—the general feeling in the paddock
seeming to be that Lord Westmoreland's Auditor stood the
beat chance.

In the Biennial Stakes, Mr Merry's horse Zambesi,
which was so badly ridden for the Queen's Stand Plate on
Tuesday, when he might have won with ease had he been
called on earlier, was on this occasion better handled. The
final appeal of the jockey was not delayed till the winning-
post was close a-head. The effort was made just as the
Stand was near, and in spite of the long odds of the leaders
Zambesi made a magnificent rush and won.
The Sweepstakes only brought out three horses, so that
all won places, the merit of first being gained by Mr
Bowes's Hark Forward, who came in at the last with a
spurt, and won, Before the race for the Cap the paddock
was crowded, Lord Clifden proving the great centre of
attraction. He is wonderfully altered and by no means
improved since the Derby of '63, when Macaroni headed
him at the distance and seemed to thrust his neck past him.
Lord Clifden did his best on that occasion, and will never
do so well again. It is a pity Macaroni could not have met
him yesterday, but Macaroni, it is said, will never race
again, nor, we venture to think, will Lord Clifden. He
is a most magnificent-looking animal, but not a racer. To
judge merely by his appearance among the other horses,
he must stand over 16 hands, and all this height is in his
legs, which seem overgrown, and look weedy and weak. It
seemed almost incredible that Little Stag, a very under-
sized horse, which he was so meekly following round the
paddock, was a better animal as a racer, for we believe Little
Stag has a higher racing career before him than ever Lord
Clifden will attain. Scottish Chief was again the favourite
in the paddock, and certainly his perfect good temper and
exquisite condition, notwithstanding the race of the morn-
inc, justified the confidence of the public, who had seen him
win easily, and, in spite of the stride of Lord Clifden, be-
lieved he would win again. Lord Zetland attracted a good
deal of attention, though on the whole Wingrave seemed
preferred to him. Unlike the race for the Biennial Stakes
the start for the Cup was effected easily, and amid the
cheers of thousands Scottish Chief for the second time that
day came in an easy winner; Little Stag second, and Lord
Zetland third.

Before the race was run the rain, which had been immi•
nent during the latter part of the day and which had occa-
sionally come down in gentle showers, sot in rather heavily
at last, and a general rush was made for town after the race
for the Cup was over. The following are the remarks of
our sporting correspondent :
Of course, the Cup is the be-all and end-all of an Ascot
Thursday, though there were one or two events that claimed
some attention from the rank and standing of the animals
engaged. This was the case in the first event of the day,
the New Biennial, in which Scottish Chief and Knight of
Snowden, the third and fourth in the Derby, were to meet
again, The Chief commanded all the admiration he excited