The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-01 00:00:00

CROYDON STEEPLECHASES-WEDNESDAY.

Although the first day of this truly popular suburban
meeting met with a very large amount of patronage, the at-
tendance on the second day was far beyond the expectation
of the promoters. A dense mass of holiday- seekers lined the
course, and many of the trees in the line of country taken
by the' fields" were cccupied by these eager to enjoy the
spectacle. The inclosure and stand met with ample sup-
port, and the numerous fields which started for the different
events gave rise to considerable speculation. The first
vent, the S elling Handicap, brought eight to the post—
the favourite, however, suffered defeat, the winner turning
up in Little Dick—a most welcome surprise for the fielders.
Gorse Hawk again gave evidence of his improving form by
defeating a large field in the Stand Plate; and the event of
the day, the Metropolitan Handicap, for which 19 started,
was decided in favour of Spatchcock after a good race be-
tween the three placed. The backers at length had a turn
in the concluding race, which was wan by the favourite,
Bravo. Subjoined are details of the running :
A Selling Handicap of 3 soya each, with 20 added ; the
winner to be sold for LIO. About two miles. 8 subs.
Mr Rickards,s Little Dick, aged, lOst 121 b .... (Owner) 1
Mr Taylor's Dubious, aged, 12st
Mr Chadwick's Redwing, aged, list 51b (Mr Edwards) 3
Tho following also ran ;—Stays, Remunerator, Alex-
andra, and Corcebus.
Betting-6 to 4 agst Redwing, 100 t 0.30 agst Remune-
rator, 5 to 1 agst Little Dick.
Redwing made play, followed by Dubious, Stays, and
Alexandra, the latter of whom fell into the company of Re-
munerator, on arriving at the first fence. Redwing main-
tained the front position, followed by Coroobus filly, Little
Dick, Dubious, and Stays, each in turn being second during
the race. After going half the distance Stays, Remunerator,
and Alexandra were beaten off, pulled up, and returned to
the enclosure the contrary way to the rest. Three quarters
of a mile from the finish Dubious, Little Dick, and the
Corcobus filly closed with Redwing, who was deprived of
the lead by Dubious almost immediately after the lot joined
issue. At the tunes on the top of the hill, opposite to the
stand, the Corcobus filly blundered, and at the next fence
stumbled and threw her jockey, fortunately on the ploughed
land, and he was up again quickly, the horse being caught
at the bottom of the field. Afterwards Dubious went on
with a clear lead followed by Little Dick, in whose rear, a
dozen lengths off, came Redwing. Dubious maintained the
lead to the last jump, which Little Dick cleared first, and
coming away ascending the hill at the finish, won easily
by three lengths, Redwing, beaten 20 lengths from
Dubious, was the only other who passed the post,
The winner was bought in for 64 guineas.
The Stand Plate (Handicap), of 30 soya, added to a

Sweepstakes of 5 sovs each. About two miles and a

half.
Mr Elphick's Gorse Hawk, 5 yre, list 41b....(Richards) 1
Mr Elph ck's Flying Spur, 4 yrs, 105 t.... (T. Clements) 2
Mr H. Temple's Retento, 5 yrs, lOst 71b.. (Mr Thomson) 3
The following also ran :—Leonidas, Sir Bobby, Mistake,
The Don, Chronometer, Rescue, Contralto, Underwriter,
Ledy Coburg, and Budworth.
Betting-5 to 2 agst Leonidas, sto 1 agst Sir Bobby, 10
to 1 each agst Mistake, The Don, Lady Coburg, Under-
writer and Retento.

Gorse Hawk made play for a mile, when the running was
taken up by Sir Bobby, who passed the stand the second
time, with a clear lead of Gorse Hawk, next whom, all to-
gether, were Leonidas (who in a jump on the opposite side
of the course had stumbled on his head), Flying Spur and
Mistake, and in their rear followed the rest at long in-
tervals, whipped in by Lady Coburg, except Rescue, who
was stopped. Crossing the ploughed land, Gorse Hawk
joined Sir Bobby, the pair jumping the fence out of the
ridge and furrow side by side; but Sir Bobby again went on
with the running, the remainder close up, until within half
a mile from home,where Flying Spur took second place, but
stumbled, whereupon Gorse:Hawk and Sir Bobby ran head
and head to the fence at the bottom of the hill. There Sir
Bobby blundered, and Gorse Hawk came up with a clear
lead, but was joined at the last fence by Flying Spur, but
the latter, however, never reached her stable companion,
Gorse Hawk, who won by two lengths ; Retento trotted in
third, Sir Bobby \vita fourth, ligouidafi and tludorwritor,