The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-02 00:00:00

watchers. The Sun newspaper was one of the first to adopt
a special turf correspondent, whose aim it was to convey
instruction in the easy diction which obtains among sports-
men and gentlemen. It is the intention of the conductors
of this journal to strengthen their columns in this respect,
and I am willing to accept an invitation to write weekly
articles which shall treat of the current topics of the turf
and its market, and, at the same time, indicate, as far as
stable information and practical knowledge can be available
for such ends, the probable issue of races to come. The
system of prophecying has been completely revoltitionised
within a few years past, and when money rules everything/
as in the present day, the most careful calculations
of the predictor may be upset. Still, my resources are of
such a peculiar and valuable description, that your readers
may depend that no suggestion will be made that shall not
have been first tested in the crucible of patient judgment
and sound and genuine information. It has been my satin.
faction to address the public for some years in this cepa-
city, and occasionally through these columns, but for reaa
sons that your readers may anticipate I prefer to come be-.
fore them with a new name, and henceforward shall court
the suffrages of the sporting public under the nom de plume
of PEGASUS. This title was adopted by the late Mr. Frank
Clark, the contemporary of Ruff, and one of the most suc-
cessful feuilletonists of his time; but now that the title has
fallen into disuse, I can be infringing no privilege in reviv
ing a signature so appropriate to the purpose. Further
preface is unnecessary, and I may at once lead your readers
to the discussion of the prevailing topics of the turf.
Lincoln races opened the season en Wednesday and
Thursday last, and with a degree of success quite unusual
at the first meeting of the season. Lord Stamford, Lord
Westmoreland, and other noble sportsmen who do not cus•
tomarily appear until Northampton, were tempted out
by the genial weather and the certainty of seeing fields
of horses at the post fully prepared for their
engagements. Those who followed the example of the
patricians had no cause for regret, as the sport from be..
ginning to end was most interesting, but the general tend-
ency of the results was decidedly adverse to the interests of
backers of horses, who could scarcely light upon their feet
throughout the whole meeting. The lot that came to the
post in the Trial Stakes were worse than indifferent, and
Manrico galloped so free and well in his preliminary can-.
ter that many of the backers invested a few stray sove-
reigns for the off-chance, and they were well rewarded, as
the Woodyeates horse won in a canter ; but the owner was
so incredulous of his merits that he did not back his horse
for a penny piece. Manrico, when a two year old, met with.
a curious accident at Goodwood, for the floor of his stabling
gave way, and he was precipitated into a well, from which.
perilous position he had to be literally dug out after much
exertion. William Day despaired of ever making hire
worth training afterwards, but as he had " tried" him to be
pretty good at home prior to the accident, he turned him
out for some time, and at last got him round, and he is now,
I believe, perfectly sound. The Brocklesby Stakes, front
the strength of the field, was quite a surprise, as probably
it was the first time in the history of the Turf that twenty
young ones had been got together at so early a period
of the year, and taking them altogether they were a very
fair looking lot. The reports of Lord Adolphus's good
looks, which had preceded his advent, were by no means
exaggerated, as he has great propelling power, and like all
sons of The Cure seems all over like stoutness and staying.
John Osborne was quite warranted in engaging the colt as
heavily as he has done, for he is sure to play a conspicuous
part if he trains on, and does well. Corsica, who was all
the rage when the betting opened, is a light Chesnut, of
good length, though certainly somewhat weak, but it is no
secret that Lord Stamford's other string, Chiequot the
Jester, had been tried much the better of the two, but
the last-mentioned was prevented from fulfilling his first
engagement from having gone amiss. Sister to Tomyris
and Lady Nichol were nice, thick, level fillies, and they
finished first and second, the Baron's winning a very clever
race by a good length. Baron Rothschild and young
Daley thus won the first important two-year-old race of
the season, but the owner, who was not present, merely
sent a commission to have "a pony" on at the post. On
Thursday the weather was much colder, but not bleak
enough to mar the enjoyment of the sport, while the num-
ber of the spectators was greatly augmented by the at-
tractions of the principal handicap. The field
for the chief event was not quite so numer-
ous as had been anticipated, nevertheless it was
strong enough to afford ample room for speculation, and
amuse the holiday seekers. Nothing would go down with
the majority cf the backers but Hubert, who became a tre-
mendously warm favourite, and who, despite his " melt-
ings" in the Turkish bath, seemed as fit as could possibly
be desired. Lopcatcher, too, seemed as ripe as a cherry,
but, as usual, he ran a thorough cur, dropping his ears the
moment he was asked to run through his horses, and turn-
ing it up, although half-way from home. Libellous ran
just as he might be expected, seeing that he is the property
of one of the most unlucky men on the turf, and George
Fordham asserted that the horse crossed his legs in the
first 300 yards, and before he could be got in his proper
stride was out of the race, so that after all we may hear of
Libellous some future day. The result was directly in ac-
cordance with the opinion of all the best judges, for none
of the 3-yr-olds were in the race at the finish, the old ones
having it entirely to themselves. Maurice, who had been
sold priOr to the race for 300 guineas to Lord West-
moreland, had the race in hand from start to finish,
and won, in a common canter, from Flash in the
Pan and Peignoir. Manrico has gone to • William
Goater's new quarters at Michel Grove for a few
weeks, and after trying one or two of his lordship's there,
he will return to William Day's at Woodyeates, Satellite's
beating for the Hurdle race was the great sensation, as he
had been backed on all the London lists at 5 to 4 and evens
for a deal of money prior to the meeting. His running was
just the kind of thing that no fellow can understand, but it
had been said that the owner and his friends were dissatis-
fied with the average of their price for the Grand National,
and that they intended a ruse. This seems partly confirmed
by the present state of the market, as the horse is still backed
at 12 to 1 for the Liverpool event. Nor must it be forgot
ten that Weathercock was similarly beaten for the Lincoln
Hurdle race, and afterwards as nearly as possible won the
Grand National. Rook the Gardener was a great
favourite for the Hunt Steeplechase, but was
compelled to succumb to Victress, a very
clever hunter, by Augur, who has since been
sold for £2OO to Mr. Holmes. She was bred by the Earl
of Zetland from his favourite pony, and measures barely
15 hands. The present week will be occupied with tho
midland meetings of Northampton and Derby, which alone
will interest the main body of racing men, although there
are •meetings at Brackley, Chipping
Norton,
Mr. Bradfield, of Nottingham,
some
and little
Woolwich."jug
has been fortunate in securing large entries; I say fortu-
nate, because it is almost notorious how partial his handi-
caps always are to horses belonging to certain " legs." Still,
the gathering in the Forest is sure to be successful, and
good fields may be relied upon. The list for the three
days includes 13 events, the majority of which have paid
forfeit. It is quite uncertain what may come to the post, but
the cream of the lot are, in my estimation, Donne Canne,
Rapparee, Interduca, and the Mountain Maid filly. Should
Mr. Barber back Donne Canne in earnest, I shall quite ex-
pect his victory; the next dangerous one being the :Moun-
tain Maid filly, who, according to reports from Newmarket,
is remarkably well, and we all know how formidable God-
ding invariably is in handicaps. The Innkeepers' Plate
must fall to Mrs. Somerville, or Bedford (late Pe neon).
The Stand Plate seems to lie between Peignoir and Air:.
The Little John Stakes will be the principal item
e
second day's racing, and according to the Brocklesbfly!'ttfakes
running Lady Nichol or Faith should win,
Great Hurdle race will rest betwesen
men-
tioned being, of course, entitled to the grseianktesitnthreeg ppen: td. Thoand
events will depend so much upon Nosegay, one of whom will doubtless win. infi.naTdhaey,rserouru anniniinngg
that I can offer no opinion thereon. The Derby eeting
I communication for Wednesday eve ;Wing.
shallMondayn notice
ea
Morning. PEGASI

The individual who throw a shell under the win-
dows of the royal palace at Naples on Feb.l, R 'hen
the Duchess of Genoa gave a ball there, has been al isco-
vered and is in custody. He is an old officer of the Bon rhea
army, named Pioletti. He was let into the precincts a f the.
.
palace by certain servants, who still keep their Plate
though they conspire on behalf of the Jaen d 9 'ti'