The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-04 00:00:00

The Chester Meeting commences to-morrow, and extends
over four days. The programme is very large, and as well
arranged as Mr. Topham can devise ; but from some cause
or another, the prostige attached to it is fast declining, and
the Cup itself has dwindled into insignificance compared
with the position it held in the public mind a few years
back. This may be accounted for by the tricks and mal-
practices which of late years have taken place in connection
with the Cestrian Handicap, and which have deterred the
public from touching it until the day, The tiring intervals
between the acts is another cause of the unpopularity of the
Chester Meeting, as invariably the interests of the visitors
have been sacrificed to that of the book-makers—a species
of policy which cannot command appreciation. For the
Palatine Stakes Stradella is engaged, but she is likely
to be reserved for the great event, and in that case Gar-
dener or Fantail ought to secure the stakes. TheWynnstay
Handicap looks a good thing for Johnny Armstrong or Ber-
nice. The Chester Cup, on Wednesday, will swallow up
the other races like a triton does a minnow, although it is
but a shadow of its former self. Of the fairness of the han-
dicap there can be no raistake,with the exception of the un•
intentional error relative to Stradella, whose winning at
Baden-Baden Mr. Topham candidly admits to have escaped
his recollection. To this, however, the failure of the race
must be ascribed, and the field looks likely to be smaller
than that of last of year, when 22 started. From all rea-
sonable calculations that can be made, the runners may be
selected from the following lot, viz. :—Asteroid, Caller Ou,
Buckstone (or The Knave), Zetland, Ben Webster, Cowley,
Haddington, Gardener, Stradella, Dusk, The Plover, Le
Marechal, Barchettina, Dunkeld, Weatherspy, Fantail,
Black Deer, Anfield, Amelia, Middlewatch, Can-
zonette, and Voluptas. Asteroid, Caller Ou, Buck-
stone, and Zetland are favourably treated ; but
I think the lighter weighted four and five year
olds will hold them safe. Haddington has recently been
amiss. Hartington cannot give the weight he has to do to
some of the three year olds, much less beat Stradella, whom
he meets on 291 b worse terms than for the Cassarewitch.
Camerino is one of the most favourably weighted horses
engaged, and if he can be brought out in the same form he
beat Fairwater for second honours in the Epsom Cup,
must finish in the front rank. Gardener is not unfavour-
ably weighted. Black Deer or Anfield will represent God-
ding's stable, as both were backed soon after the appearance
of the weights. Stradella, one of those selected by ma when
the weights appeared, is a mare uniting the best qualifica-
tions of speed and staying powers, and is as well known on
the continent as in this country. By her easy defeat o

The Marquis, on whom the stable was so sanguine, she
looks able to go in alone ; but, without being too confident on
that score, I must say there is nothing on paper to beat her.
_ _ _

The Plover has been backed for heaps of money by some of
our shrewdest judges. His Irish running is certainly very
good, and they say he was very backward when he ran on
the Curragh. With such materials as Cliff has for trying
him, there ought not to be any mistake. Dusk and Le
Marechal are both very well in, but the latter has been
backed for the most money of the pair; and had he not
been bowled over so easily at Northampton he would by
this time have been among the leading favourites. Dun-

keld, Amelia, Fantail, and one or two others may help to
swell the field, but with public running to guide me in my
selection I can see nothing likely to interfere with the

success of

STRADELLA,

unless the ground should be heavy, then the despised
GARDENER might pay his respects first to the judge, as he
runs on better terms with the French mare than any other
horse in the race. The Eaton Stakes will fall to Fantastic;
the Biennial to Flying-Fish; the Dee to Avondale, if she
is brought out; the Stewards' Cup to Asteroid or Fair-
water. A FRESH MAN.

TATTERSALLS—SATURDAY.
CHESTER CUP.
sto 2 agat Stradella (taken)
7to 1 agst Caller Ou (taken)
10 to 1 agst Plover (taken and offered)
100 to 6 agst Asteroid (taken)
25 to 1 agst Dunkeld (taken)
1000 to 30 agst Ben Webster (taken)
40 to 1 agst Cowley (take 50 to 1)
50 to 1 agst Camerino (taken)
THE DERBY.
9to 2 agat Lord Clifden (taken sto 1)
12 to 1 agst Saccharometer (taken)
15 to 1 agst Ghillie (taken)
100 to 6 agat National Guard (taken)
25 to 1 agat Tom Fool (taken)
50 to 1 agat Golden Pledge (taken)

CITY BETTING-SATURDAY.
CHESTER CUP.
sto 2 agst Stradella (taken)
6 to 1 agst Caller Ou (offered)
9to 1 agst Plover (offered)
20 to 1 agat Asteroid (offered)
30 to 1 agat Haddington(taken)
33 to 1 agat Hartington (taken)
33 to 1 agst The Serf (offered)
40 to 1 agst Cowley (taken)

THE iih.tutx ,
9 to 2 agst Lord Clifden (offered)
6to 1 agat Macaroni (offered)
10 to 1 agst Saccharometer (offered)
15 to 1 agst National Guard (offered)
25 to 1 agat Hospodar (taken)
Very little doing.

[RES FOR 1863.

Radcliffe 25
Dl ancheater 27
Marlborough ..29

I Beverley. l7
Stockbridge lB
Chelmsford 23
Newcastle-on-Tyne 23
Carlisle
SLY.

Stamford l6
Winchester 2l
Nottingham 21
Cambridge
Southampton.. 22
Goodwood 22
'GUST.

Plymouth 20
Egham 25
Stockton
Oxford
Lichfield • • . .. 27
31