The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-25 00:00:00

SPORTING NOTES.

NOTES ON NOTTINGHAM.-LIKINGS FOR
LIVERPOOL.

The success of the recent meeting at Nottingham was
marked and unequivocal; and in extending the proceed-
ings to two days, the result showed that the committee
acted on a sound and judicious policy. The efficient and
straightforward manner in which the business was con-
ducted is calculated to extend the popularity of the gather-
ing among all classes and conditions of Turfites, and the
liberal spirit in which the various arrangements were car-
ried out is sufficient to secure for the meeting the cordial
support of owners of horses. By the returns which have
already been published, it will be seen that the supply of
sport was unexpectedly ample, and that the character of
the racing was not utterly insignificant. For the Handicaps
in particular the encounters were good and interesting, and
the large fields which these events brought out, and the close
contests which they occasioned, attested most satisfactorily
the ability and impartiality with which the scale of weights
was balanced and adjusted. The running is likely to exer-
cise no particular influence over "coming events," it would
therefore be superfluous to enter into a lengtheneddiscussiou
of it. The only events which I touched upon in my anti-
cipatory remarks on Monday were decided precisely in ac-
cordance with the opinions I then expressed ; indeed for
the Spring Handicap my selections ran first and second.
Last year I was especially favoured by Dame Fortune and
thus early in the season it appears that I am still guided
by her lucky influence. _ _ _

The meeting was marked by one foul incident. The pro-
ceedings to which I am about to refer are of constant
occurrencn nt every plnco where the recently estflblichei
Lacr,:i tolersstcd. Their frequency, however,
doe 2 'jag 13Z3 diegraceful and (-lot:At:able.
Cu Wednes±.•,: five hor;a:;vtarted for theCaAle Stakoa, the
conditions for which stated that the winner only was to be
sold, but the "selling system" was not limited exclusively to
the horses. At the commencement of the betting .Jessa-
mine was a great favourite, 5 to 4 being laid on her ; but
before the close the eagerness to " get on" had abated, and
the desire gradually evinced to lay against her became so
decided that she soon found no supporters. Suspicions
were then excited, which the result of the race confirmed—
Jassaniine was not intended ; her jockey displayed no
alacrity to leave the starting-post, and she never once took
a prominent part in the encounter. After the horses had
passed the winning-chair, a scene of riot and confusion
ensued in the " ring." The owner of Jessamine was hooted
and hustled until he appeared heartily ashamed of himself.
When, &c., honest inen bear the truth. From the alterca-
tion and wrangling which prevailed, itappeared that certain
parties had been commissioned to back Jessamine, and bad
consequently lost their money to the amount of abobt 741•
They consequently loudly expressed their indignation at the
mare's inglorious exhibition, which they unhesitatingly attri-
buted to the orders her jockey had received: Ultimately mat-
ters were accommodated, angry feelings allayed, and the
principal "belligerents" walked off arm-in-arm ! The "ring-
leader" and chief promoter of the row is known to have
an " Itching palm" where Selling Races are concerned, and
he not unfrequently takes french leave in the manage-
ment of those affairs ; his loud outcry and virtuous indig-
nation therefore on the present occasion excited no little
amusement. Selling paces as at present managed, are in-
tolerable ' • I trust that the Jockey Club will adopt some
measure to check the mal-practices which are now invari-
ably connected with them. _ _

Speculation OIL the Liverpool Steeplechase is now ac-
tively pursued, and as a betting race at /east, the Grand
National is not likely to disappoint expectation. Miss Mow-
bray steadily maintains the position of leading favourite, and
the growing fondness daily evinced for Ilourton, exercises
no diminishing effect on the confidence of her partisans. She
is sound in health and condition, and notwithstanding her
comparatively heavy weight, well-founded expectations are
entertained of her success. That I share those expectations I
am compelled to admit; for Miss Mowbray is a mare of a
high order of merit. She has been prepared solely for her
present engagement, and the betting indicates that her
party "is in earnest." Still, I willingly admit Bourton's
pretensions to support, although I do not deem his chance
more formidable than that of either Peter Simple or Osor•
Spring and Crabbs are perhal the best of the bight weigh*
On Thursday, however, at Tattersall' s, even money w 241
betted that Crabbs would not be on the race-Gomm whoa
the winning horse passed the. post.! )The meaning of 00
singular a bet is beyond my ken.
On Monday I win state my opinions in full -respent4ll
the probable competitors for the Liverpool Steeple Chi**
Feb. 25.
A FRESH JUN.

COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT.—Feb. 24.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
DEPARTURE OF TROOPS.

500 men of the 23d Regiment marched into this town
between six and seven o'clock this morning, the band
Playing " If I had a beau," and embarked foi Ports-
mouth. To-morrow the remainder of the regiment
(about 600) will follow them.
The Ripon and Manilla, which left Southampton on
Wednesday afternoon, came too for the night off Gur-
nard, and on the Orinoco coming down from Southamp-
ton on Thursday morning, these three noble ships
steamed on with a light breeze from the N.NW., giving
them every prospect of a fine run down Channel. It
was very fortunate that they anchored inside the Wight
for the night, as it was a very dark and stormy one.
At two o'clock in the morning it blew a perfect gale, yet
nothing could be finer than the weather at seven, when
they started, and so it continued through the day. May
it last them to the end of their voyage.