The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-08 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

SPORTING NOTES.—No. CCCCXXXVI.

THE ASCOT MEETING.—The opening-day of "Royal
Ascot" was worthily inaugurated ; every body and every
thing that was required to assist—with the exception of
her Majesty—being there ; the weather, the company,
sport, and competitors contributing their portion. The
fields were good in almost every instance—even the
" certainties" sending more than could be expected to
the post.

The bookmen must have dropped a pretty penny, as
all but two out of the eight races came off exactly as
the backers most desired ; and even on the only piece of
good luck that fell to their share—the Ascot Stakes—
some unfortunate wight betted a cool hundred against
the winner while running.
The first race—the Trial Stakes—produced a good
race between Ariosto and Ephesus, the horse most fan-
cied being just beaten by a length—the feather, Ade-
line, running a good third. The tidy number of fifteen
ran for this stake.

The decision of the next race—although the winner
had the odds betted on him on the course—must have
produced some surprise in town where he was hardly
noticed, and 2 to 1 on Lamprocles eagerly laid. The win-
ner is another of the first-class two-year-old division,
winning in a canter. He will take a prominent position
in the Derby betting.
_ _

Her Majesty's Vase produced a good race between
the first three, Pelion at last most unmistakeably finding
his master in Ratalpan, who left off first favourite at 6
to 4. This running must have its effect on what is
generally called the Vase, otherwise the Emperor's
Plate ; and while elevating the chance of Stockwell, has
entirely put out that of Pelion.
Ninnyhammer won by a neck from Filbert, Cobnut,
and Orinoco, the Ascot Derby Stakes ; but when we
take into consideration that Butler rode him, we can
guess how long that neck might have been.
The Ascot Stakes produced the surprise of the day ;
Buckthorn, hardly mentioned at starting, and being dis-
appointed in one place while running, came home a
winner from King Pepin and Waterfall by half a length.
The " pot," Lady Evelyn, had enough of it at the die.
tance.

After the Welcome Stakes had been won by Butler,
by a neck, on Sittingbourne from Cobnutt Lord Exeter
was rewarded for his perseverance in providing sport, by
seeing his Ilex run in first by half a length fromWeather-
gage, one of the " certainties."
Sittingbourne walking over for the Sweepstakes of
50 soya. closed the first day's racing.
My judgment was more than tolerably correct yester-
day—having run first and second with Ariosto and
Ephesus in the Trial, and 4 to 1 could have been got
about Ariosto ; dittoed the performance for the Fifty
Sovs. Stakes ; only beaten half a length with Pelion in
her Majesty's Vase ; successful with Niunyhammer in
the Ascot Derby ; out with Lady Evelyn in the Ascot
Stakes ; right with Sittingbourne for both Welcome and
Fifty Sovs. Stakes ; and beaten half a length with
Weathergage for the Triennial Stakes—thus hitting five
winners out of eight attempts.
The first race for the grand day of the Meeting (to-
morrow) takes place at half-past one, and is, I believe, the
Visitors' Plate of 100 sovs., and 25 sovs. to the second by
subscription of 5 sovs. each. This, together with a5O
sovs. Handicap Plate (three quarters of a mile), I am
not enabled to say anything about, not having seen the
handicaps.
The St. James's Palace Stakes of 100 sovs. each, h ft,
for three-year-olds, one mile, will, I presume, be con-
tested by Cobnut, Speed the Plough, and The Reiver—