The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-30 00:00:00

SPORTING NOTES.

NUTS TO CRACK AT NEWMARKET.
Scarcely a single incident of an exciting or important
character marked the sport at Newmarket, on Wednes
day and Thursday. The proceedings were peculiarly
uninteresting ; the weather was cold, and the shivering
spectators regarded each race with listless indifference.
Yet the running, in certain instances, materially regu-
lated 'speculation on coming events ; the success of
Little Harry, on Wednesday, strengthening the confi-
dence of King Pepin's supporters for the Cesarewitch,
and the result of the Triennial, on Thursday, causing
Nabob to be advanced to a prominent position in the
betting on the same race.

The encounters were suggestive of no remarks, and
were too unexciting to require description. Certain
proceedings, however, connected with the race for the
St. Leger, on Wednesday, excited some surprise, and
not a little indignation. This event brought out a field
of three moderate horses, Cobnut and Nutpecker, the
property of Lord Exeter, and Rackapelt, belonging to
Captain Lowther. Rackapelt was the favourite, and 5
to 4 was betted on him. Of Lord Exeter's two the
principal investments were made on Cobnut. On ap-
proaching the Duke Stand, Nutpecker had so strong a
lead that it was evident that he could achieve an easy
victory. He had been backed for little money in the
"ring," and the delight of the " fielders was uproariously
expressed. As the horses entered the cords, however,
what was the astonishment of the spectators to see the
rider of Nutpecker deliberately " pull" his horse to allow
Cobnut, who was then second, to get up. This proceed-
ing was so palpable, that the bystanders shouted to him
to go on, but to little purpose, for, to use the words of
the turf reporter, "in the last few strides he afforded
Cobnut an opportunit g of finishingtwo lengths in advance."
Seldom was a more impudent case of " roping" seen even
at Edgware races. Had the Marquis of Exeter made a
declaration to win with Cobnut, the conduct of his jockey
would have been fair and excusable ; it is, therefore, to
be regretted, that a nobleman who is so liberal and in-
fluential a patron of the turf, should break those laws of
racing of which he is one of the principal framers. He
has furnished a pernicious precedent, which, if fre-
quently adopted, will bring the " national pastime" into
utter and deserved contempt. How will the Marquis of
Exeter now deal with the " Bedford Case," which is
before him as one of the stewards of the Jockey Club
for investigation ? His lordship when giving his orders
to his jockey must have forgotten the existence of a
resolution, of which he as a member of the Jockey Club
had doubtless been one of the prime movers. I copy it
from the authorised and official Book Calendar

" At a meeting of the Jockey Club held on Thursday,
in the Second October Meeting, 1838, which was very
numerously attended, it was unanimously resolved—
" That it is the opinion of this Club that it is neces-
sary to declare their extreme disapprobation of horses
being started for races without the intention on the part
of their owners of trying to win with them."
But this resolution was framed upwards of twelve
years ago, and verily times have changed !
Sept. 30. A FRESH MAN.