The Sun.
London, England, 1840-06-04 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGEINCE

EPSOM RACES--Ws nxEsp,T.
However inietestina' it nit tot to the ~ctars in it. the act ne
on the Derby dos, V\ hether on the resit or en the Downs, has
long been a stale one to the journalist ; occasionally lies
thrown out a new feature, such as a snow-storm er a tileerna-
bury case, but as contretemps ut this descriptioi are, foroinately
of rare occurrence, it requires no slight ingenuity to " knock
up" an appropriate readable introduction to the grand event
from which the meeting derives its importance. Happily for us
the Derby of 1840. lacking, per se, much of its usual conse-
quence, has been made a race to be dated from—an eleath in the
annals of Epsom, and one, too, which has not the alloy of any
" untoward event." It will not be difficult to guess that we are
alluding to the first visit ever paid to Epsom races by the Sove-
reign, viz., that of her Majesty and her illustrious Consort, the
preparations for which have already been detailed. It was in more
senses than one doubly acceptable to the public, inasmuch as
certain industrious rumourists had given Newmarket and St.
Alban's each a " good turn," and the credulous a disappoint-
ment, by announcing an intended visit from Prince Albert, no
such intention we believe ever having been expressed. The
presence of his Royal Highness would of itself have been an
enticement; but in company with our gracious Queen, held
' out inducements too powerful to be resisted. Previous to the
publication of her Majesty's purpose, although there was every
indication of a brilliant meeting, the call for horses fell short of
the maximum of former years, vast numbers having determined
on " railing" it ; no sooner, however, was it made known how
powerfully the ordinary attractions of the day would be en-
hanced than the demand increased, and in a few days every dis-
posable hack or poster was secured at exorbitant prices. In
short, it was a g'orious hit for postmasters as well as " publi-
cans and sinners," and it gave an agreeable fillip to the receipts
at the " Sou-Western." We take it for granted that, to com-
memorate the event, and evince their appreciation of it, the
several parties so largely benefited will make up a handsome
purse to be run for in 1841.
The preparations for this day of days, encouraged by most
auspicious weather, commenced early, and many hours befoi e
the time at which the Royal party was expected to reach the
course the greatest bustle and animation was observable un the
road. It was not wanting in those incidents which must always
arise from so many styles of riding and driving, and such an
endless variety of cattle and carriage. At the same time,
there was no lack of that good-humour which John Bull is ac-
customed to display on occasions of this kind. The taverns and
beer-shops on the different lines "hedged" to a long period of
dullness, past and anticipated, by the immensity of the traffic,
the desire for " nourishment," having shown itself in a mode
not patronized by Lord Stanhope or Father Mathew ; the in-
crease in the consumption of various liquids must have gone a
long way towards making up the Irish deficiency in the Excise
department.
Clapham and Kennington-commons were, as of old, the
trysting places for the curious, and various and " pleasant"
were the remarks which road-side critics passed on the persons,
dresses, and equipages of those who formed a portion of .he
motley cavalcade from the Elephant. All was taken in good part
in the morning ; for then the pleasure was expectant, and a
large stock of good feeling was" bottled up;" by the evening,
however, it had evaporated, and those who were inclined to be
witty, found it pruitent to be so sotto race. To ret urn from our
d gresaion. It was understeoe that her Majesty would arrive
a boutelie o'clock, in order that the Prince might has e tone to
ride round the course, take a peel, at he ring, the s..ddiing, the
preliaiinary gallops, aodother teat urea not discernable fium ihe
stand. 13v this hour, therefore, nine-tenths of the company had
discovered that in waiting tor the Roya, carriage at the road
leading from Kingston, through Ewell, they had been put on
the wrengscent ; they then reached the course and not without
great difficulty. settled in their places. To give an due-
quate idea of the appearance of the Downs at this time, is
beyond our powers of description; we can only state, in
matter-of-fact language, that the ma-a of carriages, omni-
busses, coaches, carts, equestrian and foot pese,le, surpassed
everything of the sort on record, and it is miraculous how
anything like o.der was maintained. The course was lined
on both sides for considerably mire than half a mile, anti the
fall almost obliterated by the countless mass congregated on
it. The betting ring was a, large and as noisy as ever ; hut
there was less of danger and incouvessienee, toe enclosed -pace
having answered the intended purpose. To the Gtaed siaeu,
now justly termed so, every privilege ticket was ..ispo.ed of.
and the rooms to which they secured admission lull) oc-
cupied by fashionable company at an early hour. Every
other part of it was thronged, and great numbers unabie to
find room, were compelled to take their statiun on the
inclosed lawn in front. Some c.infusion arose from the
narrow door-way at which the carriage company we +e re-
ceived, at the back entrance, which we doubt not will be
obviated on a future occasion by enlarging it, widening the
flight of steps leading to it, and providing greater facilities
for taking money and receiving checks. Precisely at two
o'clock the shouts of the spectators' assembled at the
Epsom end of the course announced the appearance of the
Royal cortege, which, instead of taking the thronged and
inconvenient route through Ewell, had passed through Stoke
D'Abernon, Leatherhead, and Ashstead, turning from the
latter village into the Hon. Colonel Howard's Park, and thence
into Woodcote Park (Baron de Tessier's), from which it
entered the course near the Derby starting-post. There were
four carriages and four, four or five gentlemen of the suite on
horseback, and eight or ten grooms in scarlet liveries. In the
first carriage with her Majesty were his Royal Highness Prince
Albert and Prince Leiningen ; in the other three were the
Earl of Albemarle, Master of the Horse ; Earl of Errol,
Lord Steward ' • Lord Headfort, Lord in Waiting ; Col. Buck-
ley, Equerry • ' Sir W. Lumley, Groom in Waiting; the Hon.
C. Murray, Master of the Household ; and Lad r Portman,
and the Hon. Misses Cocks and Cavendish. rhe Prince
was attended by Sir E. Bowater, his Equerry, Air. F. Sey-
mour, Groom in Waiting, and Mr. G. Anson. Proceeding
up the course to the stand, the cavalcade turned out of it
immediately above the railway, at the Tattenham Corner
end, and set down under a canopy thrown over the staircase
leading to the Royal apartments. It is superfious to add that
the reception given to our gracious Sovereign was such as did
honour to the loyalty and attachment of her subjects ; and,
coupled with the spontaneous expression of respect shown to
the excellent Prince, her consort, could not have proved other-
wise than gratifying. When the enthusiasm had subsided Baron
de Tessier and Sir Gilbert Heatheote, the Stewards, were pre-
sented to her Majesty and the Prince, and most graciously
received. His Royal Highness then mounted his horse,
and, attended by several noblemen and gentlemen, and
three or four grooms, rode to the wood where the
horses were saddled, and made himself acquainted with
some of the local and temporary features of the scene,
with which he appeared much amused. After a short time
his Royal Highness returned to the Stand, and joining the
Queen on the balcony, awaited the contest for a prize which
, has no equal of its kind in this or any other country. The
Royal visitors remained till after the second race, when they
took their departwe for Claremont amidst the acclamations of
the assembled thousands
The c, owded sate of the course put it quite out of our power
, to obtain any satisfactory list of the fa,hionables present; the
names were not taken down at the Stand, and personal obser-
ration only enables us to subjoin the following
The Duke and Duchess of Cleveland, Duke and Duchess of
Beaufort, Duke and Duchess of Montrose. Duke of Rutland,
Margit': of Ex.. ter, )lartOlis of Westminster, Marquis of
Titchfield, Marquis of Normanby, Marquis of Grants, Earl
\l' thou, E rl and Conn* ess of Verulam, and Lady Mary Grim-
sten, Earl anti Countess of Uxbridge, and the Ladies Paget,
Earl mei Ceuntess of Lichfield, Earl and Countess of
Chesterfield, Earl of Jersey, Earl of Orford, Earl of Strad-
broke. Ea, I of Southern's, on, Earl of March, Lord Cantilupe,
Lord G. Bentiuck. Lord H Bentinek, Lord and Lady Seymour,
Lord Alford, Lord Gemstone, Lord Macdonald. Lord J. Fitz •
roy, Lord R. tiro,venor, Lord Somerton, Lord Kelburne, Lord
Alaidstone.

Honourables.—General Grosvenor, General Upton, G. An-
son, G Hyng, W. How, H. Hous, G. Fitzroy, Woodhouse,
J. Macdonald. S. Herbert.

Sirs.—F. Johnstone, J. Shelley, G. Heathcote, S. Graham,
H. Peyton, F. Goods iche, and ail the gentlemen whose names
are usua.ly tound in our liqs of arrivals at Newmarket during
the meeting.
The start was appointed for a quarter before three, but it
was not until twenty minutes past that the hopes and fears
generated by a year's speculation were consummated. Di.
rectly the result was known there was a general rush from
the balconies of the Grand Stand to the refreshment-roams,
and tearful havoc committed on the excellent fare provided
by Messrs. Hare and Careless ; in every other part of the
course the war was carried on with equal vigour, the rattling
of plates and the popping of champagne, soda-water, atid
stout having ceased only with the last race. 1-:verything
went off delightfully, notwithstanding the heat and dust ;
some, it is true, had " passed the Rubicon,' but a give-and-
take feeling was predominant, and the police displayed an
union of forbearance and firmness in the highest degree
creditable. Of pickpockets there were an abundance, and
upwards of twenty were in cnstody when ye left; but we
heard of no other contingencies than are common to the day,
such as broken heads, broken knees, and broken panels. We
ought to have stated before that Air. :Mayne, the Police Com-
missioner, was in attendance upon the queen, with iorty men
under his immediate control, and that upwards of two hundred
others, under Superintendent May, and Inspectors Pearce,
May, and Hughes, were successfully employed in the labo-
rious duty of keeping the course, &c. The weather was fine
throughout.
The following is a return of the sport:—
The Derby Stakes of 110 soya each, hft for 3-year old colts, Sat
-71 b, and fillies, Sst 21b. Last mile and a half. The owner
of the second horse to receive 100 sous out of the Stakes, and
the winner to pay 100 soya towards the expenses of additional
police officers. (144 subs.)
Mr. Robertson's b c Little Wonder, by Maley, out of
Lacerta (Macdonald)... I
Lord Westminster's Launcelot, brother to Touchstone
(Scott)
Mr. EtwaL's bc by Mulatto, out of Melody (J. Day, jun.) 0
Lord Albemarle's b c Assassin, by Taurus, tout of Sneaker
(Eda ards)
Duke of Clevelands's b. c. Theon, by Emilius, out of Maria
(Lye) ... 0
Lord Kelburne's ch. c. Pathfinder, by Retainer, out of
Emilia
Mr. Houldsworth's b. c. Confederate, by Velocipede out of
Miss Mahon
Sir G. Heathcote's b. c. Sophocles, by Laurel, out of Bertha
(Buckle)
Lord Exeter's c. Scutari, by Sultan, out of Velvet (Darling) 0
Captain Gardnor's ch. c. Monnps, by Actwon, out of Wings
( Wakefield)... ..... ........... 0
' S r G. Heathcote's b. c. Bokhara, by Samarcand out of
(Chapple)
0
nobia
Col. G. Wyndham's b. c. by Nonsense. nut of Gift(C
pleman)
Lord Jersey's c. Muley Ishmael, by Ishmael, out of Filagree
( Robinson) 0
Lord Exeter's c. A merath, Sultan, out of 31arinella ( Nat) 0
(O:
2: :vn
takennnel :‘)) ) —OO
Duke of Cleveland's ch. c. by Emilius, out of Farce (J. Day) 0
Mr. Forth's c. by Mules, out of Solace
Lord Orlord's ch. c by tlearwell, out of Angelic.it
—9 to 4 sgst Launcelot (5
o
4to I agst Assassin (taken)-4 to I agst Melody (taken)--6
!o I apt Thom-- 20 to one ag.t (Pathfinder—:o to I
agst -cu-
' cultft taken)—'lititi•AHeitirb(e:(otttta‘ueivkt4egidr,..i.3,, at
quitter
ratS.;tti I
rrtr
moiti Starting
Solace colt (rake„ )-5U
tlt
t:t,';:it,l r
iandot
are colt (taken)-20 •o I agst Bokhara-30 to I agst Con-
agar
tigeica c.
aA-"st "
,Iru,itenYe 1 'fa' start
three„
nti two
or
three minor failures, the lot went away :it aini,elx;lllehtno,stl(p,raal.ceesrt,
Assassintle
thv lielndy colt took
t geltc. colt
, tt,ltwrd by the ,t
and Bukhara,
r.
he
ers well tatd
third, A ngelica.
anduet wayheiiticASet
Launcelot
lyinglust k•
rc nd,
Confederate. aid Little Wonder being the I:;;t2.a.sndbleti,ai,to:kniehtiii,ffgs
round the turn Little Wonder
Phl,Breee:atinLatuanect,:lotth'seqtujeteersle;,ldthiieilg)aAh‘telog(riesehAsc:waac:,;(tl:l
ail that were
~lehigthini,tthechraanceee,
onleithifn•rniAngss.as)dh,noi‘ri,Cl::;3t.ecdielriatme.ohuaiavi7.:,!.,tithee,
lead to the distance, and there it was all up with him. Lairds!
Wonder then challenged the crack, headed him in a few •
atui
was half a length before him ere he reached thy
a length, ;
went. by
(post.uh 0 a p
ac,lse,vde r
Assassinw
As-
sassin fifth, and Amurath sixtFhine;roaf the others it t~ only n"c'eV'
bt
sary to say that the tailin } began before they reached the turn,
and that Therm (who at one part of the daddadwas 20 to 1 ), the
Gilt colt, and Sophocles were the 1;w three. Value of the
stakes, after making the usual deductions, q 7761.
Immediately after the race Mr E. Anson entered the weigh-
, rag-place, sad delivered to Macdonald an elegant ridie„; '