The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-12 00:00:00

gPORTigG NOTE

SCRAPS AND FACTS.

The innkeepers of Chester adhere with marvellettS
unscrupulosity to the memorable last words of Marmion.
During the recent meeting they seemed more deeply
impressed than ever with the significance of the cry of
" Charge, Chester, charge," and they neglected no op-
portunity which presented itself for putting their ONVII
interpretation of the words into action. On the occa-
sion of the review, at Portsmouth, certain newspapers
stated that the charges made for beds were quite
"fabulous ;" there was, however, nothing fabulous
about the demand which was made for sleeping accom-
modation at Chester—the exorbitant charges were a
shameful reality. No wonder, then, that the visitors
were disgusted by the extortion which was practised
upon them, and many of them have determined for the
future to lodge for the race week at the different towns
and villages in the neighbourhood. Many persons from
London merely stopped to see the race for the Cup, and
returned to town the same night, rather than furnish the
black mail levied by the innkeepers. Bigotry and blas-
phemy, too, were rampant at Chester. The walls were
I placarded with Scriptural quotations, and Bibles were
paraded through the streets, preceded by ranting, loud•
tongued fellows, consigning in no measured language all
persons who visited the races to perdition. They were,
however, allowed to pursue their outrageous conduot
unchecked by the authorities, and they were not only
blasphemous and obscene in themselves, but were the
cause of blasphemy and obscenity in others.
People were scarcely prepared for the successful
finale to the One Act which was played out on Wed-
nesday. The mare's running on Tuesday, and the line
furnished by Theodora, seemed to indicate how insignifi-
cant was her chance in comparison with that of Yellow
Jack's. Her success caused people to question

the accuracy of her Tuesday's performance, and
many seemed inclined to regard the exhibition
which she made with Theodora with suspicion.
If that exhibitiait were intentional it was most cleverly
managed. I, however, am inclined to believe that she
sustained a legitimate defeat, an opinion which receives
additional confirmation by her running with Eulogist on
Thursday.
Mr. Howard experienced a second disappointment
with Yellow Jack, who, however, ran so well and gamely
that his party do not altogether despair of his Derby
chance. Typee ran a good game imam. Imogene's
running proved that I did not underrate her preteusieus
in my anticipatory remarks on the meeting. All sorts
of excuses were made for Yorkshire Grey, who met with
t go or three disappointment; in the race, His running on
Friday, however, would indicate that his alleged
dents did not materially affect his chance. They who
saw Rifleman before the race were not surprised by his
breaking down. He is now ruined for racing purposes,
and the rapacity which caused him to be sent to Chester
has been deservedly punished. The incidents which
marked the Cup Race, however, must be familiar to
every person interested is sporting affairs. I shall
therefore not unnecessarily occupy space by a further re-
ference to them.

The defeat of Ellington for the Dee Stakes proved
that this horse did really run up to his true form at
York, and that, despite the bolstering up in the .bet-
ting which he received, his Derby chance is some‘viiat
insignificant. Indeed his inglorious exhibition, :laid
the unsatisfactory debut of Wentworth, has rather per-
plexed people to discover a Derby horse worthy o f
trust. Ca.cnobie is steadily supported, and Artillery is
becoming a good favourite. Vandermulin, too, is much
talked about, and his owner intends on this occasion to
give the Ring Jack up the orchard and no mistake.
After Lady Florence's running on Friday, he considers
Vandermulin's success a certainty ; and in the full
flush of his triumph he offered to take 14 " monkeys"
to one. He was, however, only " accommodated" to
the extent of a " pony." After all, however, I
am inclined to think the winner will come from
Whitewall. " Will it be Fazzoletto or Fly-by• Night ?"
is a question, however, frequently asked. All sorts of
runsours are in circulation about Fly-by• Night ; some
state that he is incapable of taking regular exercise,
others that he is all right and doing good work. That
Fly-by-Night is, or was a good horse, the running of
Manganese sufficiently proved. That Fazzoletto is also
an animal with pretensions raised far above mediocrity,
his victory over Yellow Jack clearly demonstrated.
From the earnest manner in which he is backed, I am
=lined to believe that he will be the trusted representa-