The Sun.
London, England, 1851-01-13 00:00:00

SPORTING NOTES.
INTRODUCTION TO THE RACING CAMPAIGN
OF 1851.

"I'll issue notes,
Which may on Fortune's 'Change be barter'd
For much mOn ey."- FITZWA LLY NG E.

TO TEE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,---Scarcely two months have elapsed since the
raoing season of 1850 closed on the Downs of Epsom;
and already, by the exigencies of the times in which we
live, I am called into the field at this early period of the
year to sound the " note of preparation" for the ensuing
campeign cf 1851, a year destined to form a new and
important epoch in the history of the world, cf progress,
of civilization, and, from present appearances, ap-
pointed to work great changes for the better on
the turf; altogether giving every sign of being
a remarkable and most prosperous year in
every respect. Had " Prosperity Fred," as a Noble
Lord, a member of the Government was called a
goodly cycle of years ago —some twenty-six—been
preaching the uaexumpled prosperity cf the present
time, instead of 1824-5, he could hardly have been
wrong in his statements and predictions; but, then, the
prosperity of the country was false, a slight crust of ice
covering a volcano, which burst with terrific force in
1825-6. For several months of the present year Lon-
don and the adjacent country will be literally the worlci's
fair; " the village," as the metropolis of the world is
facetiously termed, will be over-run by legions of
foreigners, or, as we ought to call them in
this age of progress, cosmopolites, who no
doubt, when they have satiated their eyes with the
attractions of the Crystal Palace, and the other lions of
the metropolis, will rush in crowds to the celebrated
race-meetings cf Newmarket, Chester, Epsom, Ascot,
and elsewhere, to see and enjoy the great national sport
of Old England and the English, now in the 200th year
of its establishment. This will lead to a large diffusion
of the circulating medium, to a great increase of specu-
lation, and consequently to a considerable augmentation
in business of every kind on and connected with the turf;
speculation being the very vitals of the ring, enabling
the English, as a nation, to possess the finest breed of
horses—not even excepting those of " Araby the blest"
—under the sun. If it were not for the speculative system
adopted in the ring, termed betting, the turf would
not exist a dozen years longer, the studs would
dwindle down to next to nothing, and be what they were
before Tregonwell Frampton, Godolphin, and others of
that class, introduced betting on horse races, some
hundred years ago.
With the:present number, I commence the new year with
a new series of Sporting Notes, upon an entirely new and
improved principle, that shall, or at least I hope will,
meet the necessities of the sportingivorld, in all particulars
connected with the turf. It is my intention to publish,
as early as possible, a careful analyzation of the great
Spring Handicaps—the Detby, Oaks, Two Thousand
and One Thousand Guineas Stakes—and on all other
stakes cf note throughout the year; to be, at
the least, from a fortnight to a month in the field
before the race is run, with a diligently constructed
digest of the animals' chances engaged therein. In ad-
dition to the foregoing early appearance of my opinion
on the great races of the year, I purpose publishing, as
soon as the racing season has fairly set in, that is, from
the end of March, thence to the termination of the
Houghton week at Newmarket, in October next, the
latest intelligence received by post or electric telegraph
from the country, together with all the moves on the
metropolitan board that may transpire at the club
houses, or at any of the principal sporting houses in
London, up to the time of going to press for the seeond
and third editions of The Sun; thus giving- country
subscribers, as well as town, the benefit of the earliest
information that can possibly be procured. Besides the
above, the usual note will appear every Monday through
cut the season, duly noting every particular worth se
cording of the preceding week's races; and

"Attempting to anticipate
The cabinet designs of Fate,"
by predicting the winners of meet iu the ensuing week ;
the whole worth filing as forming a key to the racing
campaign of 1851, compiled from the very best sources,
end I flatter myself good enough to enable those who
speculate in my notes to barter their contents on For-
tune's 'Change for much money. Having Lid down the
principal of (what I hope you will allow to be) the
spirited laws of your humble servant for the ensuing
campaign ; I will now proceed to review the present
state of the Betting market, promonishing the sporting
community that, as the, weights for the Chester Cup and
Metropolitan Handicap were not generally known
in town until the 11th, Saturday last, but little
speculation of a genuire kind has as yet
ensued upon these Stakes, but in the course
of this day and to-morrow the betting will assume a
shape in the minds of the members of that celebrated
" republic, club, community, yclept the ring," and those
nags' names destined to be the favourites for the re-
mainder of the winter will he duly indorsed in the ruff
detail returned of the operations at Tattersall's this
afternoon. The stakes that have commanded the most
attention since the curtain fell on the racing drama of
1850 are the Derby, Chester Cup, 2,000 Guineas, and
the Metropolitan, of Epsom. For the first-named, since
this time lest year, between forty-five and fifty horses
have been supported, many of them in a most spirited
style, especially Grecian, Lightfoot, Prime Minster,
Storm, Lamartine, and Newminster, the last four NY
DERBY TEAM, selected and pointed out by me in the
columns of the Sun in 1849, long before their qualities
were even guessed at by the public, touts, or prophets,
or, in fact, by any one except their owners,
and trainers; and in one instance (The Prime Minister)
I think I had the start of them likewise. In addition to
the above, the Mountain Sylph colt (upon very good
grounds) has received a fair quantum of support; and so
have the following at outside prices varying from 20 to
66 to 1, viz.:—Teddington, Black Doctor, Midas, Con-
fessor, Ariosto, 800 (said to be the best three years old
in the Goodwood stable), Runnymede (improving ra-
pidly), Ipsus, Bonnie Dundee (Lord Egliuton's best),
Constellation, Tearaway colt, Brother to ChanCeleer (a
strong customer), Marlboro' Buck (a first-rate half-
bred), and Balsamo, a dangerous outsider of the Marlbo-
rough division. Some few of these have been hacked for
an immense amount on paper; should Lightfoot
win the Derby, somewhat of the impossible in my
opinion, it would give " the ring" a heart-breaking
quake from which it would not easily re-
cover ; of Day's horses, Lamartine has had
as much invested on him as the favourite Grecian, their
respective merits, however, I shall leave alone for the
present, until the appearance of my analysis of the
Derby. Altogether the Derby market is remarkably
firm for the time of year, consequent upon the mildness
of the season, and for the most part entire absence of
sickness in the great stables; each fancy nag finding a
ba,ch of backers who assert, according to their views of
the matter, " in good round set terms" their unqualified
opinion that the crack will win, that Lightfoot is a cer-
tainty, &a, &c., while the greater portion of the north
and west country division follow suit with me in favour
of The Premier and Newminster. The present prices
show the Grecian to be out of favour, the Premier in
great request at 7 to 1, the Mountain Sylph colt at
13, Neweninster steady at 13 to 1 , and Lamartine at
25 to 1. Among the outsiders Balsamo at fifties,
and Ruenynaede at thousands to thirty, are
in request. I have animadverted at some length on the
Derby prices, as in all probability they will rule steady
for some time to come, as will those for the 2,000 Gui-
neas (for which stake Grecian is marked at 3, Newmin-
ster 5, Mountain Sylph colt 3 to 4, Storm 10, and Con-
lesser 12 to 1); but with respect to the Metropolitan
Handicap and Chester Cup figures, they will receive an-
other form from this very day, with perhaps the solitary
exception of Rhesus and Cossack for the " Coop;" how-
ever I will lay before you the names of those horses
that have been backed to any extent for the great ingo
of Chester during the last three months; they are—
Cossuck, Rhesus, Damask, Italian, Montague, Russbo-
rough, Pitsford, Sir Richard, Peep-o'-day-Boy, Miss
Ann, Elthiron, Wallflower, Clarissa, Garforth, Me-
lody, Musician, Wont-you-come-out-to-night, Glauca,
Clincher, Raby,CockermoutleChief Justice, bro. toDough,
Langton, Lady Evelye, 7st 81b (worth a heavy invest-
ment at fifty, if fur no other purpose than hedging),
Lady Eden, HaricoaSnowstorm, the Swindler, St. Valen-
tine, Trouncer, Dahcottsh Chief, Woolwich, Cyprus,
Seaman, and Eva. The analysis of the Chester Cup
must stand over for the present, but I intend giving in
my next Note a fow general hints on the principal
stakes of the spring, with an artistically executed dissec-
tion of the keys to the Derby and Oaks, the Two and
One Thousand Guinea Stakes. The racing prospects of
1851 are considerably above the average, and in the
number of nominations for the most important stakes of
the spring, with the exception of a small falling off in
the Derby, the Northampton and Newmarket Handicaps,
slightly above last year, generally allowed to be a most
successful season. They stand compared as follows:-
1850. 11151
Derby ... 205 ... 95
Oaks 128 132
2,000 Guineas ... 27 ... 31
1,000 C. :ninths ... 26 33
Chester Cup ... 189 191
Metropolitan ... 88 „. 102
Newmarket ... 61 ... 69
Northampton ... 120
til6
scribblit
With this Note I commence my
"vent
campaign in the cause of the turf;
and, iP conclusion, cang
interests shall
assure the sporting community thattheir
setracingmattersatear-
liest forth
in this Note,
tion, and that all the advantages
at all times receive my earnest attention and considera-
te() effective of 7he Sun, will withap-
pear
cos? einrsfourmotanitioenntoionnellil.,l
or third editions, disposal of myself or
in the first, second,.or B, Within a few
the occurrence. When my plan
hours, at the outsido,
is thoroughly tested, I hr pe, in Byron's words,
To find myselt gully classed
amongst the higher spirits If the day,
he Sun's true son, nu vapeut, but a ray ."
I am, Sir, `ours, &c.,
THE 6121R1T OF TILE TURF.

Jan. 13, 1851.

THE BATHS AND WASH-HOUSES IN GEORGE.
STREET, EUSTON-SQUARE.-A summary of the working of
this establishment for the past year presents the following
very satisfactory results :—Bathers—males, 75,834;' females,
10,763; total bathers, 86,597; washers, dryers, ironers, &c.,
73,023; representing 292,092 individuals. Apartments in
the occupation of the very poor cleansed, limewashed, venti-
lated, and otherwise purified, 2,941. At the general meeting,
on Thursday, it was stated that the .=um of 1,8001. was re-
quired to complete the building and fitting Ito of the estab-
lishment, and that every exertion was needed to raise that
sum by subscription. With the institution in full and bene-
ficial working, it is most earnestly to be hoped that its opera-
tions will not, be circumscribed from want of pecuniary means.
Baths and wash-houses must recommend themselves to the
donations of the wealthy as objects of necessity, and pecu•
liarly free from liability to abase.