The Sun.
London, England, 1869-03-01 00:00:00

SPORTING NOTES.

At Nottingham, Mr. Pryor was very fortunate in car-
rying off six of the principal races. Old Friday, who
ran as roguish as ever, won the Handicap, after a rattling
finish with the non-staying Hatelment. For this victory,
however, Mr. Pryor may thank Parry, who never rode a
finer race. Sister to Veda, who is wonderfully fast, scat-
tered her nine opponents in the Little John Stakes, and
she is likely to hold her own for some weeks to come over
short distances, whatever her fate may be on long courses.
The racing at Nottingham and that at Derby were scarcely
up to the average, and had it not been for The Colonel
winning the Hurdle Handicap at the former place, the
sport would have told us nothing concerning the Grand
National, as no horse opposed Greenland for the great
Midland Steeplechase at Derby. Opinions as to the style
in which The Colonel won were divided, his partisans
averring that he beat Ada Penelopa in a canter, whilst
other individuals thought he won with about 71b in hand.
The success of The Colonel, however, did not make him
any better a favourite for the Liverpool event than he was
before. The Liverpool Meeting will be held on Tuesday
and two following days. For this important gathering the
Messrs. Topham have published one of their usual attrac-
tive lists, and if all the proposed items therein fill twenty-
three races will b 3 decided. Seven out of the eight events
in Tuesday's card are completed, and the Spring Flying
Stakes (four furlongs) has secured forty-five nominations
the most noteworthy of which are Marshal Ney, 7st 81b ;
Mr Pitt, ist 81b ; Dawdle, 7st 61b ; Ajax, Est 61b ; and
Soubrette, sst 71b. Dawdle invariably runs well over
Aintree, and I can select no horse capable of beating her,
unless Mr Pitt is sent to Liverpool. There are 18 entries
for the Tyro Stakes (four furlongs), but, as nearly all the
two year olds that have been engaged are "dark," we can
only point to Coutts and Little Lady filly as being danger-
ous. The Trial Stakes (about six furlongs), with its penal ties
and allowances, reads more like a handicap than a weight for
age race. Albion end Raunds are each entitled to a 71b
allowance, and the better of the pair should win. In the
Mersey Cup (one mile) Vespasian and Voda are the most
attractive names ; and in the United Hunters' Race (two
miles) Delaware and Royal Irish Fusilier will beat the
field, though it may include New Oswestry, Traveller,
Aurifera, Lord Zetland, Costa, and Nebsworth. For the
Molyneux Handicap Steeplechase (about two miles and a
quarter) we prefer Ada and L.S.D., as they are quick
jumpers, and will like the distance. Several clever horses
have been named for the Hurdle Handicap (two miles), but
of those likely to run the l.est may be discovered in Cho-
rister and Barnabo.

Wednesday is the Grand National day, and that popular
cross-country event will attract a vast number of visitors
to Aintree. As a betting race the present year's Grand
National never had its equal, for upwards of fifty horses
have figured in the list of quotatious. Still we do not ex-
pect to find more than 30 competitors face Mr. M'George.
Mr. Brayley will run three—Pearl Diver, Fortuuatus,
and Sea King. All these horses, more particularly Pearl
Diver and Fortunatus, have been supported by their
owner, and the best, which we take to be the Diver, must
be dangerous. In the final run home, however, some of
the light-weighted horses will wear Pearl Diver down,
and we do not believe the best of Mr. Brayley's trio will be
so near winning this year as the fine son of Marsyas and
Pearl was last anniversary. Philosopher and the Nun are
overweighted ; and the French mare Astrolabe, clever
though she is, will find it difficult to beat the horses that
will be brought out against her at Liverpool, as she is
rather on the small side. Alcibiade is old and slow, and
but for Harcourt, who &so belongs to the Lublienham
division, being stopped iu his work -owing to an aczi-
dent sustained a short Here since -I do nut apprehend
that Alcibiade would ever have been quoted at 100 to 8
for this race. Havelock is likely to run forward,
as he i, fast on the the, and jumps well. Mr Morgan may
start Globule, Brack, and Huntsman's Daughter; but the
only horse I fancy in this trio is Globu'e—a natural jum-
per, and a good animal—as Brick and Huntsman's Daugh-
ter will nut, in our opinion, stay the course. Hall Court
and Knave of Trumps are in Golby's stable, but The Nun
will be the trusted one of this strieg. Tathwell, from his
trials with Greenland and Barbarian, is known to be a good
horse, and a better-looking one or a surer fencer will not
take part in the Grand National contest. Q. C. hails from
a dangerous quarter, but this son of Rataplan will improve
with age, though ho may this time of asking beat more
than one of the leading favourites over the Liverpool
ground. Despatch is said to have cleaned out all Lord
Poulett's lot, and, if so, he must be bad to beat, as the
" trying tackle" is reliable. Hitherto Despatch has been
set down as a non-stayer ; and had he not belonged to Mr.
Studd we should not have entertained his Grand National
chance. We are, however, bound to hold Despatch harm-
less, and place him on my reserve list. Goldfinder has
no chance; neither have Belmontine nor Billy Gladstone,
although the Irish division, as usual, swear by their
champions. Captain Crosstree, if he were thoroughly
sound, would possess a winning chance second to that of no
horse engaged in the Grand National. As he has, however,
been on the infirm list this spring, I pass him over. The
Colonel, that he-has never run in a steeplechase,
except
a consideringino
gstalot of farmers' horses at Birmingham, is
one of the firmest favourites ever known; and that he is a
useful horse I do not deny, though I fear he will not
this year be registered winner of he Liverpool Grand
National Steeplechase, as his best form is not good enough
to win. Fan knows the course, and will be found in the
van at the finish, as her owner, who is not a novice at the
game, fancies her chance, notwithstanding the indifferent
runniug of the mare at Warwick last autumn. Bristles
and The Plover were once fair horses, but I fear their
best days are over. Bishopton has a respectable outside
chance,as he won a good trial with Ace of Trumps
and others over Kingsbury Course. Guy of War-
wick is a vastly improved horse, and, as he beat &da
Penelope at Lincoln far easier than The Colonel did
at Nottingham, he ought to be an equal, if not a better,
favourite than the half-bred son of Knight of Kars and
Boadicea. Dick Turpin is the most leniently-weighted
horse in the handicap; and when it is remembered that he
has met and defeated Globule, Philosopher, Shakespeare,
Pearl Diver, The Doctor, Shangarry, Despatch, Sea King,
Havelock, Ace of Trumps, and Greenland, the " feather" in
the Grand National must bo pronounced formidable. From
the present tone of the market, however, I fear that this
horse must have gone amiss. Plum Cake would not look
at a fence when ho ran at Manchester, and will be useless
over the Liverpool country. In the doubtful list there is
a good horse called The Robber, but he may not run on
this occasion. Despatch, Fau, Tathwell, Alcibiade, and
Guy of Warwick are the candidates that I mast esteem,
and in retaining two, my choice falls on
TATHWELL AND DESPATCH.

In the Sefton Handicap (about six furlongs) thirty-six
horses have been engaged, and Virittis could scarcely lose,
if sent. Should Mr. Bennett's mare, however, be reserved
for future engagements, Soubrette or Miss Theo may prove
equal to the task of winning. The March Stakes (4 fur-
longs) will be secured by Pate or Hollandaise ; and the
Welter Cup (1 miles) by Three per Cent. or Sister to
Vedette.

The only closed races for Friday are the Spring Cup,
the Scurry Welter Handicap, aud the Sefton Handicap
Steeplechase. The Spring Cup (14 miles) is a failure hi
point of acceptance, as only twenty horses have remained
in, although sixty-seven were originally handbapped for
it. Knight of the Garter is the highest weighted horse
entered, and he is quite capable of winning,
if Lord Cal-
thorpe considers the stake worth accepting. In case the
Knight, however, is an absentee, Vortigern or Ajax may
be found worth trusting, as both horses are well
in. In
the Scurry Welter Handicap (about six furlongs) Fairfax
is the best of a moderate lot.. The Sefton Steeplechase
will be partially decided by the running in the Grand Na-
tional ou Wednesday.
The Shrewsbury Spring Meeting Will take place on
Friday and Saturday. The principal closed races in Mr.
Frail's progratyme are the Spring Cup and Middleton
Plate on Friday, and the County Handicap and Steeple-
chase on Saturday. Seventeen horses have accepted for
the Spring Cup (if miles), and, in the presumed absence
of Ecarte, it will be won by King of the Fairies. There
are twenty-throe nominations for the Middleton Plate
(about four furlongs), and unless there is a tolerably smart
juvenile iu the dark division, Hollandaise or Vibration
will be victorious. In the County Handicap (1 mile), Last
Rose of Summer and Veda seem most like wincing names ' •
and for the Spring Steeplechase (about 131 miles) Ends
leg
Liverpool
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will
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probably b thea bl v pointu n uincgleuinrly theto
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the wiuner of the Shrewsbury event.

A ruse liAlir.

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