The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-17 00:00:00

BREAK DOWN OF WILD OATS.

Some very sinister symptoms presented tnemseives in
the betting on Wednesday night. Determined hostility
set in against Wild Oats, the chief favourite for th•
Two Thousand. He went further and further
back, and the next day still retreated, until he
saw 100 to 8 for the Guineas, and almost any
price for the Derby. On Thursday morning he was gene-
rally looked upon as " done for " in respect of both races,
and offers of 4 to 1 against his seeing the post for the
Two Thousand Guineas failed to find a single response.
In the afternoon the worst fears of his backers were con-
firmed. In the course of the day the following notice was
posted at Newmarket :—" Wild Oats.—This horse's leg
having filled, it is, in the opinion of his trainer, almost
impossible to bring him to the post for the Two Thousand
Guineas. The Duke of Hamilton being abroad, and
not having given me any authority, I can can take no
further step until I receive his instructions.--(Signed)
NEWCASTLE." So ends another favourite. No complaint
can in this case be made against the fieldsmen.
Their operations were legitimate, and, indeed,
some bookmakers Lad thought the horse safe to
win, and had backed him accordingly. The transac-
tion, however, must be laid to the debit of account of
someone ; and public opinion is generally directed against
an individual who figured more prominently than credi-
tably last year in certain shady practices. It is not a little
curious that both the Earl and Wild Oats were " settled,"
whilst their owners were absent on the Continent. "Hot-
spur," in the Telegraph, writing on Thursday, says : "It is
well known that the 'noble Duke' is abroad cruising in
genial climates with Youth at the prow' and perhaps
' Pleasure at the helm,' and in his absence his horses
have been managed' by the celebrated 'Spider' who
so pre-eminently distinguished himself by his manage-
ment of two horses called The Earl and Lady Elizabeth.
For some weeks Wild Oats has been under suspicion for
the Two Thousand." ,It soon became clear that he
could not be prepared for his engagements. The
public statements cf the chief supporters of the Heath
House establishment are to the effect that the trainer dare
not give " the Oats " another gallop ; but, in the absence
of the Duke of Hamilton beyond reach of either telegram
or letter, they have no power to scratch him. His absence
from both the Two Thousand and the Derby may be looked
upon, however, as a foregone conclusion.''

The absence of Wild Oats and, probably, Belladrum
leaves the Two Thousand a very uninteresting affair.
The Duke of Beaufort rises to the first place, 9 to 2
being taken so freely that 4 to 1 was the best offer on
Thursday. Pretender and Belladrum were only nomi-
nally at 11 to 2 and 6 to 1 respectively. At 8 to 1 the
Drummer was in some force; and Tasman, after having been
backed at 100 to 6, advanced to 100 to 8. For the Chester
Cup the iEgean was in strong demand, at first at 8 to 1
and afterwards at 7 to 1. For the Derby Belladrum was
backed at 40 to 1 and 100 to 3 several times, and 100 to 8
was booked about him for a situation. About 400 to 10
had been taken about Tasman, 25 to 1 became the highest
offer. Pero Gomez has been quiet.
At the annual meeting of the Jockey Club, it was re-
solved that Rule of Racing No. 40 be repealed, and the
following substituted: "In all handicaps when the highest
weight accepting is under Sst. 121 b., it shall be raised to
that weight, and the others in proportion." The Duke of
Hamilton was proposed as a member, and suffered the
indignity of being blackballed.