The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-07 00:00:00

SPORTING NO7 IS.

The royal meeting at Ascot this year will, no
doubt, command a brilliant attendance of the aris-
tocracy. The opening event, the Trial Stakes, for
all ages, obtained sixteen subscribers, and as the
entries were not made until Saturday even-
ing, the present intention of each must be
to run. Little is known of the two year olds
beyond Performer and Fancy Boy, for only the
Brother to Vex, and the remaining five have
been out; and he was in such good con-
pany that it is nothing against him, for such a race
as this, that he was unplaced. The Strawberry
filly belongs to Mr. Graham, who has also put her
in the Maiden Plate for two year old;, where she
may be more at home. This is a hard mile for the
yOungsters to get over, unless they are carrying the
feather weights—and the two in at sst. 101 b. shorld
be held safe by Vagabond, if this is to be the
rogue's journey instead of the Queen's Stand Plate.
The Dean is the only one that has accepted of T.
Dawson's lot. The merits of the Young Melbourne
horse had been pretty well shown up, and the
public had a great fancy for another Middle-
ham light-weighted young one Argyle but
both have been struck out. By the acceptance
of Romping Girl the weights remain as originally
apportioned. Mr. Chaplin expressed his determi-
nation, after his match with Julius, not to run Her-
mit over a distance of ground again. The stable
will be represented by Humdrum. He is very
nicely handicapped at sst. 91b., and will run welt.
On Saturday Cecil, Bst. 41b., was backed, but not
for much money. His chance is an undeniable one
after the front he made in the Newmarket Handi-
cap, but the winner will probably be found in an-
other. With a little shorter course Sycee, 7st. 121 b.,
would hare a chance. The reverse is the case with
Phoebus, who will represent Mr. Merry—St. Mungo
being among the non-contents. The horse has
shown fair form this season and last, and with the
impost of 7st 10th is bound to be close to the winner.
The Queen's Stand Plate is an all-aged race, over
only the last three-quarters of the new mile. Cap-
tivator was not nearly ripe when Lavandiere ran
home before him at Harrow, for Wedding Chimes
was close up with the pair, and the French-bred
filly must retire before Gertrude and Mahonia, two
splendid animals we have yet to see the best of.
Neither, however, may be quite up to the calibre of
Normanby, who has performed well enough to
stand as the first favourite for the Derby of 1870,
and runs unpenalised. The Queen's Gold Vase, a
two mile race, has only four subscribers, to the
relief of the Northumberland Plate backers of St.
Mungo, for if he should win there will be no
penalty incurred, as the prize can only be reckoned '
as worth £6O. Morna did not run like staying in
the Oaks, and the Derby performance of Thorwald-
sen was very indifferent. The Four-year-old Trien-
nial will open Formosa's pipes for the Cup race, and
she will not be allowed a walk over exactly. Resti-
tution runs her at even weights, Bst 51b, and he
likes the two miles quite as well as she does. The
21 ince of Wales's Stakes for three-year-olds,
one mile and five furlongs, is quite a second
Derby, and it is remarkable ho ,v nice'y
the first flight in the great race of the yeer
are handicapped by their penalties. Pretends:
has 9st 51b; Pero Gomez and the Duke of Beaufort,
9st llb ; The Drummer, 83t 131 b ; and Martyrdom,.
Bst 101 b ; and as a set off to the apparent chsad-
vantage the Duke de Beaufort has in the weights
there is the fact that he was seriously disappointed
at Tattenhaia Corner, and then finished within a
length of the Drummer, who has, too, only come
off second best in the Grand Prix de Paris. But
Pero Gomez also lost a lot of ground and not.