The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-01 00:00:00

SPORTING NOTE 3.

• The Epsom Spring Mooting was a great success, although
fine sunshiny weather was unfortunately combined with the
disagreements of a gale of wind on 'Tuesday, and also a
strike of the enginemen and firemen connected with the
London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway Company,
which prevented many intended travellers to these cele-
brated downs by that route, as no trains ran from the
Victoria Station, and only a few from London-bridge,
from arriving with their usual punctuality. It seems
rather hard and cruel on the part of the men to commence
a strike on this ono of the best managed lines in the
'country, the loss of traffic from which must have been a
serious item in the company's weekly receipts; but let us
hope the good sense and kindly feeling displayed by the
directors towards their men in this case will induce other
railway companies to arrange the disputes in question in
an equally amicable and satisfactory manner. The
racing resulted in a series of triumphs for the book-
makers, which they would doubtless like to see repeated
during the week, but 1 question if they will be so success-
ful shortly, when most of the stables will have obtained a
more correct line for their horses.
The confounded Soiled Dove case is again on the car-
pet, as a meeting of the committee at Tattersall's was held
on Saturday, when, after a long discussion amongst the
members present—who wore the Duke of Newcastle, as
chairman, Lord Frederick Fitzroy, Lord Exmouth, Hon.
Admiral Rous, Colonel Ousoley Higgins, Capt. Batchelor,

and Mr. George Payne, they decided upon re-opening the
case. In consequence of this decision Admiral Botts, with his
usual impetuosity, removed his name from the committee,
and retired from the room ; whereupon, as several mem-
bers declined, from the foot of having an interest in
the matter, to give a final decision about it, the
settlement was still further adjourned till Saturday,
the 13th of April. There can but be one common-sense
view of the matter, and that is, as Mr. Chaplin was in-
duced to purchase Soiled Dove through the negligence of
the Jockey Club officials in allowing her to start in the
first instance at Newmarket, in contravention of rule 15,
to declare all bets on her null and void. It is not possible
to deny that the neglect of certain parties connected with
the Jockey Club has been the first cause of all the mischief

which has arisen in connection with this miserable affair,
and to turn round and punish one of the most liberal
patrons of the turf by enforcing a penal rule against him
is what I will never believe any committee of noblemen
and gentlemen can conscientiously do.
The meetings for the present week are Northampton
and the Grand National Hunt, which are the most attrac-

[To gatherings on the spring circuit to the general body of

racing men

At Northampton the Whittlobury Stakes is likely to go
o VIRIDIS or MOONBEAM. For the Stand Plate Han-

dicap GREY STOCKING is as well in as anything, and
by him or Lord Westmorland's representative it is
likely to be won. SWEET ANNE and TINA are not
badly in the Delapre Free Handicap, although they
would have a chance with Sir Guy, a turned loose
four-year-old, if he could gallop a little bit. For
the Northamptonshire Cup Stakes VANDERVELDE, if the
distance i i not too ;far for him, ought to wiz Who Selby