The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-05 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

STEEPLECHASES AT LA MARCHE.

The second of the steeplechase meetings took place on
Sunday. The weather was cold, a sharp wind blowing
throughout the afternoon. The three events on the card
produced excellent sport, each bringing a fair number of
starters to the post. For the handicap nine ran, Baron
Finot's Mario being favourite at 2 to 1; Bon Espoir was
looked upon as his most dangerous adversary, but having
incurred a 61b penalty for winning the Prix d'Ouverture on
the previous Sunday half a point more was laid against
hire. The latter, however, carried his increased weight to
the fore and won easily from MM. Forcinal's Julien, who
made a good race with hint at the finish, Mario only secur-
ing the fifth place. Bon E,E,oir is evidently the corning
.steeplechaser of the season. Since he made his first appear-
ance as a cross-country horse in October last, after a two
years' absence front the flat, he has now won six races
without having once suffered defeat. Like all the sons of
Faugh-a-Ballagh he is a good stayer, and hard to boat at a
close finish. The light weight and outsider of the race was
Praline, a mare front the south, who, after beating last year
roost of the horses of that district, came to try her fortune
with adversaries of a quite different class from what she
had been accustomed to meet. She now absolutely refused
to try, and after scrambling through the hedge at the stands
fell head foremost into the water. Without, however, un-
seating her jockey, she managed to scramble up the bank
unaided, and then retired. Bruneau made his second ap-
pearance in the Prix do Marnes, and his stable having the
money on this time, improved on his previous running by
widning in a canter. He was brought out again forthonext
race, and after making the running up to the last fence
nearly came on Lis head, and was beaten in the straight
by Said, M. Flersheim thus carrying off the second race of
the day. Subjoined are details of the proceedings:—
The Prix de Franc-Picord, a handicap of 3,000 f., entry
200 f., h ft, or 501. only if declared ; the second to re-

ceive doublo his entry Distance about 6,000 metres

•
(three miles and three-quarters.) 17 subs.
M. Flersheim's Bon Espoir, 6 yrs, lOst 10Ib ...(French) 1
MM. Forefoot's Julien, 6 yrs, 9st 6lb (Quinton) 2
Baron de lierissem's Pompadour, 6 yrs, Bst 121 b
(Knott) 3
_ _

Betting-2 to 1 agst Mario, sto 2 Bon Espoir, Bto 1
each Magenta and Pine Apple, 10 to 1 each Julion,Dubious,
and Pompadour, 15 to 1 Praline. Dubious took the lead
at starting, with Tim Meagles, Pompadour, and Bon
Espoir following in the order named, and the rest lying
well up with the exception of Praline, who refused the
first fence, and after being got over fell into the brook, and
was pulled up. Little change took place until throe-fourths
of the distance had been run, when Pompadour joined Baron
do 11Crissem's other horse Dubious, who was still leading,
while Tim Meagles dropped away and with Pine Apple fell
back to the rear. After coming round the last corner by
the ice wells, Bon Espoir and Julien ran past their horses,
and drawing away from the rest came together to the last
fence, when the latter was beaten off, and Bon Espoir won
easily by a length and a half, the same distance separating
Julien from Pompadour, who was third. Dubious finished
fourth, Mario fifth, and Magenta next. Tim Meagles and
Pine Apple, who were far in the rear, ran once more round
the course, their jockeys imagining that the others had not
completed the distance. The race was, however, pro-
nounced to be correct.

The Prix de Alarms of 1,500 fr. ; for horses which have not
won a steeplechase of 3,000 fr.; entry, 100 fr., h.ft.; weight,
lOst ; penalties for winners of a smaller sum; jockey, 71b
extra. Distance, about 3,000 metros. 19 subs.

Baron Finot's Bruneau, 6 yrs, lOst 71b (Count) 1
Count do la Bigne's Comedienne, 4 yrs, lOst 71b (Quinton) 2
31. Moyse's Gabion, 5 yrs, lOst 7lb (Cassidy 3
Betting— 6 to 4 agst Bruneau, 5 to 1 agst Comedienne, 6
to 1 agst Silly, 7 to 1 eget Gabion, and 10 to 1 agst Trente
et Quarante. Trente et Quarante went to the front at
start, and led half a dozen lengths in advance of Bruneau,
who was separated from the rest by a third of that distance.
Half a mile from home Commedienne joined Bruneau, and
the pair passed Trente et Quarante and lay in front to the
straight run up to the post, when Bruneau quitted Count do
la Bigne's mare, and came in an easy winner by two lengths.
Gabion finished third, four lengths behind Comedienne,
Elise was fourth, and Trout() et Quarante next.
The Prix de L'Avonir of 1,500 fr. ; for horses which have
not won 1,500 fr. at the moment of the engagement ;
entry, 25fr. for the second; penalties for the winner on

the fiat ; horses which have never won allowed 61b.
3,500 metres. 19 subs.
M. Fiersham's Said, 5 yrs, lOst 2lb (Cassidy) 1
Baron Finot's Bruneau. 6 yrs, 10. t 51b (Count) 2
M. Desvigne's Luynes; 4 yrs, Bst 101 b (Knott) 3
Betting— 5 to 4 agst Said, 4to 1 agst Bruneau, 7 to 1
each agst Miss Aurore and Duncan, and 8 to 1 agst
Schooner. Bruneau took a long load at starting, with Miss
Aurora and Duncan heading the others. Half-way round
those two drew up to Bruneau, but at the last turning died
away, and were replaced by Luynos and Said. The latter
caught Bruneau at the last fence, and, depriving him of the
lead in the straight, won by a good length. Luynes was
tilt third, Miss Aurora fourth, and Duncan fifth.

THE SOILED DOVE CASE.—As this filly was bred
on the Continent, there should have been lodged in
Messrs. Weatherby's; 0 fliclB a certificate as to identification,
,‘ signed by the mayor of the district wherein she was
bred." According to the l&th rule in the Laws of Racing,
no animal is allowed to run without the production of this
certificate. In this case, it appears, no such document
was deposited, and for the simple reason that it had never
been asked for. Of what avail, therefore, was the wonder-
ful " certificate," about which there was so much boast
some 18 months ago, as evidence that it was impossible for
any foreign horse to run in England without being of the
right ago ? " Had we not the mayor's certificate to prove
the correct age ?" was the reply of those who wore pecu-
niary gainers by the success of foreign importations. lied
the knowledge of these continental mayors respecting the
ages of horses been equal to that of our practical
veterinary surgeons the case would have boon diffe-
rent. I trust I may not be considered rude if I
assert that the opinion of continental mayors on
the subject of horses is not worth the paper it is written
on, and a well-known member of the Jockey Club—Mr. A.
Lowther—appears to be of the same opinion ; hence, the
notice of motion that gentleman has given, to the effect
that no foreign-bred horses shall be allowed to run with-
out an examination being made by veterinary surgeons in
this country. The decision on Soiled Dove's bets will
cause some trouble; indeed, sumo of the bookmakers are
regretting that her former owner was not "clever" enough
to have had her nominally oweed'by so-no baron or count
as in that instance the turf community who had backed
her would have insulted any one who had even asked for
an examination of her month. Our home breeders, how-
ever, are much dissatisfied at the blind confidence shown
by some members of the Jockey Club with respect to
foreign horses. Had Soiled Dove been bred by a con-
tinental man of title, and never have left his posses-
sion, I have no hesitation in asserting she would have
gone on winning iu various countries without any in-
vestigation taking place. The general impression of prac-
tical horsemen--who love their native horse-breeding
country, and who naturally dislike to see the flower of
their two-year-olds beaten in a common canter, year after
year, by suspicious-looking importations, mere with the
appearances of old hunters than young horses—is that
Soiled Dove is not the only animal from the continent
who would have been disqualified had an examination or
proper inquiries been instituted. Some years ago a cer-
tain "division" were warned off the turf in France, for
running old horses for young ones at St. Omer, and as
breeding thorough-breds is considerably on the increase
abroad, English owners and breeders cannot do better than
urge tho Jockey Club to enforce the adoption of Mr.
Lowther's motion, inasmuch as it will place all foreign-
bred horses on the same footing. Of this much.l am cer-
tain, that Rule 15 of the Laws of Racing is a perfect farce
—in fact, the laws of the turf are nothing more nor less
than a snare and a delusion, in proof of which I need only
state that a week scarcely passes over in the race season
without protests or objections resulting in decisions of a
most startling and conflicting nature.—"LIARKA.WAY" in
Land and iVater.

We have reason to believe that the Duke of Rich-
mond has not accepted the 'office of Secretary of State for
the Colonies, vacant by the resignation of Lord Carnar-
von. It has been accepted by the Duke of Buckingham,
who will be succeeded as President of the Council by the
Duke of Marlborough, who has until now filled the post of
Lord Steward.

ILLNESS OF MISS KATE SAVILLE.—Miss Kate
Saville (the niece of Miss llelon Fetich) was taken suddenly
ill on Saturday at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham. She was
part
eartcuorf curtain being the manager
engaged
evening, tob
uptl
uponplay th e t " The Jewess" that
informed the audience of Miss Saville's sudden illness. The
young lady was attended by two medical men, and in the
course of four hours was removed to her apartments in the
neighbourhood. She is suffering from extreme exhaustion
consequent upon the great swain upon her mental powers,
and remains In a precarious condition.

eFtiTS., president, in the chair—Mr.
ROYAL INSTITUTION
hOeFldGyr GREATr
ay—Sir H. HAoltlatnhde,
general ,
Di D.,
tDh.loy.tm.e,
Jerry Barrett, Mr. John Brunskill, Lord Sackville
Cecil, Mr. Frederick James Chester, Mr. Henry Collin-
son, Mr. Charles Newton, Mr. Algernon Perkins, Captain
Richard Phelips, Mr. James Rankine, 8.A., Mr. T. A.
Rochussen, 31.1.0. E., Mr. George Lake Russell, M.A.,
Mr. Edward Sartoris, Mr. William Spottiswoodo, Mr.
John Williams, and Mr. James Christopher Wilson were
elected members of the Royal Institution.

FALL OF A RAILWAY BRIDGE AND Loss OF LIFE.
—Yesterday afternoon a temporary wooden bridge,
built over a road at Dartford, to assist in the construction
of the South Eastern line into naid-Kent, fell while a heavy
girder was being hoisted by a travelling crane placed on
the bridge. At the time six or eight men were working
the crane, and before they had time to escape the bridge
swayed first on one side and then on the other, and fell
with a terrible crash, causing the " traveller" to topple over
with the men on it. Some fell clear of the ponderous ma-
chine, but were overtaken by the portions of the fallen
materials of the bridge, and became imbedded in the debris.
As soon as possible the poor men were extricated, but they
were all very seriously injured. They wore conveyed to
Guy's Hospital, when ono man was found to be quite dead,
having expired on the journey. Three others are so
seriously injured that their recovery is doubtful.