The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-11 00:00:00

SPORTING NOUS.

The Epsom meeting commences to-morrow. In the City
and Suburban Handicap, one mile and a quarter course, 78
horses originally accepted, but since the declaration of for-
feits Victorious, Alerte, Merry Hart, Crown Prince, Bigote,
Sidewind, Renfrew, and Roland have been struck out.
Although operations were commenced by the bookmakers
several weeks since on this handicap, the 'betting has
been very bad, and not more than six or eight horses
have been really backed. Nevertheless, there , will be a
large field, and the runners will be selected from
Copenhagen, Ostreger, Muezzin, Zambesi, Billet Dona,
Out-and-Outer, Xi, Skirmish, The Buck, Wild Poppy,
Provisor, La Valasse, Vandervelde, Nukuhova, Contra-
band, Morris Dancer, Le Magician, Dubiety, Lochiol, The
Czar, Mephistopheles, and Delight. The " doubtfuls" are
Archimedes, Breadalbano, Auditor, Sandal, Brahma,Elastic,
Pepper's Ghost, the colt by Rattle by Amata, Haarlem,
Hawthorn, Isis, Custaloga, and Basquine. Copenhagen
has been backed within the last two or three days, but if
the Lincoln running is correct he can have no chance.
Ostreger, Bst 11b, is one of the finest horses in training, and
as weight tells less on the City and Suburban course than
any other in the kingdom, I expect to see Ostreger run
well, if, indeed, he does not win, as Mr. Bovill has backed
him for a heavy stake, and he is no mean judge of what a
race horse should be. Muezzin, Bst,, is inferior to Zambesi
at even weights, and Mr. Merry's colt will, I think, beat
both Muezzin and Redmire, 71b 121 b, though the latter is
not destitute of racing qualities. Of the French pair
Billet Doux, ist tjlb, and La Valasse, Est 121 b
—I prefer La Valasse, though Billet Doux has showed
rare form on the Continent, and must be classed
as dangerous. Out - and - Outer, 7st 51b, has steadily
maintained the position of first favourite until Friday
last, when he was deposed from the premiership by De-
light. That William Day's colt is well in there is no
denying, but I fear ho will not quite stay the course,
though he is bound to take a deal of beating. Xi, 7st, has
too much weight; and Skirmish, 7st, will again succumb to
Ostreger. The Buck, 7st, although in the same stable as
Mephistopheles, will, I believe, run on his merits ; but what
they are I do not pretend to know, as the form of The Buck
is nil in public. Wild Poppy, ist, has little chance to beat
Provisor, 6st 121 b ; and though the latter is somewhat un-
certain, he has only to run up to his Croxton Park form
with Miss Harriette to finish in the first flight for this race.
Vandervelde, Est 131 b, after being sent to 100 to 1, has again
joined the front ranks, and as he is very favourably
weighted, has been well tried, and is thoroughly fit, I ap-
prehend the horse that beats him will win this handicap.
Contraband, Est 41b ; Morris Dancer, Est 21b ; and Dubiety,
6st, have outside chances ; but not one of this trio appears so
tempting as Vandervelde. Lochiel, sst 131 b, and The Czar
sst 121 b, will be defeated by Mephistopheles, sst 111 b, and
Delight, sst 91b, or the high trials of the last-named pair
will prove "a delusion and a snare." Both Mephistopheles
and Delight are strongly fancied by their respective train-
ers, and if Mephistopheles is better than Gretna at level
weights, and Delight equal to Saccharometer at 2st, their
partisans have reliable reasons for their confidence. The
winner, I expect, will be either VANDERVELDE or DELIGHT.
The Half Mile Two-year-old Stakes has a capita! entry of
51, the most notable names being Hermit, Knight of the
Garter, Cellina, Whirligig, Nemea, Novice, Verulam,Hippia,
Moleskin, The Assinobrine, Bounceaway, the colt by Lord
of the Isles from Lady Lurewell, and the filly by The
Duke from Lady Blanche. Mr. Chaplin's handsome Derby
colt, Hermit, it is stated, will not be sent to Epsom, and
in his absence KNIGHT OF THE GARTER and CELLINA, are
the most attractive names. The Half-mile Inkerman
Plate may be won by HAVANNAR or PHANTOM SAIL ;
and the six furlongs Heathcote Plate ought to be secured
by Lord Westmorland's representative, seeing that his
Lordship has Ulphus, Indian Star, Lady Sophie, and
Rama engaged. The Great Metropolitan Stake; two
miles and a quarter course, will probably bring out
twelve or fourteen runners. Eltham, Bst 121 b and
Brown Bread, Bst 101 b are the best of the heavy weights ;
Scandal, Bst 21b and Grapeshot, Est 121 b of the middle ;
and Lucifer, Est 11b ; Farce, Est ; Treasure Trove, Est
(including 51b. extra); Eakring, sst. 121 b. (including 51b.
extra) ; Staghound, sst. 121 b., and Treasure Trove, of the
lighter weights. As public form is invariably the best
guide to go by I shall look to EAXItING or TREASURE
TROVE to supply the winner. The six furlongs New Two-
year-old Stakes will, in the absence of Hermit, be won by
the Rake, though he is penalised 51b. for his Althorp-park
Stakes victory ; and either of Mr. Chaplin's pair (Satyr or
Vespasiau), probably Satyr, appears capable of winning
the six furlongs Walton Stakes.

A FRESHMAN.

SERIOUS ACCIDENT.—On Monday the schooner
Ebenezer, 76 tons register, captain and owner Robert Wat-
son, of Leith, was discharging Scotch potatoes at the Bar-
bican Wharf, Plymouth, when a bulkhead gave way, and
eight Irishwomen who were at work in the hold were im-
mediately buried. It appears that the schooner's cargo
consisted of 120 tons in all, of which 40 tons were rocks,
and 80 tons were regents, and that they were separated by
a temporary bulkhead. The regents, from the main hold,
were nearly all out, and as on their removal no support was
placed against the bulkhead it gave way through the pres-
sure from the rocks in the fore hold, which burst in on the
unfortunate women. Two were removed immediately, but
two hours elapsed before all the others could be extricated.
Six are more or less injured, and are now in the Devon
and Cornwall Hospital ; one has a broken leg, and another
a broken collar-bone. The last three removed (Catherine
and Margaret Daley and Johanna Murphy) were in a state
of great exhaustion. The names of the others are Mary
O'Brien, Catherine Connely, Mary Ann Dannevan, and
Mary Bulliyan.