The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-12 00:00:00

THE DONCASTER DOINGS AND THE
ST. _LEGER SUGGESTIONS.
Turfites from all parts of England are en route
to Doncaster. Even as these remarks slip off the
pen, the streets of that prim Yorkshire town are
echoing tothe tramp of the incoming visitors, and
are resounding with the shouts of list sellers.
Horses, too, arc rapidly arriving, the course is in
excellent condition, the weather promises to hold
fair, and the holiday folks and the professional tur-
fite alike calculate upon a pleasant and successful
race week. Interest in the St. Leger seems about
to revive, and Promised Land has not utterly de-
stroyed it. The minor stakes, too, will be marked
by most important results, and the two-yr-old races,
in particular, will be speculated upon with much
briskness.

To expatiate, however, on the prominent features
of the programme would be superfluous ; they are
familiar to the veriest turf tyro. The first day's
list is strong with its Champagne and Great York-
shire Handicap attractions. For the former Ma-
dame Eglantine has no penalty, and her winning is
regarded with much confidence, if—" much virtue
in if"—Wells can only keep her quiet at the post,
and get her off on good terms with her
opponents. She may be opposed by both
Thormanby and Lupellus, both of whom have slbs
extra to carry. Although I entertain no expecta-
tions of their ability to beat the filly, yet their
appearance in the lists will excite much curiosity,
as they are old antagonists.
The Great Yorkshire is likely to become a very
interesting and profitable betting race. Many
horses have already been backed. for it, and before
the start I shall expect to see several fresh names
introduced into the list of quotations. The recent
performance of Underhand has increased the num-
ber of Paul's supporters, and his chance, it must be
confessed, has not been over-estimated. The horse
is reported many pounds better than he was at
Newcastle, and if this be true, his "form" is quite
good enough to win. Nucleus has been backed
somewhat heavily both for this event and for the
Cuesarewitch, but I entertain very slender expecta-
tions of his chance. Coroner has been most satis-

factorily tried with Twilight, and his owner and
"the stable" have freely supported him ; still I do
not deem him quite capable of conceding 71bs to
Paul. Julia will not. be stopped by her weight,
but she will, I fancy, find the company rather too
good to make a prominent figure. Mutineer has
gone up and down in the betting with an ominous
significance. He was to do wonders early in the
season, but he disappointed expectation. He has en-
joyed a long rest, but his pretensions to win a large
handicap are in my opinion of the slenderest de-

scription.
The Squire has been a little off, and although I
once entertained a great partiality for him, this cir-
cumstance compels me to place my confidence in a
sounder if not in a worthier champion. King-at-
Arms will find both the distance and the weight
militate effectually against his chance. Magnum
will in all probability be reserved for the St. Leger,
and Newstead alone will carry the Baron's colours
for the Handicap This horse has not yet shown
sufficient racing ability to induce me to regard his
pretensions with partiality. Although Defender
has figured in the quotations, I shall not be sur-
prised to see him withdrawn, and saved for the
more important encounter on the Wednesday.
Gallus may represent Sir Joseph Hawley's interest,
and may carry the " cherry colours" conspicuously
in the race. To refer to the other probable starters
would be useless—l shall therefore pin my faith to
Paul, and should Gallus go to the post I shall re-
commend an investment on him for a glace.
Should Contadina run up to the form which it is
asserted she possesses, she will perhaps snatch the
Filly Stakes from Emily.
The Glasgow Stakes is likely to preduce a very
interesting match between High Treason and Thor-
manby. Although the former possesses a good
turn of speed, yet I shall not desert Mr. Merry's

colours.
For the Revival Plate I shall utterly abandon the
two-year-olds, and shall expect the winner to be
either Twilight or Mentmore.
The starters for the St. Leger will not exceed a
dozen, but they will perhaps fall short of that
number. The popularity of Promised Land is un-
diminished, and indeed the circle of his partisans
seems to widen, and the confidence of his
friends to increase. " The diabolical hints and
damnable inuendos" which have been thrown
out against the honesty of purpose which actuates
his party are, I am informed, merely malicious in-
ventions, and that they are as much in earnest with
"The Land" for the St. Leger as they were for the
Two Thousand and the Goodwood Cup. So much
has been written and said about his Derby running
—so much that was personal and unfair to his
trainer and jockey, and so much that was founded
merely on disappointment—that I shall not further
refer to the horse's Epsom performance, but shall
prove his claims to support by a reference to his
running at Newmarket and Goodwood. At both
those places he literally cantered away from his
opponents ; and whilst for the Two Thousand he
displayed undeniable speed, for the Goodwood Cup
he established a reputation for staying. He there-
fore possesses the qualities essential to constitute a
first-class horse. Some uncertainty exists as to the
jockey who will have charge of him, and it is stoutly
asserted in many quarters that his trainer and part
owner, William Day, will again be in the saddle,
whilst in others it is confidently stated that Alfred
Day will have the mount. William Day will be
very ill-advised, and very imprudent, to ride the
horse, and expose himself to the charges of some-
thing worse than incapaciy, which will be
made against him by disappointed backers of the
horse should lie be defeated. For my part I expect
to see Alfred Day wear the Land's colours. Dane-
bury has, it would seem, withdrawn in favour of
Woodyates ; and both Marionette and Trumpeter
have disappeared from the betting with a sudden-
ness which is regarded by those who backed them
as fatal to their hopes. In Trumpeter I never plac.ed
faith ; in Marionette I once entertained hopes, as I
believed that his owner would not inadvertently—
I am sure he would not intentionally—connect
himself with large " milking " establishments.
People are watching with some anxiety for a sign
to be made in favour of Scott's horses. Although
neither Phantom nor Gamester have recently been
quoted in the betting, yet many individuals believe
that the Wizard of the North will astonish the
sporting world with a repetition of his Newminster,
Warlock, and Imperieuse tricks. At York Game-
ster was notoriously amiss, and the two severe races
which he ran there were not likely to be conducive
to his health. Still lam informed that he is well,
and if John Scott were to train and run a donkey
for the St. Leger I do not know whether I should
be inclined to discredit the possibility of his suc-
cess.
By all persons Summerside is regarded as the
most formidable antagonist to Promised Land, and
the favour bestowed upon her has been increased
since the reasons which led to her withdrawal from
her engagements at York have been satisfactorily
explained. Although I do not attach much im-
portance to her Oaks' success, for I believe that
Mayonaise did not run up to her own form at Ep-
som, yet I am compelled to confess that her per-
formance in May is sufficiently good to warrant
even the sanguine expectations which her partisans
entertain of her ability to overthrow the favourite.
Her 51bs. allowance, too, must tell greatly in her

favour.
Defender proved himself to be a good horse in the
Spring, and perhaps a more dangerous outsider
cannot be discovered. Should anything go wrong
with the favourite, Defender will be very formid-
able. Turfites, too, regard coincidencee with much
significance, and they argue—illogically, perhaps—
that if Flatman could win the St. Leger two years
in succession on Warlock and Impericuse, L. Snow
den may be able to win it two years in succe
on Sunbeam and Defender.
Gladiolus is reported much improved and so he
need be to possess the chance which his friends
ascribe to bim. Of Comforter I entertain very slight
hopes. Napoleon will run respectably, but I shall
expect Gamester to revenge himself on him for his