The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-29 00:00:00

SPORTING NOTES.

The second meeting at Ascot was a complete failure,
notwithstanding the large sum of money given by the
stewards.

Goodwood races commence to-morrow, and no doubt
from the large number of horses under orders it will be fully
equal to any of its predecessors. The programme contains
no fewer than 36 events set for decision. The first that
attracts my attention is the Ham Stakes, for which 16 two-
year-olds are nominated. Of these only two, Polypody and
The Chieftain's Daughter, have yet been in public, the
latter of whom will always be able to take her own part in
good company. Her opponents for this event will be
found to include Ashford (brother to Sittingbourne), who
has already been backed for a considerable amount for the
Derby, besides Brother to Mayonnaise, and a very good
looking colt by Voltigeur out of Typee, both in Tom
Taylor's stable, the latter of whom has also received the
support of the noble owner for the great Surrey event.
Lorelei, by Robert de Gorham, a half-sister to Water-
sprite and Will o' the Wisp, is also engaged, with a
half-brother of Roesia, by Voltigeur, and Hubert,
by Stockwell, cut of Honeydew, the dam of Honey
and Sparrowhawk. The most trustworthy of the
lot will be found in The Chieftain's Daughter. The Levant,
won in 1859 by Thormanby, and last year by Russley, is
not likely on the present occasion to bring out anything so
good as either. Mr. Merry has two engaged, Express and
The Chieftain's Daughter, the former of whpm has to carry
a penalty of 31b. Besides these, six others of the 16 engaged
have been in public. The " dark" division includes
Breaker, a filly by Alonzo out of Fisherman's dam ; Pal-
merin, a colt by Orlando out of Lady Melbourne, her third
produce; Pamela, by Cotherstone out of Polydora (the
dam of Pandora, Polyolbion, &c.) ; Ile de France, a filly by
The Cure out of Cherokee (the dam of North Lincoln) ;
Flexmore, by Fandango out of Dividend (the dam of
Rouble, Interest, and Vancouver) ; St. Lawrence, by Dr.
O'Toole out of Holyhead's dam, and Cleverly, by Turnus
out of Angela, by St. Francis, who never bred a winner.
As will be seen, there is some rare blood among the dark
horses, there being among them a half sister of North
Lincoln, a half sister of Fisherman, and a half
brother of Rouble (Flexmore). I shall expect
the best of Mr. Merry's to furnish the winner.
For the Gratwicke Stakes I shall rely on Will-o'-the- Wisp.
The Wizard should have no difficulty in disposing of Thun-
derbolt for the 300 Sovs Sweepstakes. The Stewards' Cup
has 94 horses engaged, but if Vergiss-mein-nicht reproser t
the Whitewall stable it shall do the same for me. The
Goodwood Stakes will not produce a large field, to be
selected from the following

Yrs st lb' Yrs st lb
Umpire
Starke 6 7 9 Anthem 3 6 0
Royal Sovereign .. 6 7 9 Elcho 3 5 13
Schism
Surprise 4 7 51 Brownie 3 5 12
Lupus .. 3 7 21 Shipwreck........ 3 5 7
Voltella
Calpe
The highest weight ever successfully carried was by
Glaucus, 5 yrs, 9bt 81b, in 1855, but considering the
sex, quite as great a feat was performed by Lucetta
in 1852, when she won, carrying Oat 51b, beating a field of
14, including five three-year-olds, to the highest weighted
of whom she conceded 431 b. While later (in 1848) most of
us remember in what style Chanticleer carried the heavy
impost of Oat 21b triumphantly to the goal, giving the six
year old Plaudit, who ran second, 221 b, and Remembrance,
a three year old, who was third, 421 b. The present handi-
cap is on the high scale, commencing with 9st 131 b on
Thormanb), a most unconscionable weight for a four year
old, and descending to sst 71b on the Irish importation
Bally Edmond, a son of Bantam (by Euclid) and Chase-
away—an impost the handicapper has allotted to eight other
three year olds, no fewer than twenty-six of which are in.
eluded in the forty-one acceptances. Thormanby I expect
will be au absentee, as he in all probability will be reserved
for the Cup. The next two on the list that attract my
attention are Starke and Schism, but the American has
most charms for me, as stated when the weights appeared,
and also in The Sun of last Monday. He will be ridden
by Fordham, one of the best jockeys of the day. Lupus
with all his weight will run forward. The best of the
three-yr-olds will be found in Elcho, Canary, Brownie,
Voltella, and West-end. Surprise will represent the
French division. For the judge's decision I have the
greatest respect, but, by way of anticipation, no doubt his
verdict will be—

STARKE (G. Ferdham) 1
ELCHO
SURPRISE
For the Findon Stakes I anticipato tho succoss of Win-
grave, despite his 51b penalty.

The Cup has a smaller entry than last year by four,
nevertheless the contest will not be deficient in interest, as
several French and American horses will, as usual of late
years, take part in the struggle. The field will be pretty
numerous, as times go, the following being expected to
run:—

Age st lb Age st lb
Thormanby .. 4 9 10 Mon Etoile
The Wizard 4 9 0 Diophantus
Pretendant
Optimist
With the exception of the French filly Mon Etoile, all
of the above have run this season in England, and most of
them displayed good form. Thormanby has proved him-
self a great horse, but the Welter weight he has got to
carry over such a severe course must tell on him at the
finish, but he might run into a place. If The Wizard is in
the same form he was in the spring when he defeated Ben
Webster and other good horses, he can scarcely lose. At
the Paris Spring Meeting last year Pretendant ran second
for the Prix du Printsmps, won easily by Gustave, Mon
Etoile being third ; and at Chantilly he again beat her in
the Prix des Harras, but at Baden Baden, in the following
September, she turned the tables on him for the Conti-
nental St. Leger, and again beat him for the Emperor's
Prize, at the Chantilly Autumn Meeting. So far it was
" heads and tails" between them, but before the close of
the year he asserted the superiority he displayed in their
two first encounters, by beating her at Paris very easily in
the Prix Special, a heat race of a mile and a quarter,
which ran to three heats, the last two of which he won.
Diophantus again finds favour in the betting, but will
scarcely like the distance. Optimist has run well this year,
and with his stone allowance will make the Wizard gallop.
Royallieu, from his performance in the Derby, ought to have
a great chance. Doefoot will find the company too good.
The race, in my opinion, lies between
OPTIMIST and THE WIZARD;

and I anticipate them being placed first and second. The
Wizard will win the Four-Year-Old Bentinck Memo-
rial; Copernicus the Racing Stakes; Fairwater the
50 Sovs Sweepstakes; Big Ben or Folkston the Three-
Year-Old Memor.al ; and Ace of Clubs the Molcomb. The
Nursery Stakes I shall not offer an opinion upon.

A FRESH MAN.

TATTERSALLS' -SATURDAY.

The room was opened this afternoon for the purpose of
"comparing" on the forthcoming Goodwood meeting, but
the attendance was anything but numerous. After the
preliminary business had been got through speculation was
entered into with much spirit upon the principal items in
the programme. _

TheSTEWARDS' CUP, as usual, was the first touched upon,
for which Cantab, from some heavy investments made in
the City in the morning, appeared to be in most demand,
although at one period Baron Rothschild's Restes was in
equal force, and, as will be seen from our quotations, loft
off nearly as good a favourite. Vergiss-Mein Nicht was
also inquired after, and 100 to 6 repeatedly noted down; 20
to 1 was booked about Crater ; and 25 to 1 each was taken
to some money about Snapshot, Umpire, and the Drone ;
Sweetsauce, however, did not appear so palatable, as he re-
trograded in favour, and at the finish 100 to 3 was cur-
rently offered, without meeting with a reply. 150 even was
laid on the field against 15.
THE GOODWOOD STAKES.—Starke was in great demand,
his opening price being readily booked, and he was un-
questionably made a better favourite for money than Lord
Coventry's colt,his closing price, 100 to 30, being with diffi-
culty obtained, Elcho, notwithstanding this movement, re-
tained his position ; half a point over the quoted odds
troo a
would have found a host of supporters. Not so his quo) d e
iae
stable companion Schism, who appeared in anythingfbruetli:
healthy state. At one time as much as 10 to Iwf was
h closingo
m
uponly
was occa-
sionally h offered against him, but just prior to the closing
a reaction set in in his favour, and he found supporters
100 to l2t
ofuocrae
d
nominal
at i 2
to amount. 1
; similar The
ilar Brownieoddsbeing
offered
about Balham, but without finding back
as was anticipated from operations elsewhere,ers, Shipwreck,
appeared en-
tirely gone, any odds in reason being ob •
unable, and at the
close 40 to 1 went begging.
Thormanby was backed for a
"pony" at 50 to 1, more as a fancy bet, we opine, than in
the way of business.

ME GOODWQ9D Cl7,—The Wizard came with a rush,