The Sun.
London, England, 1868-10-26 00:00:00

,SPOR7IIVO NOTES.

The Cambridgeshire has at last been decided; and the
three year olds have once more asserted their right to bo
considered of a far superior class to the older horses
Saunterer's feat in Odd Trick's year has been eclipsed by
See Saw-and Blue Gown, the latter of whom has "won
imperishable fame by his gallant performances in the
Cambridgeshire and Free Handicap Sweepstakes. Cecil,
Lady Coventry, Restitution, Lady Raglan, Kettleholder,
Kingsland, Wolsey, Monarch of the Glen, Warrington, and
Kidderminster —all of whom were, more or less, fancied by
their partisans—did not run up to their supposed form.
For none of these horses was there any legitimate excuse,
farther than the fact that they were not good enough
to win. Cecil and Restitution were outpaced at the
commencement of the contest, and both horses are better
adapted to long than short coffees. Lady Coventry, wl►o
had never been tried over the Cambridgeshire course,
could not act up the hill ; and Kingsland, Monarch of the
Glen, Warrington, and Wolsey were early out of the fray.
Lady Raglan, Kidderminster, and Kettleholder ran like the
impostors they are ; and it will be " passing strange" if
either animal ever again figures prominently in the list of
quotations for an important handicap. Few of the public
writers fancied See Saw, as his impost, after his in-
different running at Doncaster and Newmarket when
competing at weight-for-age, appeared a heavy one.
Like all descendants of Buccaneer, however, See Saw has
fine hill action, and to this gift we attribute his success.
Fordham, after riding See Saw at Stockbridge, has ever
held a high opinion of his merits ; and more than one
backer cf horses has netted a goodly sum by listening
to that eminent jockey's advice. Mercury, who ran third,
displayed fine speed, as did also the Makeshift colt,
Nelusko, and Snowdrop, the last of whom will be worth
remembering on mile courses. After the Cambridgeshire,
the only really interesting features in the programme were
the-Free Handicap Sweepstakes, the Criterion and Troy
Stakes, and the Nursery Handicaps. In the Free Handicap
Sweepstakes Blue Gown was opposed by Cock of the Walk,
Kingsland, Lictor, Mercury, Mortemer, Geaut des Batailles,
and Clairon. Blue Gown was elecled the favourite, and, al-
though he carried the comparatively welter weight of 9st, the
Derby winner gallantly bore the cherry jacket to the fore,
and won very easily by two lengths. Cock of the Walk and
Kingsland finished second and third, and when the latter is
thoroughly fit, which we fear he was not this week, he
will win a good stake for Mr. Webby. Mortemer, who
is a mean-looking colt, seemed over-trained, and the bet-
ting told his chance, as he declined from 6 to 1 to 20 to 1.
Geant des Batailles ran shiftily, and Dr. Shorthouse can
have another fling at the Voltigeur blood. The field for
the Criterion Stakes was weak in numbers, as there were
only seven runners, namely, Pero Gomez, Wild Oats,
Ethus, Heather Bell, King Cophetua, Ryshworth, and
Monkshood. The battle for winning honours, however,
was confined to Pero Gomez and Wild Oats, and, after a
brilliant rally, the struggle ended in a dead heat—the
second since the establishment of this race. Pero Gomez
ran a remarkably game horse ; but Wild Oates finished
like a coward, rolling about like a ship in a storm, with
his mouth wide open and tongue extended. Despite this
currish exhibition, however, Wild Oats still finds Derby
backers; but we shall be astonished if this soft-hearted,
gigantic bruto,:with his long legs and pasterns, ever comes
down the Epsom hill in front of Pero Gomez and Bella-
drum, to say nothing of Pretender, who is perhaps the
truest-shaped horse we have seen out this year. In the
Troy Stakeseßelladrum, Scottish Queen, and Prince impe-
rial met, but the race was with the first-name pair.
Both looked in blooming condition, and the Danebury
division were quietly confident that in Scottish Queen
they possessed a filly capable of lowering the colours of
the Berkshire bay. The race, however, run at a good
pace throughout, resulted in the easy success of Belladrum.
Notwithstanding his victory, the layers were loud in their
offers to bet against Mr. Merry's colt for the Derby, on
what grounds we are at a loss to imagine, as he won
like a racehorse ; and the rumours afloat as to
his " roaring" propensities are merely weak in-
ventions of the enemy. A sounder horse, in wind and
limb, than Belladrum dies not exist, and this assertion
is made from reliable facts in our' possession. The
running in the great two-year-old races of the present
season leaves Belladrum and Pero Gomez at the top of the
tree, and next to this pair we place Pretender. And, un-
less the Two Thousand Guineas next spring brings forth
an " illustrious stranger," whore is the horse to be found

I capable of defeating the above trio in the Derby ?v
Oats we do not think equal to either of the above horses,
as we doubt him training on and improving, and, if ho
does, his action is totally unsuited to the Derby course.
Worse than all, we fear that the heart of this son of Wild
Dayrell and Golden Horn is not of the stamp which Derby
winners carry. The First and Second Nurseries attracted
goodly fields, and they were carried off respectively by
Cardinal York and Brigantine.

The present rapidly-waning season will be concluded
in a month from this date, and then steeplechasing and
hurdle racing will be seen, we trust, in their purity. Meet-
ings of a hybrid character will bo held next week at 'Wor-
cester, Lincoln, and Harrow. At the latter place the entry
list is of lengthy dimensions; but tho sport at the metro-
politan gatherings is of such a curious description, and so
much depends on arrangements at the 'post, that we may
be pardoned for passing over the Harrow programme
without further comment.

The Worcester Autumn Meeting will be celebrated ou
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and, although death
has deprived the meeting of ono of its staunchest patrons
since last anniversary—the benevolent Mr. WM illan —there
are many of the "good old sort" loft at the "faithful
citie," where the committee act for the pure love of sport
rather than for gain. Eighteen items have been equally
spread over three days, and of these ten have already
closed, those completed for Tuesday being the Autumn
Handicap, the Nursery Plate, a Handicap Plate of 30 sovs,
and a Hurdle Race. For the Autumn Handicap (1 mile
3 furlongs course) twenty-two candidates have accepted,
and the weights range from Actma, Bst 121 b. to Per-
cussion, sst 71b. Wadlow has five representatives en-
gaged, namely, Christmas Carol, 7st 101 b ; Conun-
drum, 7st; Fidelia, 7st; Jeanie Deans, 6st 111 b ; and
The Returned, sst 131 b. The elected of this lot, pro-
bably Christmas Carol, who likes soft ground, must be
dangerous, and to this horse and Vortigern we leave the
issue, although a good race may be seen if they are
opposed by Kidderminster, Orion, and The Traveller.

For the Nursery Plate (4 furlongs) twenty-six two year
olds have been named. Hilda, Bst 101 b, occupies the post
of honour, but she is out of form at present ; and Sir Chas.
Rushout may trust to Longborough, ist Glb, who is a
good-looking horse. The lot, however, that appear best
in are Palmitine, Bst 31b; King of the Rovers, 7st 111 b;
Winifred, 7st 101 b; Gipsy, 7st 31b; Abyssinia, Gst 81b ;
and the filly by Young Melbourne out of Lady Eve-
line, Est 81b. Palmitine, if she runs, will be bad to dis-
pose of, and only in the absence of this clever daugh-
ter of Carnival should we anticipate the success of
Gipsy or the Lady Evelyn filly. The Handicap Plate of
30 sovs (1} miles) will end in a match between Barnabo
and Lute, though each horse is penalised 101 b. • In the
Handicap Hurdle Race (2 miles) Jezabel and Harrington
have not been over-weighted ; and, if the first-named has
taken kindly to jumping, she ought to win. On Wednes-
day three races are completed. The Autumn Flying
Stakes (5 furlongs) has attracted thirty-one entries, and
the highest impost, 9st 31b, has been awarded to Salliet.
The pick of the handicap present themselves to us in
Moonbeam, Bst 121 b; Ironmaster, 7st 101 b ; Snowdrop,
7st • 71b; Catton, 7st 41b; lierennianus, 7st; and
Lucetta, Est 91b. For Moonbeam we have a high
respect; but she may fail to concede the weight she is re-
quired to give to Snowdrop and Catton, the better of
whom should win. In the Grand Stand Plate (1 mile)
Lute a'nd Prince Regent have been well placed, though if
Vortigern runs he will beat the pair The Severn Bank
Stakes (3 miles) will fall to Sir William or Brighton, who
are the best of an indifferent lot. On Thursday steeple-
chasing and hurdle-racing are the principal features in the
card, but only one event—the Grand Annual, run for over
the four miles course—is at present closed. The Doctor,
12st 81b, is the highest weight accepting ; but Holman's
_ _ _

stable will probably trust to Huntsman's Daughter or
Globule, who should beat all corners, as the best of their
opponents aro likely to be found in The Boadle, L. S. D.,