The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-04 00:00:00

half-trained appearance. The result was a dead ;
heat between Blinkhoolie and the Metropolitan ,
winner, and though the former at the distance
appeared to have the speed of his opponent, there
was yet (after having made all the running) a
good run left in Blueskin, who, at the end of the
inclosure, was fully a neck in advance of his oppo-
nent, but after the most resolute riding on the part
of Custance, he got Blinkhoolie up again in the last
stride, and they finished so level that the judge was
unable to separate them. The deciding heat was
won by Blinkhoolie, who looked in considerably
better trim than at Epsom, and, being all the better
of his previous gallop, he disposed of Mr. Savile's
horse almost without turning a hair. The latter,
owing to having to make play on both occasions,
ran at considerable disadvantage ; but, neverthe-
less, Blinkhoolie's performance must be considered
very good, as he was giving the winner 261 b. In
my comments on the City and Suburban I stated
that, in my opinion, Blinkhoolie was second best,
and his running here goes far to confirm
that impression ; but it also proves that
he could not have beaten Speculum, although
he gave him only 171 b, because the latter actually
gave that weight to Blueskin, and beat him easily,
at Lincoln, in the Trial Stakes. The 20 sovs Stakes
was, as I anticipated, an easy victory for Flower
Girl—a flue-grown filly on a much larger scale than
Orlando's progeny usually are, and with more bone.
Neither her opponents—Armada, by Buccaneer out
of Lady Chesterfield, nor Orphcline—were up to
much, both being small and backward, consequently
Flower Girl, who was trained very light, won with-
out being extended.

The race of the day, the Spencer Plate, was
contested by exactly the same number of horses as
last year—viz., twenty-six, which is the largest
number that ever contended for it, except in 184
when the field numbered twenty-eight. Seldom
have so many good-looking horses been seen at the
starting post for this event, or, indeed, for any
" fly" race; and that the chief attribute of so great 1
a number should be speed furnishes proof that our
race of horses are fast deteriorating, notwithstanding
all that has been said to the contrary. On assem-
bling at the post they formed a splendid sight, and
to say that one looked better than another would
be drawing an invidious comparison ; but it could
not escape observation that Wolsey was " big," and
Man of Koss quite untrained. The large sum in•
vested onlronmaster caused him to be the " observed
of all observers," but notwithstanding the favouritism
in which he was held, his very plain appearance, and
rather weak loins, did not impress the generality of
the public in his favour, until they saw him take his
preliminary gallop, when he, with Brother to Knight
of the Crescent, Tibthorpe, Vespasian, Milton,
Pericles, and Alruna, were picked out as the best
goers, the favourite, the Knight, and Tibthorpe
being the trio most fancied. At the starting post
all the party were most tractable, but, neverthe-
less, owing to the anxiety of the jockeys of the
favourite, Rhine Wine, Knight of the Crescent,
Milton, Witchcraft, and some others to get well
off, coupled with the fractiousness of Wolsey and
Prince George, both of whom were led to the post,
considerable delay took place before a start was
effected. Wolsey, who was led by Wells, behaved
in a most unruly manner, refusing at first to go
near the horses, and when liuxtable did coax him
to join them, he lashed out and hit Rhine Wine, an
example that was followed by Witchcraft, who
made her heels resound off the ribs of Vespasian,
and was within an ace of breaking Can-
non's left reg. At length, when they were
pretty well together, the flag fell, but so unexpect-
edly that many of the jockeys were taken un-
awares. Butler was, however, fortunately for the
backers of the favourite, not among the number,
and getting well off Ironmaster went up the hill
with the agility of an antelope, landing on the top
at least two lengths in advance of the nearest horse,
which gave him such an advantage that nothing
could get near him, and he won with plenty in
hand, his two next followers being Alruna and Br.
to Knight of the Crescent. The Althorp Park
Stakes also terminated in exact accordance with the
opinion I expressed, viz., in favour of Curicuse, with
Brother to role-axe second. The winner, though
she got badly off, and had to be ridden hard for
the first quarter of a mile, and moreover car-
ried a 71b. penalty, won with a good bit in hand,
but before the close of the year it is not unlikely
that Baron Rothschild's colt, who is extremely
good looking, and a fine galloper, will turn the
tables on her, as will one or two others that were
behind her. The St. Liz Handicap was the " sur-
prise" of the meeting, terminating as it did in the
easy success of Grey Stocking, who, owing to her
having been beaten in a trial by the Attack colt
before Epsom, was not backed by the stable for a
sixpence. Though opposed by Lady Coventry,
Lozenge, Nemea, the Attack colt, Cotytto, and nine
others, Sister to Athena gave them a sound thrash-
ing, which was, however, only natural, seeing that
Lady Coventry was giving her 51b and two
years, and that she received from Lozenge 231 b !
Lady Coventry, who has not improved in appear-
ance, being still a leggy filly, ran a gallant race,
considering the heavy impost she carried ; but I
question if Lozenge could not have beaten her for
second place had be been ridden out. The first of
the Nurseries fell, as I anticipated it would, to
Carlotta, who beat her six opponents so easily that
all the party ought forthwith to be put out of train-
ing; after which Donato and Organ Grinder ran a
match for the Waterloo Gorse Stakes, which the
latter won in a canter, owing to his good-looking
opponent breaking down.
The meetings for next week are Bromley, Tad-
caster, and the Border Hunt. The former takes
place on Monday and Tuesday, with a well filled
list, extending to 14 races, 10 of which will be run
on the flat, two over the country, and two over
hurdles. The Hunters' Stakes on the first day looks
a good thing for HELicE, her most dangerous op-
ponent being WALTERSTOWN.
For the Bromley Plate 20 horses have been han-
dicapped, and the three I consider to have the best
chance are RED RIBAND, 4 yrs, 7st 121 b, FINESSE,
3 yrs, 7st 101 b, and TYRONC, 3 yrs, 7st 101 b.
In the Hurdle Race sixteen horses are engaged,
including VIGILANT, 6 yrs, 12st; MONITRESS, 5 yrs,
list 101 b ; and WHITWORTH, 4 yrs, list, who are,
in my opinion, the pick of the handicap.
Fur the Railway Steeplechase twenty-four horses
have been weighted, of whom I consider THE ROB-
BER, aged, 12st 41b, WALTERSTOWN, 6 yrs, list
101 b, and ORDER, 4 yrs, 10st, to be best in.
The entry for the Trial Stakes extends to eleven
horses, who have to run the five furlong course,
which I consider a distance so suited to SUGARSTICK
that she ought to win, most of her opponents being
only two years old.
The Bromley Cup and the Selling Stakes, both
of which close the evening preceding, comprise the
remaining events for the first day.
The list for Tuesday extends to seven races, in
which most of the horses engaged on the first day
are also entered, consequently it would be only a
waste of time my offering any opinion respecting
them.

The Tadcaster meeting will be held on Wednes-
day, under the patronage of the Earl of Londes-
borough, who gives a handsome cup to be run for.
There are numerous entries for the four closed races,
seven horses having been nominated for the Cup,
eighteen for the Brantingham Cup, eight for the
Hunters' Plate, and eighteen for the Somerset
Plate, but I am not sufficiently read up iu the per-
formances of the northern hunters to give any opi-
nion respecting them.

The Queen paid a visit to Lord Derby yesterday
at his house in St. James's-square, Lord Stanley being
present at the reception. Although several m tubers of
the suite were iu attendance, the visit was of a strictly
private character, and was intended to mark her Majesty's
personal interest in the returning health of the noble Earl.
MR. DISRAELI'S CIICRCii PATRONAGE.—The
Canonry Residentiary in Worcester Cathedral, vacant by
the death of the Rev. Christopher Benson has been con-
ferred by Mr. Disraeli, on the part of the Crown, on the
Rev. Philip Wyntor, DID., President of 6t. John's College,
Oxford. Dr. Wyntor was chairman of Mr. Gathorne
Hardy's committee when that gentleman successfully con-
tested the representation of the university against Mr.
Gladstone. lie was ordained iu 1816, so that ho must be
75 years of age, even, if he was ordained at the earliest
canQuical period.