The Sun.
London, England, 1845-09-11 00:00:00

ROCHESTER AND CHATHAM-WEDNESDAY.

The Hunters' Stakes of 3 sovs. each, and 40 added twice
round and a dis., were won in two heats, by Mr. Robinson's
Wasp, beating Spectator, and four others.

SPORTING.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
The near approach of the St. Leger, and the announce-
ment of so many Sweeps (as they are termed) being about to
be drawn, induces me to think that an analysis of the per-
formance of those horses I expect to see at the post will not
prove uninteresting, or unprofitable to my readers. A more
open St. Leger has not been run since the race has been
established, and I fully anticipate a field worthy of the days
of Memnon and Tarrare. The declaration relative to the
Merry Monarch has not surprised me; I never recollect a
Derby winner occupying so low a position in the St. Leger
market as Mr. Gratwieke's horse did. Like his name sake,
he proved ungrateful to those friends who supported him
in his troubles, for it must be borne in mind he was backed
heavily, notwithstanding the reports that were flying about
respecting him. The curtailment of the Meeting is, in my
opinion, most advantageous, and there is every prospect of
the good old days of Doncaster being revived. And now to
business. As a matter of course I commence with Miss
Sarah, the property of that excellent sportsman, Major Tar-
burgh, who won the St. Leger with Charles the Twelfth
after his memorable dead heat with Euclid.
Miss Sarah is a brown filly, by Gladiator, out of Easter,
and made her debi4t in the Oaks, for which race she ran
third to Refraction, Hope beating her for the second place
by a length. For this race she had a strong party of friends
from the north, who were much mortified at her defeat. The
next time we hear of her is at the August York Meeting,
where she beat the redoubtable Miss Elis (winner of the
Goodwood Stakes and Cup) and eight others, among them
Annandale, the second for the Derby, and her old antagonist,
Hope. This splendid performance put her friends in such
good humour that they immediately raised her to the pre-
miership, and 7 to 2 can only be had against her now. As
far as blood is concerned Miss Sarah is unexceptionable.
Gladiator, her sire, being got by Partisan (the sire ofGlaucus
and an immense number of winners). He ran second to
Mundig for the Derby, and numbers among his progeny
' Napier who ought to have won the St. Leger in Nutwith's
year. Easter is by Brutandorf, who has also distinguished
himself as a sire. Miss Sarah will be ridden by Holmes, a
man fully capable of doing justice to her.
Weatherbit is by Sheet Anchor out of Miss Letty, and
the property of Mr. Gully. Like Miss Sarah he never came
out as a two-year-old, but made his appearance in public in
the last Derby, for which, although second favourite and
heavily backed, he was not placed, his stable companion Old
England beating him and a large field besides, and getting the
third place in the race. His next appearance was at Ascot,
where, for the Welcome Stakes, he beat a field of nine ;;among
them Lord Lonsdale's Turquoise colt (21b), and Re-
fraction (61b extra). At Goodwood, Winchester
going amiss, Weatherbit was sent for overnight
and although not quite " cherry-ripe," managed to run
second to Miss Elis for the Cup. This feat, considering Miss
Elis had run for the Stakes the day before, is not very en-
couraging to his backers. No horse in the race has been
more knocked about than he has been by the betting men—
the youthful Mr. Clifton having laid upwards of 30,000/.
against him, and in order to testify the opinion he entertains
of him, offered lately to lay 10,0001. to 2,000/. against him,
and stake the money. His friends (but I am not one of
them) still stick to him, with a pertinacity worthy of a
sheriff's officer. I cannot think he will ever forget the Good-
wood Cup. Who his jockey will be I have no idea; for his
owner's and friends' sakes, I trust it will not be Sam or John
Day, both being unequal to the task required of them, more
especially the former.
I now come to another Sheet Anchor, Mr. St. Paul's
Mentor, who, although backed by his party for a large sum
for the Derby, was yet nowhere. He then came out for the
Northern Derby at Newcastle, where he beat Vaudeville and
three others. At Liverpool shortly afterwards, for the St.
Leger, he beat Pantasa and six others by a head. The race
was run at great speed, and was entirely between the first
two animals. Mentor is trained by Dawson, and will be
ridden by Tommy Lye, the oldest of the northern jockies,
and ttho has won twice before upon the Queen of Trumps and
Blue Bonnets
Major YarburgWe Red Robin is next on the list. He is by
Gladiator out of Brandysnap—has never yet made his ap-
pearance in public, but is reported to be 151 b. better than
Miss Sarah. If this be true the race ought to be over—l
cannot say who will ride him.
I now come to Mr. Mostyn's Pantasa, by Picaroon out of
Acanthus—a horse that is strongly fancied in the provinces.
It is somewhat singular he should have run second on three
occasions, viz., in the Welcome Stakes, at Ascot, where he
was second to Old England ; at the York August Meeting,
where he was second to the Lancashire Witch for the prince
of Wales, and at the Liverpool July Meeting, where
Mentor beat him a head for the St. Leger.
Mr. Gully's Old England next demands my attention. He
is by Mulatto, out of Fortress, and comrheenNceedw hsitsakraecsinagt
career when a tWo•year-old, bywinning
Ascot. He followed up his succekss.inAttnethJeu Meeting,lsyeeondo
0 by
winning winning the July Stakes by
he won the Steppingly Stake as
, naenel s i
At hb e. Houghtonln t h
epresent Meeting
carried oft' a Sweepstakes of 50asoa.th,
bat was stopped by
year he was meant to start to
William D y giving him powder. Upon his reco.
yve"ryn,gsostrong w erg
the apprehension of certain persons, now
warned oft the Turf, that he would win the Derby, that plans
were again formed to destroy his chance at any risk. These
were happily discovered in time, and in spit eof what had been
already done to him, he was placed third in the race, beating
his stable companion Weatherbit ( the second favourite
at starting). He was then sent to Goodwood, where
with 4 to 1 on him, he beat Longitude and Pic- Nie
for the Drawing-room Stakes by a neck. It is almost
needless to add, he is trained by John Day. Mr. Painter's
bay colt The Pacba, is by Jereed, out of Bird of Passage,
and has not yet been out. He owes his present position in
the market to the doings of his stable companion, the Jereed
filly, at Wolverhampton.
.We must now look into the doings of Mr. Watts's Baron.
The .Baron is a cliesnut horsa, by Birdcatcher (who once
ran second for the St. Leger), and made his first appearance
on the turf at the Curragh April Meeting, where he started
for the Madrid Stakes, and was beaten by Highwayman.
At the following meeting, however, with 7st, 101 b. on him, he
won the Kerwans in a canter; beating What, Bst. 21b., and
The Cook, Bst. This was by no means discreditable to him,
and his subsequent victory in the Second Class Waterford
Stakes, beating Ould Irelankinddeed his owner to send him
to Liverpool for the St. Leger. fbr which race, from not
having the assistance of an English Jockey, and at the same
time not being ciuite recovered from his trip across the
Channel, he rut tifth. Ile was sent to Mallon, to be under