The Sun.
London, England, 1829-07-02 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

ASCOT-HEATH SECOND MEETING.

The Gold Cup appearing in the list for decision yester-
day, gave it the imposing character of the grand day ! and
surely such a grand day was never seen bef.u•e. The Cup
day at the last (or rather the first) meeting was remark-
able for every thing that could give it interest or import.
ance ; the roads were covered with equipiges, the sport
was good, the company fashionable, the whole deriving ad-
ditional splendour from the presence of the Sovereign.
Precisely the reverse of all this was the Cup-day yesterday.
We travelled through the forest without seeing a solitary
foot passenger; horsemen or carriages were entirely out
of the question, for nothing in the shape of either was to
be seen. On the race-course everything was in keeping,
—it was lined with a matter of eighteen carriages, and
those of a very unpretending description ; the stables could
not boast of being overstocked, for while a select few mus-
tered about a pair of horses each, the majority had none at
all ; the refreshment booths were tenantless, and it is a
fact that one of them actually sold a "bottle of porter,"
an instance of good fortune which did not befall all of
them. In the betting stand some 15 or 20 congregated,
in the others none ; and the spectators altogether might
amount to 400 or 500. It is almost unnecessary to state
that this falling off in the grand day proceeded entirely
from the state of the weather, which was inclement to an
extreme. The rain was heavy and continuous, accompa-
nied by violent gusts of wind, and unrelieved by one gleam
of sunshine. The roads were ankle deep in mud, and the
course saturated, insomuch that the horses could with dif-
ficulty force their way through it ; and, to crown the
whole, the King was not there. It was his Majesty's in-
tention to have been present each day, and the usual stock
of provisions was forwarded in the morning. It was not
long, however, before his Majesty resolved upon remaining
at the Lodge. This soon got wind ; and at the time we
got to the Heath, we were gratified with the news, that
" there would be no King, and no races." The latter part
of the information was in part true, for there was only one,
the Gold Cup, which the Steward, Lord Maryborough,
wisely resolved to get over as soon as possible, in order to
enable the mortified visiters to mate their escape front the
Heath. To talk of fashionables would be superfluous, but
we ought to state that about half a dozen stanch supporters
of the turf bade defiance to the elements; they were the
Duke of Richmond, Duke of Leeds, Lords Chesterfield,
Mounteharles, Bentinck, Mr. D. Radcliffe, and Mr. Scott
Stoneliewer. We heard of no others.

The running commenced at 40 minutes past one, and
finished about 12 minutes before two, as follows:
The Gold Cup, value 100 guineas, by subscriptions of 10

. _
sovs. each. About two and a half miles.
Duke of Richmond's The Alderman, aged
Lord Mountcharles's Maresfield, 5 yrs
Mr. Gardnor's Conjuror, 5 yrs 3
Betting-2 to lon The Alderman, 2to 1 agst Mares -
field, ard4 to 1 agst Conjuror. Three paid.
Conjuror (rode by Pavis) went off at a very slow pace,
The Alderman lying behind, and Maresfield last, each at a
respectful distince from the other. There was not any
change in this position till they got to the last turn, where
The Alderman went up and challenged Conjuror, who was
beat off instanter, and retired to the rear; Maresfield then
made phy, and ran The Alderman a severe race home,
being defeated by a length. The pace was wretched.
Frank Boyce rode the winner, and John Day Maresfield.
The jockies came in literally covered with mud, and at least
two pounds heavier.

FIGHT BETWEEN SYMON BYRNE AND
PHILIP SAMPSON, FOR 2001. A-SIDE,

ON A STAGE.

The match between Byrne and Sampson has been
repeatedly alluded to in this paper. Last week it
was mentioned that Byrne, or rather Tom Reynolds
on behalf of Byrne, had claimed forfeit on the
ground that Sampson had not, according to the
strict terms of the articles, given him seven days'
notice of the precise spot on which the fight was to
take place. The Stakeholder not being in town
when the claim was made, Reynolds, by advice of
Tom Spring, proceeded to his house at Newmarket,
on Saturday morning, for the purpose of preferring
his claim in a formal manner, when that gentleman
refused to decide; but at the same time gave it as
his opinion, that the claim was not well founded,
considering, as he did, that the notice which had
been. given was sufficient, it being clearly understood
that the fight was to take place either at Wolver-
hampton or Bishop's Wood, a short distance from
lvetsea Bank. In this state of things Reynolds re-
turned to London on the Sunday morning; and, un-
der fresh advice, determined to take his man to Wol-
verhampton, with the view of persisting in the jus-
tice of Byrne's claim, but determined, rather than
have the matter brought to doubtful issue, to take
his man to the " scratch," under all the disad-
vantages of bad training and the fatigue of long
travelling, manfully to see which was the better
man. Accordingly, on Sunday evening, he set oat
with Byrne to Daventry, where they arrived at a late
hour of the night, having thus accomplished one half
of the journey. On Sunday evening Tom Spring
was apprized of their departure, and on the ensuing
morning he and other members of the Fancy started
by the Wonder and other fast coaches for Wolver-
hampton, where they arrived the same night. In
the interim, the claims of Byrne had been an-
nounced in the sporting papers which circulate in
all parts of the country; and a doubt being thus'
raised that the fight might not come off, thousands
who had intended to be present were induced to
stop at home, rather than incur the chance of being
disappointed.

" The Wonder" passing through Birmingham,
the fact of Spring being a passenger soon got wind;
and this so far convinced the fistic amateurs of that
town that " all would be right," that a public notice
was issued that the fight would certainly take place.
The effect of this announcement was instantane•
ously perceived, and all were on the alert to secure
the means of reaching the scene of action on the
ensuing morning.

Spring reached the Peacock at Wolverhampton
on Monday evening, where his arrival was hailed
with universal joy, although he still said he could
not speak with confidence as to whether the fight
would take place or not.
On the same night he saw Captain White, who
lives somewhere in the neighbourhood of Buxton,
and by whom Sampson had been backed and as-
siduously trained. This person was extremely in-
dignant at the idea of a forfeit being claimed, and
said that he considered the fact of his having him-
self called upon Spring three weeks before, and
told him that the fight would certainly take place
either at Wolverhampton or Bishop's Wood, was
quite sufficient ; and, in fact, intimated that he
had received a letter from the Stakeholder, who,
by the by, he had himself cho,en, informing
him that Reynolds had been with him, and that
he (the Stakeholder) was of opinion his claim
to forfeit was without foundation. Spring admitted
the fact of the conversation with him, but respect-
fully' represented that Byrne's claim did not arise
from: a disinclination to meet his antagonist, but
from the fact of the terms specifically laid down in
the articles not having been complied with. For
himself he had nothing to do with the claim, and he
would be much better pleased that the fight should
take place, than that it should be put off upon a
mere technical objection; although he could not but
feel the force of lieynoldi's argument, that if articles
were drawn up, and mutually signed, they should
be strictly abided by. Unless this was the case, ar-
ticles were perfectly useless. They parted by the
Gallant Captain stating that he should the next
morning be prepared, by ten o'clock, to pay to
Byrne the 501. Is Inch it had been agreed by Samp-
son he should receive for giving to Sampson the
privilege of ckoosing the place of fighting; for the
gratification, no doubt, of the said Captain White
and his pugnacious friends.
Spring then returned to the Peacock, and hopes
were still more strongly revived that the fight would
take place.

Sampson, in the interval, had taken up his quarters
at Ivetsea Bank, at no great distance from which
the stage was in progress ; upon the same spot on
which Sampson had fought Brown. In the course
of the evening, however, Mr. INlonekton, a Ma-
gistrate, testitied his disapprobation at this operation
by having the carpenter taken into custody. Still it
was thought this worthy beak might be softened,
and the work was proceeded with.
. .

At ten o'clock the next morning (Tuesday),
Captain White condescended to wait upon Spring,