Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-11-08
SSsGy1aoa otto Gggya6es.
TUESDAY MORNING, NOV. 3. 1875.
THE GREAT MATCH RACE
Extract 9fa Letter from mr.. Pleasaats, tie senior
Editor q H,isPaPer duted,

was run over the Long Island course Yesterday and
won after sharp contest By the Virgnian Except
that had been pending much shorter time and that
the previous celebrity of the horses was interior il did
not yield in interest to the famous match between Hen
y and Eclipse. The amount at stake was supposed to
be much greater Tie capacity OF Ariel had never been
fairly tested, and exaggerated BY the hopes of one
party, aud the fears of the otler-The successive de
leafs OF The Firginians aud the supposition that this
was the last great opportunity of vinicatng the an
Gent reputation of their horses, aroused socitude
more generous and intense than the pecuniarv interest
ivoved-whst the result was admitted to be so doubt
ul, was believed TO be so dead match between the
known bottom Of FrtiIIa and Tie imagined cctness of
ARIEL that to the last of keen Judgment consider
cd it lottery. For several DAYS the topics so dear TO
the vanity of the New Yor1ers-the big ditch-the
oig man who had contrved TO identify his fame with lis
deSunes, and tie huge puff preparing under pretext of
celebrating the wedding of Lake Erie and the Allan
TIC, To wait HIM to the Presdcncy-al forgotten
Ill The more immediate interests Of the Race.-Up to
tie moment of starting, the confidence of both parties
remained undminshed and bets were reciprocalIv Of
tered and accepted with franlness-Arie was the IA
voure for tho first heat, and it only on the first
I
| The day Indian summer and of course beautiful
ut an early hour the population of New York began to
empty itself into Long island and the whole track of
road from the ferry to the course, presented an unbro
ken line of carriages hosscnen and pedesrians-A
quarter before one the horses appeared the ground
and acquiring from their appearances victory alrea
dy lowering Arel.FIer frame seemed cast in the
finest mould of compact elegance: and her appearance
indicated perfect kceping-hcr c es shone with all the
brilsiancy of The Gazclle while she stepped " It'll a
shortness and elasticity, that seemed inspired bv Sc
cret presage Of victory. Fnia on the contrary dis
played more than her usual sluggish Iistessness-her
step was long and slow, her Tapped over her ewes
whist she hung her head if abasbed by the superior
grace aud beauty OF her rirai--Lct those who are
prone to Judge from appearances learn a moral from
The result
LIST HEhT--At ten minutes past one O'Clock the sig
nal was gwen TO nount-Arielwas ridden by fue bow
whose name could not learn-Frtia by youth of
10, Bob Wuodins b. name, raised near Halifax Old
Court llouse-a lad whose bold and confident couute-
nance, and true Vrgnan galIanlry Of deneanour, sup
piled anew, all the animated nope of victory which had
been chilled by the cold and prudsh department of Fir
lila. at the tap of the drum they made a fair start
!
LIST Round.-in the first quarter Ariel apparentlv 70
allied the expectations of her hackers in her possessing
superior eetness by taking and keeping to the Judges
stand, the lead of FrtiIa By or three lengths
This was expected by both parties, and did not suffice
greatly to animate tie one, or depress the other
I'd Round.-Whcn the horses passed the Judges
stand Johnson who occupied station near it, appeared
10 have changed the principles upon which he first de-
erIained 10 the heat. These were to Weld it to
Ariel, unless il could be with tnore ease than it
reasonable to EXPECT lie spoke 10 his rider as he
passed. aud the consequence was, that early in the Sc
cond round Flrtilla took the lead and kept it as far as
the last quarter of the third and last round
Last Round. Both horses had been running through
out under bearing ren and it was evident that tho
last quarter alone would cali forth any thing like real
trial of speed. The case with which Flirti!la seemed
to keep ahead possessed her friends with the hone of
winning the first heat; but in the last quarter their
hopes were dissPatedArel shot before her and came
out two lengths ahead. Although this had been expect
ed from The FIRST yet the sudden destruction of our new
born hopes, caused disagreeabc Revision of FEELING
and which the laundering cheering of our adversares
and the disconsoate visages Of those among us who
were not skilled enough 10 reason upon the state of
things, considerably increased. In point of fact howe
ever, the virtually decided in favour of Fir
la at this time; and not until he had lost the first heat
did Johnson calculate with any thing like certainty upon
winning it, He had seen enough TO satisfy him that the
speed Of FIirla nearly quite equal to tlat of
Ariel, whilst he continued to rely with increasing con-
idence upon her superior bottom.
Time, G min. sec.
2d1EAT.-Ths heat was to decide the victory; for If
ARIEL il, it was The last-and if FIirtilla. the
New Workers themselves admitted that 1.-The battle was
won and lost" The appearance Of the horses had ma
eray changed, and this time proved truer index TO
the result-Flirta's increased animation better sup
ported her name and the character of her SEX whilst
the bloody sides Of poor Ariel showed that her rider had
found it necessary to make free use Of tie spuron
the other hand Flirtla had athered little, whilst the
moisture issued in limpid streams from Ariel. Expec-
iaton was wound up TO the highest pitch. and as the
horses flew around the course, the Souhrons nvoun.
tariy turned their eyes upon Johnson who paced the