Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-09-08
Nelo Xork, Aug. IT, 1857.
Io Me Ettt0r of Porter'S Spirit Of Me Tunes:

1o Me Elttor cf Porter's Spirit of Me Tunes: My DEAR SIR:--As 1 am met here by great desire to know the particulars of the Good wood Cup race, and as 1 find there is an incli- nation evnced by some parties to cenSure me therein, shall beg the favor of your columns, as a general and final answer to them all.
 1 left New York, June 20th engaged by Mr. Ten Broeck, to ride either one or other of his horses in the Goodwood Cup. 1 arrived at Southampton on the 3Oth of June, and mme- dia!ely departed forour training stable at Stock bridge, which 1 reached the following day saw the horses Pryor and Prioress, the former had just recovered from lung fever, and had been galloped, Mir. Palmer told me eff l recol. lect nght) but three times previous to my ar rival. Prioress had been also ailing, but seem- ed in better condition than Pryor, who, though he looked pretty enough, to the eye of an ordi- nary spectator, was in no racing trim whatever. I immediately set to work, exercising Pryor, whom 1 found incapable of extending himself; the fact is, the horse seemed tied up, which facts l forthwith communicated to Mir. Ten Broecl; he did not seem to listen to my comments, and made me no satisfactory reply. Matters re- maned ill this state until about the 16th of July, when our first trial took place; the dis | tance was one mile and half. 1 rode PriOress alone for tue first half mile when Pryor, rid den by Lttletield, joined in-he beat the mare to the stand, she tlring badly, and showing signs of leg weariness Things went on in the same way up to the next trial, which took place on the 25th of July, over the same track. again rode the mare; the trial was two miles; Pryor running the entire distance and Prioress join ing in for the last mile and half The mare beat Pryor about two lengths in this trial, but exhibited the same symptoms of leg weariness as on the previous occasion.
 On the following Saturday we left for Good wood. Mir Ten Broeck stopped with the hor- l ses; there was much talk among oursel, es about the prospects of our horses, but nothing tran 1 spired of interest 10 the public. On Monday morning. we commenced galloping on the Good wood course, which gallops we repeated every morning until that of the race. Mir. Ten Broeck walked round the Cup course with us, and some conversation took place as to the best ground for us to run on, especially the mare, as she was such long strider, that We wanted to obtain the smoothest possible place for her to | run on.
 Mir. Ten Broeck pointed out to me those | portions of the track he thought best suitable | to the mare, as the smoothest, and most free from undulations which might throw her out of her stride and accordingly on the day of the race, l, in obedience to his directions, swung out of the beaten path, followed by the other horses, in order to obtain ground more suitable to the mares peculiarity of stride.
 On the morning of the race, nyorde,s aoere tO make sloeo, or ,oIat English jo(]iies call "a aoating race' of it-further, not to take the lead, or force the running, if 1 could help it, with Prioress
 The start took place: we all went at a bad pace for the first half mile; Priore,s, unlike ordinary horses, when put to gallop, from her length of stride, cannot go slow, and the pace was so bad with the others, that in spite of myself 1 was forced to take the lead, which l maintained to the second turn going out, up to which time had kept the inside of the track, the others taking the outside. then gradually bent across the track as had been agreed upon, which brought me a little outside of the others who retained their original position. We ran in this way, at bad pace, to the top of the hill; when we arrived here, the mare appeared to be very fresh, and thought would make good run home The pace now began to increase. kept with them to the turn into the straight run in. when still greater improvement in speed took place. At the halt distance, they began to quit me and when within all hundred and fifty wards of the stand, found the mare giving way, and ln few strides more, she was gone all to p'eces," which l imagine everybody present perceived. Here was an end of the race-the mare being physically incapable, from want of condition, ot doing any better. As to Pryor, with neither speed nor bottom, he had not the ghost of a chance in any part of the race Nothi was said to me by Mr. Ten Broeck, or any other person connected with the stable, after the race was over, but learnt that whilst We were running, Mr. Morris observed (when he saw me leading, as was forced to do for short tme) that was disobeying orders in talk ing the lead, and that he would settle up wth me III the morning, and send me home Moth Ing was sad to me then, but my mind was pre- vlousl made up to come home, any how, whe. ther 1 won or lost. Next morning, Mir. Ten Broeck sent Pryor and Prioress back to the training stable at Stock bridge After they had gone, he said to me, "Why, thought you had gone with the horses?" 1 replied, No, I wish to go home," on which he remarked. he thought perhaps it was best, as the horses were not fit to run, and he did not know if he should run them again this fall. He then settled up with me, and left Eng gland, and here am. l have been accused of losing ground in the race. If did so, it was in compliance with Mr. Ten Broeck's directions as to those DOT. tions of the track to be taken to suit the mare and whatever ground may have lost in this way, more han made up subsequently,. The simple fact Is, the horses were worn out with long and useless kind of work During nearly a twelvemonth previously, they had neUer even had s'0eat (so the Joys toM me) from tue time Mey tdndel, until / arrived in Eaqland. The consequences may be magined-namelv, want of all condltlon and absolute need of rest they were full of fat--burnt up nside--leg weary-and had no vitality in them.
 In conclusion, 1 have no hesitation in as- sertlng that had our horses been properly taken care of from the encement-carefullv tralned, and brought to the post in any thing Ike the condition we have seen them exhibit at home-that either of them could and would have won the Goodwood cup easily
 At the time of my leaving, there was no probability of either of the horses-Pryor, PnCress, or Lecomte, running at Brighton or Lewes. Indeed, l think 1t doubtful if the American horses will appear again prior to the four mile race over the Beacon course, at the Newmarket Houghton meeting in October.
 make the foregoing statement in justice to myself, and ln order to be freed from the blame which has unjustly been cast upon me- have faults enough of my own, without being bur dened With those of other people. Had l had my own way, would have returned immedi- atey after seeing the horses; as it was, stop | ped, and did the best 1 could under the most adverse circumstances. Hence, do not choose to incur the odium merted by others
 Yours, respectfully,
 GILPATRIcK.
 TIE I