The New York herald., 1869-02-13
THE TURF In ENGLAND.

On the Chief Events-Reform Of the Turf
State Of Opposite Pnrtics-Jockey Club Reso.
lutions OF Sir Joseph HawIey, Colonel For.
ester and Lord Coventry-Settlemcnt Of tho
Action, Day vs.. Rous-TraIners and Touts--
Singular Assault Case-Thc ssDerbv DIN.
Guilty."
LONDON, Jan. 20, 1869.
The note OF preparation for the coming season Il
at length heard. The winter Is over and gone, and
will the voice Of the bookmaker be heard in the
land. Not that we shall seek the s'tented fed, fol
some weeks yet, but everything proves that the
commencement OF the legitimate season is close
at hand. The spring handicaps were issued on
Thursday A large number OF animals have already
found their way into the quotations on these
the destruction OF speculation on the great
three year old races, and the sporting journals are
filed with the advertisements OF commission agents.
Now does Mr.. Flatcatcner emerge from his winter
obscurity, announce to his friends that he has
just visited the winners Of the Derby and Two
Thousand, and entreat his patrons TO ''be on'' at
once as these redoubtable animals are still at the
remunerative odds Of two hundred to one Now
does Mr.. Goldfnder in a column of figures and facts
proclaim his intentions for the coming year and ad-
vertse tempting prices about every animal in every
handicap published. Now do the noble army OF
"touts' besnr themselves to secure every scrap OF
information for their patrons and, peering out OF
their coverts behind hedges or in ditches in the
murky, cold mornings, survey the downs and the
doings OF the cracks or lying calmly in bed 'evolve
them from their inner consciousness" Now are
trainers actively preparing their nags for the spring
events, experimenting the foaling Of their mares
and generally getting ready to ''go in bursteye"
In the coming year. Now are owners anxiously de-
termnng the respective merits OF their teams, get
ting rid Of their winter disorders, If possible, and
eager to make them pay for the corn they consumed
during the dead season. Now-now, in fact the
whole turf world is agog and 'eager for the fray"
The publication OF the weights for the spring
handicaps-the Chester Cup, the Grand National
Steepe Chase, the Lincoln Handicap, the Northamp-
tonshre Stakes the City and Suburban and the
great Metropotan--has been anxiously awaited for
some time; their appearance in the Calendar on
Thursday hailed with satisfaction and the tur-
~ was e scene Which ley sn"ad ns could mi be
witnessed nowhere but in London betting house.
AS rule they are singular productions; the dscre-
pances they show are marvel, and the dissatsfac-
ton that some Of them have created throughout the
whole turf world Is deeply felt ana loudly expressed.
They are seyerally the work OF Mr. Topnanl, ADMIRAL
OF whom have taken widely different views OF the
merits OF certain animals. IL Is impossible on such
short notice to survey critically these productions;
nor perhaps would your readers thank me II were
to enter at any length into their merits ana de-
merits The Chester Cup, the work OF Mr.. Topham is
for everybody believes that he has treated Paul
Jones, the winner last year, and all Sir Joseph Haw
ley's representatives with extraordinary leniency.
The son of Buccaneer, years. let on with los
pounds while of the "Kentish baronets'' team,
Blue Gown, years the winner OF the Derby, has to
Pero Gomez years, second favorte for next Derby,
100 pounds, and Vagabond, years. II pounds. Now
it must be remarked that about Paul Jones and Blue
Gown, 20 to l was eagerly booked before the weights
were Published, and that IS price never previously
heard OF at such q period, and when they did APP
v,aar co Sum ipsf yvprn
Gown at rose to IL to and Paul Jones 10 IA 10
/. / have no desire to throw any doubt unon Mr..
Topham's honesty or on the fair dealing Of the
owners OF the animals mentioned; but am bound,
as an impartial reporter to state that inuend0es are
thrown out which are by no means to their credit.
am well aware that Mr.. Topnam has been
before now the object OF groundless suspl-
clon and that the hghtness Of his handicaps
all through has been stupidity urged against
him. on the present occasion | state no
opinion beyond this that the horses referred TO and
the others OF Sir Joseph Haweys team seem to have
wonderfully good chance so good, indeed, as to
Justify the booking OF at least TO about them. The
performances OF Blue Gown would lead one to be-
and those OF Pero Gomez give no prospects to any
0! the three year old division. Knight OF the Garter,
years 40 pounds has very iar chance, and as ne
Liverpool Cup, he ought to beat him. Kobespierre,
years, IS pounds IN ine same stable as the knight,
Is better representative, for as TWO year old he
showed very fair form, and he has only 10 give 10
pounds to the best animal In the race. Van AM
burgh years, cannot complain Of lo5 pounds, the
more especially as, though he was one OF the best
horses OF this year, The Palmer and Vespasan have
each to give him over II pounds. Legislator,
years, gets only s4 pounds from Mr.. Top
ham for the Chester Cups and 112 pounds from
Admiral Rous for the great Metropolitan: from which
Il follows thai 4 The admras est estimate s i correct,
The feather weights are remarkably well in, and
such ANIMALS as Perfume, 8 years, a pounds; st.
Mungo, years, 81 pounds; Cocoa Nut, 3 years, 80
pounds Westminster. years, so pounds; Good Hope,
8 years, 10 pounds, ought TO find their way TO the
front. Among the curious features OF the handicap
hay m civ
he could never ''staY" more than six iurongs, and
the course is two miles and quarter; Lady Morgan
being within three pounds ofPaui Jones. from which
we conclude that II tins female "dufer' had run In
the ST. Leger she would nave been second; the very
moderate Fidelia being weighed within pounds OF
Paul Jones; and Niscouni who was beaten 100 yards
In the 81 Leger, being allowed only pounds Tor
that clicking
In the Grand National the anomalies are not so
striking but there some. Such, for instance, as
the fact that horses, Lord Ronald and Tribune,
who noyices as steeplechasers nave 10 carry III
pounds and l6l pounds respectively, and yet the
former is vastly superior TO the latter and that Tie
Lamb gives rennyson pounds and In the Lincoln
shire stcepcchase &c pounds: otherwise The handl-
cap - a very fair one. The Lincolnshire Handicap,
Mr.. Johnson's proGaction treats with extraordinary
lenency Lady Coventry, years, no pounds; Van
Amburgh: years Ii2 pounds; knight Lrrant. years,
ITO pounds; Sycee. years w pounds, and Monarch
OF the Glen, years l0T pounds, ana al have a line
chance. The Northamptonshlrc Stakes, Messrs
Wetherby's work, would be good piece OF weight
ing but for the fact that the Duke OF Beaufort,
years high class performer, II made 10 receive
anything Ike good form. The other handicaps are
so bad that shall not attempt t0 anas ze them until
the intentions OF owners are known by the publica-
ton OF the aeceptances.
As TO the betting on future events. have already
mentioned that In connection with the chester cup,
IL 10 Is taken about Blue Gown, and IL 10 about
Paul Jones-a rather striking fact when one rerneni-
bers that they selected from i26 animals. Abont
any other 1000 10 10 currently ofered and o, the
lot most demand has been made for Robes pierre,
who would be booked at 1000 to 3O and Knight OF
the Garter. who would receive support at loo
to IS, could these terms be had. 81. Mungo has
been entrusted with little money at % 20 1; we
have LORD Hawthorn, Birdseeker and fairwind az 70
TO 1 each. In. connection with the Lincolnshire
Handicup, 90 TO was az first taken about Lady
Coventry. knight Errant and Van amburgh; but
later cher adyship advanced 70 loo TO while the
others declined TO 20 10 ]. There was great demon
stration IN favor OF Sycee, who went nigh % 100
to o, and Monarch OF the Glen received some little
support at 25 TO | for the Grand National
Fan Is considered 30 'well inn with lt6
pounds that she has advanced from 20 TO To 10
10 while Tennyson has declined from 20 10 70 70
10 /. Tathweli Is considered 10 nave so good a
chance thai 20 to is the best oer against him,
as u is also against The Colonel Fortunatus s "out
IN the cold,' and nobody backs him at rs 70 II put
% TO Is readily accepted about sultan and Brahma
as IL is also about u. y. and Alchia1e. or MT. MOT