The New York herald., 1869-02-15

spring two year old events, and accordingly no
effort win be spared TO make hay while the sun
Shines" The resolutions OF Sir Joseph Hawley
Colonel Forester and Lord Coventry. which dis
cussed week ago, have not since then excited
much attention comment. the acceptances for the
great handicaps proving for the time more interest
ing. People are waiting quietly enough the issue of
affairs; but 1t is beyond question that before the
great reforms of which notice has been given are
brought under the consideration OF the Jockey Club
they win have assumed an importance such az no
question Of the kind has attained for many years.
Everything in the late history OF the turf has paved
the way TO a revolution OF some kind, and the tone
Of feeliag that prevails not only on the tnr
ITSELF but among the general public indicates That
the time for some great change is at hand.
The style in which the sport s talked Of by certain
OF our Journals and section or society by no
means indicates accurately its position in the
try large. Apart altogether from those who make
racing profession and those who. without going
that length, may be considered as members Of the
sporting community, there is no doubt that the
thoroughbred and the system founded for his adj
vancement find high place In the affections Of the
majority OF Englishmen. and there would be CON-
paratively few who would rejoice either in the de-
cay or In the extinction Of the turf II Is CERTAIN
however that 1t has now reached crisis In its his
tory, and that all who interested In Its welfare
are anxious that some reform should be introduced
which, by sweeping away the abuses that have Of
late years crept into It's economy, will place 1t on
soundcr and mere lasting hasis OF course ii is only
on the part Of the Jockey Club that any action In
this direction be TAKEN and it is matter for
graduation that these gentlemen, who not only
cupy SO eminent position In ITS councils but have
word and Of the public at large, should have
taken ISe the initiative. niy and s that ., In SO
1t may hereafter be found necessary 10 introduce,
win doubt that the amelIoratlon Of the con-
dition OF the TWO old as proposed Is the re-
solution OF which notice has been given In the first
step that ought to be taken. and the only question
that remains IL whether he should be brought TO the
post on the ist OF May the 1st OF July. | have
been paying considerable attention to the tone OF
feeling thar prevails on this question, both IN sport
a good deal or hostility 10 any alteration among
those whose regard the turf + founded on selfish
grounds one cannot overlook The fact that the real
lovers OF the turf steadfast favor OF some
change that they win be able TO wear down all
opposition. % J am inclined to believe that though
lawley's motion prohibiting the racing or two year
olds before the 1st Of July carried. and though few
are loud IN deprecaing any reform whatever the pre-
ponderance of feeling in favor OF Colonel Forester
and the irst appearance Of two year ods the ist
OF May. The question the abolition OF year
old haudicaps before the Ist of September has
NOT as get aroused so much discussion as one might
e aians suc an ae sSe
effect that the weights carried In such races
on the average ACTUALLY less than In Others not han
dfcaps, ami that the extension OF the system OF
penalty racing would amount precisely to the same
thing as thai now decried--are not without much
cogency. We may expect that when the resolutions
are brought before the Jockey Club In the EPSON
week there wiz be very large attendance OF mem
bers. ana do not see bow the meeting Can result
otherwise than IN the carrying II not OF Sir Joseph
Hawley's motion (Which doubt, at least OF Colonel
long run commend itself To ali turtles VINO have the
real welfare OF the institution al heart
The great event OF the week has been the pub
cation OF the acceptances for the spring handicaps
and in connection with these the most prominent
TACT Is the scratching of Bae Gown for the Chester
cup, the handicap for which he headed with the
very ensent import OF 100 pounds. II will be re-
memoered that In my last J stated that grave
nection with this horse and with Paul Jones
Ic7 lbs: and that insinuations were thrown out by
no means credltabc to the handicapper, Mr.. Top
ham, and certain gentlemen WHO were supposed 10
have been In his confidence. Both horses were Inn
mense favorites even before the weights appeared
short prices were taken about them; and immedi-
ately the handicap was published, ~ 10 was eager
ly booked about the Derby winner and IA TO about
Mr.. hodgmsns son OF Buccaneer such q state OF
matters was undoubtedly Suspicious, and the handi-
capper cannot complain II he is spoken OF in no
fiattering terms. But the hackers OF Blue Gown
found themselves in very wrong box ~ indeed
wlNn. on "Wednesday morning, they discovered that
the horse on whom they had been so" sweet was
not 10 come to the post at all. and they were-per-
haps naturally cnough-very wroth with sur Joseph
hawley. The baronet, however, exercised right
which belonged TO him. ana whateyer.,nay have been
his motives-and the people are just now racging
their brains hit upon them--I think he was quite
justified IN scratching his horse. Few win suspect him
OF having been in leaguc with the handicapper;
and lt Is very probable tnat when he saw hs repre-
the weights and found when they appeared that he
had been almost '.pitchforked'' Into the race, he
| thought something had been going wrong and de-
terDined administering little ..poctic JUSTICE
Those who backed the horse ~ the ridicuously short
price ei ~ w. 70 are very properly "ns ror their
| cretlon. 10 know tnat SIR Joseph Hawley had not
himself penny on Blue Gown. and that he had
many valuable engagements before Chertcr OF loss
4 dangerous nature than tnat or the .sOup plateu
course, The race has now . far more "open" char
acter than Il previously had and that. notwhstand-
ing the presence OF Paul Jones. who Is by means
/ better ftyorte, though he now figures a. II to /.
i 20 lbs, had a very "takngn appearance for thts
event. and he nj one time reached 100 TO 9: but
20 TO Is again obtainable. Il s doubtful whether
Garter, i've years. I'D Tbs. If intended for
| this Journey; but the latter mas such compara-
lively speaking light weight that Robespierre may he
reserved for some other event. OF SIR Joseph Haw-
leyis lot still left IN The Palmer I've years, I2t lbs.
have nttlc chance with the knight: while about
| Nagabond three years 10 lbs, 80 TO has bern
| taken. 50. Mungo, three years, has very good
chance wh 81 iDs. and he is now quoted at 20 90 4.
| The French party have supported Gondolicr, four
years 80 lbs, at 10 TO 4. About Kings Cross, Ave
years. 30 lbs., 30 10 l has been booked; 20 TO has
been accepted about Birdsceker four years, 20 ihs;
and ao 10 each about kgean, three years 10 lbs,
The Liverpool Grand National steeplcchasc has
| occupied great deal Of attention during the week,
and mas gwen rise TO large amount Of speculation,
|
| whole very good one aud is a. crcdablc 10 Mr..
Iopam as the chester IL the reverse; but II is hard
to abalyze, as there are many horses which appear
to be in IT, and some OF the larger stables are rep
resented py many that II is impossible 10 discover
| under which thlmbe the pea may be found The
Colonel six years, 147 lbs who has hitherto proved
himself only good hurdle racer, nas been for some
time first favore and Is freely backed at III
| Fan aged, 140 lbs, who ran second In the Grand
| National. which Costolvin won then ana whojumped
better than be. though she has since done only mode
rateiy srcnlans steady ~ about Is to l. Globue,
aged, l5a lbs. has very good chance, seeing that
two Years ngo he ran third with nearly IA lbs more,
now stands at 1C0 to o; hts stable companion, Hunts.
mans Daughter aged, las lbs, is at 2j to I, while
| the third Of Mr.. MorQan's team, Brick, aged, i47
lls, mas retired TO 90 To and II he. IA the worst
of the lot one or other OF the other two ought to win
| the race Tue Nun, aged, 1913 lbs, has been sup.
ported at 80 10 !: but she cannot beat Brick, who
finished far IN front Of her II Croydon. or Mr. Bray
lcy's Representatives. Pearl Diver aged l75 lbs, ~
1S6 los. al 40 10 4. and 100 20 could pc had about