The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-06

tAo ucAkAt Ol Uu0 expOSlGlOn season never
seeing SO many strangers in
Paris. The hotels were crowded, and
English and American, ''as she is
spoke" seemed to be almost as
common language as French. Numbers
of our countrymen had come over from
London to see the big race, for with Ameri-
cans the Grand Prize is far more popular
race than the English Derby, and do not
wonder at it. Americans like to do things
comfortably, and they can witness and enjoy
the French event with far greater amount
To begin with, the track is much nearer
headquarters, and instead of the long dusty
road to EPSON, you have the lovely drive
through the Champs Elysee and the Bois de
Boul6gne to Longchamps, that is in itself
worth a visit to Paris. Then Longchamps,
in point of beauty, will play second fd die
to no other race track in the world, and the
big crowd of well-dressed men and hand
some women is sight in itself even without
the attractions af good racing.
In point of money value the Grand Prize
is not 80 valuable as the big steeplechase
run at Auteuil the Sunday previous, the
former event being about $4,000 less, but
IN point of interest I, it far overtops
it: For the last twenty seven years the
Grand Prix has been the racing event of
the season in France. Only once, during
the reign of the Commune, has it not been
run, and during that time it may interest
French-bred horse. 10 English, Austrian
and one American. The American horse
was, as most people know, the famous Fox
hall, belonging to Mr.. j. r. .Keene. He
won the grand prize the same year Mr.. Lor-
lizards 1roquois won the Epson derby.
and was afterwards successful in
and Gambridgeshire. The
horse that ran second to Foxhall that year
was Tristan, the sire of yesterdays favor
ite, LIE Nord. What an exciting race was
Foxhall's. The American colony, flushed
with the victory of Iroquois. were there to
q man with their pockets bullying with 1000
When an American bets he bets big and
game, as many of the French bookies
know, and many of them were bet to
standstill on that never to- be- forgotten day.
George Fordham who is now under the
daisies, rode Foxhall, and the most famous
jockey of modern times, Fred Archer, was
on the French representative, Tristan.
was dead silence until the numbers went
up, showing Foxhall's victory short head.
Then there was scene of excitement such
as has seldom been seen on a French race
course. 1t was near squeak, and Archer
told me going back in the train that night
that he had come too late on Tristan, and
ought to have won.
The betting opened for the big race with
Baron Rothschild's LIE Nord a strong favor
ite, the money pouring in so fast that the
shortened the odds to five to
four. LIE Nord had run second for the
English derby, and his stable companion.
to % the son %" Of tristan, had beaten iete ali the
French cracks. including yesterdays win
ner; SO by many the race was looked upon
as an 'sair-tight.'' Wandora, q fillv by
Bruce-a former Grand Prix winner-was
next in demand. She had to meet her first
defeat, and the French talent" plunged
by the Irish sire Barcaldine, was the repre-
sentative of the SHARP English division,
and they backed it down from long odds to
four to one. In the outside division came
Fitz Roya and Fitz Hampton, the latter
hailing from Italy. They were hardly
at all, and the little money that
went on them was for place. In all there
grew to fever heat as the bell
rang for the horses to go to the post,
and the hoarse roar of the ring Offering to
back the field was simply deafening. In the
canter lie Nord was the most
fancied, but his performance yesterday
showed what good judges said of him all
along, viz, that he can't stay; and his posi-
ton in the Derby was owing to the slow
pace the race WAS run in. Tney were sent
off at almost the first attempt, Seniis Jump
ing off with the lead, followed by Alicante
and LIE Nord. Senlis increased his lead
with every stride, and soon opened up a gap
of twenty lengths. After Alicante and Le
Nord came LIE Glorieux, Puchero, Fitz
Hampton and Mirabeau, these being in
front of Fitz Roya, Nativa, and Wandora.
the whipper-in being Captain Cocktail, who
was supposed to be in the race to make run.
ming for Wandora. Shortly before thew
reached the turn for home Senlis dropped
back beaten. and George Barrett on Ali
cante and his brother Fred on Lo Nord
were seen to be at work on their mounts,
who were holding out signals of distress.
fellow, and the pace became a
cracker. Fitz Rcya now began to
draw up on the inside, and soon headed
Puchero. Then another roar went up as
Cook was seen to raise his whip and begin
to ride the other ,favorite, Wandora: but all
his efforts we've unayailing, and ut the dis
lance she was beaten. Fitz Roya had now.
bar accidents, the race in hand, and some
wnat easily stalled off the challenge of Fitz
won by length and half from the Italian
colt, who was length in front of Oddfel-
low. The value of the stakes Was $50 900
and the time for the mile and seven
minutes "a seconds.
30 ended the Grand Prix of 1880. There
was very little enthusiasm when the winner
vas led in to scale except on the part of the
bookmakers. many of whom won small
fortunes. One man. heard, won over SEO,-
RaAkaP0 had Ir,ok krn vnunh -,