Year: 1868




And this in face of the gloomiest pre-
dictions that "the bank was smashed
and the layer of the odds gone to 'al-
mighty squash"


EVENTS ON HAND.


There has been some racing during
the week-what week during the season
is without it2-but, on the whole, it has
been of so ''tinpotty" character that I
need scarcely trouble your readers with
more than the briefest notice of it. We
have had meetings at Manchester, West
Drayton and Croydon. The first mem
toned was chiefly remarkable for the in
auguration of a new race course, the
other two for the badness of the sport
and the hardness of the ground. Racing
has for century been highly popular in
Cottonopolis; more betting is carried on
among its merchants and manufacturers
than in any other provincial town in the
kingdom, and its quotations you will
always find in the papers after the Lion
don betting" while no other town sup
plies prices at all. So far back as 1760
meetings were held at Kersal Moor, in
the neighborhood of the great, northern
city, and they were continued there un-
til l1S46, when the lease expired and new
quarters were found at Castle Jewell
This ground, however, was altogether ill
adapted for the purpose, and perhaps it
was to the advantage of sport that last
year, when this second lease expired,
the management had to look out fer
"fresh woods and pastures new," and hit
upon the present excellent venue. The
course, which is only about two miles
from the Manchester Exchange is ex-
cellently adapted for racing, being per-
fectly fiat and sufficiently extensive
with a straight run in of about a thou
sand yards. The accommodations pro-
vided for the public, horses, trainers,
jockeys and the press are of the most
satisfactory description. I observe
nothing whatever in the running which
calls for any mention, except that the
ring appears to have caught it pretty
hot


The meetings at West Drayton and
Croydon were wretched affairs, as good
many gatherings in the neighborhood of
the metropolis are. At this class of
meetings we have as rule a huge
gathering of all the rowdyism of Lon
don. Sahara clouds of dust, "welching"
in full swing, fiat and warm beer and all
the other concomitants of a Cockney
holiday. l went down one day but was
so disgusted with the whole affair that
L took extreme care to avoid repetition
of the feat. Strange to say, there were
comparatively few people present. The
stands and ground were almost deserted;
there was hardly single bookmaker in
the ring; whole groves of cocoanuts
were stuck dismally on their perches,
waiting to be knocked off, and nobody
would notice them, and the refreshment
booths were bowling wildernesses. Peo-
pie who stayed away did not lose much.
The racing was carried on by the most
wretched of"platers;" the dust covered
everything as with garment; the
course was as hard as the pavement of
Piccadilly; and the gentlemen who offer
the most tempting odds and run away
with your money if you are seduced into
trusting them with it, .Aourished like
the green bay tree"


1t will probably, as rule, not inter-
est your readers much to tell them the
state of the market on future events, or
rank myself, like Saul, "among the
prophets" 1t would not, for instance,
be of much avail to let them know that
The Earl is at present the first favorite
IN ba nd % L,
as my information reaching them about
fortnight after they had learned by
telegraph the result of the race would be
very like "piper's news" Nor would it,
for the very same reason, be wise to tell
them that The Earl is likely to win, and
advise them to 'put their money on" at
once. The sporting writer here is
'two headed Janus" who looks both
before and behind, and comments on the
past while he lifts up prophetic voice
on the future. 1t will be we'll if / limit
my functions to the former line; but it
may not be out of place to tell you
something of the market movements or
distant events.


l observe from the list of turf fixtures
that We have already rubbed out not
few of prime Importance, but there are
still many which await decision and
will keep the excitement of sporting
men up to the time when they are COM
PEELED to retire once more to winter
quarters. The Grand Prix, which will
be run tomorrow, and the Ascot Stakes
and Ascot Gold Cup for which the flag
will fall next week, require no mention
at present for the reason l have stated
above.


The Northumberland Plate, two
mile race, which will be run at Newcas-
tie on the oath of June, and which
takes high rank among our fixtures, was
introduced into the market a week or
two ago, the notorious Tarabau, who has
earned the sad reputation of being one
of the greatest rogues'' in training, be-
ing made favorite. He is four year old
by Rataplan out of Wiosma; the proper
ty of Mr.. Bowes, who four times won
the Derby with Naundig, Coterstone,
and Daniel O'Rourke and West Aus
tralian. He ran twelve times last year,
winning on four occasions, and he liter
ally walked away with the Prince of
Wales Stakes at Newmarket this spring.
He is, however, an utterly unreliable
brute and more frequently than not fails
to "come to the scratch" and is repor-
ted to have Dutch courage put into him
before a race with bottle of port wine,
Something has recently gone wrong with
him, for he has to-day declined in the
market to to 1.


The second favorite is Fortunio, the
winner of the great Northern Handicap
last month, who is now quoted at 100
no advance on which can be obtained
from the bookmakers. He is a four
year old by Voltigeur out of Fortuna,