she did nearly six furlongs well, and so it is hoped she may last home in the Middle Park. Nothing looked more fit and well than Géant des Batailles in the Handicap, and somehow he never loses at Doncaster. The Laird is a queer low-backed-looking horse, and War has fined down out of a sort of machiner into a really fair-looking one; but his slows are incurable; the tan makes him worse, and no weight can bring him to the front, except with such company as he met on Carlisle Swifts.

Wildbad took no part in the canters, and as little in the race. The wind-sucking collar which "Giant," or "The Gent," always wears, except when he is feeding, is a most remarkable composition, and said to have four patentees-Mr. Williamson, the V. S., Coates, and Johnstone, "the Voltigeur blacksmith." A rod is attached to a light harness collar, and fixed to the head-stall, under the lip; and if the horse draws back to indulge in the old habit, the prickers work through the holes of a compressible solid curb-chain, so to speak, and touch him up. He has learnt to keep his head so much further out, that the rod has been lengthened two or three times. The habit has been so fatal, that he is really very little bigger than he was when a yearling; but he was a rattler then. A very great horse has probably been spoilt by it, but his name is an abomination, which is the more surprising, as the Earl is given to good names. In the Champagne Stakes, the Asteroid filly was full of quality, but unfinished, and we never expect much to come from such a false-made horse. Mantilla is pretty and level, with nice quality, while Sunshine, with her white face, is by no means handsome, and looks as set as a hack. Zeno has plenty of good looks, and seems to have more size than many of the Lambtons.

After some dullish racing (there were only seven in three races) we had a smart finish for a Selling Stakes, and a smarter style of selling. It struck us that "200" was the last bid, and that the next was certainly out of time; Mr. Tilburn said that he saw the man, and did not feel sure if he was bidding, and so Captain Machell had to pay 220 gs. to redeem the chesnut. Vespasian then tried without avail to give Xi 2st, and the race between the two baronets, with their old ones, somewhat redeemed a wretched days sport. It was curious to note how little Pretender was fancied by the trainers for the St. Leger, and how confidently they spoke of Pero Gomez " as a real good thing." Prince of Teck was on the box of Lord Scarboro's carriage, which was inside the enclosure as usual. The Princess was in the stand above, looking very handsome; but why does not the mayor come out on these occasions, and sit above the clock, in a chair, and cocked hat? We remember a mayor some years ago, who had a pretty Lady Mayoress, and so he placed her there to be looked at for the greater part of the meeting. "The Spider" was present, but alas! the poor 66 Fly," who watched the races last year, leaning on his crutches, and worn down with Bright's disease, was missing from the boxes at last. What a dashing youth he was, with his colours round his neck five years ago, when he "plunged" on her, and then bought Catalogue for 200 gs., and plunged again, and bought her in for 510 gs! Mr. Foljambe was chatting away with Lord Zetland, and Lord Redesdale was in the Steward's stand, with his arm in a black sling, and resting from his Westminster labours. If he had looked in at the Grand Stand Saloon, he would have said it was

a "Casino." However, the "children of earth with golden hair," be they from Hull or elsewhere, were much more quiet, and it seems they were aware that two policemen were watching them and their gambols. It was said to us by a Doncaster man, that the ticket notice was so drawn as to exclude them, if occasion called, and that a legal man had done it; but it would be hard to say that the terms referred to more than clogs, and default for bets.

The St. Leger eve was dull, and eked out by deep play, but it was evident that the town was exceedingly full. Still, the lodging capacity has increased to that extent that it would have taken some hundreds more with ease. It is the fashion to declaim against the nailing system, but it is the carelessness of lodgers as to making bargains, which makes "the nailers." The lodging-house people like to see the same faces each races, and nailing is not the way to effect that end. There must be a great many instances to the contrary, or visitors would not go so much to their old haunts year after year. There is so much opposition that unless a man will live in the centre of the town, he can always make an easy bargain for bed and meals. The correspondents of The Times ought not on their own showing, to be without a wet

nurse.

The morning of Wednesday looked grey and hopeful, but Mr. Tattersall had hardly settled to his half-hundred yearlings, and the crowd was just getting into the swing down Hall Gate, when the floodgates were opened, and for half-an-hour or more it came down a rattler.

Out of the 46 yearlings, 28 were sold. The Lord Clifden-Ornament colt, with power, and substance for ever, was the pride of the day; and it was said that Mr. Jardine would have gone to 1,000 gs. rather than miss him. The late Dr. Bowes was wont to slip over on the St. Leger morning, and see his bit of Ferrara sold. This year it was Trident by Neptunus (420 gs.) from Ferrara, but our good little friend and all his stories of Billy Pierse and Borodino are, alas! a thing of the past. There were 12 yearlings in Mr. Simpson's lot, but he could only make up his mind to part with four. Mr. Heene followed the Hawthornden blood at 300 gs.; and Gondokero, by Macaroni, made more on the strength of what the mare has been throwing than what she throws now. This is the first black foal she has had since Zambezi The own sister to Scarborough, with her "to be returned at the end of her racing career" condition, was not sold, Lord Scarboro' bought in three, and made an 87 gs. average of the other nine. One of the Whitfield was withdrawn, and two of the Boythorpe. Mr. Graham went in four times during the day, but not in the daring style which he has generally shown on this, to him, lucky ground. During the morning five were sold at 300 gs. and upwards.

As the St. Leger hour drew on the weather looked more serene. When we reached the course the enclosure seemed fuller of people than ever, yet it has been extended at one end, and there is a six-foot encroachment into the course as well. Outside it we should fancy that the crowd was not quite up to its usual mark, although it is said that 70,000 people were brought by rail. We don't know a finer sight than that orderly crowd, with scarcely a tipsy man among them. The early return of the trains gives them no time to drink if they were so inclined, and the railway staff at Doncaster is so efficient that by half-past nine there

were scarcely any excursionists. It is well for anti-race men to talk, but when it came to the pinch not one of them dare to abolish such a great national holiday. It would be like trying to take Hyde Park from the Londoners; and those who really think over the subject have no wish to restore the scoffing régime which we had under Puritan sway.

The crowd saw two favourites, Queen of Hearts and Camel, knocked over to begin with; the former by Perfume, and the latter by Barrier, a horse of Sim Templeman's breeding. Barrier is out of Gentle Kitty, but unfortunately is neither in the Derby or St. Leger. Templeman has been very unlucky hitherto with the horses he has bred, as they have nearly all met with accidents by rail or field. However, when he heard the price for which Mr. Scott sold Derventio, he always said that perhaps his Citadel foal would bring him some luck at last, and so it has proved. After this race there came a rattling shower, and there was a regular unfurling of umbrellas, and people stood in such solid squares that it was hardly possible to get wet. It was very cold and chill on the steps, but everybody was very good-humoured, and packed so judiciously with reference to the run of umbrellas, &c., that very little harm was done. Ere long the clouds broke, and a cheer from really "excited Yorkshire" told that a rainbow was in the sky, and that they would get home yet with a dry jacket. The St. Leger field was mainly a mass of green, red, and blue silk when it was got together, an operation which took marvellously short time. Typhon is not a racer to the eye; the Duke of Beaufort has a beautiful forehand, but doesn't look as if he would "stay and travel on." Starter is a shabby little horse; the Drummer walked proudly arching his neck, but he had not calibre enough about him for a great winner on the Derby day, and he certainly had not now. George Osbaldeston is an old-fashioned style of horse, perhaps a little light behind the saddle, but in colour, quality, and general shape far away the premier of the eleven. Still such blood as that of Belshazzar, and the T.Y.C., weak-loined Barbatus are dreadfully against a horse. Martyrdom seemed a soft horse as he did at the Two Thousand, and without muscle; and as for Pero Gomez, he is the most happy-go-lucky colt in his shape that ever won the St. Leger. It will take quite a couple of years to make a horse of him, but he was full of life and go.

There was quite a crowd of pround and loyal Doncastrians round the Middleham horses as they were saddled in the big field, and marched down the path through the Rubbing House gate in a solemn procession, Challoner leading on Lord Hawthorn, to "force the perilous North West passage," which no cords or "blues" buoy out as they ought to do, and Hudson last on Derventio in winkers. We sorely desired little Royal Oak to make up the dozen. The Derby winner was not greeted with any particular enthusiasm, and although he looked very narrow over the loins, he went freely and well in his canter. In the parade, Wells as usual kept last, so as to have the rails if possible when he wheeled round, but there was another shower to be got through, before Mr. M'George got them off. The rainbow's tip was right, and out came the sun once more, and at the first effort they were away. We merely watched the Derby pair, and they were

third and fourth to the Intake turn, when "Johnny" was at work, and it was all up with Doncaster's pride. From first to last, he never had a winning look. At the centre of the stand it seemed to be Martyrdom's race, but he curled up the moment Fordham squeezed him, and Wells sent his brown past the post a good neck in advance. We have seldom seen any one, except it be Bill Scott or Harry Edwards, ride in such a daring, confident style. A horse can hardly help running strong when he is so handled. It will be a sad pity if Wells is ever forced off the saddle by weight as so many have been. What makes the performance of Pero better is that Wells must have carried the 2lb. allowance, while all the other jockeys could ride fine weight. Considering the season of the year and the importance of getting good men to ride the fillies, it is a great pity that the St. Leger weights are not made 8st. 12lbs. and 8st. 8lbs. In the Newmarket Derby they are 8st. 11lbs. and 8st. 7lbs. for 1 miles. Daley was in the town, but he looked big, and had evidently not been "walking." By way of finish to the day two of "the accursed blood" made a desperate finish for the Queen's Plate, and Blueskin ran another of his eternal seconds. In the Rufford Abbey Stakes there was a curious episode, as an owner entered a two-year-old by mistake, and it was mounted and going to the post, when Mr. Wetherby stopped it and it was sent back.

There was a good deal doing at night at the Rooms, upon the two great autumn handicaps, and probably the manager's two sureties, who were told by the magistrates that they had a right to have admittance gratis to any part of the theatre, and that they were expected to act as censors of morals, were busy with their difficult mission. Next morning we were round Mr. Tattersall's ring once more, and speculators drew up in earnest to discuss 54 yearlings. Mr. Sadler bought in his first lot, a springy-looking Tom Bowline filly. The second was a Lord Clifden colt (250 gs.), with the substance and neck of "all his tribe." The Adventurer filly (110 gs.) was weak in her back ribs, and we do not care to see Glasgow remnants like "Flutter" or "Physalis" in a pedigree. Carbineer's son had his sire's head to a hair; and despite the recollections of Peter and his failure, we thought the Allegra colt the pet of the paddock, and a racer all over. The Vimieira colt (370 gs.) was another of the substantial and handsome Lord Clifdens; and Surplice, who is pretty convalescent again, wound up the Sadler eight with a smart colt (100 gs.) The Earl of Bradford bought in a Carnival and a Chevalier d'Industrie colt, one of them sadly crooky behind, and Sir Williamson Booth took the half-sister to Salpinctes (40 gs.), and luck be with her.

Then Snarry stepped into the ring, followed by "Flint Jack," and Mr. Tattersall again regretted that Sir Tatton didn't keep more mares. Flint Jack, who is, we trust, soothed by the compliment of having a colt called after him during his present bout of oakum picking (at which "old experience makes him sage"), has very nice hind-quarters, and takes, more especially about the coarsish head and neck, to his Colsterdale dam. Still at three years old he looks very like making a sticker, without great pace. The Marigold filly, his half-sister, was very much talked about, but she is a mare rather likely, as the saying goes, to "fly to pieces" if she is brought out too soon. The Thormanby filly was Snarry's

pet. The Marigold filly was bought in at 340 gs., and then Mr. Crook gave 10 gs. more, and thus the three averaged 400 gs. It was quite a treat to see Mr. Crowther Harrison's in the ring, as they were as docile as cade lambs with their groom, and seened anxious to make friends-in fact, square purchasers all round the ring. There was no bidding for the roan Double Event. Mr. Tattersall stated that she came to the date of Blair Athol's service; but those long erect ears told, to our mind, without dispute, that she was by Neptunus. Flying Childers was very light, and he, too, was passed; and then Sword Trick (210 gs.), by Gladiateur, a hard dappled brown, somewhat light of bone, but full of length and liberty, seemed to go very cheap. Grand Coup (300 gs.) was also by the same horse, from another Stockwell mare a deep burnt-umber chesnut, and not so racing-like to our eye. Mr. Tattersall prefaced Mr. Cookson's sale by saying, that that gentleman considered them "the best lot he ever sent up," but breeders whisper this sweet deceit to themselves every year. The half-sister to Kettledrum (500 gs.) was rather narrow, as most of the fillies are from Hybla, and we thought that she sold high. Rose of Athole, which cost 220 gs. as a foal, at Fairfield, only made 165 gs. Her hocks stood rather away from her, and we doubt her pace. Bill of Fare (70 gs.) had a regular Melbourne head, both as regards ears and blaze, derived from his dam, through Rambling Katie. Clanronald (420 gs.) had a blood-like head; but after what had been said about him, we were disappointed. He was rather narrow, and, like his sire, small in his arms. We thought The Jackal (350 gs.) the best of the two, if not of the lot. Pontine (300 gs.) had a nice head, and the Lord Clifden substance, but his tail was set on rather low. Report (230 gs.) was a thick and powerful Kettledrum, from an Ellington dam, and followed the colour of the dam. Mendip (300 gs.) was another of the Lord Clifdens, and Mr. Heene would not pass him. Then came the chesnut, hero of the day, the property of Mrs. Wilkinson of Neasham, and called not after Fisherman, of whom some Australians aver that he " poisoned our blood," but the best hound in the Hurworth pack, which the Wilkinsons had for a century, and beautifully named he was, by Caterer (a slow one at best), out of Lady of the Lake. Mr. Tattersall did not fully forecast his horoscope, when he said, "I hear this colt is to make a thousand.” The first answer was "Five hundred,” six," &c., a thousand." "That's the way to hit from the shoulder!" said Mr. T., and at last a very elastic, handsome colt was knocked down for 1,200 gs., just 50 gs. less than the Rataplan-Borealis colt at York, and 600 gs. less than the Margery Daw filly at Middle Park. The sixteen Sheffield Laners followed, but they were not remarkable, and 280 gs. was the top price, and 126 gs. the average, which is 39 gs. better than Lord Scarboro's for nine. The Adventurers made no show; Shreckhorn (110 gs.) by Adventurer was like a small thick Cure, of other days, such as Capt. Skipworth sent; Kenmore (105 gs., own brother to the 1,000-guinea Glenalmond) was as good looking as Roaring Tam (60 gs.) was plain; Maid (125 gs.) was a fine big filly, and Prudentia (130 gs.) leggy. Depredator by Adventurer (260 gs.), The Young Laird (180 gs.), Kettlewell (105 gs.), and Odolga (180 gs.) and were all useful and promising, and if Lady Colsterdale had been better in her legs, she looked able to leave the lot in a sharp spin.

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