fortunate that four out of the six walks-over should have occurred on the Friday. Vespasian won the Trial Stakes for the second year in succession, and 10s. 10lb. and "four lengths" was the weight and verdict on each occasion, though Percy and Thundercloud were less worthy of his steel than Hippia and Van Amburgh. Mr. Brayley has at last lost confidence in Duke of Beaufort, who has done little enough for Trumpeter, and received £100 out of the stakes to allow Pero Gomez, in spite of "71b. and influenza extra," to walk over for the Grand, Duke Michael. It seemed a pity that such an interesting stake should come to nothing; but we cannot expect to see a Friponnier cut down the winners of the Derby and Oaks every year. The Amaranth colt (6st. 1lb.) fully recompensed his Goodwood supporters in the Great Eastern Railway Handicap, which he won fully as easily as Fichu did the Steward's Cup. Mr. Peck's horse ran on this occasion, but no three-year-old could be expected to carry 8st. 71b. to the front. Rosicrucian (8st. 131b.) was as usual made a tremendous favourite, and, as usual, figured ignominiously. The infatuation of the public for this horse is extraordinary. He has never been even placed in a race since he was a two-year-old, and his best performances then do not make him out first-class, yet he is always supported eagerly. It would almost appear as if the public, despite their sturdy allegiance to Blue Gown, believe, what Sir Joseph Hawley is reported to believe, that Rosicrucian is the better of the pair. The handicappers seem to have fallen in with the general idea, and, while this is the case, the horse has a very poor chance of proving successful in any of his future engage

ments.

It was a matter of general regret that Sunshine did not oppose Kingcraft in the Buckenham Stakes; but, after all, had the pair met then, the Middle Park Plate would have been robbed of its chief attraction, while the great fight made by Normanby rendered the race sufficiently interesting. Subsequent events have shown that the close finish was solely attributable to the want of pace, and it is this that renders races between two horses so unreliable. Matches are robbed of half their interest from this same cause, and we should like to see it the custom to start a third horse with a light weight, to make strong run ning throughout. Mantilla, or "Sunshine's second," had a very easy task in the Hopeful Stakes. For some reason there was a great doubt in London about her starting, and one energetic speculator took advantage of this, by booking, two, three, and even five to one at Tattersall's, and laying it off at evens at the Alliance. Duke of Beaufort walked over for a 500 sovs. Sweepstakes on Wednesday; but neither he nor Toison d'Or could make a race with Martinique, A. F., which seems about as far as she can go. Midsummer made a dreadful example of his field over the D. I., and the running of Typhon, one of the "likely outsiders" for the past St. Leger, was a fresh proof of the miserable form of this year's three-year-olds. None of them ever run twice alike, and one decent performance is usually followed by a string of bad ones. On Thursday, poor Blueskin, who must be perfectly sick of "exciting finishes," had another with Mysotis in the Queen's Plate. The truth of the running was shown in the Second October Meeting, when, with a 3lb. pull in the weights, the mare turned the neck defeat into a victory by the same distance. She has won several

long races lately, and stays far better than the generality of the Newminsters. The stock of the Rawcliffe horse are usually rather delicate and deficient in stamina; but he did very well with Souvenir, who also threw Strathconan, own brother to Mysotis. Lord Falmouth

took warning by the close race on the Monday, and secured a strong pace for Kingcraft in a Triennial Stake. This had the desired effect, and as Nobleman, was beaten a dozen lengths. we fear his Derby chance is hopeless. The October Handicap was the only race worth looking at on Friday, and Suffolk (8st. 8lbs.) won in a canter, as, on his Brighton form with Blue Gown, he was bound to do. King Victor (8st. 9lbs.) started favourite, but his day is gone by, and he is not the horse which gave Léonie 21lbs. and an easy beating over the T.Y.C. Royal Rake (6st. 8lbs.) ran fairly well, but Border Knight (7st. 3lbs.) sadly disappointed his party. Two walks-over brought the meeting to an end.

Bedford was chiefly remarkable for the first defeat of Gamos, which was brought about by the indefatigable Paté, after two unsuccessful attempts at Bath and Harpenden. Mr. Jones's filly, however, got a very bad start; but his stable, at one time considered so formidable, have gradually lost form, and Cestus, Recorder, High Church, Stockhausen, and Captivator have gone down one after another, while Astolfo, his last Derby hope, shirks all his engagements. Stephanotis won her first race since leaving Matthew Dawson's stable, and the easy victory of Adolphus, under 8st. 121b., in the Bedfordshire Stakes, reflects great credit on The Starter, whose Goodwood Stakes win, coupled with his forward position in the St. Leger, have caused him already to be put about as a "good thing for next year. Neither Adolphus nor Mars, however, were any use to Mysotis in a Queen's Plate on the following day. This mare wins all her long distances in quite a style of her own, lying off almost a hundred yards for more than half the journey, and showing a rare turn of speed in the last half mile. Géant des Batailles and Good Hope ran two very interesting races at Edinburgh. In the first, Lord Zetland's horse gave 10lbs., made all the running, and won by a neck; but with a higher scale of weights, and giving 3lbs. more, he tried waiting tactics, and could never catch the young one. White Slave won a couple more races, and is a famous advertisement for Orest, though her lack of size is sadly against her in first-class company; and Lady Henriette, fresh from her Omnium victory, gave weight and a beating to King's Cross and Argyle. Those old rivals, Macaroni and Lord Clifden, had each a new winner at Leicester; but, as at Epsom, the former had a little the best of it, for his representative-Bonny Swell-carried 7st. 5lbs., against Rosalie's 6st. 8lbs. The "plater" Barrier was second and third in the two races respectively, so that he might well win the Corporation Stakes on the St. Leger day with only 6st. to carry; and Normanby performed most creditably in finishing second, under 8st. 4lbs., on that occasion. Gamos met with a second reverse, making a poor fight with the Blue Bell colt, and another Queen's Plate fell an easy prey to Mysotis.

The Monday of the Second October had some interesting two-year-old running, Madame Eglantine filly, which cut up so badly at Doncaster, easily defeated Mahonia, the conqueror of Kingcraft, with 6 to 4 on her. Then Sunshine gave 3lbs., and confirmed the Champagne

running with Mantilla, who true to their Goodwood half-mile race, was "blaze face" or as good as blaze away," a furlong from home. It is said that the Merry stable did not like Daley striking their mare. Paté, who defeated Frivolity, at Epsom, then defeated Agility, whom Frivolity beat at Doncaster, and by the same distance; and Mr. Payne won a Maiden Plate, with one of his Glasgow legacies. Tuesday, like Monday, was a very feeble day, and the Cesarewitch attendance was more than a third short. Lord Falmouth and his fillies were in the front again, and Atlantis had little trouble with the handsome but curby Sunlight, in the Clearwell Stakes. There was hardly a cheer when Chérie won the Cesarewith Stakes, the slowest and the dullest that has ever been known. People were weary of watching the funeral pace between the Bushes and the chair, and on the hill they seemed to stand still. John Davis is certainly immortal. Two years ago a box was built for him, side by side with one for the Duke, at Donnington Park; but evil times came, and he fell into the Duke of Hamilton's hands, and was trained at jumping without avail, and then he became one of Mr. Scott Stonhewer's collection of curiosities, at Shoreham-old carthorses, white terriers, steeplechasers, platers, Alderney bulls, &c. He thought so badly of him after Brighton that he was glad to lend him to Mr. Hodgman to save his corn, and begged every friend he had not to back him. So much for the newspaper tale that he was "infatuated" with him, and trained him "in his own peculiar way." For the Brighton Stakes he was easily bowled over by Winifred, at the same weight as Chérie, and it is was the mission of the latter to upset a really good thing. Taraban looks no heavier than he did two seasons ago, and temperance habits cannot agree with him. Never did the Admiral pile it much heavier on an animal than he did on Cecil, 5st. 13lbs. last year, and 8st. 9lbs. this year. The horse had been beaten three times this season, and he carried heavier each time-7st. 11lbs., 8st. 4lbs., Sst. 17lbs., 8st. 9lbs., but there may have been some raising of weights. The roaring 500-guinea Lady Betty was beaten with 2 to 1 on her, in a match, by Religieuse, and those who were surprised at the late Marquis of Hastings letting her go at Tatttersall's a few months before his death, are not so now.

It rained water-spouts in London on the morning of Wednesday, and when the sleepers left their beds, they decided that they had seen the last of" the second summer. Newmarket was bright, but empty by comparison, and it was very cold on the Heath. Many of the regular visitors stayed at Cambridge, whose inns were full to repletion with sporting men and the fathers of "freshmen," who were delivering domestic homilies in the coffee room, and ordering "something tasty" as a parting breakfast for self and Tommy, next morning, and then looking anxiously at their watches as 10 drew nigh, SO as to insure Tommy not being "gated." At Newmarket the chesnut stallion Jasper was parading the High-street, as one of six lots for sale, but Mr. Tattersall failed to get rid of him. Poor Guy Dayrell limping back, and apparently broken down before and behind, from the Heath, was a sad sight. He gave Gertrude 7lbs., and beat her this year, and made short work of Formosa in the Stockbridge Cup, and was sold as well for £1,000. Equal weights with Gamos was his

last effort, and an unsuccessful one. Some people, who have a nose like the vulture for these things, knew well that there was a mistake about Lady Highthorn's weight, as they were calling out 10 to 1 against her, when she was leading four lengths. Perfume ran the honest mare which she looks under 9st. 5lbs. in the Handicap; and then the "Birdcage" gradually filled with the Middle Park horses. There was a ring of at least thirteen "parading round and round," as Mantilla had gone home after escorting Frivolity and the Katherine Logie colt to the Heath. Normanby disappointed us. He is short, with good bone, and compact, but he lacks class. There is no need to see him out of his sheets, to tell that he is a Thormanby, as his tail and quarters are the old horse's exactly. Kingcraft has lengthened out wonderfully, and has remarkably handsome quarters; but it is said that they are rather afraid of his off fore leg, and that he is rather a delicate feeder. Once the stable did not, we hear, think he could stay, and supposed that they had two better, but they altered their minds, perhaps not .for the better, as he seemed to win his race in the Middle Park and then lose it. Sunshine's blaze is the ugliest part about her. She has a grand back; but she is rather in a heap, with her tail not nicely set into her quarters, and she is lightish from the hocks to the ground. Her stable-companion, Macgregor, is, we hear, small and very neat, with a blood-like neck, which he carries rather bowed, and reminds you a little of Attila. Hawthornden is rather hollow in the back and high on the rump, with no great length, and certainly not remarkable legs, and rather a high crest. Frivolity is a pretty filly, but rather upright all over-in pasterns, in forehand, and behind. She has none of that nice easy outline, for instance, which Beeswing had; and she carries her head very high. By some mistake the evening before, her Oaks and St. Leger nomination did not arrive at Messrs. Weatherby's until the morning after those races closed. She looked very pretty following the Katharine Logie colt in the paddock, clad in the neat Mexican-blue sheets of the Dawson stable. Owing to impatience, her off fore-leg was half-covered with foam.

The sight from the top of the stand was glorious, as, when the line fairly broke coming into Abingdon Bottom, the red and lemon stripes of Frivolity, the yellow of Sunshine, and the black and white of Kingcraft came out together. The last two fought it out desperately till within thirty yards of the chair; and then we thought that Kingcraft had it. However, he tired in another stride; and Challoner, coming with his mare, reached Daley inch by inch, and just popped the chesnut's head in à la Jem Robinson (who is, we regret to hear, kept to his bed by partial paralysis) first on the post. We never saw him measure his ground better. There could be no doubt as to who had won, though some stuck to Kingcraft, who was on the side nearest the judge. Mr. Blenkiron and his son were both present; and with this magnificent race the £1,000 event ended. It has "made history," as Achievement (a St. Leger winner) finished a head before Knight of the Garter for second place the first year, Formosa was fourth in the second year, and Pero Gomez first in the third, with the winner of the One Thousand and the Derby next in order. stakes were worth £4,140. Such a trio have seldom met. Kingcraft had run six times, and only been beaten once; Sunshine six times,

1

The

and was still unbeaten; and Frivolity had only lost one race out of four, and that when she had lost a shoe. We looked in at Mr. Hall's studio that afternoon, and found sketches of the Knight of the Garter, Mrs. Astley driving her prize Islington dun, and a most admirable likeness of Chaloner finishing for the St. Leger on Savernake. Mr. Hall is now at work on a picture of Frivolity for Sir Tatton Sykes, the breeder of the mare, the first great winner that has been foaled at Sledmere under the new régime.

When the Middle Park day was past, the week relapsed into solemn dulness. When will four days suffice the Jockey Club? Is it because Admiral Rous lives there during October, that he likes to have as many afternoons on the Heath as possible, regardless of their quality? This year, as it happened, the Blue Gown v. Friponnier match just made the fourth day tolerable, and Pretender's sixth appearance eked out the fifth. Prince Soltykoff got the worst of it in both his matches, and Friponnier with so much beef on his bones was not the chesnut of other days, who as a three-year-old, won eighteen races, and only struck his flag once at Ascot, to Knight of the Garter. Mr. Pryor's horses make long abdications; The Rake has not been seen since the Derby, and "Frip" had not run since April 16th, 1868, when he was second with 10 to 3 on him to a Lord Glasgow colt for the Claret Stakes. He was very short of work, and those who had watched the tout's reports, wondered what Mr. Pryor could be thinking of. It is fine to see a Derby winner keeping up his form, though it be only a mile and a-half one best pace, as Lord Lyon, Hermit, Achievement, and Formosa have all cut up so poorly.

After

Chaloner, who rode five winners during the meeting, besides Lady Highthorn (who was distanced for lack of carrying a penalty) was in luck when Mr. Crawfurd claimed him for Heather Bell, as Martinique could not compass the T.M.M. Toison D'Or is not a first-rate stayer, or Scott would no doubt have started her, even with 7lb. extra. all, the race was only the Clearwell Stakes over again, when Heather Bell was first and Martinique second. Friday saw Hawthornden overthrown again, and actually a bad third to Atlantis, who gave him the sex allowance and 1lb. as well. Some people seem to have a very exalted view of Peck's horses, and we heard at Malton that Carfax was to be a wonder. However, this Prenderghast Stakes picked the feathers off a few of the fine birds, as it did off Morna last year, and she and Mahonia (the Ascot conqueror of Kingcraft) came to deep grief behind Thormanby's daughter. Nothing at the stud has made so sure a mark this season as Thormanby, more especially with his fillies. There is no doubt he is by Windhound, and therefore he has the fine Pantaloon and Touchstone cross on the one side, and the Alice Hawthorne on the other. Thus as Newminster, the best son of Beeswing dies, the best son of Alice Hawthorne comes up and takes his ground. The grand old mares, like Prunella, will make their mark. Pretender opened and wound up his sorely chequered year at Newmarket, and Martyrdom cut up as soft as he did when Fordham "squeezed" him for the St. Leger. The 9st. 4lbs. up that hill was enough to try any horse, but to the Derby winner it was fatal, and even Boulogne, who kept grinding away with the lead, was too much for him. Here ended this curious meeting of six matches, eight walks over, nine races with only two or