next in the odds, ruling at 7 to 1; 10 to 1 about Poynton; the same about Sir Tatton Sykes, who looked like a disbanded trooper; and 12 to 1 against Wolfdog. As usual, off jumped the Hero, sailing with royals and sky-scrapers all drawing-the fleet toiling after him, in vain. His style of gallop is the most remarkable in the world-more like the paces of the manége at high-pressure speed than the stride of a racehorse. As hard as they could crack down the Swinley Hill they thundered, round the lime-kiln turn they swept, and for the straight ground they stretched. If not long before it, at the last turn they were all dished -" done to a turn," as might be appropriately said. As they neared home, the Hero and Wolfdog seemed to be racing together-but it was all Alfred Day's gammon. The gallant little chestnut won like a Hero all over, whereupon "honest John" set up a minuet à deux temps polka hornpipe, much to the delight of the Queen's most exalted majesty, and the astounding of the imperial Muscovite and the royal Lombard. In this world of ours it is rarely the historian is called upon within the compass of half a score pages to relate such episodes as a son going mad for joy, and his father doing the same thing during the next forty-eight hours....Now succeeded luncheon in the royal pavilion, and extensive eating and drinking everywhere else. A revolution, so to speak, has taken place of recent date in the charges for refreshment at race-courses where it used to be seven shillings for the mummy of a rusty old rook, it's now three-and-sixpence for a cold collation that has no cause to be ashamed of itself: pigeon pies, in which at least one dove may be discovered among the beef collops; lobster salads, not exclusively vegetable; sirloins, not standing over from my Lord Mayor's dinner of the preceding Michaelmas; hams, not the reproach of Christendom; and cheese that would not disgrace a respectable mousetrap. When the sports next set out, it was with the St. James's Palace Stakes, for three year olds, ten subs., the old mile; three to go. The winner was Montpensier, a word that defied the utterances of the professionals. It was a slashing set-to. Like others of his name, he had a long respite; but his turn came at last. The Visitors' Plate had seven competitors Footstool, that carried off the Queen's Plate, winning this also very cleverly. My Lord Orford has a useful animal in this four year old with the odd name; but he must not squeeze his Footstool too heavily. The royal party retired on the conclusion of this race, and at this moment the coup d'œil was very striking. Everybody, of course, had now arrived, and no one had departed; so that the tide of men and women was at its flood. The concourse was immense; you might have walked on hats and bonnets for a mile, and minced your paces as minutely as a Parisian grisette. The shouts of loyal observance were astounding : taking the throats as interpreters of the heart, the English nation is the most devoted to monarchy of any under the sun; the Chinese are rebels in comparison. A sweepstakes of 50 sovs. each, h. ft., for three year olds, Swinley Course, 23 subs., brought out five, of which Crozier was the best, Epirote, getting 2lbs. from the winner, being second; it was a severe finish. The Stand Plate mustered eight, the course as before. It was not an interesting affair; Tarella waited to the turn, then went up and won by a couple of lengths: it was a selling plate, and the prices were low generally. A sweepstakes of 100 sovs. each, h. ft., for three year olds, Swinley Course-again 3 subs.-came off a good match between Timour and Diphthong, the former the winner by a head. This wound up the day's work-all but the return home-which many, I opine, found anything but fair sailing; however, "There's a sweet little cherub sits smiling aloft" to take care of people returning from a race-course as well as from a cruize of a more august character. FRIDAY.-We must epitomize, or our narrative will swell into a history. The attendance was comparatively small, but enough to have constituted elsewhere a good day. True, its imperial guests were "fled," and its "garlands" rather "dead," but there was a nimble spirit of sport abroad-a season and a scene in concatenation. The racing began with the Second Class of the Wokingham, last three-quarters of a mile, half a score runners; the Bishop of Romford's Cob won, with 9st. 4lbs. up a good performance, but the field was far from formidable. Sweepstakes of 50 sovs. each, new mile, 6 subs.—a match between Coningsby and Dr. Goodall; a wretched affair, won by the former in a canter. The First Class of the Wokingham brought to the post a much more favourable specimen of blood stock than its other moiety; eleven went, and Pic-nic, with 7st. 11lbs., won in a very racing-like form. Three Hundred Sovereigns, the gift of the Great Western Railway, threw wide the stable doors with the true " open sesame." Fourteen started for the money, made a nice little £770 net, whereof the second was entitled to £50. This Lady Wildair-a nice little lady-won in very sporting style, Wood Pigeon getting the rouleau. The Borough Members' Plate furnished the epilogue. Five started for it, and again Pic-nic was triumphant; whereupon there was a sharp struggle for the possession of the steed, by the conditions of the plate to be sold for £150. The fortunate candidate was Mr. Drinkald, whose star is in the ascendant; "may his shadow never be less," which is as much as any reasonable man might expect, under the circumstances. This anniversary was a very profitable one; the receipts at the Grand Stand alone were very close upon £3,000-a vast sum of money to pay the venture towards which it is applicable. Few speculations in bricks and mortar are more remunerating than race stands now-a-days, when properly managed; of which more at some other time and occasion. HAMPTON RACES. The character of John Bull has been most happily compared with the nature of his native coal fires; it requires a good deal of poking, but once sufficiently stirred, it blazes away with prodigious effulgence. The sires of the present parish of St. James's were content to grope their way to the most picturesque of all the suburban retreats-Hampstead and its delicious neighbourhoods-through one of the vilest alleys that ever intersected a great city. But the day of doom came. Swallowstreet disappeared, and in its stead rose the most magnificent thoroughfare in the world-Regent-street-the successor of the most lamentable of lanes. Has Hampton passed the racing Rubicon? if so, great things are in store for it. We shall not have a slight alteration for the better: not a mere turning of the existing sources of income from the pockets of a party into the general fertilizing of its turf, but a harvest a hun dred-fold increased. And of such the classic site of Moulsey is especially capable. With the care and cultivation it has a right to expect, it would possess the most popular of all the metropolitan meetings. Never talk about its cockney characteristics. Is there a more perfect picture of a course in nature? Why was Bushy Park laid out? to lead to Hampton races. Why does Richmond Hill rear its Ida head? that the Star and Garter may dine those who have lunched at Hampton races. Why does Thamis sweep past the Hurst like the river that flowed through paradise? to bear the pleasure galleys that bend their silver ways to Hampton races.... For much too long this meeting has been farmed like an Irish rack-rent holding. The most barefaced" screwing" has been the system for years. You ride to see the Derby run for, "free to come and free to go:" attempt to equitate on Moulsey, to witness a leather plate, in a continuity of heats-first pay for your peeping. The gross receipts of the last meeting could not have been under a thousand pounds the cost "of this fools' bait" was about as many shillings! Two of the most enjoyable racing days of the whole season may be moulded out of the materials furnished by Moulsey Hurst. I cannot think the occasion will any longer be neglected. It is but to place the management and canvassing department in efficient hands-under the control of some one who will set the machinery in motion, and all will go like clockwork. But there must be some one to wind it up. Were a lease had, the shares in a Grand Stand would be taken with avidity; the building, of course, being on a scale suited to the probable number of occupants. The pleasure prestige of Hampton will insure a liberal sale of tickets. The racing, though it never can be on a footing with that of the first-class courses-nor is it necessary it should-can at least be made respectable. Abolish heats, and the impunity for turf rogues as well as turf roguery. A Grand Stand, with a lawn and ringwhereunto base things might come not-would ensure enough betting to give zest to the issues; and, purged of its present bad odour, the supply of horses would be liberal. I have it from authority that, alter the system, and many of the leading stables in the kingdom will contribute their support to this meeting. I most respectfully and earnestly submit these observations to the consideration of Lord Seaham-whose interest in all that concerns the character and prospects of our national sports I well know, and regard with great gratification. I would fain see Hampton races what they ought to be-and may be made-next year, under his good stewardship. This introduction argues well for a notice of the anniversary celebrated in the past month. In sooth, as Macbeth said of the daggers, it was "a sorry sight:" a beggarly account of plates and stakes, "lengthened to the longest span. It pleased me well to see the opening event the Surrey and Middlesex Handicap, run for on Wednesday, the 9th instant-won by Forest Flower, the property of Sir Hesketh Fleetwood, a gentleman of a right spirit in all the social relations. The Corinthian Stakes, as their designation implies, was an amateur race, won by Mr. Rolt on his half-bred Spectator. Lord Strathmore, with his horse Lyons, was the favourite, but the last in the sequel. There was a Railway Plate of twenty pounds! given by the South Western Company-won in two heats by the Duke of Beaufort's Esmeralda filly-which closed the sport. Thursday-here, as at many places besides was the Cup day, and by consequence the high public festival; but why or wherefore I am not in a condition to resolve. The weather was most pleasant-not sultry, neither too fresh. The assemblage was prodigious-thousands-tens of thousands: I verily believe I might ascend another decimal. A new line of rail poured in its contributions; for many came by the railway to Richmond, and thence by a lovely route prodigal of facilities. A line of tents skirted the river from above the winning-post to below the ferry—a liberal half-mile. The opposite side of the course in like manner was hemmed by a string of carriages of every class, from the four-in-hand drag to the donkeytrap. The people were also extremely heterogeneous in kind, though homogeneous in taste-of all sorts, from the peer to the poorest of devils, the poet inclusive. One of the latter had inscribed the following distich on the wall of the Grand Stand : : "No man in his senses should bet on a race- I'm for the which being apropos to the racing recalls us to business. The Claremont Stakes, for two year-olds, Embrace won with all ease; and then followed Her Majesty's Plate, for which we had four heats and a row; and even this did not satisfy everybody! Oliver rode the winner-a horse with the suspicious denomination of Blind Hookey. Well, they said, instead of winning with him outright as he ought to have done, that he " pulled" his nag-in short, that Hookey walker was the dodge. However it might have been, he drew it very fine. impression that Tom "meant honest." Tom is a man of many vicissitudes, who, by this time, must have learnt that honesty is the best policy-though it's not so easy of practice, to be sure, when your hand has been rather long out. The rider said he stopped when he attempted to ease him, which is certainly not improbable, for he is altogether a very peculiar quadruped. Every one may not be aware that he is stone. blind-a property by no means desirable in a racer--and it will seem strange, but not, I believe, more strange than true, that long after he was deprived of sight, he was sent to run at Hereford for a stake, the qualifications for which required that the horses named should have produced for them at the time of entry certificates of their having been regularly hunted with a pack of foxhounds the preceding season!!. I don't know how long they were running off the Innkeeper's Plate, for, having staid over two heats, I went home to dinner. The Calendar says the Esmeralda filly won, which makes five heats for her on that occasion... On my way home I encountered another row (I was in luck), caused by an eminent pin and needle manufacturer of the city having stuck one of his gig shafts into a pedestrian's ribs. God forgive me my levity! for at the moment I am speaking to the point a coroner's inquest is sitting hard by on the remains of this unfortunate walker. During the month of June occurred Sutton Park Races, or rather the Birmingham Meeting, whereat the sport was copious, sometimes four heats to the race, sometimes three. Bibury Club, Stockbridge, and others of less account took place; but of the holiday trysts I have given the pick. The upshot of the others, when such come of them, will be dealt with in time, to be turned to account where any wrinkle is likely to be gleaned by the analysis. COSSACK, WINNER OF THE DERBY, 1847. ENGRAVED BY E. HACKER, FROM A PAINTING BY HARRY HALL, OF NEWMARKET. Cossack, bred by Mr. R. C. Elwes, of Billing, Northampton, in 1844, was got by Hetman Platoff, out of Joannina, by Priam, her dam Joanna, by Sultan, out of Fillagree, by Soothsayer-Web, by Waxy-Penelope. Hetman Platoff, bred by Mr. Bowes in 1836, is by Brutandorf, dam by Comus, out of Marciana by Stamford. As a winner the Hetman was well known as the best horse of his day, while as a stallion people were actually beginning to cry out that he couldn't get a racehorse. Recent events have proved this a little premature. Joannina, bred by her present owner Mr. Elwes, in 1835, we remember as a very decent runner on the midland county circuit. She was put to the stud in 1842; threw a colt-foal, that died a few days old, the next year; missed in 1843; and trumped these disappointments with the Derby crack in 1844. Cossack is a chesnut horse, standing fifteen hands two inches high, with a neat blood-like head, very, clean neck and shoulders, well drawn back, round body with very large ribs, good back, and very muscular quarters, a little drooping towards the tail; capital thighs and arms, sharp from the hocks and knees to the ground, not very large bone, but very wiry, clean sound legs and feet. He has no white beyond a few grey hairs in the forehead. PERFORMANCES. In 1846 Cossack, then two years old, ridden by Alfred Day, ran third for the July Stakes, Newmarket July Meeting-won by Sir J. Hawley's Miami; Colonel Peel's Vert Vert second; and seven others not placed. Won by a length. In 1847 Cossack, ridden by Templeman, won the Newmarket Stakes of 50 sovs. each, h. ft., (23 subs.) at the Newmarket First Spring Meeting, beating Mr. Bouverie's War Eagle (2), and five others. Six to five agst. Cossack. Won cleverly by a length. At Epsom, ridden by Templeman, he won the Derby Stakes of 50 sovs. each, h. ft. (188 subs.), beating Mr. Bouverie's War Eagle (2), Lord Eglinton's Van Tromp (3), and twenty-nine others not placed. Five to one agst. Cossack. Won by a length. At Ascot, ridden by A. Day, he walked over for the Swinley |