The latter was soon hors de combat, and the Port, across the flat, was run a match between the two others. At the entrance of the cords the Prime Minister was first, and defeating a very resolute manifestation by Lamartine's jockey, he won by a head-the fitting agent of success for a prime minister. Sophistry walked over for a sweepstakes of 50 sovereigns each for three-year-olds; and thus the Craven week concluded--not indeed in "one unclouded blaze of living light," but still invested with some of the antique pride of place. The day following was devoted to the amateur meeting at the Hoo. There were half a dozen races; and it was an anniversary to be marked with a white

stone.

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On Easter Monday, it should be stated, also occurred Newcastle-uponTyne Spring Meeting. Nothing, however, took place there that needs recapitulation, beyond this reference. Canterbury Spring Meeting, held upon Easter Tuesday, is in a similar category, assuming the contingent position to be a sound one, videlicet, that the convenient course for a journalist is to say nothing, when he has nothing to say-to the point. There are, indeed, "eminent hands" that handle their stuff in a different spirit; and either there is a taste for twaddle becoming epidemic, or these rogues are experimenting upon the elasticity of literary licence. A leader in a leading weekly serial of the past month, under the title of "The Great Invasion," treated of the prodigious enlargement of London, which, the writer says, seems more to me in the act of the country closing round the town, than of the town advancing into the country. He appears to have made a tour of the metropolis apropos of his paper, in the course of which he travelled by the Camden Town Railway. The result of that excursion, among many theories, led, as it appears, to the following conclusions...... The train rushes through mangy, brown-turfed fields, where the invasion has just begun ; where rubbish may be shot; where poles, with placards affixed to them, denote the various lots' which are to be sold or let on building leases. Melancholy-looking cows, misanthropic donkeys, pigs convinced of the hollowness of the world, wander pensively about these fields, gazing at the building lots; grubbing about the lines of foundation for rows of houses which are to be erected...... Feeling themselves to be in a state of transition, perhaps, like their pasture grounds, they accommodate themselves to all kinds of food. I think the cows eat quite as much broken crockery-ware as grass; the donkeys eat anything, from saucepan-lids to pieces of fractured bottles; and there is a pig of my acquaintance--residing in an impromptu pig-stye in the neighbourhood of Hoxton-that, before my eyes, ate a straw hat of considerable dimensions, and which, being subsequently (by the juvenile and indignant proprietor of the hat) lapidated with a decayed flower-pot, ate that too!" Byron confesses to a difficulty in finding a first gentleman for his mighty moral epic...... "I want a hero." With the whole animal kingdom whence to select his dramatis persona, and the privilege of getting them up ad libitum, an author avoids the dilemma encountered by the bard of Don Juan"...... In a popular volume of travels in the East, I met the other day with the following passage...... "The bells"-of the HOTEL D'ORIENT, at Cairo-are ringing prodigiously, and Lieutenant Waghorn" (of overland-journey celebrity) "is bouncing in and out of the court-yard full of business. He only left Bombay yesterday morning; was seen in the Red Sea on Tuesday; is engaged to

66

dinner this afternoon in the Regent's Park; and (as it is about two minutes since I saw him in the court-yard) I make no doubt he is by this time at Alexandria, or at Malta-say perhaps at both. Il en est capable"...... Now this is your pure unfettered style. It is trammelled with no restrictions. Whether the reader discusses the matter, or lets it alone, the effect is the same: whether the writer has a subject, or has none, his pen pursues its vocation. After all, "how to live upon nothing and save money" may not be such a myth as people suppose...... "York! you're wanted!".

The Spring Meeting on Knavesmere occupied Tuesday and Wednesday the 20th and 21st ult. With meetings at Leamington and Malton in the same week, and in part on the same days, taking into account that it is just that turn of the season when a race-horse has all his profitable work before him, it is no matter for surprise that we had plates in Newmarket Craven week, with none to run for them; and in addition to this glut of business for the training-stable, the instant position of the great Spring Stake no doubt suggests caution to all proprietors of nominations for the Derby. While as yet we are in the dark as to the form of the three-year-olds of 1852, the better part of the turfite's policy is discretion. The figure which Hobbie Noble has cut in the quotations from Tattersall's during the last five months, cannot but have placed in strong relief before the memory of the sufferers the empty conclusions which have branded the career of full many a mighty winter "pot." Hobbie-judging from byegoneslooks too well upon paper; and such animals as have found favour since the commencement of the present racing year have been backed inferentially-as Kingston, because Nabob ran better than his party anticipated, and so forth. Before this review of April sport is concluded, peradventure we shall have more to guess upon than at this moment; and in another week we may be enabled to get an observation as to how the "coming events cast their shadows before.".... Despite its Derby Trial Plate, York was wanting in such demonstrations; indeed, for more reasons than one, it was not a brilliant item of its series. The fields were short, for the condition of the course was fearful, and London did not pour forth her citizens towards the north. There was no lack of sport, however, on either of the days, as may be gathered from the following general resumé. The opening event was the Craven Stakes, for all ages above two years old, for which six subscribed, and the moiety ran. It was a poor affair-won, somehow, by Radulphus. The Zetland Stakes, for two years old, ten subscribers, came off a quartet, with 5 to 4 against the Queen; she won, just beating Grapeshot by half a neck-a head between the second and Lambton. The Flying Dutchman's Handicap was the feature of the meeting. The commanding position, however, which Voltigeur occupied in the market, almost wholly divested it of interest, most especially for the fielders. The original nomination amounted to sixty-four-dwindled down to eleven at the post. They laid 5 to 4 against Voltigeur, 5 to 1 against Haricot, and 8 to 1 against Sir Rowland Trenchard and Lucio. It was a very resolutely run contest from end to end-the great difference of weight upon the favourite, compared with any others, of course imposing caution as the policy of his stable. Haricot, receiving from him 2st. 5lb., made the finish of the play at her best speed, but was caught inside the distance by Job Marson, and, with one of his resolute

What

rushes, Voltigeur landed the handicap by a head on the post. This is not racing; it is the cunning of the odds for the encouragement of betting and bad horses. The Champion Handicap, 12 subscribers, brought out five of the dozen. They took 6 to 4 against Lord Derby's Croupier, and were in the right,f or he won "cleverly by a length.' A capital name is Croupier, in connection with handicapping. A small Selling Stakes and a small Match constituted the remainder of the first day's amusements. Wednesday began with the Derby Trial Plate, a dozen entries, and half a dozen runners, but nothing in the Derby among them. The odds were still 6 to 4 against the favourite, Gossamer, 7 to 2 against Conrad, and 4 to 1 against the Maid of Lincoln. It is enough to say that Gossamer won in a canter. This day last year there were two animals at 6 to 1 each for the Derby; to-day, there was but one thus well esteemed, the next to Hobbie being Augur, at 14 to 1. does this or that-augur? The York Spring Cup-another handicap -had 18 subscribers, and of these 7 fancied their chances. They took 5 to 2 against Paquetta, and backed the others generally, at various figures, as many as 7 to 1 being betted against Vatican. This latter, brilliantly ridden by Frank Butler, won, close upon home, by a length. Now and then science will be served in all the employments of life." The Tyro Handicap! for two years old, three named, and all ran. Upon what premises does the apportioner of weights proceed under circumstances such as a two-year-old handicap may be supposed to offer for his learning in the month of April? They laid 7 to 4 on Ann Eliza ; and it is no surprising issue that they paid for their temerity. One Rattletrap won. The Eglinton Stakes, for two and three years old, Longbow won, with 4 to 1 on him. This was not a handicap; and then the Consolation Scramble, which was, The Puritan carried off from a trio of opponents. The York Plate, won by Cleveland, at long odds against his doing so, wound up the meeting. As little as 8 to 1 was taken in the course of the day about Gossamer for the Oaks.

On the morrow, Malton put in its Olympian appearance, and a goodly sight it was. Despite a pitiless pelting of the turf, consequent upon a succession of easterly gales, probably without precedent in these latitudes, the sport was not without spirit; and as for the character of the betting-cela va sans dire. The racing commenced with a Two Years Old Stakes, for which nine named and four ran. They laid 5 to 4 on Eaton, one of John Scott's babbies; and they rightly estimated the virtue of the youngling-he won "very cleverly by half a length." Why should he have done more? The Malton Handicap, with 50 nominations, mustered half a dozen runners!-not the average of acceptances for a Derby. The odds finished at 2 to 1 against Happy Joe-in sooth, no misnomer!-3 to 1 against Tordesillas, 3 to 1 against Little Fawn, and 5 to 1 against Euphony. Happy Joe broke away with his jockey, in his hilarity, and there was an end of-his backers. The others had a little flare up of their own, and Tordesillas ultimately had the best of it, by a head. To this succeeded certain amateur performances, and a Selling Plate finished the catalogue. Of Friday's sports, it may suffice to relate that John Scott's Eaton was again victorious-winning the Langton Stakes, for two and three years old, with all case, beating the Maid of Lincoln; and that there were five other races, but none of interest beyond their local influence.

Looking south, we find that while these things are being mooted

among the tykes, industry is up and at it in the kingdom of the kingmaker. On the 20th ult., Leamington Spa Races made their début. May their shadow never be less! Undoubtedly, the most melancholy spots of earth's surface are your watering-places and localities especially dedicated to the pursuit of pleasure. The heartless coquette! Have you ever been in the High-street of Cheltenham between the hours of 4 and 6 p. m.? A night's rest gives the sufferer strength to meet the weight of the morning's ennui; but, Oh! those terrible afternoons ! Who, that ever had experience of it, can forget the frantic transport with which, having consulted his watch and made assurance sure, a certain Irish major of dragoons-standing Colossus-fashion on the steps of the "Plough"-used to rub his hands together and exclaim-" Half-past foive o'clock: be the hokey! the day's gone illigant!" After a drastic course, a race-course is a real blessing; after a systematic grumbling inside, with what a relish the outer man hails the jaunts and jollities attendant on a county race day! The "Regent" at Leamington, and the "Bedford" at Brighton, are the sort of "shops," as Lord says-and I entirely concur in his views-" where a man may manage to be comfortable, unless he is particularly hard to please." I rarely omit an excuse for visiting either of these hostels; indeed, I more frequently fabricate a pretext. But during the late Spa Races, I could'nt meet the matutinal meal on the immortal round table of the former. For this cause, neither can I accurately chronicle the occurrences at the sporting tryst, which I learnt from the papers was "contiguous to Sandy Lane." I'll go bail there was plenty of fun, and a wee bit of mischief-just to give it a relish-like a devil with your "Badminton."...

The Newmarket First Spring Meeting was yet in process when the periodicals for May were fain to be at press, if they would keep their literary faith. With a hurried allusion, therefore, to the great issue of the week, I postpone its ample notice for the nonce....

.......

It is with sincere regret I have to state that I cannot adhere to the assertion contained in the last paragraph, crossed as it has been, since it was traced upon my sheet, by a casualty which all who have known the English turf during the last quarter of a century will join me in deploring. On the first day of the First Spring Meeting, while riding Lord Clifden's Feramorz in a match, James Robinson was thrown with great violence from his horse, in consequence of a stirrup-leather breaking. By this fall one of his thighs and his collar bone, together with three ribs, were fractured; and at the time it was feared that he had also met with some severe internal injuries; happily this latter was not the case, and on the following day he was reported to be making good progress.......

Turning to the race for the Two Thousand, we find of the 31 nominations 9 at the post. The favourite was Home-brewed, at 5 to 2 against him; the worst in the market, Stockwell, at a nominal 10 to 1. In compliance with the general practice of his stable, Stockwell made the running as soon as he contrived to get to the front, stayed there and won gallantly by half a length-the favourite second, and Filius third. The time was good, the state of the ground being chronologically propitious, though not chiropodically......... Now Stockwell, last year, ran second to Maidstone for the Prendergast, and fourthbut it is fit to say a bad fourth, all but the first and second being

beaten off-to Red Hind for the Criterion, beating Daniel O'Rourke and Bilberry, in their places. He is one of Lord Exeter's Derby quartet, and will he win it? Peruse, anon, the prophets passim. I wonder which of the "talents" or "tips" selected Stockwell for the Two Thousand. Some of them must have done so, as the policy of the "parties" constituting a "tip " firm is to name every horse engaged in a race, that there may be "no mistake about the winner being chosen by one of the partners. Wont he "draw" his correspondent with a flourish? and wouldn't he, if he had any experience of one William Shakspeare, thereupon soliloquise in the phraze of honest Iago— his congener?

"

"I'll make him thank me, love me, and reward me,

For making him egregiously an ass.

THE TURF IN AUSTRALIA.

BY "A PILGRIM SPORTSMAN."

In none of our colonies has the spirit for sport developed itself so strongly as in the quarter we now speak of; indeed racing may be said to have commenced in Adelaide from the time horses were introduced into South Australia, or at any rate as soon as two fresh enough to be matched could be spared from the water-cart or from tending cattle. The first advertised races, however, for public money that is to say, took place, as I believe, in the year 1838; the best stakes for several succeeding seasons being carried off by old "Cobbler," a cocktail of no mean pretensions. Still the cause I alluded to in a former paper as staying the due progress of hunting, namely, the bad times this part of the colony had so long to contend against, had also, as a matter of course, an equally detrimental effect on the turf. The sportsman had long to content himself with the best he could find at hand, as no one had the means to import superior stock from either Sidney or Van Diemen's Land. Nevertheless in the year 1843 we find a letter addressed to the public prints urging the appointment of a committee to undertake more efficiently the management of hunting and racing in the district. From this suggestion, though not until after many failures and proportionate delay, resulted the present Jockey Club, the rules of which even then did not come into operation until some seasons later. It is not my intention here to hark back to any detail of the really good sport that took place about this period, but rather to give a general outline of what has been accomplished under such difficulties, as well as of the determination evinced to go the pace we now can.

The first and greatest difficulty was the want of funds, as to insure good racing you must offer stakes worth running for. To meet this the Government was naturally enough looked to, and petitions for "a Queen's Hundred" prepared accordingly. But in the colonies there was no precedent for any such grant, and it was not until the arrival of Colonel Robe's successor that the national utility of the turf was here