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5 M Margate Races.

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Morning.

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6 TOld Lady Day. Irish National S. C. s 6 41 24

7 W Croxton Park Races.

8 T Cheltenham Steeple Chases. 9 F Fire Insurance due.

10 S Heather Burning ends.

11 S Second Sunday after Easter.

12 M Newmarket Craven Meeting.

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18 Third Sunday after Easter.

19 M Eastbourne Races.

20 T Eel Fishing begins. [Cirencester. s 7 4
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22 T Croydon Spring Meeting.

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Fourth Sunday after Easter. r 4 4513 26 M Newmarket First Spring Meeting. s 7 14 F 27 T 2,000 Gs. Stakes Day. 28 W Pointer and Setter Trials, Shrews-s 7 1716 10 29 T 1,000 Gs. Stakes Day. 30 F

RACES AND STEEPLE CHASES IN APRIL. Abergavenny, 1; Aldershot, 1; Bromley, 1; Catterick Bridge, 1; Cannes, 1; Vincennes, 4; Tarbes, 4; Margate, 5; Sudbury, 6; Thirsk, 6; Streatham, 6; Cambridge, 7; Croxton Park, 7; Lamberton, 8; Liverpool Hunt, 10; Edinburgh, 10; Paris, 11, 18, and 25: Newmarket Craven, 12; Lichfield, 13; Kingsbridge, 14; Morpeth, 15; Knighton, 15; Bordeaux, 18, 22, and 25; Eastbourne, 19; Lewes Spring, 20; Cardiff, 20; Curragh, 20; Croydon, 22; Newmarket First Spring, 26.

Aldershot, 1; Abergavenny, 1; Bromley, 1; Market Rasen, 1; Dover Garrison, 1; Granard, 1; Queen's County, 1; Albrighton, 2; North Walsham, 2; Daventry, 5; Margate, 5; Hull and Holderness, 5; Annesley Hunt, 5; Lichfield, 6; Irish National Hunt, 6; Streatham, 6; Torquay, 7; Cambridge, 7; Aberystwith, 7; Lamberton, 8; Cheltenham, 8; Royal Artillery (Woolwich), 8; South Wold Hunt, 8; Sudbury, 8; Southdown Hunt, 9; Melton Hunt, 9; Bishop Stortford, 10; Liverpool Hunt, 10; East Sussex Hunt, 12; Willington, 12; Tamworth, 12; Sadberge; 13; Isle of Wight, 13; Grantham, 13; Cashel 14; Thrapston, 14; Kingsbridge and South Devon, 14; South Essex, 15; Knighton, 15; Hambleton Hunt, 16; Louth, 16; Manchester, 17; La Marche, 17; Cardiff, 20; Kilkenny, 20; Kelso, 21; Tenbury, 21; Croydon Spring, 22; Louth and Ardee, 27; Crook Hunt, 28; Northumberland, 29,

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"There he sat, and, as I thought, expounding the law and the prophets, until on drawing a little nearer, I found he was only expatiating on the merits of a brown horse."-BRACEBIDGE HALL.

WAY BILL: -Deaths of Distinguished Sportsmen-Coursing Cracks-The "Stud Book"-Mr. Chaplin's Sale-Races of the Month-Hunting-Bell's Life in Sydney-The Inter University Matches-Scene at Evans's.

GROHE "activities" of the month have been many and various. Of the boat race and Inter University races, we have told elsewhere. Again the boat race tactics on the part of Cambridge were a great puzzle. They knew that they were the fastest, but the weakest crew, to say nothing of having an untrained man in their ranks, and yet they forced the pace at a very critical point, in "the old, old fashion," as if it were a two mile race, and again cut themselves down. What is the use of all the training in the world if races are run on such a system as that? Mr. Mellor was slain by the halfpenny Echo, but he happily came to life again, after a short quinsy bout. The sounds after dinner, when the subject was alluded to, showed that the Oxford men had not relished Mr. Morrisson's coaching Cambridge, but it seems not unlikely that he may do so again: as they have been unfortunate, he won't desert them. He did not hesitate to say that Goldie the Cambridge stroke was the finest oarsman of the sixteen. Mr. Kinglake also calls him "our beautiful stroke," but Mr. Egan does not see much in him. At all events he says that" to my eye, he shut up long before it was rowed out-it is not surprising, nor can he be blamed.' Mr. Egan also observes that "the Cambridge steerer could not keep his boat straight for one hundred yards together." Mr. Neilson the Oxford coxswain is amphibious, as he appeared at the Aylesbury Aristocratic Steeplechases next day, riding with some three stone of dead weight on Cora Lynn. The letters on race-horse improvement have happily come to an end. Admiral Rous never cut a poorer figure, and even the racing papers at last did not care to reprint his effusions. His vexation seems to be that Sir Joseph has got the run of him in turf reform, and that the 1st of May limit which Colonel Forester proposes for the two-year-olds generally meets with acceptance, and that in fact he is quite out of the hunt in the

matter.

We earnestly trust that the Jockey Club will pass the May proposition. The spring meetings which would suffer, might very easily repair their loss by races for four-year-olds that have never started as twos and threes. Many country gentlemen who breed thorough-breds, or at all events half-breds, with four or five blood crosses in them, which are destined for the hunting field, and who will not on principle knock their

horses about so early (as they want their legs to cross country with), would thus have a chance of throwing in for a fair stake. It would be something quite out of the common way to see a lot of fresh four-yearolds at the post. Now there is hardly such a thing as a four-year-old race, and if there is (except perhaps in the Alexandra Plate) the combatants are all bandaged up, and they are dragged away after the race like the unhappy Don John, or Cotherstone on three legs, unless their owners have chosen a wiser part, and divide like those of Chatham and Attila, when the betting was which would break down first. Custance will have a terrible "pinching" time of it like Wells this season, but he has managed 8st. 10lbs. even in the raw east wind, which pierced the very joints of the harness during the Northampton meeting. Amid all this letter writing, many really tangible improvements are lost sight of, such as raising the jockey weights from 8st. 10lbs. to 8st. 12lbs.; that every race except those in which two-years-old are solely engaged shall not be run under a mile; and that handicaps shall be made between 6st. 4lbs. and 9st. 10lbs., or some such limits. The Admiral's cardinal doctrine seems to be tenderness for the interest of "the weeds."

It has been rather a fatal month for sportsmen. Two of the oldest masters of hounds, Mr. Farquharson perhaps excepted, have died. Sciatica had sadly crippled Mr. Meynell Ingram, and for years he had not even mounted a horse, but still he inherited a great love of the sport from his uncle the great Hugo of Quorn, and he never tired of the hounds. His was a quiet, unpretentious family pack, but well appointed, and it often showed some great runs, especially in its Derbyshire country. Lord Leconfield's are rather a rough-looking lot, and if we remember rightly they are all black and white, with a certain tan shadings about the head. His Lordship never cared to have them or their doings written about; but John Squires did well with them in a difficult country of interminable, bosky dingles and nutwoods. Charles Sheppard succeeded him, and has done credit to Mr. Scratton's teaching; and there are no better fox preservers in the country than the Bishop of Oxford. Lord Leconfield was quite one of the old school, and the Hon. Mr. Fitzroy Stanhope was one of his great friends, and often stayed at Petworth. He was singular in his habits, and they said that if he went to Mr. Gratwicke's for instance to dine and stay the night, he would take his own potatoes and Portugal onions in a small hamper with him. Lord Glasgow was also the oldest master of hounds in Scotland, but it is many years since he wore a scarlet coat. His horse, The Drake, was the sire of Mr. Booth's Bird of Passage, which was almost invaluable at the agricultural shows as a twoyear-old hunter. The Glasgow blood was just beginning, so to speak, to come out when he died, and it gratified him not a little that one of his Knowsley yearlings should have beaten all the Blair Athols at poor Jackson's August sale. The purchase of Maid of Masham never did him much good, and he had better have left such a doubtful as Toxopholite alone, but his greatest error of judgment of late years was breeding from such a brute as Barbatus, a horse with the sweetest forehand and the worst ribs in the world. Still it took a great deal to wean him off his Bay Middleton love. "Argus's" two accusers are now both out of the Jockey Club, one by resignation and the other by

death. To the last, he seems to have retained his notion that gold was a healer for everything, so we judge from one of his legacies. He and Earl Wemyss were made members of the Caledoniau Hunt Club in 1822, and their only senior on the list was the Marquis of Tweedale. Why the Earl latterly did not run horses in Scotland we never heard explained. When we consider what his lordship went through in the way of bodily suffering, we can wonder at none of his wayward moods, but rather regard him as a miracle of heroic endurance.

It is very remarkable that the four greatest "plungers" of the day The Earl, the Marquis of Hastings, Jackson (who is said to have died worth £82,000 in real and personal property), and Stephenson should all have died in one race recess. Lord Glasgow was never really settled after his first trainer Croft died, and his most brilliant time was with him to train and Harry Edwards to ride. He never forgot "auld lang syne" in connection with the latter. His Lordship's first love was Jerry, and he never cared much for the beautiful Acteon, as do what jockey might, it was impossible to coax him into winning by more than a head. Harry Edwards got a neck in the great race with Memnon, but the chesnut "retracted," and it was all that fine rider could do to keep his head in front at all. Edwards is, with the exception of his brother William, our eldest living jockey. He was blind during his riding life of the left eye, in consequence of an accident; and when he was seventy, his right eye went as well. Critchett, the celebrated oculist then went to work on the eye which had been useless for years, and with marvellous skill admitted a speck of light on one side of it, so that he can see his way and make out a few lines of a newspaper.

Mr. Heathcote's death has been one of the saddest the Turf has known. He raced like his father in a good old-fashioned sort of way, and enjoyed and understood both it and hunting perfectly. He was jovial and cheery over both and always "on the spot" with his retort, if any one tried to chaff him. There was a world of acuteness under that half-girlish face, hat on the back of his head, and lovelock on the brow. As we looked at him we always thought that if he only lived to eighty, we should have another "character." No one else that we can note, promises to arrive at that eminence in the racing world. Amato, with Chapple up, on the ale-house sign, and the dreary looking Durdans are now the only Epsom relics of the pleasant times of the "crimson and grey cap."

Mr. Chaplin's long talked-of sale took place on March 22nd, when twenty-four lots realized 8,135 gs., a very fair total, when it is considered that Hermit was reserved, and that Chanoinesse, Religieuse, Countryman, and a few others were not sent up. "Uncle" Broomielaw, who has stood with Volunteer at Blankney, was purchased by Mr. Bland, for 1,500 gs., and it seems that Lincolnshire, which likes his foals, will retain him. Mr. G. Herring gave 1,400 guineas for the Kettledrum-Nelly Hill colt, which seems a very long price, as though he is a good-looking youngster, and has won a couple of races easily, yet he beat nothing in either of them. The Orphan, who looked light and unfurnished, seemed dear at 1,250 gs.; but St. Ronan and Ventnor ought to be bargains at 200 gs. and 420 gs. respectively. Sir

Charles Legard ought to know all about this stud, so we must believe that Islam has hidden merits, which make him worth 950 gs.; but the most unaccountable thing was that Mr. Mannington should have been allowed to take Blinkhoolie for 430 gs., as from his fashionable breeding and excellent performances, he ought to make a valuable sire, even if he cannot be trained again. As Mr. Chaplin has retained a few horses, it is to be hoped that he does not intend to relinquish the turf altogether. His heavy purchases of yearlings in '67, numbering, if we mistake not, about thirty, were on the whole very unfortunate, but to the end of time yearling buying will be a series of wild guesses, and nothing more.

No doubt Mr. Chaplin wishes to keep Hermit as "a family horse," or else he would not have put such a rattling reserve as 5,000 gs. on him at his sale. We cannot fancy that he will ever be a very popular sire, as he is a delicate-looking horse, with rather a mare's head and neck. It is noteworthy that Broomielaw made 1,500 gs., the same as Breadalbane, who was purchased along with him through the £11,000 cheque in '65, which made such a noise, we may say, in Europe. Blair Athol is nearly full, but so far his stock have made no good mark this season. The Macaronis are scoring, and certainly a prettier yearling than Miss Agnes filly never faced Mr. Tattersall and Mr. Clark. The Agnes family have served Sir Tatton well, as he has bred four winners from the two mares of that tribe already. Miss Agnes has gone to Macaroni again, and Marigold (with a chesnut colt by Rataplan at her foot) to Stockwell, who has had to hand over his premiership among stud sultanas to Beadsman.

The new volume of the "Stud Book" accounts for no less than 3,074 mares in 1868, whereas the "Book Calendar" only took note of 2,883. In 1865, the corresponding number of mares was 2,441, and the foals in these two years respectively number 1,921 against 1,585. The colts are in a majority of 23 for last year, but the fillies lead in 186567 by 88. Excluding the mares not covered and those sent abroad in 1868, the 719 barren mares form nearly a fourth of the rest. The slips of such 2,914 amount to 127. In the sire index, we find that the mares by Bustard, Buzzard, Cain, Camel, Glaucus, Ishmael, Jerry, Physician, Tomboy, and Whisker have all died out. Bran, The Colonel, Defence, The Doctor, Emilius, Euclid, Heron, Hornsea, Jereed, Liverpool, Mango, Maroon, Mulatto, Muley Moloch, Phlegon, Plenipo, The Saddler, Anchor, Velocipede, and Voltaire are only represented by four at most, but more generally by a unit. Subtracting those mares to which "dead" is affixed, the list runs thus: Alarm (34), Bay Middleton (25), Birdcatcher (81), Chanticleer (30), Flying Dutchman (46), Gladiator (7), with the ancient Queen Mary, who was barren in 1867-68, among them; Harkaway (24), Kingston (40), King Tom (31), Lanercost (18), Melbourne (49), Newminster (71), Orlando (89), Pantaloon (16), Sir Hercules (13), Slane (25), Stockwell (88), Sweetmeat (45), Teddington (34), Touchstone (81), Venison (15), Voltigeur (68), Weatherbit (45), and Wild Dayrell (55).

Coursing seems to have assumed quite a new phase, and the sport may last as many more years as it has done since "Warwickshire Will” hied forth with his fallow greyhound to "find him a hare on Cotsale," before a second Master M'Grath wins a Waterloo Cup and a Bab at

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