Newcourt, aged, 7st. 10lb.. 2,000gs. STAKES. Planet.. 1 30 1 25 1 40 50 100 1 50 1 3677co 2000 80 40 40 20 .་ Lunedale..... NEWMARKET HANDICAP.-9 to 2 against the Euclid colt, three years, 4st. 10lb.; 9 to 2 against Sting, four years, 8st. 6lb.; 12 to 1 against Lynceus, four years, 6st. 11lb.; 10 to 1 against Footstool, four years, 7st. 13lb.; 7 to 1 against Vanish, four years, 7st. 21h.; 16 to 1 against Humdrum, four years, 7st. 1lb.; 16 to against Sir Martin, three years, 4st. 13lb.; 25 to 1 against Crozier, three years, 5st. 11lb.; and 25 to 1 against Devil-me-Care, three years, 5st. 8lb. METROPOLITAN HANDICAP.-8 to 1 against Sheraton, four years, 7st. 5lb.; 16 to 1 against Jenny Wren, five years, 7st. 5lb.; 16 to 1 against Lady Sarah, six years, 7st. 3lb.; 18 to 1 against Pink Bonnet, three years, 5st. 1lb.; 20 to 1 against the Euclid colt, three years, 4st. 12lb.; 18 to 1 against Bourton, four years, 7st. Slb.; 20 to 1 against Queen Mab, aged, 8st. 9lb.; 20 to 1 against Devil-me-care, 3 years, 5st. 10lb.; 25 to 1 against Pine Apple, aged, 8st. 7lb.; and 25 to 1 against Pimento, 6 years, 6st. 12lb. THE PORT.-6 to 4 against Sting; or "the Field beats anything for a hundred!" M.W. Last Quar., 7 day, at 49 min. past 10 afternoon. OCCURRENCES. 1S St. Philip. 2 RISES. afternoon, Fourth Sunday after Easter. s 7 2117 9 29 3 MOLLERTON RACES. 2 33 2 49 r 4 31 18 10 26 3 39 3 57 Morning 6T EDINBURGH RACES. Lewes Fair. s 7 2821 0 2 7 F Derby Fair. r 4 2422 0 41 8 S Easter Term ends. Dudley Fair. s 7 3123 1 15 Rogation Sunday. 9 10M r 4 2024 1 45 s 7 3425 2 15 3 13 11 T TAVISTOCK R. Ballivourney C.M.r 4 1726 2 43 14 F Bungay (Suffolk) Fair. r 4 1428 3 45 s 7 40 N SETS. afternoon 26 W NEWTON R. Oxford Term begins. s 7 5712 2 1611 34 27 T Cambridge Term divides. r 3 5513 2 41 Midnight. 0 25 28 F HUNGERFORD R. Botley Fair.s 7 5914 3 10 0 44 1 5 29 S Restoration of King Charles II. r 3 5315 3 44 1 28 1 45 30 Triny Sunday. THE RACING IN APRIL. BY CRAVEN. Take it for all in all, probably April is the most interesting portion of the turf season, though not the most exciting. During its course there is not a three-year-old stake of any kind but commands less or more account, nor a race of any sort but some concern attaches to it. Stock is then " dark," whether it may have been before the public the previous year or not. The two-year-old that witched the world in the preceding autumn comes forth, peradventure, the following spring to point the finger of scorn; while some weed, that at the Houghton was hardly able to drag its tail "from the turn of the lands in," strips for the Column in a form eloquent of coming victories. For this reason these recollections are useful, even if they be not especial agents of entertainment. They are excellent for the purpose of reference-a practice that will be found of good service in more ways than one to all who adopt racing. The system of handicapping, now become so important a part of turf economy, needs better materials for its superstructure than mere matter-of-fact details or issues, however minutely reported. That it may be worked even with the commonest pretensions to justice and fair play, those who undertake the office should be furnished with all possible appliances and means. It is not enough that a horse is beaten-that he is nowhere in a race--that he should be henceforth favoured in his weight. The handicapper ought to know the form in which he was brought out, and how the money went when he was so defeated. He should put the policy of his party into the scale, as well as take his demerit out of it. Of every score of horses brought to the post, how many are started with the simple view of winning? how many with the simple view of losing, or getting the lengths of the others, or with any design save that which they desire the public should understand? Unless your handicapper can solve this problem, he goes to work not only on false but on unfair premises. He does infinitely more injustice than if he had let his interference alone : he punishes the innocent and rewards the guilty. A retrospect dealing with the theory, as well as the thing accomplished, will stand him in some stead in his difficult undertaking. Such-to the best of the artist's poor ability-he will find these recollections of the preceding month's racing, in the numbers of this periodical published during the racing season. There cannot be a more fitting introduction to the racing of the past month than the Craven Meeting at Newmarket. Easter week was, however, below its usual average at head quarters. The Riddlesworths, once events of moment, have " dwindled to the shortest span," and now are thought as little of as a 10 sovs. sweepstakes. In their place has sprung up a handicap-hight, "The Newmarket"-which people bet about as much as they can, and this season it commanded considerable notice. Premising that the only feature on Monday was the rather easy victory of the Traverser over the winner-by grace of circumstance-of last 66 year's Derby, we come to this handicap as aforesaid. The winner was the favourite at starting-a colt of Mr. Gregory's, since named Clermont; next him was Sting, giving four stone (less four pounds) for his year. The fortunate owner won a rattling stake. Verily for the trainer and owner of bad stock there is at length balm in Gilead." In the course of this day, Mr. O'Brien offered to run his colt, The Liberator, at even weights against Planet, for £1,000; which being declined, he subsequently matched him on similar terms against Van Tromp, for Thursday, in the Houghton Meeting. Wednesday gave the Column, for which but four went won by Epirote-a nag not kept to be looked at. Seeing the list of his engagements previous to the 19th instant, one can scarce expect to meet him with the bloom on at Epsom. They said the pace was bad, but it was quite good enough to cut out work for the quartet. On Thursday he ran a very dashing second to Planet, receiving however 3 lbs., the D.M. 3 to 1 on Planet; 4 to 1 against Epirote: but the race showed no such odds. In the evening the stewards disposed of the disputed start for the Althorp Stakes at Northampton, awarding the race to the Sheriff. It is a curious fact that in the British Code Olympique, as published in the Racing Calendar, there is not one word as to what constitutes a start. "The person appointed to start the horses," according to rule 57, "has authority to order the jockeys to draw up in a line as far behind the starting post as he may think necessary;" but upon what authority they may break that line the law saith not. I leave unsaid the gossip which was current, because it would be impertinent now, whatever it might have been at the moment. It had of course reference to the peculiar purpose of the speakers; and, as of course also, most of it related to the diplomacy in operation on the Chester Cup. You heard how and had been made safe for Tuesday's handicap, and what a scheme of "nobbling" was in process for that which should come off on the Roodee. But in these matters the best policy is to hold one's peace. The racing of Friday was remarkable for the result of the Port-run a match between Sting and Sir Tatton Sykes the former backed at 4 and 5 to 1, or indeed at any price that could be had, and winning as he pleased. There were all sorts of unpleasant things said about it; and William Scott, who rode his own horse, did not improve his Derby popularity on the occasion. But we live in a wicked world: as if there ever was a passage of foul play enacted on Newmarket Heath! The results of the week certainly affected the Epsom speculation but little-that is to say, the Derby betting. The handicap of course made Clermont a great fancy for the Metropolitan Stakes, for which he would carry the same weight as that with which he had won so bravely. But the first day of the following week, at the Corner, showed some symptoms of its working-in another quarter. Instead of Planet at the top of the list for the Two Thousand, at 7 to 2, we had Conyngham premier at 5 to 2:"it was uncertain what would go for that race from the Goodwood stable." The extreme tone, indeed, of his proprietor had given a considerable prestige to the Liberator: they took 16 to 1 about him for the Derby and 3 to 1 he won the Two Thousand. It is difficult to avoid observing on these changes and chances as one goes on; but the office of prophet of the past is not popular-though peradventure less mischievous than that of modern seers into futurity. In return for making him so popular, it and |