and Severus must be struck out, having died a few days since at Newmarket. CHESTER CUP (name or not).-50 to 1 against Crim Con, 50 to 1 against Fitzallen, 66 to 1 against Punch, 66 to 1 against Newcourt, 66 to 1 against Mickey Free, 66 to 1 against Crown Prince, 66 to 1 against Pam, 66 to 1 against the Duke of Richmond, 66 to 1 against Rufus, and 66 to 1 against Burgundy. 2000 GS. STAKES.-6 to 1 against Glentilt. NEW SERIES. VOL. XIII.-No. LXXIV. FEBRUARY, 1847. EMBELLISHMENTS. "WHO'S UP FOR THE RESCUE ?"-ENGRAVED BY E. HACKER, FROM THE RACING SEASON.-BY CRAVEN. "WHO'S UP FOR THE RESCUE ?"-BY CASTOR THE HANDBOOK OF THE CHASE: THE HOME COUNTRY-BY SPORTSMEN AND SPORTING MEN.-BY HARRY HIEOVER Page. 79 82 85 91 93 102 107 111 118 A DAY IN ALBANIA.-BY AN OFFICER IN THE QUEEN'S BAYS A WEEK'S FISHING IN SOUTH DEVON TURF REGISTER FOR 1847.-WALSALL-BARNET-MONMOUTHPORTSMOUTH, PORTSEA TOWN, &c. LINCOLN UPTON ON SEVERN-SWINDON AND BURDEROP-BREWOOD-SANDBACH WREXHAM-NEWMARKET FIRST OCTOBER MEETING-BROM YARD CHESTERFIELD-KELSO-CHESTER AUTUMN MEETING PAIN'S LANE- DERBY STAFFORD-MACCLESFIELD-ROYAL G M. W. D. D. Last Quar., 8 day, at 39 min. past 1 afternoon. OCCURRENCES. Sun rises and sets. h. m. d. 1 M Pheasant & Partridge-shootg.endsr 7 42 15 2 T WOLVERHAMPTON STEEPLE-CHS. S 4 48 16 3 W BIGGAR COURSING MEETING. 7 38 17 4 T Bingham Fair. Moon HIGH WATER rises & London Bridge. sets. morn. aftern. RISES. afternoon h. m. h. m. h. m. 6 29 2 52 3 9 7 32 3 25 3 41 8 34 3 56 4 12 5 F NORTH BERWICK & DIRLETON'T 7 35 19 10 40 6 S Adwalton Fair. s 4 52 18 9 36 4 25 4 45 4 59 4 13 [C. M. s 4 552011 44 5 28 5 46 r 7 3221 s 4 59 22 r 7 2823 s 5 324 2 54 6 46 21 Morning. 0 48 6 40 7 0 1 52 7 24 7 52 8 25 9 4 8 M WORKINGTON COURSING M. 9 T CARMARTHENSHIRE ST. CHS. 10 W TARLETON COURSING M. 11 T 12 F Bishop's Castle Fair. 13 S HEREFORD ST. CHS. 14 r 7 2525 3 52 9 4710 24 [ham F.s 5 626 4 4711 Wymond-r 7 2127 5 34 Quinquagesima Sunday. 15 M Worcester Fair. 16 Throbe Tuesday. 17 W Ash Wednesday, 18 T 19 F 811 48 0 22 0 49 1 16 1 412 4 2 27 2 52 3 13 3 36 20 S ARDROSSAN COURSING M. 21 First Sunday in Lent. 22 M Daventry Fair. 23 T 24 W Frome (Somerset) Fair. 25 T Teignmouth Fair. 26 FMID-LOTHIAN C. M. 27 S Hare-hunting ends (?) 28 Second Sunday in Lent. 1 24 r 7 5 6 0 15 s 5 25 7 0 56 7 18 r 7 18 2 24 7 49 8 20 s 5 28 9 3 17 9 3 9 45 r 6 57 10 4 210 2611 9 s 5 3211 4 4111 49 r 6 5312 5 13 0 24 0 50 s 5 35 13 5 41 1 13 1 35 Newmarket... Malton............... COURSING MEETINGS IN FEBRUARY. 1 Altcar Club..... 4 & 5 Cardington....... 16, &c. ... 16, &c. .... 17, &c. 20, 21, & 22 •.•... 26 & 27 2 & 3 North Berwick and Dirleton 5 Border... Biggar...... 3 & 4 Workington... 8 & 9 Lytham-Champion Baldock ....... 3, 4, & 5 Ashdown Park ............ 9 Ardrossan ...... Ribblesdale... 4 & 5 Tarleton 10 & 11 Mid-Lothian .... Morpeth (Oyle Barony), Middleton, and Newcastle-on-Tyne, not fixed. 2 Chipping Norton .......... 5 Carmarthenshire...... 9 & 11 Aylesbury, Kidderminster, and others not fixed. THE RACING SEASON. BY CRAVEN. The winter of '46 and '47-unless the latter portion of it shall bring better things than we have any right to hope for-will have furnished as unsatisfactory results in all our hunting districts as the annals of the modern chase can parallel. The sport has every where as yet been short, and very generally undecisive. To be sure there have been some clippers here and there; but a few swallows don't make summer, neither a few bursts a hunting winter. There have, indeed, been a great many "brilliant runs " in the newspapers; but that's "another pair of shoes." It may be asked, what has this peroration to do with the thesis of my paper; and I should find it difficult to give any reason, save that perhaps the household logic was "in my mind's eye which lays the flattering unction" to our souls-"The worse luck now, the better next time." This other time, there are grounds for believing, may be the three latter quarters of this year of grace; its luck, the fruits of the turf. A considerable proportion of the influential stakes and races close their nominations on new-year's day annually. On their last anniversary one of the most goodly catalogues was published that has yet seen the light, on a similar subject. Moreover, the public money given as additions to several of the great cups and handicaps is of an amount hitherto unknown. The prosperity of racing, in short-if that noble national pastime be judiciously dealt with-is upon a footing to which it never previously has attained. The subjoined remarks I wrote upon the appearance of the first calendar for the year; and they may appropriately be introduced here. The date was the commencement of the third week in January. "The great increase in the funds applicable to the purposes of racing will bring about these practical results-independent of a vast amount of miscellaneous accessories-we shall have more meetings, and more horses to run at them. Now, as the season is already pretty well engaged, and extends to the remotest limits of the autumn, all that remains for it will be to begin earlier. Indeed, it does so already; and the manner in which the forces take the field at the commencement of the campaign is worth a slight notice at the present moment. Is the system of training the race-horse for the work now required of him convenient or consistent? This is a question that all who venture their money in backing animals should carefully consider. Should the condition of an animal on whose form large sums are depending be wholly contingent upon such a piece of pure chance-medley as an open winter in a climate like this? Last year three-fourths of the stock named for the stakes which closed on new-year's day were fit to run at the time of their nomination in what state are the most precocious of the training stables just now? I only know one establishment of the kind in which provision is made for keeping horses in work independent of the weather, and that is at Lord Exeter's Lodge, at Newmarket, where there is a very picturesque covered ride, but of too limited space to be of any practical utility. One of Lord Exeters trainers, indeed, told me it did his horses more harm than good; for, from its shape-a long oval, it taught them to shorten their stride. I understand that Isaac Day has something of the same sort, but still more confined, at Northleach. This will, no doubt, be speedily reformed. It will soon be discovered that a covered ride will pay as well as a covered rope-walk : demand, in this country, is certain to ensure supply. But here the premium for the backers of fields will not stop. Every day affords extended facilities for moving horses by railway, which enables trainers to bring them to the place of action, at the last moment, and fit to strip for their engagements, in lieu of taking their work for several days exposed to public canvass, not to say many a worse contingency. To a great degree this is the present position of those who make the moves in the great game of the turf. It is now competent for them to pop upon a blot,' as a hawk stoops upon a pigeon. Horses were, last season, summoned from their quarters by electric telegraph, when it was known, at the eleventh hour, that the fields opposed to them would be weak. But our public cannot guard against such chances as these: what, then, must be their course? "We are now getting fast on towards the first month of spring, and hardly a race-horse in Great Britain, probably, has gone farther than a walk on his straw bed would allow. There was, indeed, a little week or so verging into open weather, in which some of the ultra-industrious may have stolen a march, or a canter; but all was soon closed again to their hopes. We cannot, therefore, expect to see horses at the post for their early engagements in any advanced state of preparation. Some stables will be more generally fit than others, because they may be better situated and better managed; but, as a rule, horses will be brought out short of work. Now, then, experience and science must be the resources of the betting man who would have a pull of his neighbour. He will be very careful how he allows aged animals, gross feeders, or naturally inclined to make flesh fast, to be losers for him. These require no end of sweating and quick work, and not only that, but a long course of it. These cannot, this year-at least early in it-come out on terms with animals of light frames and delicate constitutions. The effect of form upon a race-horse's performances it cannot be necessary here to dilate upon. The contrivances for preparing it are not so generally understood. Two seasons back, it will be remembered how invincible the Goodwood stable was at the early meetings-Northampton, Croxton Park, and Bath were the arenas of its glory. It was frosty to a very late period in the winter of 1845. In consequence of a portion of his exerciseground lying very favourably, Kent was enabled to keep his string going when every other trainer had his 'tied up.' To keep his ground in perfect order, he used to cover it over with straw at night, and remove the layer when his horses were galloped in the morning. In this he was greatly assisted by the effect of the strong sunshine which prevailed during the day, while the freezing was confined to the night. This year it has been vice versa, and it is no go' at Goodwood. Your ploughed gallop is a weak invention:' they say it enabled the Queen of Trumps to win the St. Leger; but I have little doubt it has helped many another good nag to throw away a chance." Casting forward to the summer sport, the first point d'appui is the |