ever saw stripped; in the year following, 1859, with Musjid; and in 1868 with Blue Gown, a зon of Beadsman. Indeed, Sir Joseph threatens to equal the Egremont feat, for Pero Gomez, another son of Beadsman, is now first favourite for the Derby. The black jacket of Mr. Bowes has also been first home four times; but Mr. Bowes scarcely deserves his success, for he lives altogether in Paris, and is seldom at "the trouble" of coming over to see his horses run. Mundig, as we have said, was his first winner in 1835; Cotherstone, who for power and "furnishing" quite realised Nimrod's notion of "the three-year-old colts looking like six-year-old horses, with the bloom of condition on their coats," in 1843; Daniel O'Rourke, a little cob horse, in 1852, on about the dampest day we over were out in, barring always Blair Athol's Leger; and that really beautiful rendering of a race-horse, West Australian, in the very next year again, 1853. But John Scott's hand would seem since to have lost its cunning; and Mr. Merry, who won once in 1860 with Thormanby, Sir Joseph Hawley, the Dawsons, and the Frenchmen, have more recently supplied a very world of speculators with Derby cracks.

And the race was never more popular, although it is of course a mighty silly thing even to tamper with its renown, or to induce people to talk of going elsewhere. Still, everybody is with the Derby and Epsom at heart. There is such ample room for the million to disport itself, and the day offers altogether such a pleasant outing, if the glories of the road be almost gone. Writing just two hundred years since, that quaint old sinner Pepys says, "Having intended this day to go to Banstead Downs to see a famous race, I sent Will to get himself ready to go with me; but I hear it is put off, because the Lords do sit in Parliament to-day." Now, however, we put off Parliament, unless a very much reformed House should dare to rule it otherwise.

ENGRAVED BY E. HACKER, FROM A PAINTING BY HARRY HALL.

BY CASTOR.

From this victory The Pretender reaped manifold and important advantages; his followers were armed, his party encouraged, and his enemies intimidated.-SMOLLETT'S "History of England."

The Pretender, bred by Mr. W. Sadler in 1866, is by Adventurer out of Ferina, by Venison, her dam Partiality by Middleton-Favourite, by Blucher-Scheherazade, by Selim.

Adventurer, bred by Mr. Gilby in 1859, is by Newminster out of Palma, by Emilius. As a race-horse Adventurer figures as one of the stoutest sons of Newminster, and in his great season as a fouryear-old he won in all but unbroken succession the Londesborough Plate at Doncaster in the Spring, the City and Suburban at Epsom, the Great Northern Handicap and the Flying Dutchman's Handicap at York, the Craven at Epsom Summer Meeting, and Her Majesty's

H H

Vase at Ascot. Adventurer went to the stud in 1865, and his stock consequently first came out in 1868 when he was credited with three winners-Sir F. Johnstone's Benefactor, Mr. Pryor's Misadventure, and The Pretender. He is located at the Sheffield Lane Paddocks, where his subscription at 40 gs. filled very early in the season.

Ferina, bred by Mr. W. Ley in 1844, passed in turn into the possession of the late Mr. Greville and the late Lord Clifden. The mare never ran, and after throwing a dead colt foal to the Emperor in 1849 she was purchased at a low figure by Mr. William Sadler of Doncaster, with whom her account stands thus :

1850-F. (died a month old), by Bay | 1859-Mahala, by Rataplan (70)

Middleton

1851-Camp-stool, by Foot-stool

1852-St. Hubert, by Surplice (385)
1853-Stanhope, by The Hero

1854-Hunting Horn, by Surplice (570)
1855-Esau, by Surplice (400)
1856-Slipped foal by Surplice
1857-Thirza, by Surplice
1858-Forester, by Surplice (100)

1860-Tambour Major, by Rataplan (100)
1861-Colt (died a day old), by Rataplan
1862-Walcot, by Fazzoletto (165)
1863-Missed to Bro. to Bird on Wing
1864-Fal-lal, by Fazzoletto (210)
1865-Adamant, by Adamas (330)
1866-Pretender, by Adventurer (400)
1867-Barren
1868-Barren

The figures in parenthesis give prices made as yearlings, the highest being for Hunting Horn, a horse of extraordinary substance, who, however, never ran, but who took the first prize as the best stallion for getting hunters at the Warwick Meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, and later on a similar premium at the Salisbury Meeting of the Bath and West of England Society, at one of which adjudications we had the honour of assisting. Up to Pretender's time Ferina's produce were to be distinguished on the turf by St. Hubert who ran such a terrific race with Lord of the Isles for the 2,000 gs. The old mare was shot at Doncaster on Tuesday, April 6th, the very day three weeks previous to her youngest child winning at Newmarket.

Pretender is a brown horse standing sixteen hands high. He has a very expressive good head, tapering towards the nose, with a straight muscular neck and good shoulders. He has great depth of girth, but is slack behind the saddle and tucked up in his back ribs. His quarters are not very long but strong towards the lower part; while he has ragged hips, and is long from the stifle to the ground, standing with his hocks away behind him. He has not very powerful arms, but is short in his cannon bone, with his heels low to the ground. The Pretender is altogether a long-reaching horse, with great liberty, and a famous walker, although rather a scrambling goer, until fairly extended.

At the sale of Mr. Sadler's yearlings at Doncaster in 1867 The Pretender was knocked down for 400 gs. to Mr. Tom Dawson for the Johnstone-Jardine interest and at once transferred to Middleham where he still continues. In 1868, as a two-year-old, The Pretender made his first appearance at Stockton, where, ridden by Cameron at 8st. 71b., he ran second to Mr. Johnstone's Lord Hawthorne, 8st. 5lb., for the Hardwicke Stakes-T.Y.C.-with Mr. S. Hobson's Dunbar, 8st. 2lb., third; Mr. Jackson's Duchess of Athol, 7st. 12lb., fourth; and the following not placed Mr. Bow's Fecialis, 8st. 10lb.; Mr. T. Boyce's The Gowan, 7st. 121b.; Mr. J. Johnstone's Thirlestane, 8st. 5lb.; Mr.

T. V. Morgan's Venetia, 8st. 61b.; and Mr. Watt's Snider, 8st 21b. 5 to 2 against Lord Hawthorn, and 8 to 1 against Pretender. Won by half a length, Mr. Johnstone declaring to win with Lord Hawthorne.

On the same day, ridden by Cameron, he ran third for the Lambton Plate, for two-year-old colts 8st. 10lb. and fillies_8st. 61b.-seven furlongs. Won by Mr. Launde's Minaret, with Mr. J. Johnstone's Thorwaldsen second, Mr. G. Holmes' Lady Dewhurst fourth, Lord Zetland's Valtz fifth, Mr. A. de Montgomery's La Charantonne sixth, and Mr. Fobert's Glenalmond last. 6 to 5 on Thorwaldsen, and 5 to 1 against Pretender. Won by a neck, with the same between the second, third, and fourth. Mr. Johnstone declared to win with Thorwaldsen.

At York, ridden by Osborne, and carrying 8st. 7lb., he won a North of England Biennial Stake, for two-year-olds-T.Y.C.-beating Mr. Padwick's Standard Bearer, 8st. 10lb. (2); Mr. Savile's colt by Parmeson out of Ravioli's dam, 8st. 71b. (3); Mr. Savile's The Rajah, 8st. 71b. (4); and Mr. R. C. Naylor's Wellington, 8st. 7lb., last. 5 to 2 against Pretender, who won by half-a-length.

At Newmarket Second October Meeting, ridden by Osborne, and carrying 8st. 13lb., he ran third for the Middle Park Plate-last six furlongs of the Rowley mile-Won by Sir Joseph Hawley's Pero Gomez, 8st. 6lb., with the Duke of Beaufort's Scottish Queen, 8st. 3lb., second, and the following not placed: Lord Ailesbury's f. by Stockwell, out of Bribery, 8s. 3lb.; Count Batthyany's Typhon, 8st. 9lb. ; Sir R. W. Bulkeley's Tasman, 8st. 9lb.; Mr. Chaplin's Brother to Chattanooga, 8st. 10lb.; Mr. Cornish's Consternation, 8st. 6lb.; Duke of Hamilton's Wild Oats, 8st. 61b.; Sir J. Hawley's King Cophetua, 8st. 6lb.; Mr. G. Holmes' Lady Dewhurst, 8st. 6lb.; Mr. T. Jennings's Perry Down, 8st. 6lb.; Mr. J. Johnstone's Derventio, 8st. 6lb,; Mr. G. Jones's The Drummer, 8st. 6lb.; Count F. de Lagrange's Le Saphir, 8st. 71b.; Capt. Machell's The Priest, 8st. 6lb.; Mr. Naylor's Chatsworth, 8st. 61b.; Mr. Naylor's Lurline, 8st. 3lb.; Mr. H. Savile's c. Ryshworth, 9st. 2lb.; Dr. Shorthouse's Atonement, 8st. 3lb.; Prince Soltykoff's Badsworth, 8st. 13lb. Sir Joseph Hawley declared to win with King Cophetua. No price about Pretender. Won by half-alength, with three lengths between the second and third.

In 1869, at Newmarket First Spring Meeting, The Pretender, ridden by Osborne, won the 2,000 gs. Stakes, for three-year-old colts, 8st. 10lb., fillies 8st. 51b-R. M.-beating Mr. Merry's Belladrum (2), Mr. T. Jennings' Perry Down (3), Lord Calthorpe's Martyrdom (late Martyr) (4), Count Batthyany's Typhon, Mr. Padwick's Standard Bearer, Mr. Brayley's Duke of Beaufort, Lord Royston's Alpenstock, Sir R. Bulkeley's Tasman, Sir J. Hawley's Siderolite, Sir J. Hawley's King Cophetua, Mr. Graham's Conrad, Mr. Graham's The Drummer, Duke of Newcastle's b. c. Prince Imperial, Duke of Newcastle's Tenedos, Lord Rendlesham's Royal Rake, Baron Rothschild's b. c., by Tim Whiffler, out of Hermione, Lord Westmorland's Brambridge, and Mr. Savile's Neuchatel. 3 to 1 against Pretender, who won easily by halfa-length, with three lengths between the second and third.

At Epsom, ridden by Osborne, he won the Derby Stakes, for threeyear-old colts 8st. 10lb., fillies 8st. 5lb.-a mile and a-half-beating Sir J. Hawley's. Pero Gomez (2), Mr. Graham's The Drummer (3), Mr. Merry's Belladrum, Sir Joseph Hawley's King Cophetua, Mr. E

Brayley's Duke of Beaufort, Mr. J. Johnstone's Lord Hawthorn, Mr. J. Johnstone's Thorwaldsen, Mr. A. G. Surtees's The Egean, Sir C. Legard's Border Knight, Lord Calthorpe's Martyrdom, Mr. Savile's Ryshworth, Mr. Savile's Neuchatel, Lord Rosebery's Ladas, Lord Royston's Alpenstock, Lord Strafford's Rupert, Mr. T. Jennings's Perry Down, Mr. Joseph Dawson's De Vere, Duke of Newcastle's Tenedos, Sir R. W. Bulkeley's Tasman, Mr. Padwick's Ethus, and Mr. J. Denman's Defender. 5 to 4 against Pretender, who won by a head, with a length between the second and third. Run in 2 minutes and 52 seconds.

SUMMARY OF PRETENDER'S PERFORMANCES.

In 1868 he started four times, won once, ran second once, and third twice:

A Biennial Stake at York

In 1869 he has started twice, and won twice:

The 2,000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket..
The Derby at Epsom.....

£511

£4,500
£6,225

Has started six times, won three, ran second once, and third twice. Pretender is engaged with a penalty in the Prince of Wales' Stakes, at Ascot, against Pero Gomez, Perry Down, Martyrdom, Belladrum, and others; in the North Derby, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Great Northern Leger, at Stockton; North of England Biennial, and Great Yorkshire. Stakes, at York; the St. Leger and Doncaster Stakes, at Doncaster ; the Newmarket Derby; and in the Four-Year-Old Claret Stakes, at Stockton, in 1870.

THE STUDIO.

ENGRAVED BY E. HACKER, FROM A PAINTING BY THE LATE ABRAHAM COOPER, E‚A,

The scene of this sketch is laid in Milman Street, and the artist is a fair portrait of the late Abraham Cooper himself, associated of course, as some wofully smart critics may say, with "the inevitable grey horse," while we only wish we could associate the majority of these would-be wits with anything half as good. We had the melancholy duty of seeing the remnant of the studio sold off at Foster's, in Pall Mall, a few weeks back, where this sketch was amongst the lots, and when the dealers had the business pretty much to themselves. One of the originals of a Magazine plate from Abraham Cooper's easel will be found in the new house of the Royal Academy, where his son has also a place; and-but we refrain. There is pretty certain to be more than enough common-place talk to come over the annual exhibition of pictures, and we leave those "placed," as Mr. Clarke would say, to their fate.