r 6 4814 2 T WATERLOO (LIVERPOOL) C. M.s 5 39 15 3 W LIVERPOOL STEEPLE CHASE. r 6 44 16 4 T Wem Fair. Moreton in Marsh's 5 4217 Moon HIGH WATER rises & London Bridge. sets. morn. aftern. h. m. h. m. h. m. RISES. afternoon) 1 55 2 14 6 26 2 30 2 46 7 28 3 33 18 8 30 3 32 3 46 5 FHOOTON PARK STEEPL.-CHS. [S.C.r 6 40 18 9 33 4 0 4 17 6 S Burnley Fair. 7 8 M Third Sunday in Lent. s 5 4619 10 37 4 32 4 45 r 6 352011 40 5 0 5 16 s 5 4921 Morning. 9T BROCKLESBY HUNT STEEPLE-CS. r 6 3122 0 42 10 W COVENTRY RACES--Commnct. of s 5 5323 1 40 11T LEOMINSTER STPL. CHS. [Season.r 6 2624 2 35 12 F WILMSLOW STEEPLE CHASES. 13 S Melton Mowbray Fair. 14 Fourth Sunday in Lent. 5 33 5 48 6 10 6 29 6 54 7 17 7 49 8 26 s 5 5625 3 23 9 8952 r 6 2226 4 610 3511 18 s 6 027 4 4411 55 SETS. afternoon 15 M GREATWILTSHIRE (PICTURE)CMr 6 1728 5 17 0 26 0 54 16 T Bridgnorth Fair. LOUTH S. C.s 6 3 N 1 19 1 43 17 WSt. Patrick. WARWICK RACES. r 6 13 1 7 15 2 8 2 28 18 T LEAMINGTON GND. MLTRY. S. C.s 6 7 2 8 36 2 51 3 13 19 F WETHERBY ST. CHS. Ruthinr 6 8 3 9 54 3 35 3 57 20 S [Fair.s 6 10 411 8 4 19 4 40 21 Morning. Fifth Sunday in Lent. 22 M LEAMINGTON ANNUAL S. C. 23 T NORTHAMPTON RACES. LUDLOW r 5 59 7 1 24 W Market Drayton Fair. [S. C.s 6 17 8 2 25 T LADY DAY. CROXTON PARK RACESr 5 54 9 26 F Cambridge Term Ends. 27 S Oxford Term Ends. Palm Sunday. r 645 5 05 20 s 6 13 6 0 13 5 45 6 6 3 Pembrokeshire ............ 11 Finchley-Match ...**** 22 9 Cambridgeshire & Bedfordsh. 17 Worcester-Match ...... 24 18 Kendal ..... 9 Grand Military Leamington 18 THE FATE OF "THE FAVOURITE." ENGRAVED BY E. HACKER, FROM A PAINTING BY J. F. HERRING, SEN. "The Sirloinians are great lovers of horses. The higher classes take especial delight in the animal, which they train to racing solely for the benefit of improving the creature, considering the sport of the race altogether subsidiary to the natural value of the stud. Many and touching, too, are the stories of affection shown by the Sirloinian masters towards their racers. It is no uncommon thing to see almost in every park a dozen old horses, which having in their youth won cups and other prizes for their grateful masters, are kept in clover in their age, never permitting the generous creature to wear out its life in cart or tumbril. Hence in the kingdom of Sirloin racing is the noblest sport, in itself animating and beautiful, and indirectly teaching to cultivate the virtues of truth and honour among all who patronize the pastime.' DOUGLAS JERROLD'S Chronicles of Clovernook. "I'll take twenty to one in hundreds he wins," said the Commissioner, opening his book and his mouth once more. "Done with you," said the public. "And I'll take five to one he's first favourite before starting," continued the initiated. "Done again," said the public. But the many got tired first for all that, and the world-the sporting one, that is, of course went home to bed with the firm conviction that "there was something up." The King of the Valley was going back visibly, and the outsider was coming on quite as palpably: the King of the Valley, who won the Champagne in a canter, and out-paced the Colonel's flying filly over the T.Y.C. The King of the Valley who had been backed all through the winter at under eight to one, and never been one hour amiss in his life, was giving way—and to what? To a nomination that nobody had ever heard, seen, or thought of before. It was all "flash," it could be nothing else—a mere bug-a-boo to frighten the considerate out of their calculations-a three days' wonder that must burst like a soap-bubble, or a soap-boiler, by Monday. And Monday came again, and the Commissioner came again, and took five to one again "he's first favourite before starting." People began to take it up also-Manchester followed suit, and brought the premier price down to four. The sporting sweepers went on with it, and bought him up right and left like safe shares from "capital" companies. The picture papers spared no expense, naturally, in gratifying such a taste, and exhibited correct portraits in all positions, from bird's-eye views obtained through quickset hedges, rugs and quarter cloths, or, as likely quite, from the mere force of imagination. The prophets went head and head with their brothers of the brush too, and showed in no time he had the finest shoulders and the stoutest blood of 66 any horse in England. Moreover the touts confirmed it all with curious cries of "curby hocks," "high blowing,' "queer temper," "sore shins," and so on. That was enough, he'd got the ear of the whole world, and the voice of the majority; and so the commissioner bet his even hundred at once, just to settle the matter, that "he's first favourite before starting." And so he was sure enough, and the Honourable Prior William Conqueror, as the happy owner, got more up in his stirrups, and quiet Mr. Make-believe, as the trainer, more mysterious than ever. The breeder, again, in the becoming pride of his heart, announced an own brother," for sale for five thousand down, and four thousand more if he won the Derby. West-end exquisites went on their knees for "orders" to see him, and clever men with no acknowledged authorities or characters beyond their breeches pockets were equally urgent with orders to buy him. But the tact of Make-believe kept off the former as effectually as the faith of Prior William Conqueror did the latter. He had established an awkward precedent by presenting the horse of his stable to the lady of his heart, and so the grand event became one quite as much mixed up with love as money, honour-subaudito, as the guardian of both. Time, tide, and Derby days, wait for few of us, and the unbelievers felt the crisis creeping or them with anything but agreeable sensations. The new wonder was heralded by the press as on his way to the scene of action, and a few words added on the commendable caution which characterised his transit. A lad inside to take care of the horse, and a Policeman inside to take care of the lad. Mr. Make-believe on the box to take care of those under him; and the Honourable Prior as avant courier on his hack half a mile a-head, to order horses on, and shoot the first man dead that dared to ask a question. And then the choice of quarters again proved no chance thrown away in that item; none of your Spread Eagles public stables, or anything of that sort, where the opposition would have a hole ready bored, and a pipe of aqua fortis laid on before the crack had been in an hour. Nothing of that, but a nice lonely farm-house, all under our own command, and everything submitted to the most trying ordeal. Blacksmith searched and sworn to, and at the utmost value of his life, before a shoe was moved or a plate fastened. Hay queried again and again, corn ensured as it came from home, and straw for litter ventured on at a handful at a time. While as for water -every soul with access to the premises drank regularly at every stable time an imperial pint to his own share, in witness of his sincerity; save and except only C. 99., who having as usual" unequalled opportunities" for perpetrating villanies himself in his official capacity of hindering other people, took a fair fourth of the bucket, and then passed it on with a clear conscience and small thirst to the noble "animal" (as the Bell's Life oracle will call a race-horse), whose superior capabilities had given rise to these attentions. If unfortunately in these times we have no " Warren " open, to which by the bye, you had literally to "walk up," and see the lions, there is given us instead the perhaps yet more convenient custom of the canter before the stand. And one rattled by, and then another-and anotherand another, until at last with a warning "hie! hie! hie!" and a twelve or fifteen hundred guinea, useful sort of horse, in his clothes, just to clear the way, comes the crack himself-with a great sweeping stride, |