"Talkee talkee" does the lingua Toscana. But business was the watch-word with all, from the exquisite of to the superlatively rough and ready of The company was very considerable, the stand and enclosure exhibiting far over an average steeple-chase party. The state of the odds I give from the authorised version, which was a just one, always premising that the prices for the most part regard what would have been done had there been people to do rather than what was actually accomplished. The "Roarer," however, had the "call"and no pun meant. As on latter occasions, there was the artificial brook in front of the stand for the first round, and certain hurdles in the run in for the last; so also the whole line outside the course was the same as ever. The handicap, which was a very masterly production, was compiled by Mr. Frank Clarke, so well known in the racing world, and as one of the lights of sporting literature. After the usual series of preparation, the following popular field was marshalled to the start for THE GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLE CHASE. A HANDICAP SWEEPSTAKES of 20 sovs. each, h. ft., and 5 only if declared, with 100 added; the owner of the second to save his stake, and the winner to pay 10 sovs. towards expenses; winners from the time of declaring the weights 5lb., twice 101b extra; 60 subs., of whom 20 paid ft. of 5 sovs., and 12 of 10 sovs. each, making the value of the stakes 830 sovs. Mr. Courtney's b. g. Mathew, by Vestris, aged, 10st. 6lb.... Wynne 1 Mr. Preston's br. m. Brunette, 12st. 6lb... Mr. J. Power's b. g. Saucepan, 12st. 2lb.... ..Oliver 2 .A. M'Donogh 0 Mr. O'Higgins's b. g. Pioneer, aged, 11st. 121b... Capt. Gambier's Avoca, 10st. 10lb... .... Wilson 0 Denby 0 .Abbott 0 . Owner 0 . Barker 0 Scott 0 Capt. Broadley 0 Mr. R. J. Moore's b. g. St. Ruth, aged, 11st. 1lb. (including 5lb. extra) Lord Strathmore's Red Lancer, 10st. 81b.. Mr. Lockwood's b. m. Barmaid, 10st. 8lb. Mr. Anderson's ch. g. Grenade, 10st. 8lb.... Mr. Kirkpatrick's ch. g. Clinker, aged, 10st. 71b.. Mr. Elmore's br. g. Young Lottery, five years old, 10st. Rawson 0 .Meddock 0 .... Dally 0 Mr. A. Browne's br. m. Midnight, five years old, 10st. 10lb..Gardner 0 As soon as the word was given, running in serious earnest commenced, Cumberland Lass leading, with the crowd at her heels; the first 66 to part company being Marengo, who fell a burster-it was said-with Barker. I had almost said, of course; for if there be a fall going, it is his lot to get it for his luck is not honest, albeit he himself is both 'fast and true.' Anon, another pair were tumbling about, whereof one- -Red Lancer, with Lord Strathmore on him, bit the earth. Still, on they went, growing smaller by degrees, if not beautifully less; for the scabies were being fell'd, like nine-pins, and riderless horses were skimming the horizon-a ghastly show. As they steered for the course, Cumberland Lass was "put out of it," somehow or other; the van now consisting of St. Leger, Culverthorpe, the Roarer, Pioneer, Lattitat, and Mathew Jerry leading. They ran up the course and at the brook full of mischief. A strong body of horse took it in close order, with a loose nag among them, who did it none the worse that his saddle was without a tenant. This was Marengo where poor Barker was, remained to be canvassed. The next down was St. Ruth, who likewise left his rider in the lurch. The settled lead was now with Jerry, "waited on,' as the phrase is for animals and men at the top of their hurry, by the Roarer, Pioneer, and St. Leger; and, sailing casily in their wake, was Mathew. But it was anybody's race; for you never knew, when they charged a fence, who would be in or over: the fence made it all heads or tails. We will, however, now suppose them—that is, all that remained in the race- -landed once more in the course, with Jerry and St. Leger head and head over the first hurdle; the others being Culverthorpe, Pioneer, the Roarer, and Mathew. The latter, to those who marked him, was evidently going like a horse having a little still left in him, and presently he came-with a will. At the distance he had collared St. Leger-ran with him, so long as it pleased his Jock-then left him, and went home a gallant winner by a length. Jerry was a length from St. Leger; Pioneer was fourth; but "intervallo," were Culverthorpe, Brunette, and a ruck—all beaten or stopp'd away. The speed was capital, the time being according to the best average ten minutes and-a-half. . . . Thus finished the business of the day, of which it must be observed that the weight did the trick for Mathew. He is a good gelding, by Vestris, son of Whalebone, and received dollops of allowance from those that ran after him. Thus, Jerry gave him a stone; St. Leger, hard upon a couple of stone; Brunette, quite as much; in fact he was, with two exceptions of two pounds each, the lightest weighted of the whole twenty-eight: small blame to any body; and was better than fame made him, an excellent thing in horseflesh. So was the Roarer-better than I fancied him, as a racer across country. It will be seen that ould Ireland mustered strong in regard of champions; and that they are coming too close to us to be pleasant, the performances of the Baron and Faugh-a-Ballagh, as well as Mathew, are confirmations strong. One cannot help drawing deductions as to the popularity and prospects of the sports of steeple-chasing from events which followed this crack issue, as well as from its individual results. This passage in Olympics has certainly assumed a somewhat different character from that under which it first sought our notice. In Ireland—at least in its youthful days-it was altogether a contest ridden by amateurs: if I were in Galway, I should have said by gentlemen jockeys. The first phase it underwent was exquisitely drawn, in a series of sketches by Shamrock yclept "Gentlemen Jocks." These gentlemen by courtesy succeeded the race so constituted by right, which consists in the claimant having no ostensible means of getting his bread. Presently hired professionals rode in them; and thus it was, and is, here with us. To this we are indebted for the refinement of handicapping having become a portion of the system; for all England could not supply a couple of dozen hard riding gentlemen (I mean no disrespect to the light bobs, but I am writing e cathedrâ) with thews and sinews fitted to steer a steeple-chase horse four miles, at the top of his pace, and over half-a-hundred strong fences. I therefore augur longer life and better luck to the pastime from this change in its system. At one time we had high-flown hopes of the Grand Military Steeple Chases, in which the flower of our cavalry chivalry promised" to witch the world with noble horsemanship. These have sadly fallen in flavour-down to mere swipes, in point of fact. "Haud meus hic sermo" wholly; but thus says public opinion. Moreover, the betting clique will take it up in the shape of handicap, which gives common main and chance (conventionally) to all; together with the particular pull which the profession enjoys, when there's anything in the wind, or where "sharp's the word." Like all the institutions of social life, the Grand National Steeple Chase brought forward a system which time has improved-so far as relates to its working out more profitably, if less pleasantly. THE PROPERTY OF THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF STRATHMORE. ENGRAVED BY E. HACKER, FROM A PAINTING BY J. F. HERRING, SEN. However well the high-mettled racer may sustain different characters at different eras, we are by no means prepared to argue on his excellence in "doubling the parts," or in doing more than one thing at one time. Racing and steeple-chasing certainly are, of all varieties, the closest associated, and, especially in the sister country, are very frequently made the "joint undertaking" for keeping and training horses. Still this double-barrelled system rarely brings a double profit; good nags across a country have scarcely ever been half as good over the flat; and good race-horses somehow or other seldom take very kindly to welter weights and big places, though, to be sure, our friend Mr. Ferguson did once talk of winning the Liverpool with old Harkaway! We shall, in fact, be very much inclined to make a maxim of the folly of attempting to combine the two, at least on this side of the channel; and then, in evidence thereof, call attention to that gallant sportsman, Lord Strathmore's The Switcher, as a nag which has proved himself but a middling race-horse and a very superior steeple-chaser. PEDIGREE. The Switcher, a chesnut horse, bred by Mr. Langan in 1841, was got by Ismael, out of Johnstown Lass, by Carlow, her dam Tipsy (first |