FIGARO Photograph by Sport & General Press Agency The Badminton Magazine A LOOK ROUND BY ALFRED E. T. WATSON LAPSED The “ Look Round ” valuable Lennox Plate—Gatwick, and a RACE MEETINGS this month reveals day at Lewes, always particularly very little of the sport welcome to frequenters of that very I am accustomed to describe, as since I picturesque course ; then would have wrote last there has been almost a blank followed Derby, Manchester (big prizes in the racing world. We are driven to at both places) and Doncaster with its consider what meetings there would have cards crowded with interesting items. been in the ordinary course of events, and There will be no Gimcrack Club dinner to condole with the owners of horses who next December, and so the long-continued would have shared the many thousands fight between Colonel Hall Walker and of pounds originally offered for com­ Mr. Hulton temporarily lapses ; indeed petition during the weeks which have it will be remembered that the meeting intervened. Up North there would have was abandoned last year, prior to which been Stockton, Redcar, and York; in Mr. Hulton had won thrice running with the South, Bath, Hurst Park—with the Stornoway, Flippant, and Lomond, and F no. ccxliii. vol. xliii.— October, 1915. 144 THE BADMINTON MAGAZINE in the five years from 1905 to one of half-a-dozen in the same owner­ 1909 the owner of the blue-and-white ship, Analogy among the others. Colonel check, cerise cap, had been victorious Hall Walker had seven in, but their with Colonia, Polar Star, Royal Realm, names, Prussian Blue, Pageant, Rock and, missing it by three-quarters of a Perch, Belle Royal, King Robert, Many length in 1908 with Queen Mother, again Lands, and Follow the Fiag convey little in 1909 with Lily Rose. This is an even impression, though Many Lands, a more constant record than that of Lord daughter of White Eagle and Colonia, Rosebery in the National Bleeders’ seems able to go a bit. Produce Stakes at Sandown, for though Amongst those that might have been he has won this race on five occasions they encountered is Mr. Neumann’s Figaro, ROI D’ECOSSE Photograph by Sport & General Press Agency extend over a period of sixteen years, of whom a picture is given, and there are Chelandry in 1896, Cicero in 1904, some people who rate this son of Sun- Traquair in 1906, Neil Gow in 1909— dridge and Sirenia as the best out so far. the last two sons of Chelandry, so that He is at any rate 6 lb. in front of Mr. J. they kept it in the family—and Prue in Barrow’s Marcus,' a colt who has a vervj 1912. Lord Rosebery must be glad that high home reputation, and a very long the race was instituted, for it was worth way in front of Roi d’Ecosse, also por­ (a nominal) £5,000 when he began to win trayed here, having earned distinction it. If the stories current of Atheling are by carrying off the Chesterfield Stakes. correct, Mr. Hulton might have taken his The Roi Herodes did not, indeed, last fourth Gimcrack, as very likely the colt year do all that was expected of them would have been trained for it. He is after The Tetrarch’s brilliant season; still, A LOOK ROUND 145 seven of them won eleven races worth argument put forward by Colonel Hall well over £4,000, and it is a pity that Walker in his contribution to this Roi d’Ecosse has to be disfigured by the magazine last month as to the trans­ blinders which will be seen in the photo­ mission of merit through the dam, graph. Mr. Persse makes no secret of though at the same time it must of course the fact that the colt is decidedly shifty, be admitted that Sirenia has invariably and I fancy has an opinion that 11 he had been mated with horses of the highest, run straight he would have been very or well-nigh the highest, rank. We are near to Figaro in the July Stakes. I am alwavs rather accustomed to talk not sure th a t Mr. Persse goes quite so prematurely about the “ best out. ” Some­ far as to think that Roi d’Ecosse might thing more of Figaro will, however, be have beaten the winner. ascertained soon, for he is in the Rous VANITIE Photograph by W. A. Rouch Sirenia has been a regular gold-mine Memorial at the First October and in to her owner since she successfully the Middle Park ; but as it happens a brought off a very outside chance in the number of young ones who have made Jubilee in 1900, a Classic winner in names for themselves are omitted from Electra figuring amongst her produce, what is sometimes called the “ Two-Year- and indeed I think it may be assumed Old Derby.” There have been rumours that Electra ought to have won the of the excellence of Mr. J. B. Joel’s Oaks as well as the One Thousand. All King’s Joker, the son of Sundridge and Sirenia’s offspring have had the gift of Absurdity, and the fact of his being a going, which seems to strengthen the half-brother to Black Jester is certainly F2 146 THE BADMINTON MAGAZINE nothing against him, even if the Leger Chesterfield Course Stakes, Vanitie winner has somewhat lost caste by his scored very easily by five lengths. It failures in the Princess of Wales’ Stakes, may be asked where Volta comes in, but and, especially, the Newmarket Gold Cup. according to what happened at New­ As for the former race, Sir John Thursby market in June there was very little to was sceptical as to Black Jester’s ability choose between Lord Carnarvon’s son of to give his Rossendale 21 lb., and it is a Valens and Mr. H ulton’s son of Gallinule’s pity that this three-year-old is not to be old age. There has been nothing much seen in the September Stakes, the sub­ more like a dead heat this season. I do stitute for the St. Leger, the more so as not know how true it may be that Volta he stays so well. This race and several did not get away well in the Three-Year- others of very special interest will be Old Sweepstakes—I failed to observe that over long before these pages appear, one he was left. Mr. Winans has not had of the drawbacks of having to write so much luck on the whole, considering the long in advance; for the meeting in money he has spent on bloodstock, Sir THE START FOR THE COVENEY PLATE Photograph by W. A. Roach mid-September, too late for comment in Martin in particular having been a dis­ this issue, promises to be full of exciting appointment after starting favourite for incidents. Presumably Pommern will the Derby in which he fell. I think I win the September Stakes, at any rate have before noted that Richard Marsh he will be a strong favourite, and a mild and Joseph Cannon were agreed that sensation will be created if he is beaten. there was little, if anything, to choose * * * between Sir Martin and Minoru—they SOME One of the pictures were galloped together — and probably SPEEDY HORSES given this month is the King’s horse when at his best was of Mr. Louis W inans’ rather better than generally supposed. Vanitie, the American-bred son of Ogden Except Adam Bede, who won the Cam­ and Veil, who has some pretensions to bridgeshire with the 10 lb. penalty he be considered the speediest horse in had earned in the Duke of York Stakes training. Vanitie has won three of his at Kempt on, Mr. Winans had for the last four races, and though it is true that most part been unfortunate with his Torloisk was giving him a stone in the horses until the appearance of Vanitie— A LOOK ROUND 147 a son of Sir Martin’s sire. Among would be readier to recognise the diffi­ disadvantages of the huge fields which culties. This Plate enabled Mr. F. C. have often been running at Newmarket Stern’s charming filly Sentiment to since racing was stopped elsewhere is break her maidenhood, though it is to that it must not seldom be considered be feared that she is not nearly so good doubtful whether the best horse has won. as was at one time hoped ; but much is There wrere seven and twentvj runners for expected from a daughter of Spearmint the Soham Handicap in which Vanitie and Flare, and it may be claimed for her finished unplaced. I happened to watch that she has only once been out of a this race with the colt’s owner, and know place, when she finished behind Vaucluse that he did not accept the performance and Silver Tag for the One Thousand. as approximately correct. Vanitie will BLUE STONE MAKING THE RUNNING IN THE FIRST CLASS OF THE CAXTON HANDICAP Photograph by W. A. Rouch in all likelihood have run again before some notable One of the interesting these pages are read, in the Flying w i n n e r s problems that have to Sweepstakes, for which there can be be solved is that be­ only eleven starters, including the three tween the two fillies just mentioned, first two - year - olds Eos, Star Hawk, and and second for this One Thousand, and Amphitryon.