. *3 
the field. 
[Saturday, 
possible in future. Nothing further has tran.p^ed Uus^eek 
as regards legal opinions on the new BetUng Bill ; hut wo 
hear that two members of Tut tennis intend to try a fall 
in the Common Pleas, early next February. The case is 
one of horse warranty, and will be tned by a special jury. 
The roar of the roaring discussion is sttll hoard ; but 
reallv, after the distinguished proof of racing powers, in 
spite of such an infirmity, which we have lately had in 
Longbow, whenever he was able to “ wait off, and I was 
not out of his distance, owners do not attach one tithe of 
the importance to it which veterinary surgeons profess to 
do. In fact, by way of comment, they have begun to back 
his half brother, Boiardo (who has the malady to perfection), 
for the 2,000 Guineas. His roaring cannot be immediately 
hereditary, at all events, ns we novel- heard such a com- 
plaint laid to the charge of either Orlando or Miss Bowe; 
and most assuredly, neither of the grandsires, Touchstone 
and Cation, were so held, however their consorts might be. 
If he reaches Newmarket, he will have to “ blow great guns 
bv the side of Champagne, Phaeton, and Ruby- Tl,e 
is believed to belong to a small “ Co., and if their pi riva i e 
trial in the spring emboldens them to back him for the 2,000 
Guineas as spiritedly as they did at Northampton last year, 
the adherents of the present Derby favourites may well be- 
gin to quake in their Wellingtons. E. Jones has succeeded in 
keeping his real merits, since that day, a profound secret. 
Some sav he has lost his temper, others that he has grown 
too big but no one seems to know anything for a certain y 
respecting these mental and physical developments. 
One word to our racing friends in conclusion. The ensuing 
season opens on Thursday, at Newton, and never were its 
general prospects more bright. It is for us to act as 
chroniclers of its Sayings and Doings ; but it is for them, by a 
frank and early communication of all legitimate intelligence 
from the stud-farm, the training-ground, and the race- 
course, to make that chronicle really interesting and worthy 
of its motto. 
THE FRENCH TURF, AS IT WAS AND AS IT IS. 
Thb French boast of the antiquity of their races, 
which commenced at Semur, a small town in the east of 
France (formerly the place of meeting of the states oi 
parliament of Burgundy) and which have been carried on 
over since the reign of Charles Y. The races have always 
come off on the same day— the Thursday after 1 entecost. 
The prizes have undergone no alteration since 1850, and 
consist of a gold ring, a white scarf, a pair of gloves trimmed 
with golden fringe, and a purse containing forty francs. 
Centurv after century have these humble races been always 
looked forward to, at the appointed day, by the inhabitants 
of the surrounding neighbourhood ; but several ages elapsed 
before the love of sport was engrafted into other parts of 
France. , , 
Before we find the annals of any other turf exploits, we 
must put on onr 6even-leagued boots, and leap from 1350 to 
1776, from Semur to Paris, from Charles V. to the 
Count d’Artois and the Duke de Chartres, when the 
taste or rather the passion for racing and horses, which 
had declined siDce the days of the tournaments, now 
revived and produced quite an Anglomania. The Duke de 
Chartres ( Egalite ) having visited England, where he was 
much taken with our customs and habits, especially our 
method of training, on his return to Frauce, his rage for 
the turf became so violent that he always appeared m public 
in a Newmarket coat, top boots, and leathers ; his whole 
time and attention were given up to horses, bets and jockeys ; 
nnd the voung nobles of the court were delighted at finding 
this wide field of pleasure and excitement thrown open to 
them. The huge powdered wigs, the red high-heeled shoes, 
the silk and velvet coats and waistcoats, the lace frills and 
buckles were Jthrown aside, and Paris looked like a vast 
stable yard. On the 5th November, 177G, a match was got 
up between the above-mentioned noble sportsman and 
Major Bunkes, but it did not come off. On the following 
days there was, however, some good running between Barbary 
and Comus, both the property of the Count d’Artois; 
Partner, belonging to the Duke de Chartres; Pilgrim, to 
the Due de Lauzun; Nip, to the Marquis dc Confluns, and 
a French horse calied L’Abbe, belonging to the Prince de 
Guemenee, who carried off every prize. Whether L’Abbe 
wa> bond fide of French or English extraction we cannot 
take upon ourselves to decide, as no foreign stud book of that 
day is in existence : suffice it to say, that in the following 
year he beat eight English horses. An event came off the 
same day that was very creditable to noviciates in the turf, 
namely a sweepstakes of forty horses, which was run for at 
Fontainbleau. 
Large sums were now depending upon the event of every 
race, the noblemen turned jockeys, and thought of little but 
the turf. When the young and dissipated Count Lauragais 
appeared iu the presence of Louis XV., after a long abseuce, 
the king coldly inquired “ where he had been for some 
time?” “ Sire, in England,” the count replied. “ What did 
you there ?” “I learnt there, please your Majesty, to think 
” “ of horses,” retorted the monarch. The nation, indeed, 
frivolous as they were, saw with indignation the behaviour of 
the Due de Chartres and the Comte D’Artois. These princes 
not only associated with their grooms, and entered into all 
those scandalous combinations which this species of gaming 
offers, but treated the people at the courses with the most 
ineffable contempt or savage ferocity. 
It was an edifying spectacle to see the Due de Lauragais 
running against M. De Pension ; the last fell from his horse, 
broke his arm, and lost his wager. The same gentleman 
betted with another nobleman who could reach Versailles 
and return to Paris the quickest, in a single-horse chaise]; 
the horse of the first died at Sevres, and the other expired in 
the stable at Paris, a few hours after his return. 
These frivolous courtiers, not satisfied with exercising their 
inhumanity on their horses, exposed themselves to the 
derision of the Parisians by other kinds of races. Tho Due 
de Chartres, the Due de Luuzun.and the Marquis Fitzjames 
had a sweepstake of 500 louis each, a foot-race to Versailles 
Lauzun, “shut up " about h{llf-way, Chartres cumo to a 
stand-Mill at the end of two-thirds, and Fitzjames, awfully 
exhausted, was saluted as conqueror by the Comte d’Artois. 
He, however, like a hero nearly expiring in the arms of 
victory, called for a bed, was immediately bled, and gained 
his wager and an asthma. 
Not satisfied with horse and foot racing by the courtiers, 
the Queen patronised donkey races. She animated by her 
presence the countrymen in the neighbourhood, and the 
winner received for his guerdon three hundred Hvres, and 
a golden thistle, emblematical of the food to which the steeds 
were partial, and not very inappropriate to the asinine pro- 
pensities of the “ gentlemen sportsmen.” It was about this 
period that a “skit” was perpetrated at Chantilly against 
our equinino nation, the motto of tho order of the gai ter 
being thus transmogrified, and placed over tho stable doors. 
<• Uo n j soit qui mill y pause," which literally translated 
roads as follows : “ Shame to him who badly grooms. 
To return to sport iu France, the first essay may bo traced 
to a bet which was made by an English gentleman visiting 
the Court of Fontainbleau, that he would ride from that 
town to the Barricre des Gobelins, Paris, in two hours. 
Tho wager was for a thousand louis, and was won by oui 
countryman, with some minutes to spare. The following 
year n French nobleman of distinction established some races 
on the Plaine des Tablons. He attempted, in vain, to fix 
periodical meetings, and racing was for some years discon- 
tinued. At length a meeting took place in the Bois des 
Vincennes; hut it did not add much to the glory or 
a.lvautago of tho nation, as all the horses were brought 
expressly from England. Annual races were shortly after- 
wards instituted, where none but native horses were allowed 
to run, und where prizes were given by the government to 
encourage the breed of them. From that period to the 
time l refer to, little progress was made on the turf, and as 
there is no Parisian calendar to record the doings, I must 
pass over the chasm, and bring my readers to the month of 
July, 1845, when I accompanied a young Frenchman in his 
buggy anglais to the summer meeting in the Champ de 
Mars. The vehicle was a high, gaudy-coloured dennet, 
with arras covering tho panels, huge lamps, and showy 
harness, that would have done credit to a lord mayor s 
turn out, on tho 9th of November. Proceeding to the race- 
course, we crossed the Pont dc Jena, a fine bridge, consist- 
ing of five handsome arches, built to commemorate the 
famous battle over the Prussians on the lltli of October, 
1806, and which, in 1815, escaped being broken up by the 
now triumphant army of that nation under the veteran 
Bluclicr; to tho credit of Wellington, be it said, that owing 
to his energetic interference, the bridge and other monuments 
in Paris were respected during its occupation by the allies. 
We ihen reached the arena for the sports. The Champ dc 
Mars is an immense oblong space, between L'Ecolc Militairc 
and the river Seine, of 2,700 feet by 1,320. It is flanked 
by ditches faced with stone, has four rows of trees on each 
side, and is entered by five gates. The sloping embankments, 
extending nearly its whoio length, were lormed by the 
population of Paris, of both sexes, and all ranks, in 1790, 
for the celebrated Fete de la Federation, which took place 
on the 14th of July in that year, when an altar, called 
L'Autel dc la Patric, was erected in the centre, and Louis 
XVI., seated in a superb amphitheatre, in front of L'Ecole 
Militairc, made oath to maintain the new constitution. 
More than sixty thousand persons were constantly at work 
until the embankments were completed. These elevations 
are sufficiently lofty to allow spectators to obtain a view of 
the races, reviews, and fetes , which take place in this cele- 
brated spot. Here Napoleon held the famous Champ de 
Alai, previous to that important battle which decided the 
fate of nations. We have digressed,— return we to the 
meeting, which, as far as sport went, was equal to any in 
England, save and except Epsom, Ascot, and Doncaster ; 
butas the detail of it has already appeared in the prints of 
the day, we pass it over, and will merely in conclusion make 
a few remarks on the present state of the French turf. 
Within a few years the progress has been wonderfully 
great, the most rapid strides have been made, and Franco 
can now bo looked upon as a sporting country. She can 
boast of her spring and summer meetings in Paris, Chantilly, 
and Versailles (the Epsom, Ascot, and Doncaster of the 
Continent) ; she may bo proud of her racing 6tuds, her 
steeplechases, and the great improvement in the breed of 
her horses. In confirmation of this we give an extract from 
an old Time s newspaper, since which a variety of our best 
blood has been infused into France: — 
“ The French Turf. — T he French Government, with 
the view of further improving the breed of horses in France, 
are making large purchases of animals of the pure blood of 
this country. The Emperor, formerly the property of the 
Earl of Albemarle, and winner of the first Emperor's plate 
at Ascot, has been bought at the instance of the French 
authorities for a large sum. Nunny kirk, formerly a favourite 
for the Derby, and the second for the St. Leger to the 
Flying Dutchman, has also been bought within the last 
week. This horse is by Touchstone, his dam being Mr. 
Ord’s celebrated mare Beeswing.’’ 
“ Ion,” late the property of Colonel Peel, has lately been 
added to the stud. A weekly contemporary gives the fol- 
lowing paragraph : — 
“ The production of horses has everywhere made great 
progress, and presents the most favourable results. The 
administration of the Haras, which proceeds with order and 
regularity, has merited the highest praise from the army 
and from the agricultural interests. The number of horses 
has increased in the country, and their value has augmented. 
The institution of racing has this year acquired considerable 
extension ; throughout the whole country a sum of 800,000 
francs has been devoted to that object. As the portion of 
the State only amounts to 300,000 francs in this account, 
it is evident that the local authorities have afforded them a 
powerful co-operation.” 
50 to 1 Mr. Harrison’s King of Trumps (taken) 
1,000 to 15 Mr. I. Day’s Llanrorda (taken) 
Two Thousand Guinea Stakes. 
7 to 2 agst Lord Derby's Boiardo (taken) 
Derby. 
3 to 1 nest Autocrat and King Tom, coupled (taken) 
s to 1 Baron Rothschild's King Tom (taken) 
13 to 1 Lord Derby's Dervish (taken) 
25 to l Mr. J. Adkins's Ruby (tuken) 
33 i Mr. Howard's Scythian (taken) 
50 to 1 Mr. A. Nlchol’s Honeysuckle (taken) 
50 t 0 i Mr. W. Smith's Old Knoll (taken) 
1 000 to 15 Count Battliyany's Star of Surrey (token) 
Oaks. 
4 to 1 ogst Lord Derby’s Meteorn (taken). 
Thursday. 
A marked alteration took place with respeot to Newminstor 
for tho Chester Cnp. On Monday the greutest odds quoted 
against him were, 1,000 to 60 ; but at the beginning of business 
this nftemoon, 20 to 1 was freely *betted, and nlthough as little os 
17 to 1 found an acceptance, 20 to 1 might still ho had at the 
close. 2,000 to 50 was taken nbout Nabob, nnd 800 to 20 about 
Aldford ; 1,000 to 20 taken about Star of Surrey, and the samo 
nbout Horatio ; 750 to 15 about Cobnut ; 600 to 10 about Llan- 
fordn and Jack Frost ; 1,000 to 15 each Lurley nnd Urabriel. 
Liverpool Stbbplecuase.— 10 to 1 would have been taken 
nbout Miss Mowbrny, nnd 20 to 1, to some money, about 
^Metropolitan Stakes.— 100 to 0 taken nbout Royalist, and 
afterwards offered. In tho City ho hud been backed, for a good 
deal of money, at 20 to 1. _ , . . 
Derby. — A strong commission wns in the market to take li 
to 2 about Autocrat, but no one wns disposed to lny more tliun 
5 to 1 ; 8 to 1 offered nguinst King Tom, nnd 13 to 1 taken to a 
pony about Dervish. 
Liverpool Steeplechase. 
9 to 1 ngst Mr. T. Mason's Miss Mowbray (take 10 to 1) 
20 to 1 Mr. Barling's Bedford (taken) 
20 to 1 Lord Waterford's Lord George (offered) 
Sir Peter Laurie is struck out. 
Metropolitan Stakes. 
20 to 1 agst Mr. A. Nichol s Newminster (tnken and offered). 
40 to 1 Mr. Howard's Nabob (taken) 
40 to 1 Mr. Parker's Aldford (taken) 
50 t 0 i Mr. Barber's Cobnnt (taken) 
50 to 1 Count Batthyany's Star of Surrey (taken) 
50 to 1 Mr. Inman's Horatio (taken) 
50 to 1 Mr. Drinknld's Jack Frost (taken) 
50 to 1 Mr. J. Day's Llanforda (taken) 
1,000 to 15 Mr. Bailey's Lurley (tukeu) 
1,000 to 15 Lord Derby’s Umbricl (taken) 
Two Thousand Guineas Stakes. 
4 to 1 agst Lord Derby's Boiardo (taken) 
Derbt. 
6 to 1 agst Mr. R. E. Cooper's Autocrat (take 11 to 2) 
13 to 1 Lord Derby's Dervish (taken) 
20 to 1 Boiardo winning the Two Thousand, and Autocrat 
the Derby (taken) 
30 to 1 Ruby and Autocrat for the same events (taken) 
BETTING AT MANCHESTER— Tuesday. 
There was a pretty fair muster at the rooms this morning ; but 
speculation wus anything but brisk. For the Grand Nalionul 
the only horses in force were Half-and-Half, Lord George, nnd 
Comcnwoy. For the Derby, Autocrat was in greut force at tho 
price quoted. 
Liverpool G. N. Steeplechase. 
9 to 1 agst Half-and-Hulf (t) I 30 to 1 agst LabyTlnth (t) 
10 to 1 Miss Mowbray (t) 25 to 1 The Trout (t) 
12 to l Lord George (t) | 33 to 1 Maurice Daly (t) 
15 to 1 Comeaway (t) [ 
Great Northern Handicap. 
45 to 1 agst Lough Hawn (t) I 60 to 1 agst Ulster (t) 
50 to 1 Tross (t) 60 to 1 Vindex (t) 
50 to 1 Falcoln (t) 
Chester Cup. 
20 to 1 agst Newminster (offd) 
30 to 1 Tom (t) 
40 to 1 Alfred (t) 
50 lo 1 Sandhurst (t) 
50 to 1 Jack Frost (t) 
GO to 1 Nelly (t) 
80 to 1 Star of Surrey (t) 
Derby. 
fi to 1 agst Autocrat (t) 
8 to 1 King Tom (t) 
13 to 1 Dervish (t) 
30 to 1 Scythian (t) 
600 to 5 agst Little Jem (t) 
600 to 6 Jewess (t) 
600 to 6 Gamekeeper (t) 
500 to 5 Olson (t) 
1,500 to 15 Banlbec (t) 
1,000 to 16 Wihllluntsman(t) 
50 to 1 agst The Trapper (t) 
1000 to 15 Belgrave (t) 
1000 to 10 Early Bird (t) 
®jre ®urf. 
BY THE FLYING DUTCHMAN. 
THE LATEST STATE OF THE ODDS. 
TaTTERSALL'8.— Monday. 
Although several members were present this afternoon, busi- 
ness could scarcely be less devoid of interest. Tiie only movement 
of the slightest impoitunce wns the advuncc of Newminster for 
the Chester Cup. 1,000/. to 60/. was booked, und al'terwnrds 
150/. laid out ut 20 to 1. 750 to 25 was taken about Tom, 1,000 
to 25 about Aldford ; 500 to 10 each, Cutspnw, Nabob, and King 
of Trumps, in one bet, aud 1,S00 to 15 about Llunfordn. 
Not a bet wns made nbout either the Metropolitan or the Great 
Northern Handicap. 
Thi Derby.— 3 to 1 in hundreds wns token nbout Autocrat 
nnd King Torn coupled, nnd His Majestv was backed separately 
at 8 to 1 for 50/., the taker offeriug to go on. 325 to 25 wns 
taken nbout Dervish, C25 to 25 about Ruby, 1,000 to 30 Scythian, 
1,600 to 30 about Honeysuckle, und the earno nbout Old Noll. 
1,000 to 15 nbout the Slur of Surrey. 
1,000 to 5 was betted three times ngninst Honeysuckle winning 
Derby nnd Ouks. Closing prices : — 
Liverpool Steeplechase. 
10 to 1 agst Mr. T. Mason's Miss Mowbray (taken) 
Chester Cui*. 
HO to C agst Mr. A. Nichol s Newminster (taken) 
to 1 Mr. G. B. Price s 'l orn (taken) 
4) to 1 Mr. Parker's Aldford (taken) 
H) to 1 Mr. Howard's Cutspnw (taken) 
lb to 1 — Mr. Howard's Nabob (taken) m 
FniDAT. 
The onlychnngc in the transactions here to-day were a stronger 
disposition to back Miss Mowbray for the Liverpool Steeplechase, 
nnd to lny against Lord George. For the Chester Cup, Stnr of 
Surrey wns hocked at the commencement of business at 50 to 1, 
und finished ut 40 to 1, takers willing to go on. Royalist was 
backed yesterday for the Metropolitan at 1,000 to 60, nnd V irngo 
at 20 to 1. Neither the Two Thousand Guineas nor the Derby 
were touched upon. 
Liverwol Steeplechase. 
20 to 1 agst La Gazza Ladru (taken) 
14 to 1 Comeaway (taken) 
9 lo 1 Hali-ond-hulf (token) 
9 to 1 Miss Mowbray (taken) 
1000 to 60 Peter (tuken) 
20 to 1 Lobster (taken) 
25 to 1 The Trout (taken) 
30 to 1 Burnt Siena (tuken) 
33 to 1 Lord George (offered) 
Great Northern Handicap. 
40 to 1 agst Vindex (taken) 
60 to 1 Tros (token) 
60 to 1 Testator (taken) 
50 to 1 Ratcliff Hero (tuken 
Metropolitan. 
10 to 1 agst Royalist (taken). 
20 to 1 Virago (offered). 
Chester Cup. 
20 to 1 ngst Newminster (offered). 
30 to 1 Tom (offered). 
40 to 1 Star of Surrey (tnken) 
40 to 1 Sandhurst (taken). 
50 to 1 Marc Antony (tnken). 
60 to 1 Llanforda (tnken). 
50 to 1 Nabob (taken). 
r,o to 1 Horatio (tnken.) 
5.000 to 7 Orson (taken) 
1.000 to 12 Doctor O Toole (taken) 
Dwpmws, Dominations, uni ^mptantes. 
WARWICK SPRING MEETING. 
The following stakes close on Wednesday next, February 1. 
The Great Warwickshire Handicap I The Trial Stakes 
The Two-year old Stukcs The free llundlcap 
Tho Willoughby Handicap I 
COVENTRY ANNUAL MEETING. 
Tho Coventry Hundlcay (flat race) I The Free Handicap Hurdle Raco 
The Craven Steeplechase | _ 
Pctworth 
Waterford 
Marengo 
The Farmer 
Need wood 
Carrlg 
The Ranger 
California 
CARMARTHEN MEETING. 
Entries for the Carmarthen Open Steeplechase. 
Multum in parvo Olympia 
Necdwood Milford 
The Linnet Esmeralda 
II m by Mango Hazard 
Little Hose The Slave 
The Pilot The Don 
California 
I Jemima 
Lottery 
Ilurkaway 
1 1 iizurd 
Esmeralda 
Topsy 
Boyulty 
Needle 
Marengo 
