“pray, what is a gentleman without his RECREATIONS ?” 
Vol. III. — No. 71.] 
Saturday, May G, 1854. 
[With Supplement, Price 6 d . 
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 
HERMIT, WINNER OF THE 2000 GUINEA STAKES. 
NEWMARKET PALACE. 
M.W SUBSCRIPTION ROOM, NEWMARKET 
iiLD BETTING ROOMS, NEW MARKET. 
NEW BETTING ROOMS, NEWMARKET. 
INITIAL AND ILLUSTRATION FOR THE MONTH -MAI. 
NEW LIFE ROCKET. 
Mr CHADWICK'S NEW METER. 
PLAN OF ODESSA. 
THE GOLDEN FLEECE STEAMER. 
CONTENTS. 
Racing.— Turf Talk— Newmarket Craven Meeting— Sporting Ml*, 
cellancous, &c. . , ...... ... 
Yachting — Royal Thames, Welsh, Medway, London Model, and other 
Meetings —Rowing. 
Cricket.— A t Rugby, Malta, &c. 
Oun Opera Glass — French nays— Adelplil, and other Theatres. 
The War —Capture by an American Privateer— News from the Black 
Sea and Baltic. 
Letter Bag— Book-— Theatres— C nEss. 
| Original Articles:— News of the Week, &c. &o. 
Parliamentary Summary— Gold Fields — I’oreig: 
Police -Metrotolis, &u. 
Markets, &c. 
and Colonial — 
PRINCIPAL ILLUSTRATIONS NEXT WEEK. 
Vice- Jommodoro 
Portrait of Via ago. 
General view of CronsTadT, from a Sketch by 
Pearce, R.W.Y.C. 
The Columman Fowl. 
One of Tin; Pleasures of Angi.imq. 
John Scoti’s i n using Stadi.es at M-alton. 
Wrestling — Three Illustrations. 
TURF TALK. 
"The chosen sport of a great and a free people. * 1 ' 
Ope Sailor Kino. 
TTEW races have excited more interest than the recent Two 
i 1 Thousand Guineas, but it has quite failed in rolling 
nway the cloud which at present envelops the Derby. The 
showers had put the Heath in splendid order, so that, as far 
as a good trial was concerned among the animals which did 
appear, nothing could be belter. Ruby was the “ groat 
mystery man ” of the hour, and never were a party more 
chary of letting any light on to the subject, than the men of 
Hockley were. As fur as we could learn, thoy had him out 
at five on the morning of the race, and gave linn a gentle 
canter, and thus dispensed witli all preliminary canters 
when lie was stripped in the afternoon. About ten o clock 
he was politely wailed on by ft the dentists,” and thus all the 
cock and bull stories about the Yorkshire trainer who saw 
him at Doncaster in his sheets, and swore violently that he 
was not the samo Ruby that ran at Northampton, were 
for over set at rest. Wo never knew tlio public car so 
stupidly greedy of rumours as it has been on this point, just 
as if any ono, however ill-disposed, could play such tricks 
with a stinted horse like Bay Middleton. Alembic was also 
a good deal talked about in the morning, and ono might 
have suppose d, from the anticipations of some of his admirers, 
that Isaac Day had learnt the sorcerer’s art of cutting a 
horse to pieces, boiling him in some cauldron, and turning 
him out quite a now creature. S imo shrewd suspicions ot 
Hermit's capabilities also began to bo entertained, in con- 
sequence of the report that Davis was getting on such a vast 
sum against the favourites, that he could not possibly be 
doing it on his own account. It will be remembered that a 
fortnight ago we stated that “ The Hermit, who is a vory fine 
animal, and quite dark, is said to be much thought of by his 
stable fur this event,” and wo last week mentioned him as 
the Danebury starter, and not Dr. O’Toole. 
The jockeys were more form., -te this year than they wore 
last, as a tremendous shower sfu i- itself just before they 
saddled, nnd the very instant they were safe in the weighing- 
house, it came down with remorseless fury. Roiardo was 
tho first to show, and with Butler (who is nearly right 
again now) leading the way on bis back, lie emerged from 
the Rubbing-houso mul took two capital cantors. He was 
full of spirits, hut he isa very light-middled horse, und inde- 
pendently of his taste for music, lie did not look at. nil like 
staying. Six mouths’ rest bus done nothing for tho Pliysalis 
colt, nnd it is difficult to see how lie could ever have raised 
mucli hopes in Ids stable 5 while Champagne has not grown, 
to our eye. Middlesex was a great flno horse, with a very 
largo forehand and quarters connected by a light iniddh' 
picco ; and. Muscovado was pretty, but, ns it struck us, not 
forward enough in his preparation. Tho same roinnrk upplh 
to Alembic, who looked very much improved, and mu such 
a flat-sided, undeveloped animal ho seemed likely to bo in 
his Ham Stake days. Hermit is n good-ehouldorcd, but by 
no means a useful looking horse, light-timbered, rut tier 
leggy, und with a woak back. Ilia head is rather coarsely 
set on, and oiirgeucral Impi'csdon of him was that ho is a 
speedy uoimal, Who wo? iilWifj .• be host served at a mile. 
Ruby had * tercised his magic skill up till nearly tho 
eleventh hour, but when it was found that Bartholomew 
was not to ride him, and that Preece, tho light-weight of 
the stable, bud gone” dressed” to the Heath for that purpose, 
its power hugan to wane. Every eye was on him as Jones, 
fortified in a eou’-westor and oilskin, led him solemnly forth 
hermit," winner of the two thousand GUINEA STAKES.-!*** ht n. mu. 
