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TROUTBECK VICTORIOUS IN THE ST. LEGER. Young: Duke of Westminsters Son of Ladas Win3 the Great Classic at Doncaster. London, September 12. At Doncaster today the St. Leger Stakes of 23 sovereigns each for three-year-olds, about one mile, six furlongs and 132 yards, was won by Troutbeck, by Ladas Rydal Mount, owned by the Duke of Westminster. Mr. .7. B. Joels Prince William was second and Beppo, owned by J. A. de Rothschild, was third. There were twelve starters. The favorite, Keystone II., ridden by Maher, the American jockey, ran unplaced. The victory of Troutlieck for the St. Leger was well received, as, since running third in the Derby, he has won five straight, without meeting defeat, showing marked improvement each time he carried silk. Tills son of Ladas is owned by the young Duke of Westminster and this is the first classic victory which lias fallen to the yellow colors his grandfather made so famous since the accession to the title of its present bearer. For the Derby, nfter making running for a mile, Troutbeck could only finish a moderate third to Spearmint and Iicton, so his way In the St. Leger was materially smoothed by the fact that neither of the other placed horses in the Derby was engaged in the race. Iu the eighteenth century it was not necessary to add any public money to races, for the love of sport was then so strong that owners were content to run for their own, as the first St. Leger was morel- a sweepstakes of 25 each, the possible contestants being entered as yearlings and their owners being liable for the full amount, even if their nominations were dead and burled before the contest was decided. These conditions have prevailed ever since, but they are naturally not popular with the owners of the present day, so the entries for this great race have steadily decreased In number since the French horse Rayon dOr, later a very successful sire in this country, won the most valuable St. Leger on. record in 1S79, when an entry of 274 furnished the seventeen starters nearly 5,000 to compete for. Doncaster racecourse over which the St. Leger has always been decided Is an example of municipal ownership, for the town moor on which it is laid out is, as its name suggests, a common owned by the corporation of the little Yorkshire lKrough of Doncaster. At first the town derived only incidental benefits from the races, but when interest in them began to increase, the mayor and his council took charge of all the racing arrangements and the treasury of the lMH-ough reaped all the profits. These, for many years have exceeded 00,000 for the four dhys over which the meeting extends. Despite, however, the large Income the town derived from being the scene of the second greatest race In Eng-land, the management had hitherto refused to contribute any public money to enhance the value of the star event, but the absence of so many drawing cards from the entry list this year caused them to change tactics and the St. Leger of 190S, which closed two weeks ago, has a guaranteed value of over $:0,000 to the owner of the winner, Willi an additional bonus of ,500 for his nominator.
