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THE VANDERBILT HORSES IN FRANCE. The return of William Duke on a visit brings freshly .to mibd the great success he achieved" iu France this year with the Vanderbllt horses. It also suggests that it is a matter of real regret that Mr. Vanderbilts splendid establishment is not located in the country of his birth instead of a foreign land. Could his powerful stable be landed intact in New York to take part In next years racing in the east it would add an element of extraordinary Interest to the American turf. For Mr. Vanderbllt this year Prestige won the Prix de St Cloud, the Eugene Adam Stakes, the Prix du Prince de Galles, the Yictor Stakes and the Seymour Stakes. Maintenon won, the Hocquart Stakes, the Lupin Stakes, the French Derby, the Prize of the President of the Republic, the Long-champs Stakes, the Grand Prix de Deauville and the Prix de Consell Municipal; Terburg, the Blangy Stakes, the Prix de Ville dAvray, the Observatolre Stakes and the Vieuxpont Stakes; Malta, the Coeur-volant Stakes and the Prix Arc de Triomphe; Luin-Ineuse, the Prix Chamln de Fer; Maroc, the Prix Gulliver; Pimlico, the Prix de la Ville; Aracia, the Prix Conseil-General, and Madge, the Yacowlef Stakes. Trainer Duke has presided over the Vanderbllt tralnng quarters about five years. His first venture abroad was as a horse owner of his own account in England and France, but he gave tills up, and within a year from the time he took hold of the Vanderbllt horses he made the stable a leader in France. The Vanderbllt stud is at the Haras de Vlllebon, about twelve miles from Paris, and the training ground is at St. Louis de Possy, twenty-two miles from Paris and about six miles from the great race course of Maisons Laffitte. At the training ground are two tracks in a private inclosure, one a prepared earth course on the style of those In this country, and the other a turf course a mile and a quarter In circumference. The stables are of the most modern structure and there Is every comfort and convenience for the horses and their attendants. Racing in France Is vastly different from the sport as it is conducted here, and though the big prizes there attract about the best horses In the world the running of two-year-olds is so restricted that horses of that age lo not get a chance until August, and then they compete for prizes that are not big enough to tempt the cupidity of owners. With the restriction on the youngsters selling events for older horses have an Important part In French racing, and the greatest turfmen in France patronize them. Horses of an extremely high class run in the selling races, and the Vanderbllt stable has lost several through their being claimed.
