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■ . j i | WINTER NEWS OF ENGLISH HORSES. I 1 Slieve Gallions Race Derby — Velocity Thriving — Crack Two-Year-Olds Unsound. London, December 2S. — of Slieve Gallion. which has gone to Austria. I always believe he would have won the 19 7 Epsom Derby had it been possible to steady him half-way down the hill and let him get second wind. It may be. of course, that no jockey could have done this, the horses ewe neck being a handicap to any horseman, but, be that as it may. his lack of stamina was not proven, for no horse that ever was foaled could gallop a mile and a half without a chance of getting his second wind. It is a physical impossibility, and has nothing to do with stamina or the lack of it. However, Slieve Gallion has gone, and there is no ne"l to argue further about him. That he was a brilliant miler 110 one will deny, and when I ilaim that he should have won the Derby. 1 do not mean that he stayed any better than Hermit. Bend Or. Melton, or many others which have compassed one mile and a half at Epsom without serious pretensions to really get that distance. From his trainer, Mr. Peebles, at Newbury, I learn that Velocity is as well in health as ever he was, though it would not be possible to thoroughly wind him up again, which is the more regrettable, as "I would." said he, "give anything to have another cut at The White Knight, or anything else." Velocity is to go to the stud next season and. though he may not be as fashionably bred as some of his contemporaries, he can certainly hold his own against any of them for size, power. goo l looks and beautiful quality. In the meanwhile ha may be sold, for it is no secret that the foreigners are anxious to buy him, and if they succeed, they will get a sterling good horse. It is to be feared that the report as to White . Eagle being touched in his wind Is all too true. He. Prospector and Sir Archibald all came upon evil days, but Mountain Apple passed through the season unscathed, and without l eing hard trained. There must be very great possibilities in his case, the two-year-old fillies are undeniably good, Lesbla. Bracelet and French Partridge being probably the best, though I should include Rhodora. of course, if she were trained in England. Rhodora was tried with Whltsbury at even weights before the Dew burst Plate, and she beat him easily by two lengths. Whltsbury was then in his best form, and is a perfectly trustworthy trial horse. This does not compare with Persimmons ability as a two-year-old to l eat Vgly at evens, nor yet with St. Frusquins defeat of Grig, but is good enough to satisfy most people. Of the leading sires Gallinule is returned with 2i living foals, one being a brother to Pretty Polly. Ht. Frusquin has 21, St. Serf 22. Santoi 28, St. Simon 10. Marco 29, Ladas 14, Forfarshire 29. Collar 23 and several abroad, besides one of Mr. Simons Harrisons not accounted for, Cyllene 25. Desmond 20. Ayrshire IS. Eager 20, Florizel II. 19, Galashiels 2ti. Isinglass 23, Kings Messenger 19. Lord Bobs IS. Mackintosh 18. Missel Thrush 2::. Persimmon 24, Rook Sand 13, Robert le Diable IS. Incle Mac 23. Wildfowler 23, and Volodyovski 24. Then are eight English-born foals of Flying Fox. and four out of Ajax. whose brother, Adam, now in Amoricu. has, 1 hear, two splendid foals at the .lardy Stud, sired within a week or two of Adam being turned out of training in the spring of last year. Among comparatively unpretentious horses I •M that Foundling, one of the very best of all the Kings Premium winners, has five thoroughbred fo.ils out of good mares, so that there are considerable possibilities in his case. Old Common has returned to favor, and has 19 foals. Couut Schotn-berg has 22. , Another sire has been added to those standing at the Jardy Stud of M. Edmond Blanc in France. Ajax. a brother of Adam, which, by Flying Fox, out of Amie. by tl.unart. out of Alice, by Welling Ionia, iitiu bred by his owner, has gone M America, gives an excellent indication of bis pmlialde success at the stud where, with Flying Fox. Chaleureux and Saxon, he is destined to be the sire of future winners. The ]*is Cap prospects are not particularly brilliant unless a good one be found in the rising generation as represented by Galvani. Wool Winder. Orby and possibly Baltinglass, the star of the old ones haviug disappeared with the retirement of Velocity. Still, we may hope to hold our own against all foreign invasion, for no champion on the Continent is in sight. In Prospector, by Pioneer, out of Kendal Belle. the Messrs. Drowning are possessed of a colt which, were there at the moment any serious wagering on next years Derby, would in all prohability be favorite. Vigilant has this in a recent Sportsman: "Of horses imported into England, a most remarkable, failure is the New Zealander. Noctuiforni. which has beeu a source of constant disapi ointment. and. one way aud another, has cost his plucky ownor a heap of money. It is no longer permitted to administer stimulants to horses preparatory to their race a, otherwise I would have suggested a dose in the hope of infusing some courage into the son of Multiform and La Notte. Morpeth II.. which came from Hungary with a tall reputation, has returned empty-handed after one feeble attempt iu the Ascot Gold Cup, but of the Russian champiou. Hammur-ahi. little is known exeept that at his one and only essay he ran away from such as Devilled Truffle, Vashmak. Sweet Tooth. Baileys Oale. and My Mella iu tha Sunningdale Park Plate at Kempton Park. There is. in fact, nothing to suggest that he ie of the same high class as was his sire, Galtce Mote. Had that been so we should doubtless have I 1 seen more of him, unless, indeed, he be one of the many horses that went amiss at Beckhampton and . upset the autumn program of that famous establishment. The hopes at Great Scot, having won two Viceroys Cups in India, would be able successfully to compete with the best horses over here were far from realized, and it was only in moderate company he could win. He is by Loehiel — laatd Mary, throwing back to the famous Blair Athol. . and should be valuable at the Cobham Stud if for that reason alone.
