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HIGH OPINION OF KING EDWARDS PERKIER. His Epsom Derby Chance Deemed Second to None — Descendants of Lily Agnes and Hira. New York. February 11. — At lient there have been some wagers made in the London betting clubs upon this years Derby and Prospecfor has keea made favorite at 3 to 1. Leshia, winner of the Middle Park Plate, is second choice at 6 to 1 and King Edwards Perrier is at ft to 1. Concerning this last-named, he has been made the subject of some very laudatory remarks by an English turf writer. It is quite within the bounds of possibility that Perrier may win the Derby and for the first time the present king may see his colors victorious as king, for the two horses which won the Derby for AHiert Edward — -Persimmon and Diamond Jubilee — did so when he was Prince of Wales. As to Perrier, a correspondent has written as follows: "None of the classic three-year-olds I have seen struck me as having made more improvement than this great, lathering son of Persimmon, which is a colt of high quality, and, if anything, better looking at the same age than was his sire. Perrier Is a heavy horse and ungainly in his slow paces, but a rare goer when fully stretched and I shall be as greatly surprised as disappointed should he not develop into a first rate performer. He ran but once last year, it having been determined 011 to give him every possible chance to mature and. though of course, pretty straight in condition, was still backward when he made his debut in the Dew-hurst Plate, won by Richard Crokers Rhodoia. Although beaten by that filly, whose fine speed seemed to carry him oft* his legs in the early stages of the race. Perrier ran a good, game raw. for. after he looked to be beaten, he came again with the pluck of a bulldog, and finished second. Indeed, he was running on very stoutly at the end and breasted the hill out of Abingdon Bottom as though the severity of the task was just to his liking. "Hard ground would of necessity militate against his prospects, for he will need cast-iron legs to carry his big frame. Not that there exists any fear in this respect, for at present they are as clean looking and hard as bars of silver. He is, in short, a very fine, good looking horse and nothing would surprise me less than to see Perrier given the fashiouable drink on the afternoon of Wednesday. June ft. The Derby colt will be ridden by Herbert Jones, who rode Diamond Jubilee for the then Prince of Wales." There has just occurred in England the death of Mr. James Snarry. with whom the fame of the Agnes family will always be associated. Many years ago, the then Sir Tattou Sykes, a famous Yorkshire breeder, gave away to the father of Snarry, who was his stud groom, a mare called Polly Agnes, whose daughter, Lily Agnes, foaled the famous Ormonde, and hence became the ancestress of Orme. Flying Fox and all the produce of the latter, three of whose sous have been sold for 30,000. LAbbesse de Jouarre. an Oaks win ner, bred in the same way as Ormonde, became the dam of Desmond, sire of The White Kuight. the best stayer In England. There is some parallel between Polly Agnes and Hira, the dam of Himyar. True. Hira was not a gift mare, but she was one of the few possessions left to the late Major Thomas upon his return from the war. From Hira there came Himyar and others, but Himyar was enough. As the sire of Domino, which begot Commando and he Peter Pan and Colin. Himyar may well be said to be the most noted stallion of the last quarter of a century. When Peter Pan and Colin go to the stud, there is no estimating the value of what their produce may amount to. even of the "faddists" hamper for a time the turf in this state, but every day adds to the belief that the anti-racing bills will not Ir-eonie laws. The Jockey Club men are working hard to show-to the thinking public what a calamity it would Im? to harass or cripple the development of the thoroughbred. On Sunday 11 clergyman of one denomination was quoted at length in defense of the characters of his congregation, made up for the most |Mtrt of residents of Sheepshead Bay. and today another clergyman, a catholic priest, conies out very strong in a letter, a copy of which he sent to Governor Hughes. In this letter the priest upholds the higli moral character of the inhabitants of Sheepshead Bay, and if Governor Hughes is a fair-minded man, the contents of the letler must make some impression on him. unless he has gone so far in his preconceived notions of the turf as to lie incapable of correcting a misapprehension. It is no news to us here in New York, but it may be to some readers in the west, that there ti actively engaged on the turf here as breeder and lacing man a Catholic priest, who from one mare alone has bred five or six winners. Neither is it news to any well-informed racing man that one of the most famous of Englands divines bred and raced Apology, winner of the Oaks. Jhis clergyman, the Rev. Mr. King, was known on the turf as "Mr. Launde." I myself invited to Belmont Park one-day last fall my parish priest, and after James R. Keenes Colin had won the Champagne Stakes, his last appearance for the year, I introduced the Rev. Father Fahey to Foxhall Keene. The clergyman was delighted with Colins splendid iioints and told me he had never enjoyed a days outing more lhan on this occasion. No more impressive-looking figure is to be seen these days and nights than that of "Dave" John son. He strode through the Waldorf corridor last night as if he was really a millionaire. There is many a millionaire who no doubt envies "Dave" I he ownership of Roseben. "He is looking better than ever," said Johnson in reply to a question as to the big horses condition. Asked what lie thought would be the result of the anti-racing bills at Albany "Dave" said: "I dont think there will be any change in existing laws." Though the wish may have been father to the thought, Johnsons • onlideuce cheered up his auditors. J. J. Burke.
