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AMERICAN STEEPLECHASERS IN FRANCE. The fact that Stokes aud Braggart have lioth won lumping races in nance recently, calls attention to the campaign nfoaecated in thai country by the American owners of the bit steeplechasers thai ran ill Ibis country lasi year. While our leading 1 owners of fiat racers sent their stars to England, nasi devotees of slceulechusiui; as J. L. Wideuer. • leorge Saporlas. Thomas Hitchcock and II. B. Iluryea selected France as a land tit for invasion and we are now formidably represented there by such proved good ones as Hylas. Simon Pure. Alfar. Ma liifca. Rampart. Banyan. Mr. McCann. John at. P., Bayonet. Stokes. Regal Royal. Ambush, Chaseaway. Corncob. Braggart and others. Stokes and Braggart, both of which won at St. Often within a few days past, are iKith four-year-olds and had their introduction to steeploohasing in public in Hie Harbor Hill Cup at Belmoni Park October 14. 1908. Stokes won this race, with Black Bridge second and Regal Roval third and impressed competent observers as a young horse of extraordinary promise as a jumper. Braggart ran unplaced in the same race. Stokes is in Fred Burlews charge and that skillful trainer has made a good beginning Willi him. Ben Ran is also trained by Biirlew. Whether he is a good Jumper or not remains to be seen, but if he proves such, his great luru of speed should suffice to frequently land him i.i front. In bis racing over the New York tracks he was used as a sprinter only, but It is a matter of reeard that many horses thai were nothing but sprinters op the flat stayed excellently when put to stceplcchasing. The best steeplechaser taken to France is the live year old. Simon Pure, by St. Leonards II. — Viol, i S.. in the stable of George Saportas. who raced in this country under the name of the Bonnie Brook Si able. Simon Pure was not raced much, but proved himself a first rater. His first stall yvas iii the Deerfoot Steeplechase at Grave at ad June 2, DOS. He was not ready and ran unplaced to Bay-onet. King Castle and Jimmy Lane. After t liar he started in four races and won them all. a purse at Graveaead Juue s, the Kensington Steeplechase at Graveeend June in, the Independence steeplechase at Sheershoad Bay July 4. and the Inaugural Steeplechase at Slieepshead Bay August 29. In his three stake successes he vanquished the recognized stars of the jumping division and was justly acclaimed our Inst juniper. In Ihe Inaugural iie simply ran away from Thislledale. Sanctus. Agent, Malacca. Collgny, Bayonet. Rufus and Walerspeed. He is well engaged and is nominated to the rich Grande Steeplechase de Paris at Auteuil next Juue. a race that far exceeds the Ltvernaal Grand National in value. If all goes well with him he may prove bard to beat in that great event. Steeplechase and hurdle racing is well developed and highly popular in Prance and no other counlrv i!eo;.s near so much money to the support of Hiis form of racing. Thus it follows that if OUT lumpers prove able to Itold their own in coiu-tMiition with the Preach timber-toppers, the tinaii rial rel urns must prove ipiile satisfactory. It yill be of interest to note how such of our tried jump ers as Simon Pure. Mr. McCann. Bayonet. Alfar and Hylas will fare when competing with the best in Prance on fairly equal terms.
