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EPSOM DERBY CANDIDATES DISCUSSED. First and foremost the principal object of discussion is, of course, The Tetrarch, concerning which there have been adverse rumors ever since lie rapped his leg on the eve of the race and was prevented in consilience from running for the Kcmptoii Park Imperial Produce Stakes in October, prior to which lie had run through seven engagements undefeated and was universally admitted to be out by himself the best of his age. By many he was maguilied Into a wonder of the century, and it is a fact that during ihe latter part of the summer he was hard to back at 5 to 2 for the Derby, Beyond all doubt iie showed time after time phenomenal speed, and that he is a real nailer for pace lias been fully established by his remarkable sequence of victories, but. it does not follow that he will stay, and some good judges are of opinion that he was tiring at the finish, easily as he appeared to win the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster. one such critic having, I understand, been Frank Wootton, who rode Storno-w.iy, second to him. Everyone hopes in the interests of his owner, who is an enthusiastic young sportsman of the very best pattern, that no permanent trouble will result as a consequence of the mishap, and with more or less authority it has been asserted that the son of Koi Ilerode anil Yahren is all right and doing well. AH the same there are almost as many rumors nlloat as there are spots on his handsome body, among then even that lie is touched in his wind, also that his joints will not stand hard training, and again, most serious of all if there be any truth in the report, that the trouble is seated in the pan of his heel. That there is a screw loose somewhere is much to be feared: indeed, it is admitted that he has long been under veterinary treatment, and the announcement that he was fired not long ago has not been denied, but the weakest point of all is that he has been distinctly on the easy list, his work having rarely exceeded walking and trotting, ever since the mishap which pulled him up in ihe autumn. To my mind this is significant of weakness somewhere, and in spite of the eulogistic reports conveyed in the training notes from Stoekbridge I can only say, and that most regretfully, that we are. confronted by another case of "wait and see," for until The Tetrarch has again asserted himself in public faith cannot be re-established. Meanwhile he continues nominally favorite in a minimum market for the Derby, with no backers, the fact being that until something definite is known no one is likely to espouse cither his cause or that of any of his possible contemporaries, for in several instances they, too, are under a certain amount of suspicion. Kennytnore, for instance, is not blessed with the best of joints in front, and to this and the hard ground which prevailed throughout the greater part of the season may reasonably be ascribed his belated debut in the Middle Park Plate; in which he carried 122 pounds and, after beginning slowly, finished third, beaten three lengths from Corcyra, 125 pounds, anil half as far from Stornoway. l"j" pounds, but with Evansdale. Brakespear and Black Jester behind him this was not a bad legiuning for a r0 i to 1 chance. Naturally he was narrowly criticised on his return to the Iiirdcage, and while generally pronounced an exceedingly good-looking horse, except for his weak joints, some of the experts went one step further, and expressed the fear that he . might become a roarer. That the initial race had done him a lot of good, as also the intermediate . gallops at home, was shown emphatically by t lie way in which he acquitted himself in his next and only other race. This was the Dewhurst Plate a fortnight later, when, with the weights favoring him by comparison to the extent of six pounds, he . upset the odds of 5 to 2 laid on Corcyra so decisively that the opinion is justilied that the result would have been the same had they met on even terms. He is a fine horse, by John OGaunt Croccuni. and presumably it is from the sire that he inherits his faulty forelegs that being a not unusual characteristic in his progeny. With Stornoway I am afraid it Is not a case of suspicion, as he is a roarer, and probably it was on the principle of making hay while the sun shone that Air. llulton ran the son of Desmond and Sisterlike for the Clearwell Stakes on the opening day of the Newmarket Second October meeting, rather than keep him in reserve for the Middle Park Plate. It was sound policy, as he beat lilac; Jester, and won the former event easily enough, but tlie longer and severer course on Friday stopped him effectually, when he was a harmless factor as far as concerned Corcyra when the ascent out of the Abingdon Dip had to le faced. Ilapsburg has wintered wonderfully well, anil without growing nuieli in height, lias developed enormously throughout, his frame, but he impressed me as more likely to go fast than stay, being, in fact, just the cut of a Two Thousand Guineas horse. Flying Orb, another good smart performer as a two-year-old, is wrong in his wind unfortunately, but I have not heard anything detrimental to liy George, the third foal of the lovely mare. Queens Holiday, which previously produced Chan pagne Charlie, by Cupbearer, and Queens Parade, by Count Schoniberg. Iiy George is a remarkably good-looking bay son of Lally, and belongs to a good all-round sportsman in Capt. Forester, who has had bis fair share of Fortunes smiles as an owner of racehorses, one of the most successful of which was Hacklers Pride, winner of the Cambridgeshire two years in succession. On the occasion of his debut at Salisbury in .May liy George was the recipient of ten pounds and a good hiding in I lie bargain from Aldford. but on the same course at the liihury Club celebration in July lie easily beat Black Jester at a couple of pounds for the Champagne Stakes, and when giving nine pounds to Miss Issippi in September was flukily beaten by a head for the Little Breeders Plate at Warwick. His only other race handsomely confirmed the good opinion which had been always entertained of him, as, with 12S pounds up at ICeinpton Park, he ran clear awav from Sunny Land 110 pounds. Long-town 120 pounds. Lanius. St. Spasa. Evansdale, Ilapsburg, and others in the Imperial Produce Stakes. According to all acounts. ho has made completely satisfactory progress throughout the winter recess, aud is, I should say. at present as good a favorite as anything for the Derby. Such remarkable surprises have been effected in connection with the Derby within the past few years that one must lie prepared for anvlhing. and by way of emphasising my point I will merely ask who would at the corresponding period in .the several years concerned have thought seriously of Spearmint" Orbv. Signorinetta. MInorn. Tngalie. or Aboy our as prospective winners of Hie Blue Riband. While there is life there is hope, and all owners practically Interested in the classic evcsils of the i . . . coming season may find encouragement in the experiences of the past. My notes have referred chiefly to the colts which on two-year-old form appear to be possessed of the best chances of distinction duritit: tlie coming season, but there are others of possibilities which cannot be passed with impunity. Aldford. for example, like The Tetrarch, went through his engagements without a reverse, having won six races off the reel, and all In smart, business-like fashion. The Duke of Westminster may not indeed, does not take the same interest in racing as did his predecessor, who won the Derby four times by the aid severally of Bend Or. Shot-over. Ormonde, and Flying Fox. but for all that Aldford is the best horse he has bred, and it is a thousand pities that he is a roarer. A good-looking brown colt by Mauvezin Mangalmi. he is the lirst produce of the half sister to Flying Fox, aud opened his account as far back as April by beating a huge field for the Rcckhampton Stakes at Newbury. A bad stumble did not prevent him from easily winning the Stamford Plate at Chester, and next lie gave ten pounds and four length beating to By George in the Salisbury Stakes a startling performance, gauged by subsequent happenings. At Ascot, he ran away with the Sixty-first Triennial, and Behind the Ditch at Newmarket, when giving twelve pounds away, made short work of Lauiiis and others in the Stud Produce Stakes, while, by way of linale, he just lasted long enough to beat Land of Song received six pounds, at the end of six furlongs for the Newbury Autumn Foal Stakes. On the whole, this is a tine record, but one cannot imagine a roarer winning the Derby, and in case Ormonde should be cited as au exception I may mention that his wind was not affected until later in iiis brilliant career. Ambassador enjoyed a tall reputation in private, but, although twice a winner, failed to realise expectations in public, and of greater promise, in my opinion, is Dan Russel. a good-looking brown colt by Chancer Ilel tie Sorrel, bred and owned by Lord Derby. So far "Dan" has wintered wonderfully well, and it stands to his credit that he won three of the live races in which he took part last year, although at his last attempt, when a hot favorite, lie handicapped himself by beginning slowly, and was unplaced in the endeavor to give twelve pounds to. Torchlight in the Leicester County Foal Stakes. This is quite a line horse, and may with confidence lie relied on to win some of his numerous engagements, though the highest honors may prove just beyond his roach. Draughtsman, one of the lirst of" Fuglemans progeny, had a half dozen tries last year, but won once only, when at even weights lie managed to squeeze home a short head in front of Happy Warrior for the llalnaker Stakes. Mr. J. B. Joel is left with choice between Parhelion and lilaek Jester, the one a son of Sundridge and Our Lassie, winner of the Oaks, and the other by Polymelia Absurdity. Parhelion ran but three times, and had the bad luck to fall up against The Tetrarch at bis first essay in the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom, but at Goodwood he had no dilliculty in beating Honey wood and Kheri for the Lavaot Stakes, while he wound up in grand style at Newmarket in October, for. carrying 131 pounds, he raced away from Sunny Lake 1122 pounds and Long-town 131 pounds i in the Prendergast Stakes. Black Jester is an exceptionally handsome colt, but hardly as good as he looks. All the same he is something more than useful, and after linishing second in turn to Stornoway in the Great Surrey Foal Stakes at Epsom. Ilapsburg, in the New Stakes at Ascot, and By George, in the Champagne Stakes at the liihury lull Meeting, lie got his head in front at Goodwood, when, in receipt of seven pounds, he easily beat Laud of Song for the Richmond Stakes, and on the concluding day of the same meeting won the Molecomb Stakes. A second cut at Stornoway resulted in another defeat in the Clearwell Stakes, and linallv he was beaten out of place for the .Middle Park Plate. Lara cor. which is a stable companion of The Tetrarchs. is a very useful and good-looking chestnut colt bv Tredennis, bred and owned by -Mr. L. McCreerv. Of nine races he won four and was three times placed second: in the first instance to First Spear, to which he failed by a head only to give eight pounds in the Princess Plate at Newmarket: in the second to Stornoway, when in receipt of ten pounds for the Prince of Wales Stakes at York, and in. the third to Galante, to which he failed bv four lengths to give seventeen pounds in the IIoriioy Plate at Alexandra Park. There was nothing of much account behind him when he won the Ilome-Bred Foal Plate at Gatwick. nor when successful in a large field for the Salisbury Maiden Plato or the Clewer Plate at Windsor: indeed, his last was his best form when in the Great Sapling Plate lie gave three pounds and a beating to a red-hot favorite in Kheri. This record, of course, does not appear to bring him within hail of .some of the cracks." most notably bis conspicuously-marked stable mate, but witli ordinary luck he will do further winning service, and it is assuredly not out of his turn for Mr. McCreery to find himself possessed of such a useful horse. Saint Cyr is a beautifully bred colt by St. Frusquin out of Sirenia, bred by his owner, Mr. Ludwig Neumann, for whom l.e woil the Allugton Plate at Newmarket, beating Kheri. Princess Dorrie and others at the Second October, and the Criterion Stakes at the Houghton meeting at Newmarket, form which suggests further successes, though lie let the Clarehaven folk down badly when, under top weight, he began slowly and was unplaced for the Liverpool Nursery in November. Practically an unknown quantity. Black Walnut i Mr. Belmonts, which has run but once, and Vanadium, which has yet. to make his first appear-. a nee in public, are stable companions -at Palace House, the one by Rock Sand Black Poplar and the other by Radium--Picria. the property of Mr. Leopold de Rothschild. As to their prospects, it is impossible to say definitely, but if appearance counts for anything, both should turn out well, Vanadium in particular being a big. fine colt of quality and a racehorse through and through, the reason of his not having run being simply that he was too overgrown and backward to train as a two-year-old. Carrickfergus, by Count Schoniberg Lady Light-foot, enjoys the distinction of being half-brother to Prince Palatine, and is a maiden" of considerable promise, as witness his last two performances, when third to Stornoway and Black .Tester for the Clearwell Stakes and again when similarly placed lH?hind Kennymore and Corcyra for the Dew-; hurst Plate. Curiously enough, Lord Londonderrys colt last named is not in the Derby, :tlhough on- tered for both the Two Thousand Guineas and St. I.eger. More than once highly tried at home, Evansdale, by Desmond Little Eva, has failed to reproduce his form in public, his best effort having been when, in receipt of a stone, he ran Stornoway to a head for the Gimerack Stakes at York. in the same race Flying Orb. giving him five pounds, was beaten a neck. but. unfortunately for Mr. George Edwardes. the son of Orby and Stella makes a noise. Sergoi, which won his mly race last year, and that, too. over the Rowley Mile, is similarly affected, and at the December sales was t sold to "Mr. P. F. Heybonrn for 3500 guineas. "Vigilant," in London Sportsman. .
