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: . NEWS OF THE STEEPLECHASERS. Maryland Hunt Cup Attracting Attention — Lyander Training Soundly — Pimlicos Fruitful Experiment. New York. April 19. — Entries for the Maryland Hunt Cup. most important of the point-to-point , steeplechases run in this country, will close next Wednesday. April 19. The race will be run on the estate of G. Bernard Fenwick. the Maryland representative of the Hunts Committee, at Glyndon. Md.. Saturday. April 29. This race has l een run twenty -two times, and while interest has lieen growing steadily, it is only in the last three or four years that it has l een attracting the attention of devotees of cross-country racing outside of a local element of hunting men. who have taken up what their fathers j before them strove to do. The event, while a purely sporting affair, that is. a race in which all the glory of victory comes with first honors rather than financial rewards, has come to a standing where not alone the hunting men find it an attraction, but it means a contest that demands the attention of those devoted to regular steeplechasing. It brings out *a crowd of splendid proportions, many journeying from Boston, Philadelphia. Virginia and New York for the race, and the verdict is always: "the struggle was worth the trip." The conditions call for a journey of four miles over a natural country, and this means asking for the best in both horse and rider. Fences, ditches and other obstacles must be crossed that would stop the best of our professional riders as well as most of our regular steeplechasers. Last year the field that lined up for the start numbered twenty -three, and of this collection a goodly part made the run without a mishap, a glowing tribute to the stamina of those competing, and a reason for congratulation for the riders. This year there is every reason to believe that even a greater number will tie found at the post. This claim is based on the entries already received and the promises made from different points where the horses have been making ready. The representation from New York will be strong. Riders who will don the silks include F. Ambrose Clark, C. . Humsey, F. S. von Stade, B. P.. Lewis. James Park, F. P. Keene, H. L. Bell, Richard Mortimer. Bayard Tuckerman, Jr.. George de Kay Gilder and C. Brabazon. Philadelphias riding division will he represented by A. J. A. Devercux. Victor Mather. Charles Mather, E. M. Cheston. J. G. Leii er. Jr., A. W. Porter, W. J. Clothier. Welsh Straw-bridge and J. C. Biddle. This embraces the l est of the gentlemen riders who ride over timber courses. "Lysander has l een training without a falter and I look to see him beating the best all summer." This report recently brought from Aiken by a well-known devotee of steeplechasing. seems to mean that F. Ambrose Clarks son of Ogden — Lnodice has rounded to and will repeat his impressive form shown as a four-year-old in 1914. He was on the ailing list all last summer, getting to the post but twice, and then his mission was to do his best when far from sound, for his owner is a true blue sports-mand. and naturally longed to see this horse do what he fully realizes he can do. The two races he ran showed that he was not himself and wisely he was turned out for a long rest, the best part of which has been at Aiken. Since taken up again in work, and in a manner that delighted the on -lookers, and this means some pretty good judges, for among those at Aiken have lieen Thomas Hitchcock, J. E. Davis. H. W. Sage. Harry Lamontague. E. H. Carle. F. S. von Stade. John Sanford. Bob Straw-bridge. F. R. Hitchcock and many more who are keenly interested in this branch of racing. A. J. A. Pevereux. generally recognized as one of the most active workers in behalf of amateur racing in the vicinity of Philadelphia, has announced that business will not permit of his devoting the time he would like to give to the hunt meetings next summer, and that this prompts him to sell the horses he has in training, not that he is anxious to dispose of them, but he feels that they might be ! a help to the meetings where he intended to enter and race them. They would. In fact one of the string. Conqueror, comes pretty close to being a top notcher among the hunters, for which a number of races have been and will be arranged. When these races are over timber, as many of them are. . the horse is usually asked to concede a lot of weight to all competitors, yet the records show that he can do this and win. There are two or three English-bred two-year-olds in the stable that are also highly rated. Two years ago the Maryland Jockey Club, striving to bring innovations that will enhance steeple-chasing, which has always been one of the strongest of attractions at Pimlico, at the suggestion of one of the staff, provided a race at each meeting, the conditions of which call for the horses starting to be ridden by a rider who had never won a jumping race under recognized turf authority. The idea ! was prompted by the appreciation of the woeful • need of jockeys for jumping races, as the collection then at call was far from satisfactory either to 1 owners or to the public. It was thought that this i might mean the introduction of some talent that would be available, but difficult to locate. The result has been most pleasing, and not alone will 1 these races be continued, but it is more than probable that the idea will be taken up by some of the Canadian tracks where they are sincerely interested I in cross-country racing. If the local tracks would 1 cut away from routine and follow the example set. it would certainly bring the desired results. In ; ! almost every stable can be found "schooling riders" admitted to be horsemen, but who never get a 1 chance to show what they can do in a race, for " when the real questions are asked of a horse they are compelled to stand aside and either see one I of the few capable jockeys take the mount or t with disgust find their horse in the hands of some "has-been" of doubtful reputation and skill. In 1 each of these races for the "maiden" riders at I Pimlico has come a find for some stable. In fact, it is not an exception to discover several boys of • promise in a single event, and if the plan was adopted generally it might bring a solution of the problem that is certainly retarding the great interest being developed for steeplechasing. It c might be a good plan for the stewards of the National Steeplechase and Hunt Association to request I all racing secretaries in arranging their programs I to include a race of this class. A. 0 .and M. L. Schwartz have turned all their • jumpers over to John Hastings to be trained and 1 they anticipate an active campaign in connection with the hunt meetings. In the lot are M. J. Shannon, Pay Streak. Archdale. Primbutton and Black : and White, all likely fencers. They are stabled at f Belmont Park. A. I. Humphrey. Jr. and K. Hunter Dulany will , 1 ship from Unperville. Va. a string of six jumpers, • all of which will be newcomers in this part of the country. They will be raced at Hewletts Bay Park, the United Hunts. Piping Rock and the I Brookline meetings, and if their showing under colors is up to expectations they will later on be sent to Saratoga for a try at the events that will I be decided their in August. Their tryout will be a good one. for at the hunt t meetings the purses offered are the richest of the year, and this means that competition will Ik- of the keenest. The Dulany horses are trained by H. Grantland. who a few years ago was rated as one of the best of the colored steeplechase riders. He » was injured while schooling a horse in Virginia, . and one of his legs was amputated. He then 1 turned his attention to training.
