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ONE OF ENGLANDS F0PULAR HANDICAPS. Features in the Annual Decision of the "Jubilee" at Kemp ton Park. In the history of handicaps none has more triumphantly vindicated its establishment than the "Jubilee" at Kempton Iark. It was an instant success, and, while ft proved a tower of strength to the meeting at which it is decided, the measure of its iiopularity was remarkable from the start. The entries obtained have, as a rule, been of the highest class, outshining generally the quality of those forthcoming for other hnudicaps of the spring, and, standing last of those run in the early part of the year, the series wan usually rounded off with every success. The occasion has always been a red-letter day in the Kempton chronicles, and though the crowd may never have rivalled that seen at the Easter gathering, wlien the holiday folks assembled in overwhelming force, the company has always been ardent and the interest well sustained. Of course, it has not invariably reached the same intensity, but when some popular horse or horses have been concerned in the contest the scene of enthusiasm has been remarkable. The entry for the first "Jubilee" showed a fine array of good-class handicap horses, and among them was Bemligo. From the time of his sensational success in the Cambridgeshire of 1SS3 the son of Ben Battle had gradually ingratiated himself into public favor, and though, perhaps, comparatively few profited by it — for he started at 50 to 1- he had so many useful iierformers behind him on that occasion that he stanifH-d himself as one to he made a note of in the future. On his next outing, in the Liverpool Autumn Cup, he carried more than twenty -eight fiounds above his Cambridgeshire burden, and was well backed to win in another useful field, but found the task beyond him over the longer course. The following season the smart mare Florence gave him thirteen pounds and a head III llllf in the Cambridgeshire, but he was again in good company, and In-had the public on his side when a winner of the Lincolnshire Handicap in 1885, for which he was well backed. An easy win in the Hardwicke Stakes at Ascot appeared to raise him out of the handicap category, and this he proved next year, when, again strongly supported he easily accounted for the first ten-thoiisniid-pounder ever run — the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown lark. He carried silk no more that year, but it created no astonishment when he was allotted 133 pounds for the first of the "Jubilees." He won, as already stated, and the enthusiasm was great when he-passed the post a gallant winner — thus playing the leading part in the send-off of two valuable races that have strongly held their own from the time of their inauguration. The second year of the race was marked by an even greater performance than that of Bemligo. when Minting, as a five-year-old, won easily under 140 pounds, giving no less than forty-six pounds to Tyrone, a horse of his own age. Most racing folks are aware of what stuff Minting was made — how he was contemporaneous with Ormonde, and would doubtless have won the Derby with that famous and unbeaten thoroughbred out of the way; how he was sent for, and won, the J rand Prize of Paris in lieu of trying his luck at Epsom after receiving a sound beating from the late Duke of Westminsters great colt in the Two Thousand Guineas; and how he did otlier good things to earn the 140 pounds allotted in the "Jubilee." As in the case of Bendigo. he had some smart ones behind him at Kempton, but again the general pub-lie, who are always excellent judges of form, stood the heavy-weight, and there was another great scene when he passed the fiost. That performance of the son of Lord Lyon ranks amongst the highest achieved in the history of handicaps, and. as indicating the estimation in which he was afterwards held by adjusters of weights, it may be mentioned that for the Royal Hunt Cup of that year he was allotted the welter impost of 150 pounds, while for the Cambridgeshire lie was placed on the 147-pound mark. He accepted for the latter race but did not run. nor was the compliment accepted in the case of the popular affair at Ascot. What he would have been handicapped at had he been entered for the race again is matter for conjecture, but iu all probability it would have been sufficient to pi-event him bringing off the "double" which two other horses were aftewards destined to do — Victor Wild and Ypsilanti. Six years went by before Victor Wild won for the first time, and the race fell successively to Amphion. The Imp. Nunthorpe. Euclid. Orvieto and Avington. Orvieto coming nearest in point of weight to rivalling the deeds of Bendigo and Minting, for as a five-year-old he carried 131 pounds in 1893. Popular horses as were the "Jubilee" winners of 1887 and 1888. it is tolerably safe to sav that their |K pilarity was equalled, if not eclipsed, by Victor Wild, which did such good service for his owner and the public. He was one of those bargains out of a selling race of which many instances have been supplied at various times, and had been frequently successful before his nomination for the race at the Sunbnry enclosure. Mr. T. Worton, his owi.er, was always enthusiastic about his horse, and it was no fault of his that every backer in the land did not accord him support. Visitors to his hostelry constantly had the chance of "Victor" impressed upon them, and it was a great day. for the small punter especially, when he won at 20 to 1. Those handsome odds made it bad for the layers, and some of the bookies in a comparatively minor way of business were hard hit, while others of them, it was rumored at the time, failed to settle at all. With 116 pounds up Victor Wild won by a half dozen lengths, and it came as no surprise when the following year he was given 133 pounds, the same impost under which Bendigo had scored. He was well backed to win again, despite his substantial weight, but probably had some luck on his side in doing so. for Kilcock. a four-year-old with only 90 pounds in the saddle, would in all likelihood have had the judges verdict but for an erratic finish on the part of his jockey. But as Mr. Wortons horse was conceding thirty -seven pounds, his performance was a creditable one. and once more the public backer was jubilant. Some years ago it was nothing uncommon for Fallons stable to win good handicaps, and that establishment brought off the otlier "double" in connection with the big race at Kempton. Ypsilanti being successful in 1903 and 1904. Though the two victories may not have been so generally iiopular as those of Victor Wild, the Netheravon establishment always had a strong following among a shrewd section of racing people, and Mr. A. P. CunlifTes horse did not want for backing on each occasion. Ypsilantis career had not been particularly brilliant prior to his first Kempton win. but he had shown usefulness at about the "Jubilee" distance, of which his winning the Chesterfield Cup at Goodwood as a four-year-old was an instance, and at five years he was handicapped at 113 pounds. The field he beat was not of high class, and he was awarded 121 for his second essay. He had earlier that season again shown his liking for the Sunbury track by easily winning the Jueens Prize at the Easter meeting under 120 fiounds from a useful lot, and the ten-pounds penalty he thereby-earned gave him 131 fMiunds to carry for the "Jubilee." He scored easily, and later that year was allowed a couple of wafks-over in addition to beating Wargrave at Hurst Park. He made an excursion to France in the autumn, but met with defeat at Paris. It was however, a profitable year for his connections, for he won all his other races. His form stood by him the following year, when he accounted for four of the half-dozen events in which he took part. One of the blanks was the "Jubilee." in which he was handicapped at 130 pounds ami carried three pounds extra for winning at Warwick. Despite his substantial burden he was well backed to win for the third time. The weight proved too much for him. however, and he was not near the first three. The son of Galore and Stefanette, which was American -bred, won a few races afterwards, anil was eventually returned to the land of bis birth. That he was a useful "handicapper" his performances fully indicated, and he illustrated the soundness of the racing maxim of "horses for courses." Two mares have won the Kempton lark Jubilee Handicap Sirenia in 1900 and Donnetta in 1900. and both were good ones. Sirenia lieat a rare field, and just bowled over a presumed Netheravon "good thing" in Merry Methodist, which was beaten a short head. Her starting price was 33 to 1, and, like Victor Wild and Ypsilanti. she showed her partiality for the course by winning over it again in the autumn. By Gullinule out of Concussion, she took her usefulness to the stud, and is the dam of such good winners as Siberia and Flectra, and Siberia in her turn is the dam of Snow-Marten, winner of the New Oaks last year. Donnetta did not dispose of so good a lot as went down liefore Sirenia, but she. appropriately enough, is the dam of Diadumenos, the winner of the "Jubilee" during the bygone season. Taking the horses as a whole that have lieen credited with the popular race at Kempton. they compare favorably with the list of those associated with other prominent handicaps, and on some of them they have-left their mark also. — London Sportsman.
