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! NORTHERN ENGLANDS CHIEF HANDICAP. Incidents Marking tho History of a Race Dear to Englands Coal Miners. Inhabitants of our northern latitudes are nothing if not enthusiastic, and it is well known that they carry their enthusiasm with emphasis into the domain of sport. This is especially the case in connection with horse racing, and a striking instance is afforded by the Northumberland Plate, familiarly known as the "Pitmens Derby." Its popularity may have declined somewliMt in recent years, more especially in the south of Englaud, where it never claimed quite the hold it had on the affections of the sportsmen of the north, alike among owners, trainers and the public generally, and in the heavy ante-post wagering days the quotations on the race made a long list. In the early history of the handicap it was rarely brought south, the winners as a rule being trained in the county of many acres, and Richmond. Malton and Middlehain were mostly the centers from which they were sent out. Later Newmarket when owners to a considerable extent transferred their horses to the turf headquarters took a hand in the game, but the "Plate" has always been jealously regarded by the miners and others of Northumberland, Darham and" the districts that there adjacent lie. For a long period the event was run on the Newcastle Town Moor, and when the races were tansferred to Goshforth Park which, by the way, has one of the finest courses in the kingdom a certain amount of resentment was shown by the pitmen at having to pay for the privilege of seeing their favorite race decided. It was flrst run under "enclosed" conditions, it may be noted, in 1882, when Victor Emanuel was successful. Two of the most popular winners of the race were Underhand and Caller On, of which the first-named won in the three consecutive years 1857, 1858 and 1859, much to the gratification of the sportsmen of the North. It is said of him that he never knew a days illness in his life and that his legs were sound to the last, and he finished his record in connection with tlte race by running sec-couutry, and he would doubtless have hud many ond. But it may be doubted whether the gratification and enthusiasm were greater than in connection with the victories of Caller Ou a few years later. She had been long a prime favorite with race goers, and as she won an exciting St. Leger by a head from a strong favorite in Kettledrum, the Derby winner, her name was indelibly impressed on the memories of Yorkshire and northern folks generally, despite the fact that her victory on Don-caster Town Moor was scarcely expected, as evidenced by her starting at 1,000 to 15. Her first appearance in the Northumberland Plate was made as a five-year-old in 1803. when, with 120 pounds up, she won by a head from Carbineer, a horse of the same age, which was conceding four pounds. As Carbineer was carrying the popular "spots" of Lord Zetland, the excitement at the finish can be imagined. The mare had been a frequent winner ere competing for the race the following year, when she was allotted 124 pounds and won in a canter, and in 1SC5 she essayed to score for the third time and emulate the feat of Underhand. The mare had carried off a number of Queens Plates a class of race in which she "specialized" since her success in the "Plate" the previous season, and now she had 12i pounds up. In the hands of that great jockey, T. Chaloner. who steered her in her previous victories. Caller Ou put up a great fight, but she met her master in a younger horse, the three-year-old Brown Bread, which beat her a neck, to the chagrin of the pitmen, who were on her to a man. She made no further effort to retrieve her laurels. As already indicated, the enthusiasm for "t owd man!" was great among the miners, and there is a tale to the effect that on one of the occasions of her running for the Northumberland Plate a fielder received some rather rough usage when he declared his book was "full" against her. The pitmen said they would back nothing else, and if lie declined to "lay against the mare he was invited to descend from" his stool and put up a fellow "as could." Almost needless to say, the terms of the request were more forcible than polite. Probably the best horse to win the Northumberland Plate was Barcaldine, which was successful in 18S3 under the "crusher" of 135 pounds. He is considered by many to have been the highest-class thoroughbred to ever leave Ire-laud for this more- victories to his name had he not been debarred from running as a four-year-old owing to his then owner coming into collision with the turf authorities. As it was lie was never beaten, and before winning at Newcastle he had put up a fine record as a two-year and three-year-old in Ireland. Passing into the possession of Mr. R. Peck for 3,000 pounds, the son of Solon and Ballyroe won three races, in which he displayed his fine staying qualities including the Orange Cup at Ascot, over about three miles, before accounting for the Northumberland Plate by a couple of lengths from a field which included, among others, Victor Emanuel, which had been successful the previous year. This finished his racing career in brilliant fashion, and he was then sent to the stud. Victor Emanuel was a well-known performer in the North of England, and supplied a striking instance of a yearling bargain, for lie was picked up for the bagatelle of twenty-five guineas. "Victor," too, was a good stayer, and among the handicaps he won was the Great Ebor in 1882 and the Cumberland Plate two years earlier, when the race was run over a mile and three-quarters instead of a mile and a half as in the present day. One of the Plate winners was Lily Agnes, destined to become famous as a broodmare and the dam of the great Ormonde. She won as a three-year-old in 1874 under ninety-six pounds, and was followed by another horse of that age in Harriet Laws, which however, had eighteen pounds less to carry. She belonged to a popular North-country sportsman, Mr. Holmes, and he had the luck to win the race again in 1884 with Lawminster, which was a son of Harriet Laws, by Exminster. Another three-year-old in the roll of winners is Fervacques by Underhand in 1807, and that he was of good class is shown by the fact that lie had three weeks previously carried off the Grand Prize of Paris after a dead-heat with Patricien. In that race Fervacques had the assistance of Fordham in the saddle, and the unusual verdict of "a nose" was given in his favor. Several owners have won the Northumberland Plate more than once and others have had quite a run of luck in the race. For instance, in addition to the owner of Underhand, Mr. W. lAnson was successful twice with Caller Ou, Mr. Bowes with The Spy and Taraban, Mr. T. Holmes with Harriet Laws and Lawminster. and Lord Durham with Drizzle and Osbech, while to Lord Eglinton the handicap fell on no fewer than five occasions. His winners were St. Bennett twice, Dolo.. Eryx and Elthirou. Mr. R. C. Vyner won four "Plates" with Mycena, Stone Clink, King Crow and Killigrew. The colors of the two owners last named were among the most popular ever carried in the north. Lord Eglintons successes tike us back into the "forties," but the violet, white belt and cap belong to a much later era, and the doings of his horses are in clearer recollection. The best of Mr. Vyners quartette was Stone Clink, which won the Ccsarewitch as a four-year-old in the same season he won at Newcastle, in addition to other races. King Crow probably ranks next. Though not in the Stud Book, he was quite a useful one. Prior to his victory in the Northumberland Plate lie had won the Great Northern Handicap and Manchester Cup, and though he carried light weights in each he was then, like Stone Clink, a four-year-old he had to put up a 12 pound penalty at Gosforth Park, bringing his weight to 110 pounds. In common with many other important handicaps, the Northumberland Plate was not run last season owing to the early closing down of racing elsewhere than at Newmarket, but its decision in 1911 was one of the most popular of recent years from the fact of the winner. The Gnller. having been trained by John Osborne. The Culler had ingratiated himself in public favor by winning the Chester Cup the previous year, and though there was no great merit in doing so as a four-year-old with 89 pounds up, and his live subsequent essays were unsuccessful, racing folk do not forget Chester Cup winners. Thus he had many backers for the Ascot Stakes in 1911, and after running third over that two miles in a good-class field, he was not neglected at Newcastle with the handy weight of 112 pounds. The veteran ex-jockey who is now eighth-three years of age had often ridden The Guller in his work at Middleham for various races, and to have done so for the "Plate" gave a sentimental touch to the contest, of which expression was afforded by a boisterous reception of horse and jockey when they returned to scale. London Sportsman.
