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ENGLANDS MOST POPULAR HANDICAPS. Incidents Marking: the History of the Stewards Cup at Aristocratic Goodwood. If the question were put to the general body of racegoers as to whether they would prefer to witness a long or short contest the majority would doubtless be found to favor one over a fairly considerable distance of ground. Sprints an; so soon over that they are not only difticult to follow by the unpracticed eye, or one unaccustomed to the colors of the riders, but the changes in the positions of the horses are so quickly made that interest in the race evaporates in a few seconds. Often enough there is little to watch, for the start is everything in a short cut. and a horse that gets exceptionally well away may be out by himself all through and win easily. The institution of the "gate" tended in some degree to equalize the chances of the competitors, but before its day very vexatious delays often occurred through the constant manoeuvring of the jockeys to secure an undue advantage at the starting post. Nevertheless sprint events have always been popular with owners and those possessing horses able to "go a bit" are willing to take all the chances, and especially so are the men with thoroughbreds standing out from their compeers in point, of speed. Further, they provide opportunities for those quite unable to stay some cannot get beyond four or live furlongs at anything like racing pace and hence "short cuts" linil a place in all programs devoted to sport on the Hat. Certain of them are of old establishment, and have in their day been the medium of heavv ante-post speculation as well as at the start, and into that category comes the Stewards Cun at Goodwood. The records of the race are full of the doings of horses of exceptional speed, and there is no event, whatever its distance may be, that tells of such big fields as that under notice. In fact, the largest that ever went to the post in this country was seen in IStil, when Croagh Patrick beat, forty-four opponents. Despite this immense field Croagh Patrick started a joint favorite; at 7 to 1 with a horse called Nativity, a three-year-old weighted at eighty-two pounds, while "Croagh," of the same age. carried three pounds less. AVhat a good thing the latter was the result showed, but then; was trouble at the post, and a couple of jockeys were suspended for the rest of the week for disobeying the starters orders. It must have come as a shock to the Croagh Patrick party when, early in September, the colt was objected to by the owner of Man at Arms which ran second oil the ground that he was the property of a gentleman who was in arrears for forfeits on the turf at the time the race was run. tltimately. however, the protest, was overruled. Another lightly-weighted three-year-old. Out and Outer, won from a large field in 1S03, and, like Croagh Patrick, started joint favorite. He was tin; property of the late AVilliam Day, who in his time sent out many winners from the always dangerous stable at AAoodyates, and prevented Audax by three-quarters of a length from doing the ring a real good turn, for Ik; started without a quotation. An even greater racing certainty than either of those mentioned was Tibthorpe, which was successful in 1807. He did not run as a juvenile, and as a three-year-old, a fortnight before Goodwood, had made an excursion to Ilayling Island, where, unbacked, lit; was unplaced for a little stake over three-quarters. Those who may have seen the race little thought they were looking on the ventual winner of tin; Stewards Cup. in which he was in at the feather of seventy -seven pounds, though he carried three pounds more to admit of the services of Kenyon. a fashionable and capable light-weight jockey of that period. Almost needless to say. he was heavily backed by his connections, and though the judges verdict was only four lengths quite enough, by the way in his favor, few Stewards Cups have been won more easily. His friends accounted for his ignominious display at Ilayling Island by explaining that lie lost his way in the mist on that occasion, and. of course, there was no fog at Goodwood, when ho saw his road clearly enough. Tilithorpe. which was by Voltigcur Little Agnes, did a lot of sterling things later in his career, and Prince SoltykolV made a lucky stroke when, as a six-year-old, he claimed him for 100 sovereigns out of a selling race at tin; Epsom Spring .Meeting. He won for him many sprint races, among them the Chichester Stakes at Goodwood, carrying 12S pounds. During the seventy-five years the Cup has been established three-year-olds have won twenty-nine times, and two others to score in the "sixties" were Vex and Fichu, both of which c;irried eighty-four pounds. The first-named, in 1S08. like others referred to above, was a warm favorite, and had no difficulty in winning, but about Fichu in 1S0O, 20 to 1 was obtainable at the start. It was a race for outsiders, in fact, at Salliet a speedy mare in her day, which was beaten a couple of lengths, stood at 23 to 1. and the third Belphegor had no quotation in the market. A popular Stewards Cup victory was that in 1877 of Herald, then five years old, with the favoring weight, of ninety-eight pounds. A sou of Laneret - .Nightjar, he was in some respects a remarkable horse, and few have worn better or won more races, the total down to his name being forty-four, including one over hurdles. When he scored at Goodwood he carried 1he colors black and white diamonds of Sir W. Throckmorton- frequently to the front in those days and was trained at liour-toii-ou-thc-Ilill by "Teddy" Weever. with whom he was a great favorite. The Cup was the most notable event that, fell to Heralds share. lie ran on till he was fourteen years of age, and was lot-ally known as the "rent -payer." Apropos, the following anecdote is recorded: On one occasion the owner Lord Rodcsdalc of the Botirtou training establishment was being shown around bv Weever. who kept the old horse for the finish. The introduction was made with the remark, "Thats the one we always keep to pay the rent, and he has never yet failed us," to which the response from his lordship was a pat on the neck and the observation, "Go and do it again," Another Cup winner to see a lot of service was Oxonian, which won in a canter as a six-year-old under 124 pounds in 72, and he was earning brackets as late as 1S79. Though many "coups" have been affected in connection witli the Stewards Cup. the results have often been greatly in favor of the fielders, of which a notable instance was supplied in 1901. ODouovan Rossa won. He was a four-year-old gelding by Donovan out of a Barcaldine mare, the property of Mr. A. M. Singer. He showed excellent form as a two-year-old when carrying the colors of Mr. A. James, and one of his successes was in the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood. He apparently trained off in his second season, and on being sent up for sale at the Newmarket Houghton Meeting was bought by Mr. Singer for 710 guineas a fortunate purchase as things turned out. lie won a little race at Folkestone for his new owner soon afterwards, but in 1901 had not scored before being sent to meet his liability in the Stewards Cup with ninety-eight pounds up. Starting at 00 to 1, he got home by a head from Le Rlizon, and gave a lad named Gibson, from the Michel Grove stable in which he was trained, an opportunity or displaying excellent jockeyship. He was up against O. Madden, hut won on the post after a desperate race. On the last day of the meeting he took tht- Chichester Stakes, and. going on to Brighton, accounted for the Sussex Plate, both sprint affairs, and was each time ridden by Gibson. The lad made no particular mark afterwards, however, and dropped out of notice, possibly becoming too heavy to keep to the saddle. Crafton 1880, Gangway 1894 and Melavr 1904 were 40 to I chances; Anton 1871 Sister Helen 1873. and Dalmeny 1SS3 each started at 33 to 1; while instances where 23 to 1 was obtainable at the start are Cpset 1887, Chasseur 1890. Xeny 1903. Braxsted 1911. and Lord Annaudale 1913. The last-named in the following year, starting at 101 to !l, ran a dead-heat with Golden Sun, and the stakes were divided. London Sportsman.
