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ENGLANDS MOST POPULAR HANDICAPS. Outstanding Features in the History of the Annual Last Big Contest oa the Flat. Despite its much more recent establishment, , the Manchester November Handicap can probably - be claimed as large a measure of popularity y as attaches to the cup decided over the same e 1 1 I I " I ! 1 : ; J . . ; ; t ; . i I 1 , - y e ground in the holiday week at Whitsuntide, though it comes at a period of the year which is all against a good view of the race being possible and of outdoor sport being enjoyable. Our variable climate brings all sorts of weather in November, for in some years almost springlike conditions will prevail, in others the mouth heralds an early winter, and in most its usual concomitant, fog, is in evidence during some part of it. Consequently it has often had a hand in dislocating the arrangements of the meeting, and in 1901 it was abandoned owing to frost and snow. But so keen is the desire to have something to do with the running of the last important handicap of the flat-race season that a large crowd always faces the occasion with equanimity, whatever the elements may have in store, and the desire is strong in thousands of tliose speculatively inclined to have a monetary transaction on the result. From a handicappers point of view tho race generally presents an easier task than usual from the fact that lie has all the form of the year as n guide to the adjustment of the weights, and it is not often that a horse with any known pretentions to good class gets in at an absurdly light impost. The handicap has fallen to the share of many good thoroughbreds since it was first run in lS7i. and included among them are some which could claim classic renown or which had taken part in some of , our great three-year-old contests. An early example was supplied by tho late Duke of Devonshires Belphoebe. the winner in 1S7S as a four-year-old under 131 pounds. Her owners bad luck in his attempts on the classic events was proverbial, and the only occasion he was successful was with this mare in the Two Thousand Guineas. By Toxophilite out of Vaga, she showed some form as a juvenile, but was scarcely expected to beat Lady Golightly in tin One Thousand, that filly, the property of Lord Falmouth, having much better credentials in her first season, but she finished a neck and a head behind the winner. In the Oaks Belphoebe had to put up with second place, and though she won the Coronation Stakes at Ascot, her other attempts in that season brought her no brackets. At four years, however, she showed good form, and while having little to her credit earlier in the season, she was equal to winning the Liverpool Autumn Cup with 113 pounds up, having a useful band behind her. The following day she gave a year, five pounds, and a ten lengths beating to Julius Caesar over about a mile and a half, and when at the same distance she afterwards won the Severn Cup at Shrewsbury she had done sufficient to show that she could stay well. At the Manchester November Meeting she was beaten a head carrying 124 pounds for the Lancashire Cup, but that performance pointed to her chance for the big handicap on the- last day of the meeting, despite her 131 pounds. She was backed accordingly, and won bv a neck from Footstep, a five-year-old, to which she was presenting twenty-six pounds. Again showing she liked the course, she next year won the Manchester Autumn Handicap in addition to tin-County Cup Stakes at Leicester, and made her final appearance on the course in the Manchester November, for which she was once more well backed with thirteen pounds less to carry than she had the previous season. She failed, however, to finish in the first three. Meritorious as was the victory of Belphoebe, that of tho good mare, Corrie Roy, five years subse-quentlv put it in the shade, as she shouldered the big burden of 131! pounds as a five-year-old. As the winner of the Jockey Club Cup, the Cesare-witch the previous year when the verdict in h-r favor was three lengths and such races as the Goodwood Stakes and Great Ebor Handicap carrying 13S pounds, in the season of her Manchester success, there was no doubt of her staying the mile and three-quarters at Cottonopolis, but it was a great tiling to give no less than fifty-two pounds to the three-year-old Robertson, which she beat by a head. She was well at home the following year over the tiring Alexandra Plate course at Ascot, and in that race made her final appearance on the course, leaving behind her tho reputation of being one of the gamest mares that ever carried a saddle. At the stud she imparted her staying powers to many of her progeny, of which mention may be made of None the AViser by AVisdom, which, as a three-year-old. had to her account the Ascot Derby, Newmarket St. Leger. Newmarket Oaks and other races over a distance of ground. On a par with that of Corrie Boy amis the achievement of Carlton, which in 1S87 accounted for the November Handicap as a four-year-old with 13S pounds. Though useful as a juvenile he earned no bracket in his second season, but in 1S77 came out in rare form, only losing four of the dozen races in which he iook part, and in two of those lie was placed, being second for the City and Suburban and third for the CesareAvitch, in addition to getting fourth for the Cambridgeshire. His four-year-old career was, in fact, quite a handicap triumph, for he won the Chester Cup, Manchester Cup and Goodwood Stakes, in addition to the big affair at Manchester in November, and it may in addition be recorded that he took the Doncaster Cup then run over about two miles and five-eighths by a dozen lengths, though h" only had a couple of commoners to dispose of. Not many horses have had such a record down to them in a single season, and it was in surprise that in the Manchester November Handicap he was allotted the big burden of 13S pounds. In the face of such a task, which many good judges thought impossible, 20 to 1 was obtainable about him at the start, but he was equal to the occasion, and by a head gave nine pounds to the three-year-old Sorrento, which was not without winning credentials. Like Corrie Boy, his last public appearance was made in the race under notice, for he was forthwith sent to the stud. By Pell Mell out of Bonny Spec, Carlton was bred to stay, but as u sire he did not greatly dis- tiuguish himself, though one at least of his progeny, in Cypria, showed she inherited his gift by running a dead-heat with Bed Eyes for the Ccsare-witcli in 1893. A horse to make a good show at Manchester was Kavcnsbury, who at four years was credited with tin; race under 130 pounds. He possessed classic-form, and but for being foaled in the same year as the exceptional Isinglass would have won tiie Two Thousand Guineas, the Derby, and the St. Leger. In tliose events, however, the son of Isono-, my relegated him into second place, and was. in fact, too good for him whenever they met. But, away from Isinglass, Bavensliury did well, and though the official verdict against him for the Grand Prize of Paris was "a very short head," it was the confident opinion of the English division who saw his finish with Bagotsky that the short head, was really the other way. At five years Kavcnsbury kept, his form, and by winning the Ascot Stakes with 135 pounds and the Alexandra Plate on the last day of the meeting not only en-, dorsed his previous excellence, but paid a further tribute to that of Isinglass. He made his last appearance in tho Lewes Handicap, in which he was burdened with the same weight as in the Ascot Stakes, but his efforts at the Royal meeting had probably taken something out of him, and he was unplaced. This led to his retirement to the stud, and though lie did not sire anything as good as himself he has had a numerous progeny, to many of which he bequethed his own gift of staying. Two examples may be mentioned in Sandboy and Feather Bed. both of which won the Chester Cup. and Sandboy the Ascot Stakes in addition, as well as many other races. Another four-year-old that carried 130 pounds first past the post was Maclou in 1902, and, like ltavensbury, he had done something to earn the impost. He was the horse that beat Sceptre by a head when that famous mare was a supposed certainty for the Lincolnshire Handicap that year, and afterwards disposed of Doricles and others for the Newmarket Biennial. He subsequently ran third for the Royal Hunt Cup, and only suffered defeat in the Cambridgeshire by a neck. At Manchester he Avon easily, disposing of a useful band, and only raced for another season, during which he scored twice, being then sent to the stud. During the forty years that have elapsed since its establishment, three-year-olds have been suc- cessful in the November Handicap on twelve occasions, but they do not rank high in point of class, and none reached much distinction afterwards. Carabine, which won in 1901, carried off the Chester Cup the folloAving season, but it Avas with an easy impost, and Paddy, the winner in 1S92, accounted for the Northamptonshire Stakes as a four-year-old, though that race had then lost most of its former importance and reckoned for little in the scheme of spring handicaps. Switch Cap. which won in 1903, had shown previous usefulness, and, like so many marcs, came to her form in the au- tnmn, and her owner may have been deemed fortunate to get her in at the light weight of 85 pounds AAhich a penalty made 90 pounds in the race, and to have been able to obtain 25 to 1 about her at the start. The only "aged" horse to earn brackets in the race AA-as Mars, with the light A-eight of ninety-four pounds in 1S79, and the same year he just missed by a head bowling over Touchet which AAas heavily backed for the Lincolnshire Handicap, starting at the forlorn odds of 100 to 1. He Avas by Mandrake out of Queen of Beauty, and ran in no fewer than 130 races in the course of his career, which extended over nine years, in only tAA-o them fail-i ing to win. He AA-as gelded as a three-year-old, and, as in the case of many another gelding, turned out a hardy wear-aud-tear sort. His attention as a rule aa-.is confined to small races in the north, and he changed hands on many occasions not an uncommon experience with horses of his character. Though a thoroughbred of no great quality, lit certainly deserved to win the Manchester Novembei Handicap, for he had made three attempts upon il previously, having been second in 1870 and 1S77 and third in 1S78, and his victory in 1879 AA-as fol-IoAA-ed by another effort in 1880. In that year he finished fourth, carrying 107 pounds. His last appearance on a race course AA-as made in 1882, when he was third of four for a selling AA-elter handicap at Halifax. Though holding no high place in racing story, a record can certainly be claimed for Mars in tho last important handicap of the year. At the time of his success he was trained by Harry Hall, of Midleham, Avho avus bad to beat Avhere handicaps were concerned, and he sent out another Avinner of the race in Golden Drop in 1S93. AVhen Mars Avas successful he started at 25 to 1, and Golden Drops price was 40 to 1, and it Avill be remembered by many that there Avere some recriminations after the rcce in connection with the sharing of the spoils in 93. An experiment, bringing happy results. AAas tried with the Holland-bred Admiral Togo III. in 1909. He AA-as a five-year-old gelding by Sautoi Delighted, the property of Baroness M. de Bricnen, a lady Avith much admiration for English sport and English sportsmen, and she determined Avith this horse a good performer in his own country to see what he could do over here. He was placed under the capable charge of Alee Taylor and, though not coming to hand immediately, he showed some form as soon as acclimatized. Having made no prominent show in the CesareAvitch with the light Aveight of 91 pounds, and being unplaced with a stone more up over a couple of miles at GatAvick, he accounted for the TauiAvorth Plate at Birmingham at a mile and a half, and easily upset the odds bet on Bitter Orange. He Avas afterwards second for the Back-End Stayers Handicap at Lingfiold, being thereupon backed Avith some confidence for the November Handicap, Avhich he Avon, carrying 100 pounds. It being lealized he could stay, the "Admiral" was entered for the Great Metropolitan next year, but did no good under 120 pounds, and he did not carry silk again till the Manchester August Handicap, AVhen no better success attended him; but he ran better towards the end of the year, as in 1909. and after being runner up to Laughing Mirror over two miles and a furlong at Doncaster, won the NcAvbiiry Autumn Cup at the same distance. Backed liberally for this race, and with the services of F. AVootton in the saddle, he Avon by a head from Last Call, Avitli AVillonyx and other useful ones behind, and then tried his luck again in the CesareAvitch, for which he earned a penalty of ten pounds. This may have lost him the race, and he was beaten three lengths by Acrney, to which he AA-as conceding five pounds. He did his oAvner a turn next time, Avhen he accounted for the Rutland Handicap at the Houghton Meeting over the last mile and a half of the CesareAvitch course. By this time the son of Santoi had risen in the handicappers estimation, but he AA-as trusted again for tho Manchester November, when he carried 123 pounds and Avas the mount of Maher. The task proved outside his compass, hoAA-ever, and the race went easily to the six-year-old The Aalet, which only had ninety-three pounds to carry. Baroness de Brienens gelding stayed on for a couple more racing seasons in this country, but failed to win another race. In 1911 he ran at SandOAvn in the spring and at AVindsor in August, but AA-as Avell up in the handicap on each occasion and made no sIioav. In 1912, his only, and last appearance here AAas in a AVelter Plate at Gatwick, when he had but one opponent, and Avas beaten in a canter. Probably by that time he had lost his form, and Avas, presumably, sent back to Holland. London Sportsman.
