view raw text
ENGLANDS HOST POPULAR HANDICAPS. History of Some of the Remarkable Features in the City and Suburban Running. Few races have in their day been more firmly fixed in public favor than the City and Suburban, and. though it found a formidable rival among the south-country sportsmen on the establishment of the Kemyton "Jubilee," it has retained its popularity in a marked degree. Both events are decided at an early stage of the racing season, when enthusiasm for a fresh campaign is high and the time of year usually lends itself to an enjoyable outing, and the roads to Sunbury and Epsom are largely taken advantage of. Modern railway facilities have, of course, diverted thousands of visitors from the old method of journeying to each place, but the advent of the motor-car and taxi-cab lias led to no inconsiderable patronage once more of the Kings highway. To see the "City and Sub" decided is a keenly anticipated pleasure to quite a large number of Londoners whose instincts take a sporting turn, and to miss it is regarded as something like a calamity. AVhen ante-post wagering took a much wider scope than it does nowadays, the City and Suburban was a prominent medium for it, and considerable sums have changed hands on its result. The race was always a favorite with owners, and its fortunes have not fluctuated as have those of some other long-established handicaps. The race has a record extending over more than sixty years, and it is made illustrious by the doings of some horses thnt have, after a distinguished career on the racecourse, done big things at the stud. One of its earliest winners was Ai-rago. She was undoubtedly a great mare, and had a remarkable career as a three-year-old in 1854. First appearing in the City and Suburban she won that race in a canter, and later in the afternoon accounted for the Great Metropolitan Stakes, carrying five pounds extra for her previous success. She only had S4 pounds in the latter event, inclusive of her penalty, which seems a small impost in these days, but it has to be remembered that at that time the weights in handicaps went down to as low as 5G pounds, and as little as 5S pounds was carried iu the race by a three-year-old called Cable. That something was thought of Airago was shown by her starting a strong favorite for both the "City" and the Great Metropolitan, 7 to 4 being her quotation for the former, while the uncommon figure of 10 to 3 was her price for the Metropolitan. She was beaten onlv once at three years, and in addition to her victories at Epsom won the One Thousand Guineas in which she only had two opponents. Goodwood I Cup, Great Northern Handicap, Flying Dutchmans ii Handicap at York, the Yorkshire Oaks, and the Doneaster Cup. . , . , . . Another winner of tins handicap that could claim classic honors was Bend Or, which scored under 120 pounds in 1881, having behind him a fine field, which included Foxhall winner of the Cesarewitch and Cambridgeshire that year and twenty-two others. The story of Bend Ors Derby victory is one of the most memorable in the history of the race. Though a good horse himself, he would undoubtedly have been beaten at Epsom by Robert the Di-vil had not the jockey of the latter looked round at u critical moment and allowed F. Archer to snatch the judges verdict by a head. The result led to an objection being lodged some months afterwards on the ground that Bend Or was not the horse Continued on sixth pace. ENGLANDS MOST POPULAR HANDICAPS. Continued from first page. ho was represented to be, either in the entry or at the time of the race, but it was overruled. Robert the Devil had his revenge in the St. Leper, and always beat his Kpsom rival when there was a distance of ground to cover. By Doncaster out of Itoiige Rose, Bend Or was one of the Stockwell trib, and though his best course was a mile and n quarter or a mile and a half, and he was consequently not by any means a Cup horse, he became the sire of classic winners, among them the unbeaten Ormonde, one of the heroes of the "triple crown." A second City and Suburban winner to achieve honors in the Derby was Sefton, but lie was probably among the moderate horses to carry of the Blue Kiband. lie won as a three-year-old in 1S7S, under the feather weight of 7S pounds, only beating the outsider, Advance, by a head, and few who saw the race thought much of his pretensions for the Derby, more especially as he was afterwards beaten into third place for the Two Thousand Guineas. He won rather easily nevertheless, but it was not from a high-class band, of which the favorite, Insulaire, was second. That the form between the pair was correct, however, was shown in the St. Leger, when he again relegated Insulaire into second place by a half dozen lengths. It was a considerable time ore the "double" brought oft by Virago found imitation, the second horse to win both the City and Suburban and Great Metropolitan being Mornington, which brought off the feat in 1873. He was a useful handicap horse, belonging to Mr. K. Brayley. a popular and successful owner for .1 number of years, who patronized impartially racing on the flat and across country. His colors had a strong public following, and the lead of "Teddy" Brayley was for a long while worth following. Mornington had in previous seasons demonstrated that he could both stay and go fast, and he was put to the test when brought out for the City and Suburban against a good-class field, which included Cremorner, the winner of the Derby the previous year. The latter was well backed to carry tlte ton weight of 128 pounds first past the post, while Mr. Brayleys horse was allowed to start at 50 to 1. As a five-year-old he Avon from Cre-morne under 111 pounds, and the next afternoon was asked to shoulder his ten-pound penalty making his impost 117 pounds in the "Metrop." He showed his quality by successfully doing so with proved stayers like Dutch Skater, Uhlan and Shannon against him, of which the first-two named finished second and third respectively. Then at Bath he won the Somersetshire Stakes with odds on him, and completed a useful sequence at Salisbury by cantering" in for Her Majestys Plate, over three miles. It is interesting to recall that Morning-ton Cannon, the famous ex-joekey, was born on the day Mr. Brayleys horse won the Somersetshire Stakes, and the news of his birth reaching his father just after he had ridden the winner, he resolved to call his son Mornington. It was for a long while believed that the youngster received his name after Mornington had been successful in the City and Suburban, but that was owing to some confusion of dates. Sabinas was another memorable winner of the double event, in 1S70, and his party profited considerably by his success. A three-year-old, he had 93 pounds up in the shorter race, and a penalty of ten pounds gave him no more in the "Metrop." Both he won easily, and that he was a good stayer he showed by afterwards taking the Beaufort Cup at Batli over about two miles and a half. He met a still greater test in the Gold Cup at Ascot, for which lie beat the French horse, Trocadero, Muster and three others, winning by four lengths from Trocadero. He must have been a tolerably good tiling for the two events at Epsom with such light weights as ho carried! The late Mr. Lorillards American-bred Parole was the fourth horse to win the "City" and the Great Metropolitan. Coming over here at the close of 187S with a reputation for usefulness, he was entered for handicaps with some freedom the following year, and the Newmarket Handicap was chosen for his first appearance. His renown evidently had some foundation, for in this race he beat Isonomy something to do at that time of day under a concession of eight pounds, and as. as a six-year-old. he had only 119 pounds to carry in the City and Suburban, Inclusive of a five pound penalty, he was in best request at the start. He was again a winner, and his victory only increased his weight for the Great Metropolitan the next day to 121 pounds. He had to meet but one opponent, which he readily disposed of with 5 to 2 on him. As the race has never been walked over for, this, of course, constitutes the smallest field that ever ran for it. Parole could only get fourth for the Chester Cup, but was equal to winning the Great Cheshire .Handicap the next day under 134 pounds. His other success that year was in the Epsom Gold Cup, for which he had a couple of moderate opponents to dispose of. In 1SS0 he had another try for the City and Suburban, and though weighted this time at 130 pounds he was well supported by his connections, but failed to finish in the first three. Parole was a hardy, gelding by Leamington out of Maiden, and after that -eai; was sent back to the United States of America, where he lived to a considerable age. No horses name is more deeply graven in City and Suburban records than that of Dean Swift. By reason of his consistent running and frequent victories he may, in point of popularity, be bracketed with Bendigo, Victor Wild, Long Set and others which have made their mark in handicaps, and fills a place by himself as the only horse to win the Epsom race twice. The adage Handsome is that handsome does," particularly applies in his case, for lie was one of the plainest-looking horses then in training, and could not be backed on the score of appearance. He showed a liking for the course from his first appearance on it, which was made in the "City" as a three-year-old in 1901. Carrying 91 pounds, he was beaten into second place by Bobert le Diable, and tried his luck in the race for six consecutive seasons afterwards. Under 112 pounds he found public and stable support the following year, but had to put up with a third to Pharisee and Ambition, but at the third time of asking, in 1906, he, to the delight of his admirers, caught the judges eye first, carrying three pounds less than in 1905. Again backed the next year, he only finished fifth, but some good form at Epsom and Ascot subsequently earned him 121 pounds for the City and Suburban in 1908. He then scored his second success, and the old gelding and his jockey, Randall who rode him when he first won, came in for a great reception on returning to scale. It was not a bad performance to give thirty-three pounds to the five-year-old Simonson, which he relegated to second place bv a length and a half, and the following year, with 129 pounds in the saddle, he was beaten the same distance by "White Eagle. Making his last appearance in the race in 1910, lie was, in view of his record, given 131 pounds, which lie carried into third position behind Bachelors Double and Mus-t-ipha. to which he was presenting nineteen pounds and thirteen pounds respectively. It was a highly crcditable close to a connection with the race which no other thoroughbred has approached, and though defeated, he was by no means disgraced. It may be added that the "Dean" ended his career on the course after winning the Chestrefield Cup at Goodwood the following year, and he was sent by his owner, Mr. .1. B. Joel, to end his days in peace in the paddocks at Childwickbury. London Sportsman.
