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TANGLED ENGLISH TWO-YEAR-OLD FORM. AVriting on the last day of flat racing in England this year, Friday, November 3, AV. Allison said in London Sportsman: "The last day of the flat-race season in England lias now come, and before these words are published it will have gone. It has been a good season enough, much excellent racing having been seen, but it leaves us utterly fogged and bewildered so far as the two-year-old form is concerned. It would be quite possible to advance plausible reasons for putting any one of at least six of the two-year-olds at the top of a free handicap, but in no case would the reasons be convincing. Knutsford may be the best, but his defeat by Dansellon needs explanation, as does Diadems in the same race, and yet, but for that strange performance, I suppose we should really place Knutsford and Diadem at the top of the tree. Many people, however, still favor Molly Desmond, though to me she seems to be exactly what her running with Athdara and North Star indicates, viz., that all three are as nearly as possible the same animals, and it may be that the daughter of Desmond will not readily forget the three gruelling contests in which she has taken part this year. Athdara seems to me to be an unusually improving sort of colt, but he is a curious-tempered one, and I know that I am correct in saying it would have been all the better for him if he had not got off quite so well in the Dewhurst Plate. He stays k all right, but will not stand asking twice. In other words, had he been following North Star at the bushes instead of leading that colt there would have been no occasion to call on him for an effort until nearer home, but as it was he was challenged by North Star nearly a quarter from the finish, and. having resisted that challenge, he fell a prey to Telephus almost in the last stride. It is likely enough that Telephus will make a good horse, and he certainly stays well. At any rate his form is as good as was that of his sire, Spearmint, when two -ears old, and he is a hardy sort to beat, but he was receiving four pounds from Athdara and ten pounds from North Star, so that he cannot quite claim equality with them at present, whatever lie may do in the future. North Star is a fine colt without the bulk of a typical Sundridge, and yet, well though he stayed the three-quarters in the Middle Park Plate, I am not quite clear that the extra furlong was to his liking on Thursday. It is true he did not get off any too well, and the effort of catching up with the leaders lias to be taken into consideration, but I thought his challenge when he did get alongside Athdara was a weak one, and it would not surprise me to find next year that speed and not stamina is his forte. Sunstar, no doubt, stayed well enough, but he is a son of Sundridge, and North Star is a chestnut. Besides, North Stars dam is a St. Angelo mare, and here again we should look for speed rather than staying power. "Then there is Gay Crusader to be mentioned among winners of the week, and he is certainly capable of great improvement if he thrives during the recess, but at present Molly Desmond and Grand Fleet would hold him safe enough, for he had all the best of the weights with them on Tuesday. Grand Fleet has had a strenuous and not fortunate season, having run nine times, to win four races and be placed in five. His last four efforts were unsuccessful, and this sort of thing is apt to leave a lasting impression on a two-year-old. Anyhow, so far as he is concerned there is no doubt about his being inferior to Knutsford. "Then there is Margarcthal, which may be the best filly, for no attention need be .paid to her defeat in the Criterion," as she was practically knocked out at the start. She is a good deal finer individual than Molly Desmond, and it is a moot point between her and Diadem which is the better looking. Anyone might well say, How happy could I be with either! "After all, there still remains Dansellon, for, after his victory in the first race today, it does not seem so strange that Knutsford and Diadem, after having cut one anothers throats, should have failed to give him the weight in that well-remembered race. Dansellon was under great disadvantages today, for about ten days ago he got rid of his boy and, galloping into some wire fencing, was badly cut inside his off hock. He had to be stopped in his work four days, and the wonder is that he was able to run at all today. The cut is about five inches long, and must have given a great deal of trouble before the inflammation was reduced. Dansellon is a light, lathy horse, not a beauty to look at, but quite the cut of a stayer, and he is still backward. In appearance he favors the Aolodyovski side of his family, and as he was giving Coq dOr three pounds, and Aallance twelve pounds, his performance was a creditable one, for we have seen Coq dOr beat Grand Fleet at a difference of twelve pounds, and fairly easily, too. Sir Hedworth Meux was, of course, present, and everyone was glad to see him win a good race and with such a promising colt. If the original stable estimate of Coq dOr as being the best in Mr. Lambtons stable is correct, what may this Dansellon not he when he is really at his best, which he cannot possibly have been today V He does not look like a really first-class one, but the old sayings that they run in all shapes and handsome is that handsome dues are true ones, and it will not do to be prejudiced against this wiry sou of Chaucer on account of appearances only; "He is pretty closely inbred to St. Simon, being by a St. Simon horse out of a great-grand-ilaughter of St. Simon. It has always seemed strange that Volody-ovski did not make a more successful stallion, for he was certainly a good three-year-old and well bred, but it may be that mares by him are going to redeem his reputation."
