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SOME RACING OF A CENTURY AGO. Long Distances, Great Weights and Small Values Characteristic of the Turf of Long-Gone Days. Decidedly imbued with quaint features is a recent reminiscent account of some racing occurrences at Warwick, England, a hundred years ago. The wide difference between racing and racing values of that time and the present are picturesquely presented. Tlien, as also in this country at the same time, the highest-class horses were raced over long distances in heats and for sums that now seen ridiculously small. In his account of ancient Warwick racing, Augur, of London Sporting Life, says: "It is interesting to note that racing at Warwick was one of the earliest institutions. I find record of races at Warwick in 1770, when on the twenty-ninth of August five horses ran two four-mile heats for a plate of 50 pounds, a Mr. Herberts Sparkler, a five-year-old, winning both heats. There was more variety about the sport on the following day. when five animals had to run four heats of four miles for a 50 pound plate, as the first three heats were won by a different horse each time. The winner of the third heat a Mr. Lentons six-year-old, North Briton must have been a real good stayer, for he won the .fourth heat also. Racing one horse sixteen miles for 50 pounds would horrify some of our present-day owners, who would want to keep their animals in cotton -wool ever after. But there was better sport at Warwick later on, as just one hundred years ago in September there were seven events decided during two days, and on the second day there was the following race: Gold Cup, value 100 guineas, the rest in specie, a subscription of ten guineas each, with twenty guineas added by the stewards, for all ages; four miles. Twenty subscribers. Lord Oxfords br. in, Victoria, by Hambletonian, 0, 12S 1 Mr. Pryses gr. h, Grimaldi, aged, 131 2 Mr. Andrews b. h, Thorn, aged, 131 3 "The gray horse Grimaldi had won the Gold Cup in the previous year, and odds of 0 to 4 were bet on him, but Victoria was backed at 7 to 4. On the same afternoon there was a Maiden Plate of 50 pounds, given by the members, which I take to mean members of the Warwick Club, which was evidently in existence then. Lord Oxford ran a five-year-old brother to Victoria, the Gold Cup winner, but after winning one heat the race was run for in two-mile heats and running second in the next, he fell lame and was withdrawn, the event being won by a Mr. J. Baileys Fourth of June, a three-year-old, which, fourth in the first heat, won the next two. This three-year-old must have been a fine, staying colt, for I find him subsequently winning plates of two mile heats at Shrewsbury and Wrexham, beating horses of all ages. He trained on, too, for as a four-year-old he won a 70 pound plate in two-mile heats at Newton, a 50 pound plate in four-mile heats at Nantwich, and a 50 pound plate in three-mile heats at Brox-asli, the latter race being run on the downs near Bromyard. Reverting to the winner of the Gold Cup at Warwick one hundred years ago, recorded above, it is related in the Stud Book of this mare, Victoria, by Hambletonian, out of Beatrice, by Sir Peter, that she was put to the stud, but will not breed. "On the opening day of the Warwick meeting a hundred years ago there was a race in three four-mile heats for His Majestys Plate which caused a lot of subsequent trouble, as it was Avon by a bay gelding supposed to be by Worthy, and four years old, but it turned out afterwards, on an investigation before the Jockey Club at Newmarket, that the horse entered for it by the description of b. g, by Worthy, four years old, was in fact the bay gelding llylas, six years old, in consequence of which payment of the plate was stopped. It also transpired that the same animal had started for plates at Newton, Lancaster, Preston, Ormskirk and Lichfield, under the description of Trusty, by Worthy, four years old. "Evidently gentlemen riders were not very keen in those days, for, although there were eight subscribers for a Hunters Sweepstakes of ten guineas each, gentlemen riders, two-mile heats, there were only two starters, Mr. J. Lockley winning with a six-year-old bay mare by Totteridge. Apparently Mr. Lockley farmed all the hunters races with this useful mare, which later in the year received the name of Jenny-bang-the Weavers. She started the year 1810 by walking over for a Hunters Sweepstakes at Manchester, the conditions reading for horses, etc., that never started or had been in training before the time of naming; 108 pounds each; four miles. On the next day she walked over for a similar stake, and she turned up at Oxford in July to walk over for another Hunters Sweepstakes, but was not allowed to, for want of the requisite certificate. Then came the Warwick nice already referred to, and then she went on to Shrewsbury, where, after being beaten in a two-mile sweepstakes for hunters, 1!S pounds, gentlemen riders, four miles. Being christened Jenny-bang-the-Weavers, she won a silver cup for hunters at Oswestry, and wound up the year by being disqualified for crossing in the second heat of a Members Plate at Oswestry. So much for Warwiek one hundred years ago."
