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ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS MARES KNOWN. Items in the Sensational Career of the Fleet-footed Sceptre. There may be differences of opinion as to which xvas the best of the fillies, say if the pant quarter of a century: but unquestionably Sceptre r i ■■___ high mm ng them. This daughter of Persimme|V • irnament was "in the news" from the outset Tf her career until its close. She xvas bred by the late Duke of Westminster, and, but for the death of his Grace xvould doubtless have carried the ianious y How and black livery. Winn anbmitted for s;ile with the Dukes other horses Sceptre, then a yearling, realized the unprecedented price of 10.000 griaeaa, her purchaser being B. S. Sie-vicr. She made an impressive debet at Ep-om in the loUenrlag summer, winning the Weedcote Stake* tj four length* from Caardna, which was leaked upon as something out of the ordinary by his runiiertions. Almost equally facile xvas her victory over a half dozen opponents in the July Stakes; I ut she was surprisingly beaten in the Champagne stakes at Doneaster by both Game Chick and sardas. this being her final effort of the season. Sceptre made her reappearance as a three-year at* in the Lincolnshire Handicap, and in spite of a natural prejudice against second -sea son animals, especially those of the gentler sex. for the first great handicap of the season, the filly was made-favorite. Moreover, but for the intervention of St. Mae Ion. which was conceding twenty pounds for the year. Sceptre xvould have justifieel the nnfidenc- repose-el in her. but Colonel Me-Calnionts good colt prevailed by a head. The daughter of Tersimme.i next ran axvay xvith the Two Thousand. Pistol being second and Aril Patrick third: xvhile- a cemple of days later she completed a notable double by xvinning the One Thousand. How Sceptre Failed in the Derby. On the strength of all this Sceptre was an even-money chance for the Derby, in which, however, she failed to obtain a place, finishing fourth to Aid Patrick. Bising Glass, and Friar Tuck. Her defeat was in some eiuarte-rs attributed to a lack of staying power, but that this idea was anything bat telle* t was proved only two days later, when she easily beat Mass Jug. Elba, and others in the Oaks. Another defeat xvas sustained in the Grand Prix de Paris, in xviiich she was unplaced to Kizil Koiir-gan, xvhile she also failed in the Coronation Stakes at Ascot almost immediately after he-r return to England, the race being won by Sir F]. W. Cassi Is Doctrine. The following day, however, she had recovered her form sufficiently to win the st. .lame- Palace Stakes from Flying Lemur, owned by the present Duke- of Westminster. At Goodwood, in tin-Sussex Stakes, she met more than her match in Koyal Lancer, to which she xvas fa*V*IOllag to concede six pounds, but at the same meeting she. made hacks of Bhan, Ballantrae, and othc is in the Nassau Stakes. The filly had lost caste to some extent by the tama Dl master came round, anil odds of loo to SO xvere on offer against her for the St. Lege r, the Irish colt St. Brendan being almost as goad a favorite, xvhile- aaek as Cheers, Friar Tuck, Bising Gfataa, and Cupbearer had adherents. Sceptre was at her best on "Leger" day. as events proved, tin-filly xvinning in a canter from Bising Glasa and Priar Tuck, which latter pair thus ran true to their fcpaeaa form. St. Brendan finished fifth. On the final day of the meeting big odds were laid on the heroine of four classics for tin- Park Hill Stakes, but the prize xvas xvon by Eilu. which was in receipt of twelve pounds. Sceptres work for the year terminated witli this race. Another Cut for the "Lincoln." Sceptre had another cut for the "Lincoln* iu 1903. xvhen she had to carry 127 pounds. This peered too big a burden, and she finished oaljf fifth, the race bring xvon by Over Norton. She was not seen out again until Ascot Week, when she xvon the Hardxvieke Stakes in a canter from Lord Derbys Jay Gordon. Then came- he r memorable tussle in the ■eBpaC Stakes with her Derby conqueror. Aril Patrick, xviiich again got the better of the filly, xvinning by a neck, xvith Bock Band, the favorite, well beaten into third place. This xvas the last reverse sustained by Sceptre as a four-year-old. It may here b* mentioned that the _ filly was at this period the property of Mr. niter- ™ _ wards Sir William Bass, who had sec need le r fur 25,000 pounds suhseque-nt to her defeat at Lincoln. A goodly proportion of tin- puilhase money xvas returned xvhen Sceptre xvon the Jockey Club Stake* in the autumn. For some- reason or other the public raCtbaed to the belief that the S.mloun Park defeat of Bock Sand was not to 1 t ken at its face value, and the three-year-old xvas made favorite-, but Sir James Millers colt finished four lengths behind Sceptre. The hitters next appearance was in the Duke of York Stakes at Kempton Park, in which she carried ISO penaii*, Notwith-atanding this fact, the race was regarded a* a fire-gone i -inclusion, and Sceptre started at 1$ to 8 on. It was. however, only by a head Cat the odds were landed, the Bghtly-weigllted llappp Blare only going under by a head after si ming to have til" issue in safe- keeping. There was no question as to the quality of Sceptre after this, .md h -r victories in the Champion Stakes aal Limekiln Stakes at the late Newmarket meetings were only in accordance xvith anticipations. Defeat in the Gold Cup. Sceptre ran thrice iu the following year, without adding to her laurels. Her first race wn* the Coronation Cup ut Epsom, in which tin- opposition was BBtect, if limited. She again heal Bo i- Sand, but was beaten by a length by Binfadel, a colt which might xvell have made his mark i-i the classics of tlie- previous rear had not the death of his owner. C ilonel McCalmoiit. rendered him in-ligible. /infandel and Sceptre renewed acquaintance in the lid, I Cup. Slitrht odds were laid on the former. and 7 to I againel the filly: but to the dtsmaj of loose pre-ent both were beaten by the unfaici-il Throwaway. which, ridden by Willie Line, finished ;. length ir front of Zinfade-1. which like Sceptre, claime-d Persimmon as sire, xvith Mr. Pas-." chain plan three-parts of a length further away, ami the French candidate, Maximum II., fourth and l.:-t. That Throwaway xvas th ■ best horse of tin- day few believeel. and the general opinion was that the: rider* of linfandrl and Sceptic had allowed the outsider too much latitude regarding him as a iegligibl" quantity. Twenty-font hours later. Sceptre ran her last race, finishing third to Bock Bund and Saatrr in the- Hardwicke- Stakes. On the disposal of Sit V . Bass stud. Sceptre passed into the ownership of the Messrs. Tattersall for 7.0:M» guineas. She has rot proved an unqualified success at the stud, but one of her progeny. Grosvenor. won tie- Great Foal Stake* at Newmarket last October. — "J. V. I.", in London Sporting Life.
