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PRESENT CONDITION OF FRENCH RACING. Baron E. de Rothschild and W. K. Vanderbilt Leading the "Winning Owners Autumn Racing. "The "Jockey" has compiled statistics of the chief winning owners, breeders, jockeys and sires during the Chantilly gatherings, giving first and second honors on the flat to Baron E. de Rothschild and W. K. Vanderbilt in their dual capacity as owners and breeders, while the defeat of Aiken in the Prix de IElevage on the last day at Chantilly did not prevent Maintenon, Mr. Vandcrbilts Derby winner, from taking his place at the head of the list of winning sires. Maintenon has shown himself a first-class sire and he is followed on the winning list by the offspring of Sans Souci, Rabelais, Sea Sick. Sly Fox and Macdonald. ONeill, who is certainly one of the best jockeys America has sent us, takes, pride of place among riders on the flat, followed by McGee, who holds a retainer for Baron E. de Rothschild, maintaining the same order as that registered last year as the result of the "test" gatherings held in France. Crosscountry racing at Chantilly, which recalled the old days in the sixties, when a hurdle? race concluded the meetings, gives a prominent position to the colors of M. Wattinne, one of the leading manufacturers -in the Lille district, now occupied by the Huns. M. Wattinne lias followed racing for some time and been known in the sales-yard as well as in the paddock as a buyer of bloodstock. He secured from the stud of the late M. Gaston-Dreyfus, renowned for his cross-country performers as the progeny of St. Damien, Vieil Homme, by Gorgos or Chesterfields Veneration. The old gelding, carefully prepared by William Flatman, has, adding other successes, placed him at the top of the list for the jumping tests at Chantilly. The illegitimate" sport is worthy of every encouragement, as, with: the trotting "tests" on the point of being organized, they will offer an excellent opportunity for the- officials of the remount to renew the purchase of liorses for military purposes and respond to the requirements of the cavalry and artillery. Autumn Racing Prospects. We are in the midst of war, .and though we have, perhaps, many pessimists among us we are free from faddists and the Chemiu de Fer du Nord, the best managed line in France, notwithstanding that it is the main artery of communication between Paris and the northwestern fronts, has had no difficulty in finding means of transporting liorses from Chantilly to Maisons-Laffitte. From personal experience, I may add that England holds the unenviable monopoly of such a station as Cam-t bridge,, which must bo as bad as the maze at Hampton Court for the foreigner. From Paris we have been carried backwards and forwards to the French Newmarket in record, time and have heard nothing of the shortage of oats, so much dreaded on the other side of the waters AH goes, well and smoothly. So much so, indeed, that the Societo dEncouragenient or French Jockey Club is casting about for ways and means to institute an autumn campaign for the month of September. The Jockey Club has secured the co-operation of the Steeplechase Society, which has voted a credit of 0,000 pounds to promote . cross-country gatherings, which will probably be carried on under new rules, exr eluding competitors over five years old. The remount may find plenty of opportunities for se lecting the class of horse they are open to purchase as army remounts. The necessity of racing and plenty of racing, is admitted over here, not only for the revival of a drooping national industry. It is whispered among breeders that race societies will bring before the government buyers the type of horse which experience has shown is most adaptable for army purposes, and give the clue to the restrictions recently issued by the minister of agriculture against further purchases being made officially at the moment. The French war cabinet" seems to have a good grasp of the horse in question, and to appreciate the services rendered by breeding and racing, so that seemingly the only question left open in the money difficulty, which must arise when the reserves of the racing societies have become exhausted. Paris letter to London Sportsman.
