RACING IN ENGLAND.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2162, 29 January 1881, Page 3

RACING IN ENGLAND.

Latest English files bring but little news of interest. At the Shrewsbury November M.eting the great Shropshire Handicap of 500 sots, was won by Mycenas, by Trumpeter (who, by the way, is also the sire of Mias Laura). The Shrewsbury Cup, at the same meeting, went to Antient Pistol. Ehidorroch, who won it last year, started first favourite.

I notice that Lyric, by Thunderbolt —Lyra, has won another Selling Race at the Manchester November Meeting. He carried top weight, started at 4 to 1, and won very easily. The Lancashire Cup of 500 sove was won by Warhorn, another son of Thunderbolt. At the same meeting Assegai, a son of ToxopboUte, won a handicap, beating, amongst others, Chevron el.

Blue Gown has been purchased by Mr J. R. Keene, the well-known racing man, and shipped for America. Smart, one of Captain Maohell’s old lads, is now, the “ Sportsman ’’ says, training the unbeaten Kincsem.

Prince Bathyany retires from the Turf in consequence of his precarious health, and has sold his horses to Mr Naylor.

It is currently rumoured that tempting offers have been made to J. Cannon to leave Captain Machcll (with whom he has been for upwards of seven years), to become private trainer to Lord Rosebery, Coustable’e health failing him. A writer in a contemporary, speaking of first favourites, observes that “it has been remarked by careful observers for many years past that proportionately more first favorites are successful in what may be called the great races of the season than in the minor races.” This is no doubt true, and it is to be feared that a not unreasonable explanation is to be found. In the great contests it is probable that all tho horses [are really “going” for the race, while, in many minor affairs—unless constant rumour is gravely in error some of the competitors have other reasons for running besides a desire to win the race. “ Last year,” the writer says, “ a comparison of the results of the twenty-two most important events of the closing season shows that though first favorites have not done nearly so well as usual, the loss to a backer of horses who had followed them from beginning to end would have been but trifling. Last year twelve out of the twenty, two principal races were won by first favorites, hut this year only eeyen have been successful, though it is worth notice that in an equal number of cases the second favorites have won. First favorites won the Great Metropolitan Stakes at Epsom, the Chester Cup, the Derby, the Ascot Cup, the Alexandra Plate, the Goodwood Stakes, and the Newmarket Champion Stakes; while the second favorite secured the City and Suburban Handicap, the One Thousand Guineas, the Goodwood Cup, the Ebor Handicap, the Doncaster St. Lager, the Middle Park Plate, and the Liverpool Cup. The two animals against which the longest odds were laid in the great races of the year were Petronel, who stood at 20 to 1 when he ran for the Two Thousand Guineas, and Jenny Howlet, against whom oa much as 33 to 1 was betted just before the start for the Oaks.” The difficulty of backing first favorites is often to find them, however. A short time before the race a man gete his money on, and at the moment of starting his horse has been passed in the betting and another first favorite installed, often to be in turn dethroned.