A NEW ZEALAND RACING MAN IN ENGLAND.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2178, 17 February 1881, Page 3

A NEW ZEALAND RACING MAN IN ENGLAND.

[From the "Spotting Times."] The announcement we made lash week of the approaching return to England of James Waugh calls to mind many memories. It is getting on for twenty years since a man who had made a fortune by big sheep run at the Antipodes came over to this country. That man was the stalwart, bluff, genial Mr W. Robinson, who twice lost the Ceearewitch by only the length of his nose. His trainer was James Waugh. There are many instances of horses which were "readied" for Admiral Rous, but never a more pronounced one than that of Mr Robinson's Gratitude, who was the best good thing that did not come off we ever knew. Gratitude, who wag a grand and highly-bred mare, on the day that she was stripped for the Oesarewitch of 1861 presented the most perfect appearance of a thoroughly trained animal that we ever saw. She was a four-year-old, handicapped at the light weight of 6it. 21b. In an ordinary year she could hare won with Bst. The story of her trial we have forgotten, but we recollect being wonder, fully impressed with it at the time. Mr Robinson threw into the market en unlimited commission to back the mare, and so thoroughly was it drained that when he was present no offer was made against Gratitude. On the nig v t before tho race the mare at the "Booms" stood at 5 to 1, and none of her friends being present, the bookmakers, as is their wont when there is no one to take the bets, became valorous, and sporting reporters were beginning to write, " Gratitude was not go firm to-night, large offers being made against her in various quarters without anyone coming to the rescue, when Mr Robinson appeared on the soene, and it became unnecessary to write the message. " Is there anyone else who wanta to make an offer of any sort against my mare ?" said Mr Robinson, book in hand. There was not, and dosing that volume, in whioh bets to the extent of nearly £IOO,OOO were already recorded, he departed. No matter how good a thing you may have in a race, there is always the risk of some one having a better, and so, as the result proved, was the case on th» occasion. Lord Coventry had in the roco the beautifully-bred Thalestris, who was also four years old, and turned loose exactly as Gratitude wos. Her weight was 6st. 21b. During the first October week she had won one of the long-distance triennials, beating some good horses. How shall we describe what her Oesarewitch prospects were with 6it. 21b., so as to make it clear to our readers ? Suppose, for instance, that in the recent Oesarewitch there hod been a four-year-old with 6it. 21b. who had beaten at even weights, by two or three lengths, Reveller. That would have looked well, even with Robert tho Devil in opposition. But there was no Robert the Devil thee. Tho horse that Tholestris beat was Mr Cartwright's Scamandor, who was a somewhat noted long distance runner. This was the "red hot 'un" which, unfortunately, stood in Gratitude's way. Tho race botween the pair was a tremendous one, but it looked 100 to 1 on Gratitude until Carroll, who was very weak at the

time, tired, and Jimmy Grimshaw, riding with extraordinary resolution on Thaleatrii, won by a head. After they had passed tbe post long odds were betted that Gratitude had won, and it was with a groan of relief that the Bing hailed the putting up of the number of Thalestris—not that she was by any means a winner for them. The third horse was Ackworth, on whom a fortnight later, in the Cambridgeshire, the Marquis of Hastings won suoh a raker. The following year Gratitude's weight in the Oesarowitoh was upward of Bit., and again she was second, the winner this time being Salpinotei, the property of the heroic but unfortunate Oapt. Day, whose brilliant marine services in the Crimean war won for him the Victoria Cross, and whose death in impoverished circumstances not long ago it was our painful duty to mention. In partnership with Capt. Day was Capt. King, but, great a favourite as the horse started, neither won much money. Mr Brayloy, whose horse Pearl Diver tried Salpinoter, could tell ua something of this race, and so could Mr F. Swindell, who financed the business. Sir Fred Johnstone had the commission, and he did not ask for long odds, provided the amount of money was large enough. Gratitude's first Cesarewitch was one of the most memorable races that we can call to mind. Other equally sensational incidents cropped up during the short career of Mi* Bobinson, who was tho earliest owner of the famous Kangaroo. Thereby hangs a tale,

showing how two of the best three-year-olda of their season ran in the same selling race the previous year. What racing man is not familiar with the picture of Gladiateur winning the Derby ? Next to him in the whit* and black sleeves is Christmas Carol, and third is a handsome ohestnut bearing a white jacket and black and gold belt. That iorse was Eltham, who won a selling race at Newmarket the previous autumn, and was claimed by Mr Bobinson. Seoond was Mrßobinson's Kangaroo, who was claimed by Mr Padwick, Thus, in a trivial contest at Newmarket, with little store placed upon either animal, ran two horses, one of which afterwards ran third for the Derby, and won the Queen's vase at Ascot, whilst tho other was the object of one of the most extraordinary deals ever made in the history of the Turf, and who most undoubtedly at the time of that deal ranked in merit second only to Gladiateur himself. The original agreement of this sale, in the handwriting of Mr Padwick, with interlineations by the Marquis of Hastings, stating the price and the contingencies, has beea promised us, and when we get it we will publish it in lithograph form on our fifth page.