Al3COT RACES.
A rare instance has happened of "Queen Victoria's weather " being most ugly weather. The Royal Races have been totally spoiled as a spec- tacle, by the perverse skies. On Tuesday the heavy down-pours came so often that they were almost continuous ; and on Thursday, the great day, they were so continuous that "the road was deserted," her Majesty was "not expected," and the course was only "dotted here and there" with the carriages of the wealthy. Nevertheless, the Queen was there on both days. Along with her Majesty, on Tuesday, was the beautiful Spanish Princess the Duchess of Ifontpensier : the Duke of Wellington and the
Earl of Derby were in other carriages of the cortege. On this day, de- spite the rain there was a goodly display of our wealth of splendid qui_
pages. On rain, the day. of the race for the Emperor of Russia's Plate, some of the very determined ladies who appeared on the course were covered up in water-proof cloaks, with hoods over their bonnets. The sport was not of an interesting character on any one day.. As at Epsom, the great prize was won by an outsider—the course being a re- gular swamp, so that a hunter could almost go over the ground faster than a racer.
The Emperor of Russia's Plate worth 500/., with a sweepstakes of 201. each, for three-year-olds, twenty-four subscribers, was won by Mr. Far- rance's Joe Miller (G. Mann). Mr. Saxon's Black Doctor (Abrahams) was second' Mr. Merne's Hobble Noble (Charlton) third; and Mr. Padwick's Little Harry fourth. Before the race, Lord Eglinton's Voltigeur was the favourite, at nearly even betting against the field : he came in only fifth.. The odds against the winner had been six to one. The race was won easily.
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