_ _ The great equestrian fete of sober England has
been celebrated this week, under the influence of Splendid weather ; the May sunshine being cooled by the fresh breezes which swept over the Downs, and the throngs of spectators on the great day equalling even that year of prodigies the Exhibition year.
There was good sport on Tuesday, and good company. Among the improvements, the electric telegraph has been put into connexion with the grand stand, and the pigeons are now out of employment.
- For the Craven Stakes, ten horses started, and Grapeabot (WO) won the race ; Guicowar (Aldoroft) being second,',. and Corybantea;(f.shatriton),third. Nine horses started for the Manor Plate ; .and-three were place as follows:—
clot (Clement) first, Coalition (Carroll) "second, and Glenluce (Flatman) rd. • , - Wednesday, "the Derby day," was brilliantly fine ; and the Downs were black with spectators. More than usual interest attached to "the Derby," in the eyes of the sporting world. • Among the fashionable visit- ors were the Duke de Nemours, the Dad of Richmond-and Montrose, Lord Derby, Baron Rothschild, Sir Robert Peel, and Mr. George Smythe.
For the Derby Stakes of 501. each, for three-year-old 'colts, there were twenty-eight starters and 195 subscribers. The race was won by Mr. Bowes's West Australian, ridden by Frank Butler; the second horse was Sittingboume, ridden by Sans Rogers ; the third was Cineas, ridden by Bum- by ; and the fourth, Rataplan.
Betting at starting-6 to 4 agst West Australian, 6 to 1agst Orestes, 6 to 1 agst Honeywood. 8 to 1 agst Sittingbourne, 20 to 1 agst Umbria, 20 to 1 agst Pharos (offered), 25 to 1 apt Ninnybammer, 30 to 1 agst Cineas, 30 to 1 agst Peggy, 50 to 1 each agst Cheddar, Barbatus, and Rataplan, 100 to 1 agst Coomburland Stathesmon.
" An excellent start," says the sporting reporter, "all getting off in a cluster, ex- cept Coomburland Stathesmon, who was some lengths behind. Cheddar and Cineas started in front; but they bad scarcely proceeded half-way up the hill when Umbriel took up the running, with Cheddar, Cineas, Orestes, Ethelbert, Ninnyhammer, and Rattle well laid up, and directly in their wake were Pharos, Honeywood, and Fil- bert; West Australian, with Sittingbourne in close attendance upon him, being the next two. No material change occurred until they arrived at the turn into the
straight, when Umbriel be to drop off; Rattle immediately went on with the lead, but at the road was passed by Cineas, and at the same time West Australian, with Sittingbourne at his quarters, was seen to draw forward. At the distance these two singled themselves out, and a very exciting race home ended in favour of West Aus- tralian by a neck. Rataplan, who left the ruck in the last quarter of a mile, and gra- dually improved his position, finished about half a length behind the third. Honey- wood and Rattle were the next two. Barbatus pulled up lame."
This race was run in two minutes fifty-six seconds. The stakes amounted to 54251.
Mr. Bowes has thus carried off the "Blue Riband of the turf';,.four, times. In 1835, he won the race with Mundig ; in 1843 with Cother-, stone ; in 1852, with Daniel O'Rourke ; and this year, with West Aus- tralian. : t Thursday presented a marked contrast in sport and appearance. The sport was of the ordinary kind, the attendance confined to "business men" ; and the weather scorching."
• Lord Derby's colt, Dervish, carried off the Two-year-old Stakes, with great ease, from ten competitors. - t - But the brilliant opening of the races was destined to a gloomy close. Yesterday the weather continued fine up to the race for the Oaks ; when suddenly there fell a most tremendous deluge of rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning.
" The violence of the storm caused a general rush of the company to every available plaie of shelter. The grand stand anthill the booths on the course were instantaneously filled to suffocation ; but numbers, unable to get under cover, were thoroughly drenched in a very few minutes. For nearly an hour the rain fell incessantly, and the last two races were run in a perfect deluge... The contrast of the scene and the actors concerned in- it was fungu- larry striking: that which was hot dust in the morning was now thick mud, ankle-deep ; and instead of the gay summer costumes, nothing was now to be seen but drenched and dripping figures huddled up in coats, cloaks, and
rugs, or crouching together under umbrellas." . . . . Seventeen fillies started for the Oaks. The number of subscribers was 195; the amount of the stake 38001.. Betting at starting 5 to 4 'against Catherine Hayes. The race was won easily by Catherine Hayes (Marlow);' (Sam Rogers) being second, and the Miss Sarah filly (Pettit) third.' fter passing
Tattenham Corner, the favourite placed the result beyond a-doubt. • at The last two races were run in the " deluge " ' • but from:the nlose of the chief race there hadbeen a hasty retreat from theDowns, "covered carriages and eabi rose suddenly to a premium, whilst open vehicles were at a serious discount."
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