_Mount Street, Grosvenor Square._
DEAR MR. PUNCH,--Your marvellous judgment in the selection of your
"staff"--(I believe that is the correct term to use in speaking
of those who write for the paper, though as a rule a staff is
_wooden-headed_, which I am sure none of your contributors are!--I
can answer for _one_!)--has again placed you in the position
envied of all Journals, viz.,--(_why_ do people put "viz.," and
not "namely"?--it _is_ silly!) that of affording "information"
given by no other Journal! All of which preamble means,--(by
the way, why "pre-_amble_"?--if one is a speedy writer, why not
"pre-_canter_"?)--that _Punch_, in the person of LADY GAY--(that _may_
seem a little mixed, but it isn't)--was the _only_ Sporting Paper
which tipped the winner of the Cesarewitch!
For confirmation of this I refer the sceptical to my last week's
letter, in which I stated that in dreaming of the race I dreamt that
"_Burnaby came to the rescue_"--and if this is not giving the winner,
I should like to know what is! It is true I made _Brandy_ my "verse
selection," but that would only mislead the people who go no further
than the surface (not of the brandy), as anyone who gave the matter a
moment's thought would realise that Brandy is always applied _after_
a rescue! I hear there was a "ton of money" for the winner just before
the start, but I did not see anyone carrying it about, so I suppose it
was what they call "covering money," which, I presume, is covered over
for safety, as it would be risky to walk about a race-course with a
ton of loose money--not that I suppose anyone who goes racing would
touch it, but it _might_ be lost! Anyhow, there was a ton of money
for the winner _after_ the race, which his owner _had_ to take,
willy-nilly, or HOBSON's choice!
The pleasantest feature of the meeting, however, was the re-appearance
of H.R.H. the Prince of WALES, which was also pleasantly marked by one
of his horses winning a race! The Public having anxiously "watched"
for H.R.H., the success of _The Vigil_ was received with enthusiasm!
Next week takes us to Gatwick and Sandown--(or rather the _train_
takes us--another absurd expression)--the last day of the latter
Meeting being devoted to "Jumping Races," which is the contemptuous
way some people speak of the winter branch of our National
Sport!--forgetting that it demands the two most desirable qualities
in a horse, _speed and endurance_--whereas the modern flat-racing
has degenerated, for the most part, into scrambles and gambles, where
_speed_ is the only requisite!--but more of this anon--but _not_
anonymous, as I believe in signed articles, as the apprentice said!
(_Not_ BRADFORD!)
The most important race at Gatwick--(_delightful_ place to go
racing--lots of room to move about in)--is the Thousand Pound
Handicap, in which race _Brandy_ is worth keeping an eye on, as she
ought to beat _Burnaby_ at the difference in the weights--other horses
that might make their mark during the week--(especially now the ground
is soft)--are, _Pilot, Golden Garter_--(_I_ never was guilty of
such extravagance as that)--_Queen of Navarre_--(_she_ might have
been)--_Meadow Brown_, _Terror_, and _Seawall_, the last three in the
"Jumping Races"--and, in conclusion, the inevitable rhythmical winner,
from
Yours devotedly, LADY GAY.