With quite a flourish of trumpets the flat-racing season began
simultaneously with the going out of steeplechasing. I do not hesitate
to attribute this to the weather, which was exceptionally fine for the
first week of flat racing. It can be, and usually is, exceedingly bitter
at Lincoln; and those who grumbled at the wind either had no previous
experiences to fall back upon, or were troubled with poor memories. The
Carholme has so bleak a situation that we are bound to catch any wind
there is, and, unfortunately, at this season of the year it blows either
into or along the enclosures. There is a meeting between North and South
owners and trainers, and the special train from London on the first day
bore with it quite as many well-known figures on the Turf as one
expects. Amongst them was our amateur owner-jockey—a description which
differentiates decidedly from jockey-owner—Mr. George Thursby, not long
returned from a winter sojourn in Jamaica. The climate there is so
conducive to indolence that Mr. Thursby found himself 19 lb. over
weight, 10 lb. of which was got rid of on the way home by the drastic
method of assisting the stokers. The keen racing brigade was well
represented, and it is as well that the persevering army of backers
should be so, for we cannot too soon begin taking notes for future use
against the bookmakers. The greatest enthusiasm was aroused by the
Batthyany Stakes, in which Rising Falcon, last year’s winner under 9
st., was trying again with 9 lb. more. Even under this burden he started
joint favourite with Canty Bay, the fact that he was ridden as usual by
Madden, thus making a pair that well understood one another, not being
without influence. As matters turned out Madden was wanted. He did not
hesitate to push Rising Falcon for all he was worth, and his winning was
not in doubt until he was within a hundred yards of the post. There
Golden Gleam and Early Bird drew upon him so rapidly that he was all but
caught, for he had a short head only to spare from Golden Gleam when he
passed the post. The next two, Early Bird and Golden Coin, were also
separated by short heads, so the finish may be imagined. Madden came in
for quite an ovation, and was actually seen to smile.
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