On the 1st March will be published, in foolscap 8vo., neatly bound price 3s. 6d., HORSE RACING, ETC. BY THE HON. CAPTAIN ROUS, R.N. Elegantly bound in 16mo., scarlet cloth, gilt edges, with Illuminated Title, Price 2s. 6d. WHO'S WHO IN 1850, Dedicated by Permission to Her Grace the Duchess of Sutherland. Being a Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage, and Parliamentary Guide, &c. In Crown. 8vo., price 2s. 6d. UNITED SERVICE AND EAST INDIA RECORD. Showing at a Single Glance, the Name of every Officer in the Army, Navy, and East India Company, alphabetically arranged, giving his correct Rank, Regiment, and the Garrison in which he is quartered. BAILEY'S SERIES OF WINNERS. Painted by J. F. Herring, Sen., H. Hall, and A. Cooper, R.A. Price £1 1s. each. Size, 13 inches by 15. Beeswing, Charles XII., Cotherstone, Poison, Nutwith, Confidence, Alice Hawthorn, Orlando, Princess. Foig-a-Ballagh, Merry Monarch, The Emperor, The Baron Sweetmeat, Pyrrhus the First, Mendicant, Alarm, Slane, Gladiator, Sir Tatton Sykes, Cossack, Van Tromp, The Hero, Surplice, Flying Dutchman, Each Portrait is Published within Six weeks after the Race. HERRING'S SKETCHES ON THE ROAD. Price £1 11s. 6d. each, coloured. Size, 30 inches by 22 No. 1.-Coach-Horses. No. 2.-Post-Horses. No. 3.-The Royal Mail. No. 4.-The Post Chariot. FOX HUNTING. Price £6 6s., or £1 11s. 6d. each. Size, 30 inches by 22. No. 1.-The Meet. 2.-The Find. 3.-Full Cry. 4.-The Death. Painted by J. F. HERRING, Senior. In 4to boards, price 12s. FELIX ON THE BAT. Illustrated by Ten Coloured Plates, and numerous Illustrations on Wood and Diagrams. This book is a scientific inquiry into the use of the Cricket-Bat, with the history of Catapulta. LONDON: BAILEY, BROTHERS, 3, ROYAL EXCHANGE BUILDINGS, CORNHILL. THE SPORTSMAN'S PILOT. “L'homme du MASQUE DE FER est une énigme dont chacun veut connaitre le mot." VOLTAIRE. "The Man with the IRON MASK is an enigma to which everybody seeks the key." THE SPRING HANDICAPS, WITH FORE-TASTES. THAT unenviable individual, M. Blasé, who was in perpetual want of a sensation, might have made himself comfortable during the latter moiety of the past month, if his veins had the slightest infusion of sporting blood, as the appearance of the weights for the quintette of our vernal handicaps was a matter of vital interest from the Land's-End to John-o'Groat's, and a bittock into the bargain. At the time of writing, the forfeits are not declared, nor will there be the opportunity of going into any detail in the present number upon the acceptances, to give which to our readers the publication has been for two or three days deferred. As usual, the betting has been mainly confined to the Chester Cup, the weighting for which has met with general approval, although it has-one might say of necessity-received individual censure, and in no instance H more pointedly than in that of Lord Clifden,-who, either guided by his own judgment, or influenced by that of his trainer, or privy councillor-Mr. Villiers, precipitately scratched his whole team, consisting of Surplice, 5 yrs, 9st; Wanota, 6 yrs, 8st 3lb; Loadstone, 5 yrs, 7st 5lb; Honeycomb, 4 yrs, 7st; St. Antonio, 5 yrs, 6st 8lb; Rathmines, 6 yrs, 6st 61b; Sidus, 3 yrs, 4st 10lb. His lordship, like the poor wretch at the halberds, when the drummer-boy complained there was no pleasing whether "he cut high or low," has not hesitated to state his extreme dissatisfaction at his weights, from Surplice down to Sidus; but, with great deference, I should say that on the whole there is no foundation for complaint. It would be difficult to find an animal done more justice to, for instance, than Wanota, who would have been backed to a certainty had he been permitted to remain amongst the list of candidates. The long continuance of the frost, and the suspension of work, except that on the straw-beds, renders all opinion upon racing or steeple-chasing more hazardous than it ever must be under the best of circumstances. At Danebury, Goodwood, and W. Butler's, they have had as little disadvantage as a rigid winter could inflict, and Lord Exeter has had all the benefits of his ridingschool, which in my judgment are very ambiguous, as however excellent such premises may be in training for Astley's, their utility as a preparatory school for racing is dubious in the extreme. Many a cold has been caught in this draughty "Circus," and many a good judge would not have it as a gift. This is the order in which the series will come off: Great Northamptonshire Stakes; winners of Warwick, Liverpool, or Coventry Handicaps, 5lb extra, two miles. The Great Metropolitan Stakes; winner of any handicap of 200 sovs., 5lb extra, or of two such or more 10lb, two miles and a quarter. Newmarket Handicap; winner of either race at Northampton or Epsom 7lb extra, or of both handicaps 101b; 1 mile, 6 furlongs, 21 yards. The Somersetshire Stakes; winner of either of the handicaps at Northampton, Epsom, or Newmarket, 7lb, of two 14lb; two miles and a distance. The Chester Cup; winner of either of the four great handicaps 101b extra; of any other handicap of 200 sovs., including own stake, 5lb; two miles and a quarter. At Northampton the top-weights are Collingwood and Cossack, 9st 7lb, and the lightest weights Rabelais and Nutbrown, 4st. At Epsom, they range from Cossack 9st 10lb to Valentine 4st 4lb. At Newmarket, from Cossack 9st 7lb to Hope 4st 5lb. At Bath, from Cossack 9st 10lb to Miss Spring 4st 7lb. At Chester, from Chanticleer 9st 6lb (Collingwood and Cossack 9st 2lb) to Greenwich 4st. Therefore, as Chanticleer is engaged only on the Roodee, Mr. Topham as compared with his four rivals virtually has his top-weight with Collingwood and Cossack 9st 21b, or 5lb lighter than Northampton and Newmarket, and 8lb lighter than Epsom and Bath, whilst his "feather" is the same as at Northampton, 4lb lighter than Epsom, 5lb lighter than Newmarket, and 7lb lighter than Bath. This is all in favour of a large acceptance for the Roodee, and all against Epsom and Bath, it being very obvious that the Licensed Victuallers and their friends will look twice before they give another bonus of 500 sovs. to a handicap which is unpopular with owners as the limited entries attest, and the weighting for which, as usual, has not given public satisfaction. It would be presumptuous on my part and unreasonable on that of the reader to demand it, were I to attempt at so remote a period from these exciting events, and with not even the acceptances before me, to do more than throw out some general remarks about some of the animals engaged, who appear to me to be well in, and likely to return a profit for investment. It must be recollected that although one of these prizes is larger than the other, yet the least of themthe Somersetshire Stakes-will be a thriving gallop of some six or seven hundred " Queen's Heads" on the morning, and as I take it that the hero who can look after "Number One" at Northampton will collar the pecuniary to nearly double that extent, there will be especial cause to act upon the adage that "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." That first-rate filly Harriott, of whom I spoke so highly last month is engaged, or will be doubtless, in the Great Northamptonshire at 5st 10lb, and the Chester Cup 5st 9lb, so that if successful for the former she |