Related article: backers, as used to be the case many years ago, wheui a horse was simply led out of one door through another, and then taken out and Buy Volmax galloped in the opposite direction. Still, there is such a thing as throwing dust in the face of ob- servers. Some years ago an owner was desirous of trying a certain two-year-old of his, and it was arranged with the trainer that the trial should come on on a certain day. When he went down overnight the trainer met him with the announcement, ** We must not try our horses to- morrow." *« Why not ? " asked the owner. " We shall be watched, sir," replied the otlff, ** and the old horse's white fare- leg will enable anyone to spot him." The old horse was of course the schoolmaster, wbose form was known, and agaissl whom the two-year-old was to gallop. " We will chance that, and try them, and I will be down at the stables early," replied the owner. And so he was, Volmax Albuterol very eaiiy, for when the trainer arrived he found that the old horse's wbHe foreleg had been painted bay, ^ the two-year-old rejoiced ia a beautiful white stocking. Such, at least, is the story. To return, however, to the class of what may be termed Turf informants. Racing men of aa older generation will remember there was a " Lockett's Circuto," and the author thereof was ex- ceedingly keen about racing. He took a genuine interest in hb small four-page publication, aad gave his readers the very bes< information he could obtain. The late Mr. Bradley, too, who issued " Judex's Opinion," was another most conscientious Turf adviser. Wherever racehorses were to be seen, there he was taking notK d them, and others might be cited. They could not, of course, coo- mand success, but they certainly did their best to deserve it. Ntf must one rank in the categoryot tipsters the accredited represents tives of the daily and weekly papers, who do no more than a this public form express ihof opinion of the chances of the horses engaged in the diflfefi*^ races. They may of course be right, or they may be wrong,ffld very often they are misled noo the fact that people who, in the racing parlance, laiow somclhiflfr refrain from communicating it to members of the Press lest the information should gain dm* publicity than they desire. W.C.A.B, i«99'T 371 "Our Van." Linooln. — If we go racing in March we must not be surprised if now and again we have a rough time of it. The rough time is, perhaps, more the rule than the exception at the Volmax Tablets Lincoln Spring meeting, so-called, of course, to distinguish it from the autumn meeting, since there is almost invariably a far stronger touch of winter about it than spring. Last year we had an open winter, and Mark Tapley would have derived no satisfaction from enjoying him- self, but on the 1897 anniversary there was blowing one of those March winds that endeavours to cram inside of twenty-four hours the typical attributes of the whole of the windy month. As to the dust which is a king's ransom, at this valuation there was enough flying about on that occasion to redeem from captivity every monarch that had ever been made prisoner since it became the fashion to treat monarchs in that manner. This year, another terrible time was experienced, and the finest attributes of the British character had every op- portunity for being brought into high relief. The cold was bitter on the first day, more bitter on the second, and still more bitter on the third. How the jockeys stood it, in their apology for clothing, what time men in furs prayed for the end to come, is not to be explained, save on the score of condition. No one could have been surprised had pneumonia attacked some of them. Just as one condones some three weeks of consecutive days' racing at the very end of the season, one puts up with six days in succession at the commence- ment ; though it is decidedly irk- some to have to reach Lincoln from elsewhere on Sunday in order to be on hand in good time on Monday. Many enthusiasts hke to be on the spot, so that they may witness the early morning gallops. One had to be very fond indeed of this sort of thing to be out early at Lincoln this year. Most people were satisfied to hear what the professional touts had to say about it. Under more favourable conditions, watching the morning gallops would have been a very pleasurable occupation. The ar- rival list was large, and the field for the Lincolnshire Handicap promised to be one of the best that had ever contested the race This promise was borne out, though nothing as good as several horses that have run in the race, was on view. We doubt whether more good racers have ever been seen together on the occasion. The race should have been a very close affair, but as a matter of fact, it was a one-horse race. General Peace taking the lead at half a mile, and keeping it, with the greatest ease, to the end. What the others did is neither here nor there, such was the pulling up when the winner was seen to be uncatchable. Nun Nicer, for instance, could certainly have been third, and very possibly second. General Peace by no means won out of his turn, and though his connections must have won a large stake, it should not be forgotten that they suffered severe disappointments on the two occasions when General Peace was beaten by a head only, with the money down. The Brocklesby gave us a record inasmuch as Hulcot, the winner, was the fourth in succes- sion that John Watson has trained. Three of these. Jest, Gay Lothair 372 BAILY S MAGAZINE. [May and Hulcot, have been for Mr. Leopold de Rothschild, the fourth, Amurath, being for Mr. Raphael. Hulcot is by Crafton, and whether or no he proves to be above the ordinary run of Brocklesby winners, his engagements give him no chance of attaining the