SHAKESPEARE, a brown horse, bred by Mr. West, in 1823, was got by Smolensko, out of Charming Molly, by Rubens, her dam, Comedy, by Beningbrough-Mrs. Jordan, by Highflyer-Harriet, by Matchem-Flora, by Regulus Bartlet's Childers.

Shakespeare did not make his appearance in public until the Derby, 1826 (57 subs.), for which seventeen started. He ran second to Lapdog, and but for the circumstance of his being ridden by a lad, would inevitably have carried off the stakes. The betting was, 5 to 2 agst. Premier, 5 to 1 agst. Tiralleur, 7 to 1 agst. Dervise, 7 to 1 agst. Monarch, 10 to 1 agst. Carthago, 13 to 1 agst. Shakespeare, 25 to 1 agst. Black Swan, and 50 to 1 agst. Lapdog, the identical odds that were laid against his brother, Spaniel, when he carried off the Derby in 1831.

On the 20th of June the same year, Shakespeare (ridden by John Day) won the Bibury Stakes of 25 sovs. each, 15 ft., with 30 sovs. added by the Club, two miles over the Bibury course, twelve subs., and three started; and on the following day he walked over for a Sweepstakes of 50 soys. each, h.ft. for three year olds.-Red post in.-Six subs.

On the 5th of September, he ran second to Sir T. Stanley's General Mina for the Leamington Stakes of 25 sovs. each, 15 ft., with 100 added by the town of Leamington, two miles, at Warwick, beating four others; and on the 7th, he ran second to Mr. Giffard's Leviathan, for a Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each, for three years old colts and fillies, one mile, ten subs.

On the 13th of September he

won the Gold Cup at Northampton, value 100 gs., by subscription of 10 sovs. each, three miles, fifteen subs.; and in the Houghton meeting at Newmarket (then the property of Mr. Payne), he won the 501. for three year olds, A. F., beating his former competitor Lapdog and seven others. 2 to 1 agst. Shakespeare.

In the Craven meeting in the year following he fell lame, while running for the Craven Stakes (a subscription of 10 sovs. each, for all ages, weight for age), but was second, beating seven others.

In the Newmarket Second Spring meeting, 1828, he started for the second class Handicap Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each, for three year olds and upwards, T. Y. C., and was not placed: and in the Second October meeting he won a Handicap sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each, beating Helenus, Tiresias, Soldan, and Kildare. 6 to 4 agst. Helenus, 7 to 4 agst. Shakespeare. And in the Houghton meeting of the same year, he paid forfeit to Lord Sefton's Bobadilla.

1829. He only started once, at the First Spring meeting, for a Handicap Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. each, after which he was put into the stud, and covered at Mr. Crockford's stables at Newmarket, during the seasons 1830, 1831.

He is now the property and in the large stud of Mr. Wilson of Bildeston (whose delightful residence has been happily introduced by Mr. Cooper into the back ground of the picture), and is a likely horse to get speedy ones, such as Newmarketites delight in. He is a fine noble looking animal, with a good deal of the Smolensko form about him.

The Duke of PORTLAND, Lord STRADBROKE, and Colonel PEEL.

IN our December number we adverted to the objectionable system of public training and other anomalies connected with the Turf, suggesting the propriety of various alterations, in order to restore it to its original prosperity and importance. To a certain extent our recommendations appear to have been acted upon, as we find that Lord Chesterfield, Lord Lichfield, and Sir Sandford Graham, have placed their horses under private grooms; —still the evil exists, many of the public stables being preposterously full, one of them, in particular (Cooper's), having nearly forty horses belonging to five or six different masters ! It is time, too, that the work of reformation should commence with the jockies, or, as they have been called, the "Gentlemen Riders," for they are become so completely mixed up and identified with their masters as almost to justify the appellation. Admitting that they are entitled to liberal remuneration for their labours, the unavoidable expence to which they are put, and the privations they undergo, it is quite out of the question that they should be suffered to continue in the usurpation of a station and the assumption of importance so outrageously opposed to common sense and decency-rather than encourage so degrading a system, gentlemen had better adopt the Italian mode of racing, and let their horses run without riders. With these preliminary remarks, we will now proceed to the Craven Meeting, which commenced under good auspices, having fine weather and a well-filled list, The ground, at

Stewards.

first, was in good order, but is now becoming so hard from the long continuance of dry weather, that plenty of rain can alone save many of the Derby nags from breaking down. With a spirit of improvement that would have been more in keeping with the times twenty years ago, the town has been made as gay as an unsparing use of stucco and paint could make it.-Crockford's splendid mansion puts rivalry out of the question, although that precious triumvirate, the Messrs. Bond, have laid out about a thousand pounds in fitting up Graftonhouse as a Hell!-When and how do they expect to get the money back?-In point of attendance the Meeting was not more than an average one, and speculation, heavy on some of the stakes, was, generally speaking, confined to small amounts. The following are the details of the Craven Meeting :

Monday.-The Craven Stakes of 10 sovs. each. A. F. 10 subs.