In those highly technical columns where the merits of pony. flesh are learnedly discussed due attention will be paid to the ime portance of a few seconds in the next twenty-four hours. During that flash of time certain pleasant animals will endeavour to show that they are able to run very fast. Cognisant they. maybe of the fact that they will carry not only the pigskin and the silk of their riders but the shirts of a number of worthy citizens of Shanghai, So it is to be assumed that" they will do their best, Which of them will do the best best' must be Toft to the event to determine, although, for the ater comfort and increased financial risk of some folk, at= tempts are being eagerly made to throw prophetic light on that subject. In this tess austere fcolumn'no responsibility will be taken for any such effort, The chief point is that today Shanghai is enjoying—in fine weather et it be hoped—the thrills of & sporting fixture which has an honoured place in its annals, To-day racegoers are swollen in numbers by the access to their ranks of men and women who cheerfully miss attendance at the seances of the Shanghai Race Club on all other days of the year, To-day those unhappy wights, who are prevented by what they would fain believe are more urgent cares from personal appearance on the course, summon up courage to understand the racing notes and, perhaps, surreptitiously to do something with their shirts as well. They have therefore to know before the day ix out what is the name of the winner of the great race. Otherwise they will }zo to bed in blissful ignorance of the exact state of their stock lof shirts.
'On the whole, however, this Shanghai celebration in' the first week of May is a social event first and a racing carnival afterwards, It shows this year that Shanghai can get back int routine with business-like slick-Perhaps there may diffidence in dressing the it with that extra special glamour of fashion and cut which could find free expression in more prosperous times. Yet, no doubt, some effort will be made if only to assure the one sex that the theory that "I've nothing to wear" is based on sound premises and to gladden the other with the pangs of levy, disguised as gasps of admiration. Apart from that there will be a joyous mingling lof all communities in the delight which is older than many in the jworld—the pitting of one pony' four legs and his rider's two knees against the same medley lof limbs of another. Tt may all "over in a moment" and the jwaits before and after may trying, but to-day at any 1 everyone will agree that it Jworth it. Indeed, there are few emotions which can give greater pleasure than the sight and the sounds of the starting gate being raised and the still more breathless moment when the centaur" like spectras streak past the post, But which one will do it first this afternoon? Ah! that is the their best form. mystery.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.