STORY OF THE RACE

(Received sth June, 18 a.m.)

LONDON, 4th June.

Seventeen started in the Derby. Blenheim, won by a length from Iliad, with two lengths between Iliad and Diolite. The start of the race was delayed by the vestiveness b£ Silver Flare, who refused to come up to the field. Eventuaally they got away with a good start, Ballyferis and Silver Flare being only a yard or two behind when the tapes rose. Diolite was first way in front of Trews. After half a mile Rustom Pasha led from Diolite, Trews, and Ballyferis. Then coming 'own the hill Rustom Pasha still held command from Diolite, Ballyferis, and Silver Flare.. Rounding Tattenham Corner, Rustom Pasha was on' the rails, Diolite next, with Iliad third. Blenheim, improving, was in front of Ballyferis and Trews. Shortly after Rustom Pasha was beaten, and Iliad came on from Diolite and Blenheim. The latter, passing Diolite and.lliad, won cleverly by a length. Silver Flare was fourth, Seer fifth, and Parthenon last.

Hundreds fouud the best way of going to the Derby was to pass the night on the Downs. At. daybreak many spirals of smoke curled skywards, marking the camping places. The crowd was estimated at several hundred thousands. There was a ceaseless stream of i ..ffic,' motley ns usual* comprising every kind, of vehicle from obsolete gigs to high-powered cars_. Hundr reds arrived by aeroplane. Their Majesties, accompanied by the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, and the Duke- of Gloucester, motored to Epsom. The King looked' well and was warmly welcomed. :

Tiie performances of Blenheim as a two-year-old in 1929 shows one of those exceptions to the general rule that early, and continued racing at that age is seldom a good policy when races such as the Derby are in view in the following season' H.H. the Aga Khan's colt commenced racing at Newbury in April, 1929, when he won the Mantou Plate from a big field with Diolite (then unnamed) in third place. Blenheim next started an odds-on favourite for the Sandown Park Stud Produce Stakes but was beaten into second place. A week or two later he was produced at Windsor, where lie beat a, small field in the Speedy Plate. ■Going" on to Ascot, he won the valuable. New; Stakes, but at Doncaster he went down in the Champagne Stakes to a filly named Fair Diana. In the Hopeful Stakes at Newmarket he had only a small >field to beat, which he did, and then, at the second October Meeting on the same course the Hurry On colt, Press Gang, avenged a previous defeat by downing Blenheim, in the Middle Park Stakes. 'This was a good record and brought a contribution of £4497 to his trainer's (R. 0. Dawson) huge total of £74,75! for that season. Blenheim would probably be ridden in the Derby by the Irish jockey, M. Beary, he having been connected with him in all his races the previous season. Iliad apparently did not race as a two-year-old. Diolite was a staunch favourite for the Derby when the lafet mails left England, by virtue of good two-year-old form and an early return to it this season, as evidenced by his brilliant win in the Two Thousand Guineas. Last season Diolite was beaten into third and second respectively in his first two starts, but finished the season well by winning.in each of his other three starts, the races won being the Spring T-wo-yeayyold Stakes at Newmarket, the Coventry Stakes at Ascot, and the Moieconib Stakes at Goodwood.

Diophon, the sire of Diolite. was a brilliant horse, but apparently, like his son, was not a true stayer. He won the Two Thousand Guineas in 1024 for H.H. the Aga Khan, but that owner depended moi'e on Zi. list to win the longer classics in that season. H.H. the Aga Khan topped the winning owners' list last season with approximately £39,000.