FIRST TIME IN HISTORY

DERBY WINNER OWNED BY

A WOMAN

MID-DAY SUN BREAKS RECORD 157 YEARS OLD

(From "The Post's" Representative.)

LONDON, June 5.

Coronation Derby will always be remembered as "Women's Derby;"', for the winner, Mid-day' Sun, is jointly owned by, Mrs. G. B. Miller and her mother, Mrs. Talbot, and the second horse, Sandsprite, belongs to Mrs. F. "Nagle. Never before, in the 157 years since the Derby was first run, has the race been won by a woman at Epsom. The war-time race, decided at Newmarket, gave prominence to-Lady'James Douglas,, but it is not in the list, as a real Derby. ■••■•"■ ; ...' ' : " .'.-'.

Mid-day Sun .was a . double-figure chance, and. Sandsprite was ; a rank outsider. Le Grand Due, owned by the Aga Khan, (last year's winner), was seventh, .favourite. ' Favourites were-Perifox,'. an American horse, and Cash Book, Lord Astor's entry. Then came Le Ksar and Goya 11, with Solfo and The Hour next; the last-named having been at a long quote a few days before .the race. Perifox was similarly backed down to short odds within a day of the event. ' '•■■."■ The totalisator added to the day's records by setting up a new high figure with a pool of £61,797. The previous best pool was £60,292 for the Royal Hyrit Cup at Ascot last year. The crowd was easily the biggest, at -.Epsom since: the boom days of racing immediately afterthe war, and it gave an enthusiastic and affectionate, greeting' to the King and Queen, ■ who were accompanied by Queen Mary and other members of the Royal Family. A GOOD START. There was not a long delay at,the start, Captain Allison getting' the field away practically in a straight line at the third attempt. Renardo, ridden by Steve Donoghue in what may prove his last Derby, had his back to the tapes the first time they looked like getting away, and the second time it was Goya II who refused to line up. It is impossible to say what was in front in the early stages, because the field was sent off so evenly. The first to break the line were Solio and Fairford, on | the far side of the course, and ■ Renardo and .Le Bambino on ,the side nearest to the stands. Scarlet Plume did not move too well away, but Sandsprite and Snowfall lost'even more ground than he did. It was not long before Renardo was in front, with Fairford,. Splfo, and Le Bambino close behind him. Le Ksar was always badly placed, but as the field approached the top of the hill leading down to Tattenham Corner Sandsprite was last of all;- Fairford passed Renardo at'the top of the hill, at which stage.Goya II and Cash Book were moving up.,. ••''.'■".. ' . ' . .At Tattenham Corner Fairford was about a length ahead of Goya 11, Sol£o, and" Mid-day Sun, with Perifox'ranging up on the outside. Le Ksar ran very wide at the berid 3rito the straight, but was hot last, .that^position being held by Jnglefleld. ■■ Fairford- gave -way to Goya II earlyf'in'-the straight,' with Sandsprite,'"\Vfib had, made up a lot'of ground dpming, down' the hill, Mid-day Sun, Le Grand Due, and Perifox all there with chances; ■■ For a moment it looked as if Goya U and Le Grand Cue would fight out the finish, but neither could withstand the challenge of,-Sandsprite, who,, himself, was unable to .hold off the perfectlytimed run o^MichaeJ Beary on Mid-day SHn.,'Th«'.wlnningcJnargin-waS'a:lengt>i: and a half, the s,ame distance separating ■ second ■' arid' third.': ; "■"■'■ ■-' LOiyD DERBY'S BEST BLOOD. Mid-day, Sun is a bay colt bySolario, who made the record price of 47,000 guineas when - c sold at auction a few: years ago. The winner's 'dam is :the. beautifully-bred mare Bridge-of Allan, a daughter of Phalaris going back to the- best blood in "L"ord" Derby's stud. Mid-day Sun was bred by Mr. W. T. Sears, who has a few horses in training in, various stables and will probably consider himself unlucky to have parted with'thebest-'horse he has ever had. '- -.-■"■ -■ :■ ■• '-• •■-■ ': ■ ■•■•■■•. An'"interesting 'story-1 attaches to the purchase, of the' Derby winnt* by Ws . present .-owners.''"Mr, Sears, sent'- the colt up for sale-as a yearling at the Newmarket-October -sales;;-'and he failed to reach the reserve of 2000 guineas placed on him. \Fred Butters, was looking out for a yearling for Mrs. Miller. As the stock of Sblario were not doing, at all well at that time, he questioned the wisdom .of securing Mid-day Sun. Before leaving the ringside,- however, the Kingselere trainer consulted his brother, Frank Butters, as to the produce of Sqlario. The Newmarket trainer replied: "Two of the best , horses I have ever trained— Dastur and Orpen—were ' both by Solario." ■ . Upon this Fred Butters sought- out Mr; Sears and made an offer for- Midday Sun. The breeder would not take anything less than the reserve price, and at that figure the .Derby winner of 1937, became the joint property of. Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Talbot. It was in the1 colours of.Mrs. Miller that Ankaret came exceedingly close to win-ning-the Oaks two years ago, a failure that was partly made good when she carried off the Coronation Stakes at Ascot. . Midday Sun won the Free Handicap at Newmarket in April from Exhibitionnist, who was afterwards sue-, cessful in the One Thousand Guineas, and,later in the Oaks. He was afterwards third in the Two Thousand Guineas and then won the' Derby Trial Stakes at Lingfield. The colt's success is a great triumph for everyone connected with him, and especially for Fred Butters, who has been most opttimistic about his chance since the Free Handicap. CASH BOOK ADMIRED. Of the other horses Cash Book wasadmired for his.quality, and Goya II for--his - great fitness. Cash Book's owner,' Lord Astor. has made : several attempts'to win the Derby, but has encountered bad luck on each occasion. His .further failure has' earned him the sobriquet "The, owner who can't win the Derby.''- • ■ • . ■ The upstanding Solfo had evidently been through a strenuous preparation, this big chestnut colt gaining many friends in the paddock. Le Grand Due, though a trifle on the 'leg, has improved- tremendously since the early spring. Mid-day Sun carried an immensity of muscle, and was a great credit to his trainerJ 'He is the first winner of the Derby from the Kingsclere stables since Flying Fox. Fairford is -neat and' elegant. Pascal appeared a trifle long in the back. There was no fault to find with.Sandsprite, who can be considered an excejlent example of the stock of Sandwich. The Hour was not one of the coolest of the party, and he was not liked by some so much as' his stable companion, Full Sail. Le Ksar is a fine commanding colt. Perifox, who appeared without any bandages, was one of the best-looking of all. It is possible, that the American colt would have been successful but for. the fact that it was necessary to deny him a long-striding gallop in the last week-of his preparation. ■ ' ■ Whether it was .the firm ground or the quality of the' horses, the race was not run at as good a. pace as some jockeys thought. Gordon . Richards described! it as "one of the worst Derby scrimmages" he.had eyer been in. His mount, Pascal (who finished nearly last)-, was not so badly off as the prominent Le Bambino, who received a cut. So did one of the placed horses. Full ■ Sail- had a very rough passage in his descent' to Tattenham Corner. Although Mid-day Sun was Michael Beary's first Derby success,.it was not his first classic victory, as he won the St. Leger in 1929 on Tri^b and the Oaks in 1932 oil tJdaipur. He was second in the Derby to April the

Fifth on .H.H. Aga Khan's Dastur in 1932, and was third in 1922 on Craigangower. He has been riding successfully for 25 years. It was Fred Butters's first success in an.English classic race. ;

After the race Beary said.v "I was lying about fifth in the early stage* •and had that position when Fairford took up the running at the top of the hill. My. mount was running very lazily, but I gave him one or two and ■he was lucky enough not to be checked inp his.run. I had a good place in the straight, and about a hundred yards from home I gave him another couple of reminders, when he responded gallantly. He was, without, doubt, the best horse in the field."