THE ENGLISH DERBY.

After the cable had informed us of Slieve Galhon's vicloiy in the Two Thousand Guineas, the reeult of the Derby came as a mild surprise. The English critics almost to a man went for Sbcve Gallion as a Derby winner, and his two-year-old promise appeared to be on the eve of fulfilment when he scored in the Guineas. From later account* it would appear that the Derby course is a bit too long for Slieve Gallion, and he is now marked down as a miler. Woolwinder. who ran second, was considered the only colt trained at Newmarket who had a chance of gaining a place in the Bluo Ribbon. His place at the finish is interesting to New Zealanders. as his sire, Martagon, is also the sire of Martian, who is now standing at Mr J. F. Buchanan's stud in Canterbury. Woolwinder is out of a St. Simon mare. Orby, who carried Mr R. Croker's colours to the fore, ib a son of Orme (the sire of Birkonhead), and was bred in Ireland, where his owner has a private track and au extensive stud farm. The victory of Orby should do much to restore Orme's prestige as a eire, as in recent years he has got nothing of note except Flying Fox; whilst the latter, by way of coincidence, did not have any good youngsters out last year, and he, like his giro, gained his great reputation during his first couple of seasons at the stud. The victory of Orby marks the third success of an Irish-bred colt in the Derby since 1897, when Galtee More won, whilst Ard Patrick won in 1902. The last American owner to win the Derby was Mr W. C. Whitney, who held Volodyovski under a lease when the son of Florizel II captured the prize, and prior to that an J^joa-e ri-ca-ix sportsman ha*2 not triumphed since Mr Lorrilard's colt Iroquois was steered to victory by F. Archer in 1881. For some unexplained reason Mr Croker was refused permission to train his horses at Newmarket some two or three years ago, and since then they have been trained in Ireland. The success of Orby was evidently not a surprise to his owner, as the colt was hacked for a coed deal of money. and just before the last mail to hand left Home Mr Croker purchased a colt named Hayden for 2500 guineas in order to have a suitable horse to lead the Derby candi daet in his work The Irish correspondent of the 'London Sportsman regarded Slieve

Gallion as the colt which was almost sure to gain Blue Ribbon honours this year, but some little while back wrote as follows : "Concerning another Irish candidate for the Derby — Orby, —his owner, Mr Richard Croker, has already backed him for the great Epsom contest, for which race he is being specially prepared. Only recently at the Curragh Mr Croker informed the writer that his sole object in purchasing the three-year-old Hayden, who, giving lumps of weight away to most- of hi 6 opponents, had won the Madrid Plate pulling up, was to accompany Orby in his work prior to the Derby. Although Mr Croker paid a big price for Hayden, the three-year-old will surely repay the outlay; in fact, only the day before I had written to a friend of mine in England advising him to try and buy the eon of Avidity, which he was ready to do; but MrtJroker, who is bad to beat on such occasions, had first run, and so Hayden is now a stable companion of Orby at Glencairn. When over at Sladdenstowji one morning recently Mr Parkinson, who trained the son of Orme and Rhoda B. as a two-year-old, repeated what he had often told me before—i.e., that the colt was far and away the beet he had ever tried or ever known. Orby is well now, and, in Mr Croker's opinion, has only to keep so to ensure his beating all-comers. One thing is certain : that Irish breeders of blood stock can look on complacently, being in the position, as they are, to claim such three-year-olds, amonget others, as Slieve Gallion, Polar Star, Galrani, and Orby."