THE RACE FOR THE DERBY.

SCENES ON EPSOM DOWNS. THE KING PRESENT. LONDON, June 6. The great horse-race, which, by right of its antiquity and its popularity, has become the' chief event in the annual programme of English national sport, was run on Epsoih- Downs yesterday in the presence of the King. His Majesty, accompanied by several members of the Royal Family, left Victoria shortly before one o'clock . in the afternoon, and travelled by special train to Epsom.,' : It was a silk-hatted Derby. The presence of the King, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and DiicheSß of Connaught, Pririce Aruthur of C°. n "'y naught, Prince Christian, Princess -Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, and the "A Grand Duke Michael jpf Russia in the Royal box gave the note to the gathering. The costers and their women-folk upon the heath were ' /"- swallowed up in the forest of frock-coats and shining toppers. In the paddock scarcely a felt hat or a straw hat was to be seen. Society and the weather had decreed that this year's Derby should be honored with scrupu-'. lous correctness of attire."/ „ ''

- The old-time coloring of the Epsom Downs suffered in consequence. From; the upper galleries of the . grand standone, gazed down upon a crowd whose blackness was intensified by the vivid .'•;' freshness of the rain-painted turf. Such,: A. color as there was .came from 'the booths and the gipsy vans. : Even the bookmakers had, put "on a modest garb. One blazing patch of colo^like a geraniurir in a hothouse of heliotrope and filac, was made by a knot, of, Indian notabilities ' most gorgeously uniformed in scarlet." "■''■■'"' After the torrents Of the mormhg the' turf .was. damp, hut" not sodden,: and the sun beamed genially .upon the first four races of the day. ..if sufficed to make picnics possible upoh' waterproofs /and ;'■.. the precarious steps of carts., Tha crowds 'y tide filled^ and ebbed ; between the pad- y dock entrance and the course. II was a '"; good-humored crclwd, but not enthuswts- - tic, and for a race meeting wonderfully * - . .quiet."- ' ..'.'.."i : . '•''-' "•■:'-,. When the crowd 'had hushed itself in .. expectation, of the great, event there was a ; moment when every eye. strained to the little ribbon of racers across the greeh; ! - ' The .tart evoked no shout: "Off !'' ciame as a gentle expiration. There were the - • brief two ; minutes, of Ijveaving' blues and reds and brilliant vermillibn* ahd then/'---came the finaf tussle.; ' The hlue of 'Mr ■ .-* Croker's stable* forged to the front fast followed hy the contrasting belts of blue 1 . ■ that marked Wool Binder: Orby had won, won a\ riia_hifi<feht race, but the crowd was almost philosophical Lti- ; itß . acceptance of the defeat of the favorite. It was not an occasidri to exult, .neither overmuch- to' grieve. , SUeve GalUP n had : "-'■■ met his betters. ' */ ,; r '* '■' '■*'■. There was no delay at the.stort, and' . all got off oh good, terms, Galvahi, Slieve ; y Gallion, and John Bull being 'the leaders" y as, they ran past the pity and Suburban/ y starting-post to the furzes. Here Slietfey;- * Gallion tobk lip the running/ arid at? they top of the hill he hajd drawfa 6ut : quite * - < two lengths from. Galvani, while Orby had.' - come into third place. All Black was > now most- prominent of the others, and Woolwinder was' last ; until John Bull - dropped back hehind him. All the Way down the :• hill Slieve 'GalliOtf' maintained his lead, and he was first round Tattenham Corner; Where" /Gal vani Went out a' '.''.. j little wide. At the same time the leader came out from the rails, and /yOrby secured the inside berth.- Below the;' Bell there were shouts' that the favorite . was' beaten, but he'icame again— being ' now in the middle of the course^-and for - a moment' it looked as if he would-' just get home.' ,Orby,- however, headed him below the distance, aud, once fairly col- ; tared, Slieve Gallion^ bore right across the course and, 'With his mouth - - - Open, not ! only ' succumbed •to ' Orby, ' but -.-- ■ was beaten on the post for second place. Aby Woolwinder; For the last hundred yards of the race it l was plain .enough that Orby must win, but he had to put ..' in all he kneW to get home -by a couple of lengths, aiid as. a matter of fact • the winner and both the placed horses 'finished dead tired. The 4 victory , was well • received considering $hJat a great favor* *-.< ite had been beaten, and there is no excuse to be made for Slieve Gallion j ejc- y cept that he met a better' horse at the, • distanqe. '. The fact is that the Guineas ■ ■ winner is-rnot a great stayer, and a mile . and a half is too ; -fa*f] for him in Derby • company^ WoolWihder began! so slowly that his finishing where ■> be did was , rather surprisiiig, but he is evidently, aiy stayer, and doubtless an even longer y course will suit hini best. The winner was .bred by _Mr Croker--Boss Croker of Newj York — in Ireland, y and is by Orme out of Rhoda B, an - American-bred mare, who was brought to this country by her owner, and Whose dam was an English mare. Mr Croker ' has been racing for some six or eight / seasons in the United Kingdom, but late- .■•* ly his efforts have been confined »v 1 -. v land.' y " >'•' ■<.•'■■ ••"/;;••-'■ -. ~■<