HISTORY OF THE V.R.C. DERBY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 256, 26 October 1892, Page 3

HISTORY OF THE V.R.C. DERBY.

The dawn of the year 1857 was respon-, sible for the firsb V.R.C. Derby. In thab year the blue riband foil to Mr VV. Green's b f Tricolor, by The Premier—Nora Creina, who was ridden by Dick Snoll. James Monaghan, the trainer of Paris and Marvel, had a. mount in thefirab Derby, and finished third on Mr Daw's Union Jack. The next year also favoured The- Premier, who gave us a brown colb called Brownlock, from Enigma, which proved victorious, the runnera up being Red Deer and Pakenham. Then came Mr J. Orr's Buzzard, by Warhawk—Rosebud, and in the succeeding year Flying Colours, by Dolo— Shiel-na-Guira. Camden, by Conrad or Warhawk—Calliope, was responsible for carrying the late Alec Morrison first pasb the post in 1861, after a great race with Medoru, when he won by a neck. As stated above, The Premier was responsible for the firsb two winners, but Boiardo was not to be outdone, as we find thab in the years 1862 and ]863 this sire produced Barwon and Oriflamme, tho former being ridden by Sam Waldock, and the latter by Lang. Waldock finished second in the last-named year on Banker. I Passing over 1864 (Lantern's year) we come to the next, and here we are introduced to tho first of any note gob by the imported sire Fisherman. It is the prevalent icea with young Australians thab this horse was named after his then owner. Such, however, was not tho case, as Mr Hurtle Fisher bought him in England through Mr Matthew Dawaon, and what a purchase it waa to be sure when we look down the ranks of Fisherman's descendants. Reverting we come to 1565, whon Angler, by Fisherman —Marchioness, pulled off the coveted prize, and the next year found the same giro to the fore with Seagull. This period, howover, is surrounded with moro importance to present-day racing people than perhaps any of the previous, for in tho Derby of 1866 Maribyrnong, who wa3 also by Fisherman, donned Mr Fisher's colours. In that year " Mari " had the race won, but unfortunately ho met with a mishap and broke his foro fetlock, and Seagull, bis half-sister in blood, was declared the winner, followed home by Gonfalon and Maribyrnong. Mr Fisher there and then determined that Maribyrnong should be saved for stud purposes, and his good judgmonb might be easily gauged if time and space permitted, as the buinb'o- ' footed son of Fisherman has proved a land mark of more than ordinary note in the studbook and fleatiny of the Australian turf. In 1867 Fireworks, by Kelpie—Gaslight, pulled off the race for thalatoMr ,lohn Tait, and the colb did likewise in 186 S. This may appear strange, but nevertheless it is true, and the cause was owing to the fact of altering the date to New" Year's Day, which permitted of all then throe - year - olds competing. Fisherman came to the front again in 1869, when tho old date was resorted to. On this occasion ho was represented by My Dream, from Nightlighb, and judging by tho name (thestudbook nob being to hand) Ferryman, another descendant, did him honour by producing Charon in tho succeeding year. Boiardo crops up once moro in 1870, with Florence, out of Rose of Denmark, tho property of Mr Tait. 1871 introduced Maribyrnong, who appears from this date to have taken his sire's (Fisherman) place, as he gavo ua Miss Jessie from Musidora. Then came Loup Garou, by Lord of Linno Hebe, followed by Lapidi3t, FireworksChrysolite. The next year found Mr Taib tho "hero of the hour, with Melbourne, by Panic—Myth, the sire of many good performers. Robin Hood in 1875 claimed parentage from Fireworks—Sylvia, and then wo aro introduced to the mighty Chester, by Yattendon from Lady Chester. Of this horse little need be said, as ho produced no end of good 'uns, including Abercorn, etc. Briseis, by Tip Whifller, (imp.) from Musidora, I almost otnibted. In 1878 the sterling Roman no3ed Wellington made hie mark. Ho was also by Punic from Frou Frou, and following him came tlia wonderful little grey Suwarrow, by Snowden— Phizgig, now in America. Tho most sensational horse, however, on tho list waa Grand Flaneur, by Yattendon—First Lady, who nob only annexed this classical ovent, but letb the turf with an unbeaten record. " Like begets like," wo aro told, and be it said to this horse's credit, ho got no end of good performer?, the most ronowned, porhaps, being Bravo, the Melbourne) Cup winner of 1889. Darebin, by The Poor—Lurlino, followed up. Grand Flaneur's example in 1880, and then came Navigator, by Robinson Crusoe—Cocoanub, consequently full brother to Trident. In 1883 Martini-Henry created quite a furore when ho downed Archie, a horso thought to be almost invincible. People on this necaßion were sceptical., notwithstanding Martini put up the record up to thot date, bub when ho waltzed home on the Tuesday following in the Melbourne Cup all doubts were dispelled, and the Auckland bred colt was pronouncod to bo the horse of the ago. Rufus' Derby waa without a doubt the biggest surprise ever effected, as the song of King of the Ring—Princess Alice was not even given a chance. Dut he gob thore just the same, and there ho left bis brilliancy, if ever he had any, us he has never been heard of to advantago since. This brings us up to the mighty Nordonfoldfc, another of Musket's get. out of Onyx (Sardonyx's dam). That galloping machine Trident had a very poor chanceof showing what he was mado of before winnine the Derby of 1886, but he justified the confidence of his friends by equalling Mc-h'ni-Henri's timo, 2min SQsec.,1 and pulling off the prize in oxcollont stylo, in 1887, The Australian Poor, by Darebin, beat the greatly fancied Aborcorn, nnd placed tho prize to tho credit of Mr William Gannon. Ensicrn, in ISB3, did crodib to Grandmaster—Formosa, by defeating Carbine, though the victory was a great fluke. Dispensing with Ensign wo come to Dreadnought, who, in 1889, emulated his sire's (Chester) example, and won the Derby in a walk from Richelieu, with Rudolph third. The Admiral, by Richmond—Footstep, brought joy to Mr S. G. Cook, in 1890, and last year as all readers are aware, Strathmore triumphed* This year everything indicates thab Camoola's name will appear In the list of winners.