THE DERBY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 140, 16 June 1939, Page 12

THE DERBY.

BLUE PETER'S WIN.

A LUCKY JACKET.

SIDELIGHTS ON BIG CLASSIC.

Blue Peter's win in the English Derby broke a run of 33 years' bad luck in the race for the Rosebery family. The last win which a Lord Koeebery had in the race was in 1905, with Cicero. The late Lord Kosebery, who was Prime .Minister, also won with Ladae in 1594 and Sir Visto in 1895. The present peer, who ie 57, has been trying to win the race for years. Blue Peter accomplished a hat-trick in winning. It was the first success in the Derby of owner, Lord Rosebery; trainer .lack Jarvie, and jockey. E. Smith. After he had won Lord Kosebery said: "I never had the slightest doubt about Ins staying powers, but I did not know whether he was any better than the other horeee. Still, at the moment 1 *a\v him go to the post, I felt doubly .otilid.nt, and wiien he was veil drawn I had e\ei\ i-onlidence that he would liiing it off."'

•Hint? thin" I did know. 7 -' he went on. ■That wa« lie would stay, as we tried him with Challenge, who was second in tin.' St. Le»er. iii> the hill, and against lli«- wind. I nearly doubled my bet after they went to the post." Confident Trainer. .Tuck .Tarvi*. who trained Blue Peter, .said. "'1 have always had the greatest conlidence in the horse since lie was a two-year-old, and when lie went to the poet" J had very little -fear*, of the result. - ' Jarvis is tlic youngest of the three 11ainer-brothers, and began riding when lie was K>. He liei-anie a public trainer in l!)I!t. and his classic winners include Sandwich, in the l'.»:il St. Leger. and K'.laiijiowan. 20110 (luiiieas in l!'2:i.

Lord Kosebery has been running hordes for over thirty years. an<l is an all-round r>|iorU>llian. fle was at one time captain of Surrey's cricket team. A master of foxhounds, he is one of the most knowledgeable stewards of the Jockey Club. Blue Peter is by Fairway, one of Lord Derby's stallions, and he also owns the sire of the third. Hyperion. K. Smith, the successful jockey, served his apprenticeship with Jarvis. and i« now first jockey to the stable. H> had not ridden a classic winner before he won the 2000 Guineas on Blue Peter. (.iordon Richards' Derby hoodoo stilt (■lmp* to him. This time he was second on Fox Cub. He has not yet ridden the winner. He was third last year on l'iisch. Jacket of Blue. There is a story attached to the jacket worn by Blue Peter's jockey, E. Smith. "It was made for Lord Rosebery's father." said Jack Jarvis, the trainer. "'L'.ut was never used. The owner of today's winner found the jacket when he was turning out some things in his Berkeley Square residence, and sent it to me. I thought. "Hello, here's perhaps i lucky omen.' So I reserved it for today. And the charm has worked." The total amount taken by the totalisMtor for win and place bete on the Derby was £(il.t>oß IS/. A well-known bookmaker estimated that the victory of Blue Peter had cost bookmakers a million pounds.