THE DERBY.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20563, 3 June 1932, Page 11

THE DERBY.

TRIUMPH FOR CINEMA COMEDIAN. A POPULAR VICTORY. (ITKITED PEKSB ASSOCIATION—BT ELXCTRIO TKLEGBAPH—COPTEIGKT.) LONDON, June L Tho race for the Derby Stakes was run at Epsom Downs in perfect weather in the presence of an immense crowd. The King, QuUoff, the Prince of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of York, the Duke of Gloucester, Prince George, the Princess Royal, and Lord Harewood watched the race from the Royal Stand. Critics agree that Orwell was unable to stay tho distance. The race was an outstanding triumph and proved the stamina of April the Fifth. The worthy winner breasted his way forward when others would have weakened, as only a good couragoous horse could do. The victory was popular with all classes. April tho Fifth won by three-quarters of a length. There was a short head between second and third. Twenty-one horses started.

Cocltpen, Bacchus, and Miracle were projninent at tho start, after which Portofino drew ahead and led down the hill from Firdaussi, Miracle, Spenser, and Dastur. Portofino was still ahead at Tattenham Corner, but a quarter of a mile from home dropped back beaten. Dastur then forged ahead. April the Fifth came with a strong run over the last furlong and overhauled Dastur in a great race. Royal Dancer was fourth and Firdaussi fifth. Orwell was always prominent, but ran disappointingly. He never endangered the leaders, and finished about ninth. Mr Tom Walls (the cinema comedian) bought April the Fifth as a yearling for 200gns. His was the first owner-trainer's win since the Chevalier Signorinetta won in 1908. Ginistrelli's Derby. Mr Walls at one time was a jockey, riding in Australia and elsewhere. Tho television experiment was successful. Two thousand people at the Victoria Theatre saw the race on the screen from start to finish, everything being easily visible. The Epsom crowd was so big and the traffic so heavy that many people never reached the Downs. The King's car was guided to Epsom by wireless. Aeroplane observers, who followed the Royal Arms, which were painted on top of the car,, notified the police by wireless that it was coming.

j Mr Tom Walls, the owner of the Derby winner, April the Fifth, is best known as the English cinema comedian in "Rookery Nook," "On Approval," and "Canaries Somtimes Sing." During 19101911 he toured Australia and New Zealand, appearing in the musical comedy, "The Arcadians," in which he played the role of a jockey. • As an amateur jockey on the Turf he rode in races both in New Zealand and Australia. One of his favourite jokes was a whimsical assertion that the nearest he ever got to winning a race was , when he finished third in a field of four. Several months ago while hunting with the Quorn he had a bad aceident, in which he suffered several broken ribs and other severe injuries. Pneumonia followed, and for a time he was seriously,ill. Hp is a director and "star"- comedian of the British Dominions Film, and manager of the Aldwych Theatre Company. The Derby was first run in 1780. j Following are the winners of the classic race since 1921: — Horse. Owner. Jockey. 1921—Humorist, J. B. Joel, S Donoghue. 1922—Captain Cuttle, Lord Woolavington, S. Donognue. * 1923—Papyrus, Benjamin Irish, 8. Donoghue. 1924—Sansovino, Lord Derby, T. Weston. I£2s—Manna, H. E. Morris, S. Donoghue. y 1926—Coronach, Lord Woolavington, J. Childs. % IS27—Calf* Boy, Frank Curzon. O. Elliott. 1928—Felstead, Sir H. C. Owen, H. Wragg. 1929—Trigo, W. Barnett, J. Marshall. 1930—Blenheim, The Aga Khan, H. Wragg. 1931—Cameronian, J. A. Dewar F Fox. The record time over the new course was established in 1927 by Call Boy—• 2-sseo_. Steve_ Donoghue rode the Derby winner six times, Fred Archer four times, and J. Watts four times.

CONTROL OF TRAFFIC. PROGRESS OF ROYAL CAR FACILITATED. j (BBITISH OFFICIAL TVIBELE3S.) (Received June 2nd, 5.5 p.m.) RUGBY, June 1. Among the police, arrangements for dealing with the Derby traffic to Epsom*was an. autogiro machine, which hovered above and communicated by wireless with the mobile police on the ground. The Royal Coat of Arms was placed on the roof of the King's car so that it could be identified from above, and its progress facilitated. FAST TRANSMISSION OF RESULT. IPSE9S ASSOCIATION SZLSGBAM.)* AUCKLAND, June 2. Remarkably fast transmission of a cable message occurred in connexion the receipt in Auckland of the result of the English Derby. Precisely 1(1 seconds after the message w?is handed in at London the first words were received in Auckland. The route used was via Canada and the Pacific, on which experiments are now in progress with a view to speeding up the service by eliminating flic necessity Cor retransmi. ion by half-way stations.