All-British triumph in Derby at Epsom

Press, 9 June 1978, Page 9

All-British triumph in Derby at Epsom

NZPA London 1 < is Greville Starkey not only captured one of racing’s I greatest gems but mastered I t\vo of the world’s greatest | living jockeys by bringing ' Shirley Heights to a heart- t stopping, last-stride victory in the Derby (2400 m at | Epsom yesterday. Starkey, whose pre-race : plan was to trail the great Lester Piggott on the 4-to-l I favourite, Inkerman, before challenging in the straight, I had his plans thrown in dis- : array when Shirley Heights i (8-to-l) was smothered by a J wall of horses with the Blue i Riband classic almost in its ] last gasp; The legendary American 1 jockey Willie (the Shoe) Shoemaker was leading the 25-strong Derby field a i merry dance out in front turning Tottenham corner on the 25-to-l chance, Hawaiian Sound. Hawaiian Sound, with the 46-year-old Shoemaker remarkably coping with all of Epsom’s quirks on his first English riding appearance, had fought off the 10-to-l chance, Julio Mariner, and was safely holding the eventual third place-getter Remainder Man (40-to-l) and looking set to provide the millionaire pools heir, Rob-

ert Sangster with his second successive Derby. Piggott, who had ridden Inkerman to perfection could find nothing extra and was passed by Shirley Heights, which had the the job well and truly in front of him. Starkey cleverly switched the son of Mill Reef inside tiring runners to take a straight path along the rails with the finishing post flashing into view. Shirley Heights was gamely responding with giant strides and despite Shoemaker’s desperate attempts to get Hawaiian Sound to the post, Shirley Heights powered to the ■ line to take the 199th Derby in a photo by a head. The win was an all-British triumph, Shirley Heights is owned by Lord Halifax, son of Britain’s wartime Foreign Secretary in partnership with his son, Lord Irwin, and trained at Arundel, not, far from Epsom, by John! Dunlop, who also prepares! Balmerino. Shirley Heights was sired by Mill Reef — winner of the 1971 Derby — out of the Hardicanute mare Hardiemma. Another son of Mill Reef, Acamas, won the Prix du Jockey Club, the French Derby, four days ago. The Derby, over a mile

and a half was worth a total of £162,850, with £98,410 to i the winner. < Although the track was ' fast after two weeks with i hardly any rain, the pace [ was slow and Shoemaker took up the running soon after the start. And despite brief challenges from the , outsider, Camacho, and the ' much-fancied Julio Mariner, Hawaiian Sound kept the lead throughout — except I when it mattered. Shoemaker said: “It was ( alpiost a great ride. I didn’t hear the other horse at first. Then even when I heard him, I though I had it won.” i Starkey said Shirley < Heights failed to negotiate j the difficult descent down < Tattenham Corner properly. 1 “I was a bit woriied, but he | really skated along in the i straight.” -

Remainder Man, runner-up in the first English colts’ classic, the 2000 Guineas, was a length and a half away third after being prominent throughout. .Result: DERBY STAKES £98,410; one mile and a half. SHIRLEY HEIGHTS (Mill Reef —Hardiemma) (owner Lord Halifax) trainer J. Dunlop G. Starkey 1 HAWAIIAN SOUND (Hawaii— Sound of Success) W. Shoemaker 2 REMAINDER MAN (Connaught —Hone Rone) T. Ives 3 Others in finishing order: Pyjama Hunt, Obraztsovy, Julio Mariner. Whitstead, Roland Gardens, Formidable, Orange Marmalade, Admiral's Launch, Exdirectorv, Majestic Mahraj, Sexton Blake, Gracias, Camacho, English Harbour, Hill’s Yankee, Bilal, Inkerman, Cainan, Sons Fils, Wareath, Tom Strauss. Head, length and a half. Time: 2:35.3.