THE EPSOM DEEBY

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 128, 1 June 1935, Page 23

THE EPSOM DEEBY

NEXT WEDNESDAY'S TEST

Next Wednesday will see the one hundred arid fifty-sixth contest for the world's greatest race, for the Derby Stakes, run at Epsom, undoubtedly holds this honour. Instituted in 1780, the first contest was won by Diomed, a grandson of Herod. The race was worth £1125, and some years later Diomed was sold for £52 10s to America, where he founded the Lexington line. After Flying Fox had won the triple crown in 1899 he was sold to M. Edmond Blanc for £39,375. Call Boy, winner of the Derby in 1927, was sold after his owners death tor £60,000, and last year's winner, Windsor Lad, changed hands at £50,000. These figures indicate how the value of a Derby winner has enhanced in recent years. , The great interest in this year s contest will centre in whether H.H. the Aga Khan can win this coveted prize again, as he did with his "second string," Blenheim, five years ago. The Aga Khan has three candidates m the field of seventeen for next week s race, and one of them, the unbeaten Bahrain, winner of the Two Thousand Guineas last month, is already an odds-on favourite, the first horse at such odds since 1907, when Slieve Gallion was beaten into third place by Orby and Wool Winder. The potentates other two runners will be Theft, who finished second in the Two Thousand, and Hairan, who ran second to the unlucky Bobsleigh in the Newmarket Stakes last month. There is much doubt about whether Theft, a son of Tetratema, will stay the distance, but Hairan, who is by the St. Leger winner Fairway, should not be so worried, his main trouble apparently being his dislike for hard going, or at least that was the case with him last year. - Particulars of the performances of the leading candidates this year to date are meagre. Up to the Newmarket Craven Meeting most of the leading two-year-olds in last years Free Handicap had started this year

and been beaten. Robin Goodfellow, Sir Abe Bailey's "first string," who ran last year as the Eppie Adair colt, finished second to Theft in the Greenham Plate at Newbury; and Sea Bequest, owned by Mr. C. W. Gordon, filled third place behind the Aga Khan's pair in the Two Thousand,, but English critics are inclined to doubt if this son of Legatee will stay the Derby distance. Another colt who calls for some notice is Lord Glanely's Screamer, by Beresford, who won the Newmarket Spring Three-year-old Stakes, 14 miles, with consummate ease at the Craven Meeting in April and though most of Beresford's gets have been sprinters ■it is significant that he was left in the Derby in preference to Buckleigh, who was taken out before he won the Craven Stakes. With the handsome Bobsleigh's going amiss on the eve of final acceptance day for the Derby, Lord Derby has been left with only Fairhaven, another son of Fairway, to represent him. Fairhaven did not perform up to classic standard as a two-year-old, but he may of course have; improved. Even Bobsleigh may have found the Aga Khan's team too good, for he was beaten into fourth place in the Two Thousand. The Aga Khan has three of the best jockeys in England to pilot his three horses. Fred Fox will again be on Bahram, whom he rode in three of his five successes in as many starts last season, and Gordon Richards has transferred from Theft, whom he rode in the Two Thousand, to Hairan. Theft's pilot will be H. Wragg, who won the Derby on Blenheim five years ago. Among the other • horsemen C. Smirke, who rode Windsor Lad to victory last year, will have the mount on Lieutenant-Colonel G. Loder's Fairbairri, a son of Fairway who failed to win in four starts last year, but was once second and once third; M.

Beary, formerly the Aga Khan s first jockey, will be on Mr. H. .W. W. Simms's Pry 11, a son of Priori who was a winner at Hurst Park last year; and Steve " Donoghue, hero of . six Derby contests, including a 'hat-trick on Humorist, Captain Cuttle, and Papyrus, will essay to add another to his record on Mrs. C. Glorney's Assignation, a son of Son-in-Law who ran fourth in his only appearance last season. ■ , ■ ■■ Only three horses have sired four Derby* winners, Sir Peter Teazle, Waxy, and Cyllene. If Bahrain should win this year Blandford will be added to this select few. Twenty-one winners of the Derby have also sired Derby winners, but neither Blandford nor Fairway won the Derby, though the latter won the St. Leger. Derby winners out of a mare that had won the Oaks include Gainsborough, Humorist, Beadsman, Surplice, and Bay Middleton, but so far no mating of a Derby and Oaks winner has resulted in a winner of the Derby, and with Bobsleigh out of the contest this record cannot be" established this year.