THE EPSOM DERBY

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 124, 27 May 1936, Page 15

THE EPSOM DERBY

WORLD'S GREATEST EVENT

CLASSIC DECIDED TODAY

The appeal of the Derby is such that the race stands out in the national life as no race ever has, even the Grand j National Steeplechase. Interest in the I result is confined not only to the great! body of racing people, but it extends i to almost every country in the world and to people who have never actually witnessed a horse race of any description. Each year, as it comes round, the struggle for the "Blue Riband of the Turf" fires the imagination of all and sundry, to a degree that sets it Quite apart from every other contest, equine or human. This year's race, | the 156th in the line, is being decided today on the famous Epsom' Downs, with probably the largest field since L925, and its result will be known around the world,, in the early hours of tomorrow morning in the Dominion, within a few .minutes at most after its decision. ''— ■'.■•• ' To recount, even in brief fashion, the history of the Derby would require a volume.' Notable incidents have happened almost.every year. It may suffice to recall that the race had its origin in an after-dinner carouse among a number of sportsmen .who were dining with the twelfth Earl of Derby. One of ■ them suggested that such a race should be established and called by the name of their host. This suggestion was agreed to, and the official announcement of the first Derby ran: "Thursday, 'May .4, 1780. The Derby Stakes, ■of 50gs each, half forfeit, for three-year-old colts, 8.0, and fillies, 7.1], 1 mile (30 subscribers)." FESTIVAL CHARACTER. The popularity of the race was of slow growth, .and iti did not develop into its • present "national festival" character- until it had been in existence for many years. The distance remained one mile for three years, then was extended in 1783 to li miles, the distance over which it has been run ever since. That "Derby Day" should always fall on a Wednesday was not settled till 1838. Geldings were eligible to run till 1902, when the stewards agreed to confine the race to entire colts and fillies. The only years in which the race was not run at Epsom were .the war years, 1915-18, when it was decided at Newmarket, but though those contests are still generally referred to as substitute War Derbies they rank officially as classic races. For today's race the final acceptance numbered 28, but one of Lord Astor's three candidates, the early-favoured Rhodes Scholar, has since been withdrawn as a result of having given himself a rick in his preparation. Most of England's most notable owners are represented, but outstanding exceptions are his Majestyiand Lord Derby. There are also American claimants in the field in Mr. W. Woodward's Flares, winner of' the Newmarket - Stakes a fortnight ago, as well as the same owner's Bosworth colt Boswell; and French aspirants in M. Leon Volterra's Bel Aethel and M. M. Boussac's1 Abjer: The last "invader" to score was ■ the French colt Durbar 11, a son of Rabelais, who gained the coveted prize in 1914 when running in the colours of an American owner, Mr. H. Duryea; The only purely transatlantic success in the great race -was that of Mr. P. Lorrilard's. Iroquois in 1881, and it is that triumph that Flares will be emulating today. ; v COLTS IN FAVOUR. The numerous recent changes in the order of favouritism among the leading colts show how open/this year's contest is'generally regarded to';be. On the eye- of;the race =Noble -King,.yrho became favourite a week ago; retained his position^ in the market, with: the Two Thousand Guineas winner Pay Up and the Aga Khan's elect Taj Akbar the next in demand. Noble King and Taj Akbar are stablemtes, and the latter has displaced the Aga Khan's other pair. Bala Hissar (the early favourite) and Mahmoud.as the Indian potentate's first string. The American-owned pair, Flares and Boswell, are" others who will be well fancied; and. there will.be support also, for the French colts Abjer and Bel Aethel, Carioca, Thankerton (third in the Two Thousand),Barrystar, Midstream, His Grace, Magnetic, and Fearless Fox. Miss Dorothy Paget's 5000-guinea purchase Ormstead is an interesting acceptor, as he impressed the critics when he made his debut recently at Newbury and he has been left in the neld in preference to his' earlier-fan-cied stablemate, Wyndham, the Bossover colt who was the leading winner among the two-year-olds last year. A cable a couple of days ago announced that Gordon Richards's splendid run of success during the past week has drawn pointed attention to the prospects.of his mount, Taj Akbar another son of Fairway, sire of the winners (Pay Up and Tide-way) of the two classics sovfar'.decided this year. Taj Akbar recently won his first race in scoring attractively in the Chester Vase, run over the Derby distance. . *

The Derby is one of the races that Gordon Richards has not yet won. His only placing to date in the event was a second on the French colt Easton two ■years ago, beaten a length by Windsor Lad. Last year his mount was Hairan, the Aga Khan's second string, w,ho was sent out second favourite to Bahrain and finished seventh. Steve Donoghue, on the other hand, whowill be riding Mahmoud for the Aga_ Khan this year, has an outstanding Derby winning record, having won the classic on six occasions, including three.times in succession (Humorist, Captain Cuttle, and > Papyrus). C Smirke, rider of the. Aga Khan's other candidate, Bala Hissar, won the race two. years ago on Windsor Lad. R. Dick, the rider of the Guineas winner Pay Up, is another jockey yet to have his first win in the race, his mount last year (Lord Astor's Field Trial) having finished third to Bahram and Robin Goodf ellow.