BRIEF TRIUMPHS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 132, 7 June 1939, Page 15

BRIEF TRIUMPHS

FAJE OF DERBY VICTORS

The recent illness of Windsor Lad, winner of the Derby and St. Leger in 1934, and on whom an operation for a brain tumour has now been performed, recalls several Derby * inners who did not long survive their triumph at Epsom.

The most recent case of early death was that of Mr. J. B. Joel's game horse Humorist, who was found dead in his box only three weeks after his victory in the Derby of 1921. It is not unlikely that Humorist owed that victory to the superior skill of his jockey. S. Donoghue. and that Craig an Eran, who was beaten & neck, was a rather unlucky loser. In his jockey's opinion, Humorist was one of the gamest colts he had ever ridden.

DIED IN HIS TRACKS

The death of Humorist occurred in circumstances similar to those in which Mr, Thornbill's Sailor, who won the Derby in 1820, met his fate.

Sailor left his stable at Newmarket one September morning of that year to do a stripped gallop with three companions, and then appeared to be in the best of health and spirits. His trainer watched the spin, and, observing to a friend that "Sailor was going rare and well," turned away for a moment to pat the spaniel which had followed them on to the heath. When the trainer looked again in the direction of the oncoming horses Sailor was missing, and a further glance disclosed the fact that the colt had dropped in his tracks and was lying ominously still.

Borrowing his friend's hack, the trainer raced to the spot. He found that the gallant horse that had won the Derby some four months previously was dead. He had broken a blood vessel in the chest.

THE GRAVE OF AMATO

Sir Gilbert Heathcote's Amato, who won the Derby in 1838, died four years later, and his grave is still to be seen in the grounds of the "Durdans" at Epsom.

Amato's career on the Turf was limited to one race. He never ran before or after the Derby, and his success came as a surprise to all except the good folk of Epsom, to whom Sir Gilbert was "The Squire." They backed his horse from a sense of loyalty rather than in any spirit of confidence. Amato was coughing before the race, and it did not seem likely that a colt so small could cope with bigger and sounder rivals.

Yet another winner of the Derby,

the "famous-Blink Bonny, who also carried off the Oaks, met with a sudden and rather tragic end. She had to be destroyed in 1862, five years after her Epsom successes. She lOM, however, a glorious white-faced ch^estnut foal, a son of the mighty Stock well. This colt was named Blair Athjol, and m due course, was winner ofVthe Derby and St. Leger. ! ATTILA'S RUPTURED IHEART. Colonel Anson's colt, Attil a, who was trained by the great John: ;Scott at Whitewall, won the Derby iibr 1842, but failed to stay the distance cf the St. Leger, because, perhaps, of i;Vie strong running that his jockey, ■'Bill" Scott, made with him. Four year& later he j died suddenly, from, it was s aid, a rupI ture of the heart. Another winner who col.'iapsed in similar circumstances and clibd was Favonius, four years after bias; Derby win. * There have been, on the otlier hand, Derby winners who have beesn longlived.

The first winner, Diomed, liv ed to the advanced age of 31. He died in America, a Virginian sportsman .i having bought him for a thousand gislineas— an immense sum in those days;.. The Americans spoke, and wrote, j.of the horse's death as though it wast a national calamity.

Melton, whose final struggles with Paradox stirred the Epsom crowds to frenzies of excitement in 1885, was also long-lived, for, after serving foit. some years as a stallion in Italy, he was taken back to England, where, nfiter a successful stud career, he died,. aged 28, in 1910. \ ' Orlando, who won the Derby intjJ.lß44, lived to the age of 27. as did Gaski>pm, whose blood, and that of his m is;hty and unbeaten son, St. Simon, 9o\k in the veins of the best horses of today. Lord Zetland's Voltigeur, winner o E the Derby and St. Leger in 1850, survived until 1874, when he. too, was 27 y tears old.