THE BLUE RIBAND OF THE TURF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11079, 2 June 1899, Page 5

THE BLUE RIBAND OF THE TURF.

RESULT OP THE DERBY.

VICTORY OF THE FAVOURITE.

THE FRENCH COLT HOLOCAUSTE KILLED.

By Telegraph.— Association.—

London, May 31. The Epsom Summer Meeting was continue( to-day. Tho following was the result of

THE DERBY STAKES

Of 6000sovs, by subscription of 50sovs each. For three-year-olds: Colts, 9st; fillies, Bst 91b. The nominator of the winner to receive 500sovs; the owner of the second, 300sovs; and the owner of the third, 200sovs out of the stake. About one mile and a-half. Duke of Westminster's bo Flying Fox, by —Vampire (M. Cannon) 1 — Damocles 2 Mr. J. A. Miller's br c Innocenco, by Simonian— Vierge 3

Twelve horses started.

The betting at the start against the placed horses was: 5 to 2 on Flying Fox, 15 to 1 against Damocles, 50 to 1 against Innocence. The French colt Holocaustc, who was ridden by "Tod" Sloan, led for over a mile. Entering the straight Flying Fox, who was ridden by Mornington Cannon, led Holocaustc, who stumbled, breaking his off fore pastern. Flying Fox came on and won by two lengths from Damocles. Time, 2m. 42 4-ss.

Holocaust© was 30 badly injured that it was deemed advisable to destroy him.

The first Derby was run on May 4, 1780, so that this year's contest marked tho 119 th that has taken place for the great race. Tho race was named after the twelfth Earl of Derby, who had taken the Epsom Meeting under his special protection, the Oaks Stakes, which is reserved for three-year-old fillifes, being named after an estate of his on the edge of Banstoad Downs, a favourite rendezvous for racegoers so far back as the reign of Charles 11. This Earl won tho Oaks with Bridget the first year it was run for; but it was not until 1787 that Sir Peter Toazlo oarried off for him tho famous " Blue Riband." Since 1889 now conditions have governed tho value and system of forfeit in connection with the Derby, and tho full worth of the raco is now 6000sovs. Tho richest Derby on record was that of 1866, won by Lord Lyon, whose owner, Mr. Sutton, received £7350.

Plying Fox, who is the latest addition to the roll of Derby winners, was bred privately by his owner, the Buko ot Westminster, and prior to his Epsom triumph lie had shown his ability to gallop. As a two-year-old Flying Fox carried silk fivo times, and opened his racing career by accounting for nine opponents in the New Stakes, five furlongs and 136 yds, at tho Ascot June Meeting, in whioh ho was escorted home by tho Martagon filly Musa. He followed up his success by landing tho odds laid on him for tho Stockbriclgo Foal Stakes, five furlongs, at the Stookbridgo July Mooting, in which his only competitor was No Trumps. His next appearance was in the richly endowed Imperial Produce Slakes, six furlongs, at tho Kompton Park October Meeting, for which he started favourite in a field of half-a-score, but suffered a head defeat from Mr. Leopold do Rothschild's Galopin colt St. Gris, to whom ho was conceding 51b. For tho Middle Park Plato, the American-bred colt Caiman disputed favouritism with Flying Fox, and tho " foreigner" beat the Duko of Westminster's representative by a length and ahalf, having 311> the better of the weights. St. Gris and Flying Fox mot again boforo the close of tho season at level weights in the Criterion Stakes, six furlongs, at the Newmarket October Meoting, and the son of Ormo easily avenged his Kompton Park defeat by winning easily, while St. Gris could only get fourth. Flying Fox led off his careor in the present season by winning the Two Thousand Guineas, and by now adding the Derby to his list of triumphs, matters appoar to bo woll in train for his achieving like distinction to his grnndsiro Ormonde, as a triple crown winner. Tho winner of the Two Thousand Guineas has won tho Derby on 17 occasions, thoso that have landed tho double event being Smolensko, 1813; Cadland, 1828; Ray Middleton, i'J36; Cotherstonn, 1843; West Australian, 1853; Macaroni, 1863; Gladiateur, 1865 ; Lord Lyon, 1866; Pretender, 1869; Shotovor, 1882; Ormonde, 18S6; Ayrshire, 1888; Common, 1891; Isinglass, 1893; Ladas, 1894; Galtco More, 1897; Flying Fox, 1899. Frcin tlie accompanying list which sots forth the Derby winners since 1865, it will bo seen that Flying Fox's victory marks the fourth occasion on which the Duke of Westminster lias claimed tho winner during the past 19 years, and it is worthy of remark that on oaoh occasion the race was won by a horse that he bred himself:—

Yr. Owner. Winner. Sire. lS6s:Count Lagrange Gladiateurt ..Monarque lSGfljMr. It. Sutton .. Lord Lyon ..Stockwell 1807' Mr. [[. Chaplin .. Hermit .. Newminsler 1868 Sir J. Ilawley ..IlltieGown ..Beadsman lSOfijJlr.J. Johnstone Pretender .. Adventurer tS7(l|l,ord Falmouth .. Kingcraft .. King Tom IS7I lin. Rothschild .. Favonius .. Parmesan 1872 Mr. 11. Saville Cremonie ..P.irmesan 1873 Mr. Merry ..Doncaster ..Stockwell 1874 Mr. Cartwright.. Geo. Frederick Marsvaa 1875|l'r. Batthyany ~ Galopin .. Vedetto lS7(l|Mr. A. Daltnzzi .. Ivlsher.. .. Buccaneer 1377 Lord Falmouth .. Silvio .. .. Blair Athol 1878 Mr. Crawford ..Sefton.. ..Speculum 1870 Mr. Acton ~ Sir Bevys ..Favonius 1880 l)k Westminster.. Bend 'Or .. Doncaster 1881 Mr. P. Lorillard,. Iroquois) .. Leamington 1882DkWestminster, Sholover ..Hermit 1883 Sir F.Jolinstone.. St. Blaise .. H«nnit I SirJ Willoughhy Harvester' .. .Sterling 188,1 1 Mr.J. Hammond St. Gatien' { "h"Bove"'" 1835 Lord Hastings ..Melton .. MstrKililare 188 CDk Westminster.. Ormonde .. Bend Or 1887 Mr. Abingdon ~ M'rryllampton Hampton 1888 l)k. of Portland.. Ayrshire .. Hampton 188!) Ok. of Portland.. Donovan .. Galopin ISOU sir .7. Miller .. Sainfoin .. Springfield 1891 Lord Alington ..Common ..Isonoray 1892 Lord Bradford ..Sir Hugo ..Wisdom '893 Mr. McCaliuont., Isinglass ..Isonomy 1891 Lord Rosebery .. Ladas.. Hampton 1896 Lord Itosebery ..SirVisto .. Baraildlne I89(i Prince of Wales.. Persimmon ..St, Simon 1897 Mr. .1. Gnbhlns .. (laltee More ..[Kendal 181)8 Mr, niicli .. Jeildah .. Janissary 1899 Dk' Westminster Flying Fox ..jOrtne (Bred in Fiance. 1 Bred in Americi. * Dead heat. Owners divided stakes. Flying Fox was trained at the celebrated Kingsclcro establishment by John Porter, who lias acttd in that capacity for the Duke of Westminster since 1881. '

Not a few curious stories have been told of the betting incidents of the Derby won in 1865 by the French colt Gladiateur, who is known chiefly to Australians as the sire of Grandmaster. One story is told of an irate and prejudiced old English colonel, who drew Gladiateur in his club sweepstakes. He could not bring himself to boliovo that a French horse could possibly win such a race as the English Derby, and prevailed upon a brother member to exchange tickets with him. This was done, and the colonel, in lieu of Gladiatour got Christmas Carol, who ran second to tho great French colt, and the colonel, as a roward for his prejudice, lost £60 and got plenty of chaff through the transaction. There was some doubt, expressed at' tho time concerning Gladiateur'sage, but it was afterwards satisfactorily proved that he was three years old. _ Before tho race a sportsman advised a friend to back the Frenchman, and the friend doubtfully remarked that the colt might bo four years old. To this the advisor replied, "If I did not believe him to be fivo at least I would not put a penny on him."

Had it not been for the energy of that great purifier of the turf—Lord George Bentinck— the beautiful Orlando, who appears so often in the pedigrees of the modern day thoroughbred, would not havo come down to posterity as the winner of the Derby of 1844. He ran second to a horse named Running Rein, whose legs, it struck Lord George, were dyed; and ho went to work, with the result that he proved the winner to be Maccabsus, by Gladiator. Lord George first found out where the dye had been got, and who had purchased it. This was the first link of evidence given before a Court of law, the law having been invoked by Orlando's owner to recover the stakos from Messrs. Wcatherby—and link by link being added, the idontity of Running Rein was fully proved. In that Derby field was a colt named Leander, who fell and broke one of his legs in the race. He was destroyed and buried near where he fell. Lord George Bentinck had the grave opened and Lcander's head taken out and submitted to an expert, .who pronounced the owner of it to have been four years old.

It has taken many years of 'experience to convince the English-Jockey Club that two-year-old racing is not conducive to the welfare or prestige of the English thoroughbred, and with tho view of discouraging the early breaking and. trying of yearlings, they have framed. the following proposal:—"No declaration of forfeits affecting ' yearlings or two-year-olds shall bo fixed to be made between the second Tuesday in October, when they are yearlings, : and the last Tuesday 'in March'of the following year." j .