DERBY CAT ON DOWNS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18457, 21 July 1923, Page 13

DERBY CAT ON DOWNS.

A NATIONAL PICNIC. V

(EOW PAPYRUS WON BACE. DONOGRUE TELLS STORY. frnoM oua ows COBSESPONDENT.] LONDON. JuL«e 15. Many visiting New Zealanders found their ray to Epsom on Derby Day. For a largo proportion of the people on the Downs the races aro a secondary consideration. There are tents with innumerable barriers of beer, there are cocoanut shies, these aro bookmakers every few yards, and the humble shilling is taken as a wager as readily as tha pound note. The race itself is of no imporportar.ee; it is tho result of the race that counts.

Gipsies are always concentrated on the outer ride of the straight days before the event. Their caravans are clean and gaudily painted, but, alas, the owners and their children are dirty beyond be>liefi No doubt there is romance in these nomadic people, but a first impression is not a good one. Infants in arms are depressing to look at, and the medley of clothing that goes to covor the younger members of the family is wonderful to behold. However, cleanliness is a matter of teste.

Summer months have been with us for some time, but summer weather has not I put. in an appearance. Early on Derby morning the* campers on the Downs had their all-night vigil interrupted by a j shower of rain. Tho early morning was j cold and unpleasant. Thus it was a I Derby of coats and mackintoshes. Before ,' the racing in tho afternoon was begun, ! however, a rarely-seen sun put in an ap- j pearance, and no one' could seriously i complain. Still, it was a violent con- j trast to the heat of last year's Derby, j when merely to move was an effort. As for tho road traffic, a nova! feature i this year wan. tho experiment, of controlling by an ingenious combination of wireless between an aeroplane, a police tender on the road, and a police tender on the j grandstand. 'Many messages wero re- ( ceived by the traffic controller from the aeroplane. These reported small blocks I jo the traffic at various places, and j motor-cyclists were despatched irom j stations along the tout© to divert traffic j where necessary. Shortly after noon re- i ports showed ihfct the road traffic was J heavier than last year. There were over j 5000 motor-coaches near the course from all over the country, and tho private cars ran into many thousands. Unexpected Mist.

Tnr.fi is a certain dignity and leisure leading up to the classic • race. One has plenty of time to look at the competing anirnalu in the paddock and no« their faces washed down. Then the string of 20 parades at a walk past. the stands, and j one has a chance to become familiar with j the colours, and thus to watch one's J fancy e;hen the race actually starts. The canter back to the paddock further reveals something of the horses! possibilities. Fiw minutes afterwards they are on the far side of the horseshoe course lined up for the start and if the visibility is good the order of their going day be seen up to the first bund. All d=».y the visibility had been good, hr.i 10 minutes before the race started i thenar clouds darkened the sky and a ! iijglr. tris* f -to?;, ivver tie? course. No j one I■■& «*»•-:;■ ?'-i.jSi;.'ht of u fog: even the I experts. And so "when She race began and everyone said, "They're off!" those who ha*': glasses; explained who was leading and who had dropped back, hut the genera! mass of those in the grandstands ■* ho cou'id see to the ■ other side of the •..curst jas-t knew that a race was in progross. At the top of the hill, all the horses ;xiss.?.d out of sight, and for a minute there was dead silence over the crowd. The mist was not enough to interfere with the vie',7 when they came i into the straight. It was easy then to pick up the colours. Papyrus was.in front, followed closely by Pharci,, Dori?, Snltash, , and Ellangowan. At this stage Papyrus and Pharos were well clear of any v possible intervener, and their duel from that point onward was one of the most desperate and profciiged that a Derby has produced for many yeara. Donoghue, on Papyrus, had get the inside positon before reaching th-5 straight. With still a-quarter of a mile "rem home it looked as if Lord Derby's colt. Pharos, might stand a chance. Papyrus and Pharos. They were thrilling moments, the only real thrill the race yielded, but the issue was settled almost at once. Pharos began to weaken, or perhaps it was that Papyrus, called upon for an extra effort, was able to pull out just that finishing effort which belongs to the belter horse and the well-trained horse. It was a fair sad square duel, and the honours went to the better horse. To the accompaniment of the asnal burst of cheering for the jockey, as well as for the gallant winner, Papyrus forgad -bead to win comfortably by a length from another gallant horse in Pharos. Parth, whose chance at the last had been rated Tightly by those who knew him best, ran on into third place, and this after being the last to leave the gate. He finished with rare resolution and more strongly than either Papyrus or Pharos.

Donoghue'o Story. The popular Donoghue thus describes the race and hia mount: I have always liked the horse from the- time last autumn I beat Town Guard on him. He l»ave me the right sort of f&el when I cantered to the post, and I felt more than ever it would take a pretty good one to beat him. I had the !nck to get well away on him, and as soon as I was in the place I wanted to bo in, not being in front, but ' right there,' 1 knew he was nandy and he showed by taking me into my place that his (-peed was keen-edged. Enockando led me, Town Guard was on my left, and Ellangowan I saw on mv right. As we went on .[ felt I could pro to the front on him at . any time. He gave me that wonderful feel. Corning round Tatienham Corner he moved as _if he owned it, and I simply had to let him go to the front when once ,in the line fov Soma. Lord Derby's horse came to me and challenged, but I could feel the grit and df-termmation In my horse. Itcamo out when I shook the. whip at him to ask him to go on and win his race. It was pure stamina and gameneas that won him the race.". Wonderful Achievement, For Donoghue it was a wonderful achievement. Luck may not always be with him, but it has stuck leech to him in modern history of the Derby. Humorist and Captain Cuttle were eleventh hour mounts for him, and, though engaged long ago for Papyrus, he would have had to relinquish the ride had Lord Wooltivington not released him from riding Knockando. So the jockey's sun is as high in the heavens as eve", and he was made to realise his personal popularity in ths splendid reception accorded 'him. "Better than bullion— health." Marklpy. During winter, don't run the risk o. catching colds, coughs, or influenza—use Baxter's Lung Preserver. " Baxter's" has rich, wanning, dependable propertiesNever fails to give speedy relief, even in roost chronic bronchia!, chest and throat troubles. In addition. Baxter's Lunp Preserver is a tine tonic. Enriches the Wood—fortifies the system against prevailing ailments. Always keep "Baxters" handy; 2s 6d large bottle, at chemists and stores. In the world to come when we pass from lb in. We're promised a life of eternal bliss: Of sunshine, sweet music and ekies of blue— When All Our Beautiful Dreams Come True. Dreams end in dreams but reality clings. Practical people choose tangible things. For bronchial afflictions their choice be sure-. la always Woods' Great Peppermint Cuxo.