DERBY DAY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10664, 10 August 1920, Page 8

DERBY DAY

BLUE RIBALD OF ENGLAND HOW SPION HOP BEAT THE FAVOURITE. Tho "Daily News" contains an interesting story of the English Derby won by Major G. Loder's Spearmint colt, Spion Kop. Gilpin's stable sheltered both the winner and Sir J. Buchanan's Siirohedon, which ran fourth. A. Smith, the stable's leading joctey. had his choice of mounts, anti, as the result of a tiual, chose the latter, bux Spion Kop, as tha paper has it, "won with' consummate eate." Strangely enough, Smith was in an exactly suuiiuJ" position twelve months earlier, electing to ride Grand Parade instead of Spion Kop* In the recent .Derby Abbots Trace, a Tracery colt, ridden by the craok horseman Donoghue, led tho field at a merry pace until Tattonham Corner was rounded. Then Spion Kop forged ahead and won bv two lengths in the record time of 2mm EM, 4-ssec for the mile and a-halt. Abbotts Trace would almost certainly havo been placed, but just opposite, the Eoyal box Saa-obsdon swerved and cannoned into him, causing him to fall Donoghue was unhurt. Tetratema, the wonderful grey son of Tetrarch, waa a very hot favourite, but was unablo to see the journey out.

ROYAL KUKT CUP. The next day Square Measure (owned by Mr J. Eeid Walker) won the Royal Hunt Cup. The connections of the horse were frank enough in their optimism. J. Rogers, the trainer, told all hie friends on the opening day of the meeting that the horse would reverse the City end Suburban placings witb.Com back,, a late demonstration for Ugly ? uckl carried him into favouritism at 6-1, with Square Measure second m demand at *>-iSquare Measure had the foot of everything else from the distance, after Gianni erin led early on, and the concluding stages of the race lacked excitement. Glanmerin and Starshot filled the minor place?, but trier never bad a real chance of getting near the leader. Donoghue, tho iocker, was all smiles after the race. His brief comment was: "I was always there." He was! POLUMETIS KILLED. In the Ascot Derby Stakes the form of the "real"' Derby was made to appear very quaint. With Oipheus, Abbots Trace, and Polumetis running, it did seem a reasonable theory that the race was a good thing for one of the three. The placed horses were Lord Wiltans Caligula, Paladin, and Novello. And Caligula won easily, too. The result, which came as a complete and staggering surprise to nine people out of ten. was followed by something of a tragedy, for Polumetis broke a leg and had to be destroyed—a great blow to Lord Londonderry. King's Idler won the Visitors Handicap running away, and tho only one eeriouslv fancied against him was Old Bill, who was beaten out. of a place. The race was run in a storming downpour of rain, but Bullock, on the favourite; seemed to revel in the watery visitation—and so, for the matter of that, did his mount. A TBTARCH DAY.

Mr' Watkin Williams paid 8000 guineas for Syrian Prince, a grey colt by The Tetrarch—Lisma as a. yearling, and the youngster's first appearance was' in the Chesham Stakes. He won in the "style of a really good colt. It is possible Ithat Syrian Prince is-the best two-year-old seen to carry silk at Ascot. The Tetrarch had a great afternoon., for three of his progeny won. Syrian Prince was the first, Caligula the second, and Tetratema the third. The Derby favourite's essay came in the Fern Hill Stakes, and the opposition included Pair Simone, Gilpin's flyer, who won so bril.iantlv at Epsom, Galway Gate, the Irish colt with a tail reputation and-Poltnvn —in other words, some of the speediest three-year-olds in training. And Tetratema made hacks'of-them all. A PROCESSION. Everybody expected a dramatic r&oe but what they saw was something in the nature of a Tetratema won as he used to win last year—with contemptuous ease, and one wondered if ihe Derby was a Stockbridge tragedy in that it was a false run race,' or whether Tetratema is merely a very great sprinter. The victory of the beaten Derby favourite followed that of the beaten Oaks favourite in the Coronation Stakes, won by Cinna. The filly gave a very smooth performance in winning froTi Lord Derby's Bedhead and La Dauphine, running in the Tetratema colours, but tho margin was only a short head.