THE EPSOM DERBY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VI, Issue 25, 21 June 1890, Page 8

THE EPSOM DERBY.

LTHoI'GH of late year- the Eps-m Derby has been overshadowed in money value by the institution of racing events originated to catch the moving spirit of the times, still the time-honoured classic race continues to hold the position of the • great event ’ of the year, and to he successful in the • bine garland." is the ambition of every true English sportsman. There are races upon which more money is mate and laid, l-at pat to the British vote, and the result would be the Derby carries the palm in popularity. The result is louked forward to in all parts of the world. This year s contest will be ever notable for a horse owned and bred in sunny Australia taking par* in the race. For many months we have been on the tip-toe of expectation as to how Kirkham would shape, bat the colt’s display was full of disappointment. for he finished seventh oat of a field of eight. Sainfoin, the hero of this year s Derby, an illustration of whom will be found below, is owned and trained by Mr John Porter. ■ f the world-famed Kingsclere stable. He was bred

at Hampton G«n. and at the sale of Her Majesty’s yearlings in June, 1888, wis pm based ’ his present iwner for _ rinens Sainf in a -..-sired 1 y ringfiel ifr m San 1 -.. tlatter - _ y Wesbek I ru saniafJ y *t-» fr Lady Evelyn, by Don John from Industrv. by Priam. ..i- f*-• .-re- of *:• • k’. i.i- - .*. ■;gree. St re. - -ire. *: A - y *:•.; k * A Bri'ery. - : ■ : -o, vein*. Ssunioin - only publie terfc rmanee a- a two- year -old was the A-tley Stakes. which he Won easily. !••- the first time in the history ,f the race the Joekey ‘ ■ ■ this year *..jT .. ... > • the wir.r.er. ami *’.ti. t..e subscription*, Sainfoin- owner will receive alwvut £s.4si. Tie richest Derby on record that of Lord Ly.-r. in -Sec. the -take totting up to £7.350, and Kettledrum. Blair Athol. Merry Hampton, and Ayrshire are credited with the fastest time in which the race has teen run. In an interesting account of Mr John Porter, which 1 yy. ■ iin : E: .. . .. ' I - - .• ■ - - : ..sir.-- i- given -J. ;.n Porter began hi* under oM John Duy —‘Honest •’•hr..' a- Lord •-- k, we think it' •-. the t ..... has ever since been quoted. One of the fin* .- - - John Porter r<»ie wa- Virago : he could then scale at >t. I >• - ■ rat this time »a- ‘Tiny v.. . of the worthiest and cleverest jueks that ever donned *ilk. It was at the age of twenty-five, in the year loco, that that keenest eyed of «;*>rt*men. whether for a man or a bor-e, the late Sir Joseph Hawley, engaged young Porter as

his private trainer and established him at Kingselere, which from that day to this has been his home. Carmel was the last Derby mount of Porter’s ami he then concentrated him*elf entirely upon training operations. In the old days Blue Gown, Greensleeves. Rosicrucian. Peru < romer. The Palmer. Morna. Sedereolite. and many others were prepared here. To write a history of Mr Porter's successes would be to write a history of the Turf for the last five-and-twenty years. At the time that Mr Gretton went over to Alee Taylor, the Duke of Westminster had lost theservices of Robert Peek, and arranged with Mr Porter: and soon afterward* Lord Stamford, having returned to the Turf, entrusted his horses to the same trusty hand*. Park House started well for its new patrons, shotover winning the Two Thousand and the Derby, and Geheimniss the Oaks. It was the beginning of that phenomenal success of the King*elere stable which, as we have said before, was raised into a glorious rivalry with the tradition* of Danebury and M hitewalL The year after Shotover * Derby came another Epsom winner. St. Blaise : and then the crowning glory, Ormonde, who has almost. if not quite, superseded Isomony in John Porter’s estimation as being the greatest horse of the century. Mr Porter * great disappointment has been Friar’s Balsam, of whom such great things were anticipated. But if he lost with what he considered a big thing, he won with inferior animals : as an instance, when Orbit carried off the Grand £lO,OOO Prize at Sandown. Ben Strome was another disappointment. Bur then how much there has been to counter balance these slight cheeks : Mr Porter s clients at the present time are the Prince of Wales, the Duke of West-

minster, tne Earl ■ f Portsmouth. Lord Alington. Sir Frede-rick-’•■hnston. Mr Mackenzie. Mr J. Gretton of Bas* and io. . ■ aptain • . Bowling. Mr W. Low, the American millionaire. and—hi* noble self.