The King as a Turf Lover.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIX, Issue 6, 10 August 1907, Page 19

The King as a Turf Lover.

STORIES OF BRITAIN’S MONARCH AT PLAY. Almost from the days of his early manhood King Edward has manifested a love for the King of Sports—the “Sport of kings.” At Epsom. Ascot, and elsewhere he is a familiar figure as he walks about fearlessly among his people, bent on only getting the most enjoyment out of the day possible. It is now twenty one years since he first entered a horse for a well-known race. In 1886, Counterpane, the progeny of that historic horse, Hermit, was entered in the Prince’s name for a maiden plate at Sandown. Archer was the jockey who rode for the Prince, and he scored an easy- victory, for almost at the start Counterpane romped away from the rest of the field and came home well ahead of all others. But this was not the Prince’s first taste of a flat race, for more than forty years ago he rode his own hsrse, Rupee to victory in a military meeting at the Curragh. HIS SUCCESS ON THE TURF. It was the horse, Perdita IL. pur chased by the Kingsclere trainer for the Prince of Wales for 900 guineas, which was the foundation of the historic stud at Sandringham. Her produce won in stakes and at stud something like £200,000. The progeny of this famous horse included such wonderful animals as Persimmon, Florizel 11., and Diamond Jubilee, all of which were bred at Sand ringham. It was Persimmon who brought the Prince his first Derby, and undoubtedly this Derby was the most popular ever known. Almost till the post was reached it seemed that St. Frusquin would win, but at the crucial moment Watts, who was riding the Prince’s horse, snatched victory from Persimmon’s powerful opponent. TRAINING A WINNER. The training of a Derby winner is a long and tedious process, and not until he is two years old does he take part in any race, and then it will probably be at Ascot. Possibly he will fail, but the object in view has been achieved —that of accustoming him to the race course. In the early spring of the year in which he is to appear on the Epsom Course he has to undergo a preliminary canter twice a day, and is carefully examined by the trainer on each occasion in order to see that his condition remains sound. He is probably sent to Epsom a few days before the race, and has several trials over the course. Roughly the cost of training the horse will amount to six pounds a week. THE JOCKEY CLUB. King Edward is the principal member of the Jockey Club; that historic institution which is so exclusive that it has less than a hundred members, and several of these represent the royal family. The Club was founded nearly two hundred years ago, and one of its early members, the fourth Duke of Devonshire, was the first man to institute racing colours, and the colours he then selected are those of the present Duke. The power of this Club extends over the entire racing world. The Club controls Newmarket Heath, and charges

a fee of seven guineas per annum for every horse trained there. Again, should a racehorse owner wish to change his name he has to pay a fee of thirty pounds to the Club for every registration, while a fee of £ 100 is charged for every race meeting of four days’ duration. The Club also has it in its power to warn any person off the Turf, with the result that the jockey clubs of Ireland and France promptly treat the offender in the same way. THE £. S. D. OF THE DERBY. Naturally a vast sum of money, quite apart from the betting, changes hands over the Derby. A jockey’s fee for riding is three guineas for a losing mount and five guineas for a winner. But in addition, the jockey who wins the Blue Ribbon of the Turf is generally given an extra fee. The Prince of Wales, before he came to the throne, gave John Watts and Herbert Jones £5OO each for riding his two Derby winners, and a common fee for riding the winner of this race is £250. It may be said that it costs £ 6000 to win the Derby, which is £5OO less than the prize is worth. Very few, however successful, make any money at racing, but some large sums have been accumulated from successful horses. For instance, in two years the Duke of Portland won £ 100,000 in stakes, in one year he netted £74,000. Single horses, too, can coin fortunes in a few years, as was the case with Isinglass, which won £57,455 in stakes in four years. THE AGE QUESTION. Many peculiar ideas prevail as to running horses in the Derby, and countless are the mistakes made by the unitiated upon this subject. Ouida in one of her books made a horse win the Derby twice. That was distinctly humorous, as the celebrated event is confined to three year-olds. Horses have to be entered for the Derby when they are yearlings, the race being run when they are three years old. Strange to say, racehorses born before twelve o'clock on the 31st December are considered by racing law two years old next day. so that one competitor may be many months older than another, though nominally of the same age. All colts in the Derby carry 9st. and fillies 51b. less. A ONE-RACE BLUE RIBBON HERO. The King’s friends have bee rather lucky in this race, notably Lord Rose bery, who owned Amato. This horse was born at the Durdans, a few hundred yards from the Derby winning-post. He was a “ dark ” horse, never having run before, and, starting at the odds of 30 to 1 against, he won the race for Sir G. Heathcote by a length. Amato never ran again, and this unique one-race Blue Riband hero now lies buried in the beautiful grounds of the Durdans, within easy hearing distance of the thunderous Derby roar. The grave is surrounded by ornamental iron railings, and a carved stone slab gives the date of his death, etc. During Derby week privileged visitors from all parts of the world visit the grave by special permission of Lord Rosebery. Close to the Durdans is the Amato Inn, and here is the famous well upon which a free tip for the Derby is chalked every Derby day. This tip is discussed by all, from King to coster.