ENGLISH DERBY.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume I, Issue 45, 4 June 1891, Page 7

ENGLISH DERBY.

Of late years the great national event —the Epsom Derby—has greatly fallen off. It used to be 50 sovs each, half forfeit, and the nominations averaged 240. We cannot go back more than 45 years. In Surplice’s year, 1848, they rose to 215; but in 1851, Teddington ; 1852, Daniel O’Rorke; and 1853, West Australian, they fell. Until 1884 they kept pretty well up to average ; since then they have fallen, so the condition of the race has lately altered to the following: — The Derby Stakes, of 5000 sovs for the winner, 500 sovs for the nominator of the winner, 800 sovs for the owner ,of the second horse, and 200 sovs for the owner of the third horse. Colts, fist; fillies, Bst 91b : by subscription of 50 sovs each; half forfeit if declared by the first Tuesday in . January, 1891, and 10 sovs only if declared by the first Tuesday in January, 1890 ; any surplus to be paid to the winner. About one mile and ahalf, starting at the High Level Starting Post. [This course was altered some five years ago, we forget the exact date, from tiie hollow to the present course, which made it much easier.] 206 subs. Lord Alington’s br c Common, by Isonomy—Thistle 1 Mr. E. Blaine’s ch c Gouverneur, by Energy—Gladia 2 Sir James Dukes’ b c Martenhurst, by Wenlock—Hirondelle... 3 The accounts to hand are meagre, but from what we can learn Gouverneur made the running for si mile, when Common, the favourite, went to the- front, and won easily by two lengths. Thp time, 2ihin 56 4-sths sec, is slow, but it appears.the race was run in pouring rain. Comfhbn was bred by Lord Alington, and did not run as a two-year old, but was brought out for the Two. Thousand, which he won. Common was trained by who has been connected with so many Derbies/at Kingslerc. Gouverneur/ who ran second, was bred in France, and as a two-year old' he was a good performer, winning," amongst other events, the Middle Park and Criterion at Newmarket. During the winter he was a great favourite, but little money, however, would have gone on. Betting, now-a- days, on the Derby, is not like what it used to be, when at the great yearling sales Captain Batchelor, Hargreaves, H. Hill, Padwick, Jackson, Russell, and others, who had ten thousand books open, and the moment a yearling was knocked down to you, an offer immediately made by them of 10,000 to 100. At the Middle Park sale, when Angus,

St. Ronan, Marksman, and Hermit, were sold, thev got over Z3OOO in their books on that day, .and they were kept open and increased until the day of the race. Then it was no uncommon thing for owners to win large sums. Mr. Merry got //?0,000 on Thormanby, and Sir

Joseph Hawley won that amount on Beadsman and Musjid, while no one knows what Mr. Chaplin won over Hermit; while Captain Machel landed a cool Books at the present time are only open a few months before the race, so it takes a clever man to win or as there is not much hedging afforded. The accounts of the last race reminds one of 1852, when Daniel O’Rorke won; Barbarian, second; Chief Baron Nicholson, third. Willie Noble, for whom Mr. Merry had given £6,500 for as a two-year old, on purpose to win the Derby, Stockwell and other good ones being behind, Frank Butler (who rode the winner), immediately on coming round Tattenham Corner, made for the upper side of the course, close under the rails, where the people had been walking, therefore obtaining sounder going, the others keeping the middle. He afterwards said he could have won on either of the first three. So he would if the same tactics had been taken. Time, , 3min 2sec. In Ellington’s year, 1856, the course was very heavy, though it did not rain during the race. The time, 3min 4sec, the longest on record. Hermit’s race, in 1867, was run in a snowstorm, his time being 2min 52sec. These are the three worst Derbies we ever remember having seen. One thing that surprises us is, though the course has been made much easier, Kettledrum and Blair Athol’s time, 2min 42sec, has never been beaten. We will treat on the winners of the olden days in future issues. The Epsom Oaks, which takes place on the Friday, which is generally called the “ ladies’ day,” having met the same fate as the Derby, has been altered, and resulted as follows :— The Oaks Stakes, of 40C0 sovs for the winner, 400 sovs for the nominator of the winner, 300 sovs for the owner of the second, and 200 sovs for the owner of the third, by subscription of 50 sovs each. For three-year-old fillies, Bst 101 b each. About one mile and a-half. Mr. Noel Fenwick’s b f Mimi, by Barcaldine, dam by Lord Lyon—Sadie \ 1 Lord Rosebery’s brf Corstorphine, by FoxhaU -Chopette 2 Mr. H. A. Harrison’s br f Lady Primrose, by Rosebery- The Empress Maud 3 Mimi has proved herself a smart filly. Last year she won four out of six engagements, and this season she has placed the One Thousand Guineas and the rich Newmarket Stakes to her owner’s credit. She was bred at Sledmore, and purchased at Doncaster by her present owner. j s The following race at the Epsom Meeting has recently come into notice, though at one time it was little thought of : — The Epsom Grand Prize, of 1000 sovs for the winner, and 200 sovs for the nominator of the wanner, added to a sweepstakes of 25 sovs each. For three.year-olds. The owner of the second horse to receive 100 sovs out of the stakes. About one mile and a-quarter. Mr. Leopold de Rothschild’s br c Benvenuto, by Galopin— Queen of Diamonds 1 Mr. Henry Miller’s b f St. Kilda, by Clairvaux or Macheath — . Emma Melbourne 2 Duke of Westminster’s b c Ordinance, br Bend Or—Bright Beauty .. 3