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WON THE DERBY DESPITE MISHAP. Henry Cliaplin, the owner of Hermit, winner of ilie Epsom Derby of 1S07, has written the following letter to Mr. Cooper, the anthor of an article on the subject which appeared in The AVestininstcr Gazette recently, and which" had been controverted by a critic: "You are perfectly right that about a fortnight before the Derby Hermit met with an accident: hut not a slight one, for he broke .a blood vessel somewhat badly, was conlined to jhe stalls for some days, and did nothing but walk and trot about for some time till he got to Epsom. In consequence, although he had been first favorite all the winter, ids chance was regarded as hopeless by the public, and indeed by everyone, excepting, I believe, by my old trainer, Jtloss. and his owner. But Bloss told me that on the Monday aftpr his arrival he had sent him a gallop over the whole course, and that he never went better in his life"; did not blow a bit at the end of it, and he believed he would win after all. in the saddling paddock before the race he walked about disregarded by everyoue aud in that respect he may have been described quite truly as unnoticed. Personally. I was afraid that he would break a blood vessel going up the steep hill at starting, as I told all my friends, but barring that, I was as confident as P.loss after what he had told me that he would win. I backed liiiri again at the last moment at the long odds- of 00 aud 70 to 1, although 1 could induce hardly anyone to follow ray example. Henry Chaplin." Hermit won from Markham and the favorite, Vauban, and the Marquis-of Hastings lost a fortune by the result. His loss was put at 25,000. Trie dav of the big plungers 011 file turf was then about passing and lias never been revived, either in America or England.
