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EPSOM DESBYS OF A HUNDRED YEARS. Incidents Attending the Running of the Most Famous Race of the World. Sixth Article. A less memorable year is Pretenders, in 1S09, when the Two Thousand Guineas winner was again successful at Epsom, and a highly-esteemed and straight-going Northern sportsman, Mr. afterwards Sir R. Jardine. was honored with his first and only Blue Riband, this being the last occasion of the race going to a Yorkshire stable. Jenny Howlets Oaks, eleven years later, having since been the only Epsom triumph of the many-acred county. Although running in the name of Mr. J. Johnstone, there is no doubt Mr. B. Jardine had an interest in Pretender. Sir Joseph Hawley here came near equalling the doings of Lord Kgremont with his fifth Derby, as he pressed the winner close with Per© Gomez: indeed, so close a thing was it that Wells on Pero called out to John Osborne. "Ive just done you. Johnny." who called back, "No. its a dead-heat." and neither knew which had won until Pretenders number, "4," went up. But for a scrimmage in the race, in which Pero Gomez was momentarily shut in, everyone connected with him believed he would have won, and this view, indeed, would seem to have been confirmed in the St. Leger, when the "Beadsman" decisively overthrew his Northern conqueror at Epsom. Another fancied Russley candidate, the roarer, Belladrum. proved a most, disastrous animal to a large body of Southern speculators and small punters, many of them, remembering their favorite of the previous year, sticking to him, despite adverse rumors: but his wind Infirmity had increased since his hard race against Pretender in the Two Thousand Guineas, and he finished in the ruck. The race, after all was over, was nearly productive of a veritable sensation, through a report getting about that the winners nominator, Mr. W. Sadler, had died before the race was run, but the threatened objection to Pretender which was about to follow came to nothing when the fact was known that the gentleman, whose departure from this sphere had been prematurely announced, was still lingering upon the scene. The race is also memorable for the fact that John Osborne, who altogether rode in thirty-seven Derbys, scored his only success iu the great Epsoin race on this occasion. The damp, deary festival of 1S70 saw the first Derby victory of the popular "magpie" jacket of Lord Falmouth, when the shifty Kingcraft, third in the Two Thousand Guineas, tenderly and skilfully nursed by that consummate artist Tom French, accomplished a runaway win in a moderate field, completely reversing the Newmarket running with Macgregor, another Russley "unfortunate" here made favorite at 9 to 4 on, which had romped away with the "Guineas" on his first appearance in public. The victory of Kingcraft began an extraordinary run of lnck in the "classics" for Lord Falmouth, for from this time up to 1883 he won no fewer than fourteen of these races. To so liberal a supporter of the turf these successes were no cause for wonder, and when in 1884 he decided to give up racing for a time his entire stud of horses realized a grand total of 111.880 guineas. Kingcrafts subsequent performances on a race course were the reverse of triumphant, and after a run of eighteen defeats he managed to finish his racing career with a win in the Lancashire Handicap at Liverpool as a six-year-old. Then followed the famous "Barons" year in 1871. when one of the kindliest and most honorable men who ever owned a race horse had his first good turn in the sport he loved so well and followed for its own sake alone. Besides tlie Derby with Favonius, Baron Meyer de Rothschild also had a double triumph with Hannah in the Oaks. With the pair, in fact, the jovial millionaire fairly swept the board, all the classic races, the Two Thousand Guineas excepted, falling to his share— a feat accomplished by no other sportsman before. Tom French again rode the winner, but not the Oaks heroine, which was entrusted to the Barons own jockey, Maidinent, Freuch being up on Hopbine, third, and to him is accredited the rare feat of riding two successive Derby winners. Poor Tom, who died two years later at the early age of 25. also rode Christinas Carol and Savernake, second respectively in the Derbys won by Gladiateur and Lord Lyon. Favonius, which was a big colt, did not run as a two-year-old, aud he was far from being at his best when beaten a head by Albert Victor on the occasion of his debut in the Newmarket Biennial. Tried better than Hannah, the victory of the latter in the One Thousand Guineas gave bis party every confidence for the success of Favonius in the great Epsom prize, and although several others, in-cluduing tlie aforementioned Albert Victor, were preferred to him in tlie betting, he easily won by a length ana a half from King of the Forest and Albert Victor, which dead-heated for second place. During a short stud career— he died in 1877 — he begat Sir Bevys, a colt destined to win the Derby in 1879. Another popular and patient sportsman. Mr. Sa-vile, was rewarded next year for many disappointments and much liberal patronage of the turf in the head victory of Cremorne, after a slashing set-to with the Manton outsider. Pell Mell, the "Riband" going for the third year in succession to Newmarket, though not to its chosen champion. The latter was the "Guineas" winner, the famous Prince Charlie. "Prince of the T. Y. C." but his forte was not theu fairly known, aud he was quite out of his element over "the Surrey Hills, although made first favorite. A lazier horse than Cremorne was never known, and many a time would he almost go to sleep when walking to the exercise grounds of a morning; in consequence his knees were always carefully protected, for he would occesionally come down while in a state of stuitor. However, when asked to gallop he was always eager, and in his first racing year accounted for nine out of eleven races, and was placed twice. He was also an abnormal feeder, and would make au extra meal from his straw bedding. Sawdust was finally used to bed him on, and even then he bad to be muzzled at night. As an instance of Cremornes partiality for taking "forty winks," the following amusing story is mentioned in the volume of "The Romance of the Derby": While the multitude were assembling on Epsom Downs that day, Cremorne was resting at Armstrongs stables near the grandstand. He had done his gallop and received his feed, and was then left in peace, his man, Clark, being entrusted with the duty of guarding him. About noon Gilbert and his son. William, went into the stable yard. Wheres Clark T asked the trainer. I left him here, replied the son; nnd then, hes not far off. Cant you hear him singing/ Proceeding to Cremornes box and opening the door, the Gilberts saw one of the strangest and most comical sights imaginable. Cremorne lay stretched on the floor sound asleep, with his faithful attendant sitting on liis shoulder and singing a ditty from a penny song hook he had bought from an itinerant vendor. What a picture that scene would have made." Shortly after his race for the Derby Cremorne was sent to France for the Grand Prize de Paris, which he won easily, and thereby placed his name first on the list of our own Derby champions to win this valuable prize, and as a four-year-old credited his owner with the Ascot Cup and Alexandra Plate. Cremornes Derby was the first occasion on which the present course was used, the first portion of it being farther away from tlie stands, and on a higher level than the track that had lieeu in use since 1S48. That "its a long lane that has no turning" was happily illustrated at Epsom in 1ST:!, when tlie Russley stables long spell of ill-luck, beginning in IStil witli Dundee, and pursuing that stable through Ruckstone. Scottish Chief. I.iddington. Student. Marksman, Belladrum. Macgregor, Sunlight. King of the Forest and Gladiolus, was broken by Stock-wells last and worthiest son. Doncaster, and the solatium of an Oaks and St. Leger added to atone for Fortunes protracted neglect. Burdened with tlie cumbersome name of All Heart and No Peel when led into the sale ring at Don-caster as a yearling he was knocked down to the bid of Mr. Merry at 950 guineas, and was placed under the care of Robert Peck, who had succeeded J. Waugh as trainer to the Scottish ironmaster: but his progress as a two-year-old was decidedly slow, and in consequence his debut was deferred until the Two Thousand Guineas, in which race be railed to finish in the first three, much to the surprise of his trainer, who had well galloped him just previously. Naturally, this performance did not Instil in the mind of the owner much i.ope of winning the Derby with Doncaster. and intentions were to keep him in reserve for later engagements, but another home gallop revealed the fact that he was improving daily, and he was allowed to take his chance at Bpsom, starting at 45 to 1 against, beat the favorite. Gang Forward, and Kaiser, which dead-heated for second place, and completely reversed the Newmarket form with the pair just mentioned, giving Fred Webb a lucky chance mount. As a sire he gained great fame, and was the foundation of the racing fortunes of the Duke of Westminster, who purchased him at the end of his racing days for 14.00O pounds. Among his first crop of foals was Bend Or, which became the sire of Ormonde, and whose descendants are well-known in the present generation of turf followers. It mav be noticed of Doncasters Derbv that the field of 12 was the smallest since Wild Dayrells year in 1983. A staunch old sportsman and breeder of his own horses, with a limited hut choice stud. Mr. W. S. Cartwright. hail his turn iu 1874 with George Frederick by Marsyas — Princess of Wales, he was bred at Fairwater. near Cardiff, and as a two-year-olil did nothing to lead bis owner into the belief that he had a prospective Derby winner in his posession. whilst his temper was not of the best. However, the colt made wonderful improvement during the early part of his three vear-old career, and so splendidly did he acquit himself in a trial that his success at Epsom was looked upon as a loregone conclusion by his connections, indeed, so sanguine was his owner, that on Derbv Dav he had over thirty telegrams written to his friends to sav that George Frederick had won. His make and shape, however, did not appeal to manv critics for a race rnn over such a course as at Epsom, and. although starting at 9 to 1. three others were preferred to him in the quotations. That his critics were wrong was amply demonstrated in the race, for he won iu a canter from I.ord Roseberys Conr-onne de Fer, with the Two Thousand winner. Atlantic, third. George Frederick met with jii accident a few days after his Derby triumph, an. A could never be thoroughly trained again, although he did run once as a four-year-old, but without success. To be continued.
