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3 , ; . . I 1 • 1 • • ■ 1 1 I t I I [ I 1 I I I 1 , I I 1 ■ , , ". 1 1 r ■ - • EPSOM DERBYS OF A HUNDRED YEARS. Incidents Attending the Running of the Most Famous Race of the World. Eighth Article.! Bead Ora name and fame has long rung through the land, but it rang with ten times mightier clang when he won the Derby in 1880, and added fresh laareia to the wreath of his sire. Doneaster, which, as mentioned in a previous article, had been purchased by the Duke of Westminster lor the then unprecedented sum of 14.0M pounds. Rend Or had gone through his first season unbeaten, as also had Robert the Devil. Which was to Ik-come his greatest rival, but which had only c un-peled in two races as a juvenile. Th* finish for tin- Derby this year was one of the most exciting ever known. A quarter of a mile from home -Robert held a two lengths advantage*, and was going groat guns, while Bead Or appeared td be struggling to overhaul Teviol dale and Mask. Settling t his task in earnest, the Duke of West minsters colt came up hand over band, and though the bead was the wrong way four strides from home I". Archer made one last effort, and Rend or got up to win a desperate • Vac- by a bead. A sensation was caused when an Objection was lodged about a month afterwards by the owner of the -o.ond 01. the grounds that Bead Or was not the horse he was re |i resen ted to lie, but was in reality a borae called Tadcasler. by Doneaster — lenience, but on investigation the stewards were unanimous in overruling the objection. Robert the Devil subsequently won the Graad Irix do Parte, and in the St. I -ger took ample revenge on his Epsom conqueror, which was made a warm favorite. On three other occasions did these two great rivals meet, and only once did the Derby winner finish in front. This was in the Epsom Oohl Cup. run for over the Derby course the following season and although odds of to 4 were laid on "Robert" he failed by a neck after a great race. At the stud Rend Or proved a great success, and amongst other good horses he begat the mighty Ormonde. A year before Rend Ors Delta a number of yearlings, the property of Mr. P. LoriBard, an American millionaire tobacco merchant, came to 1 England from the United States, and with them 1 lacob Iincus. as trainer. Among the batch was a rare mover named Iroquois, which was destined to scire a memorable victory in 1SK1 in our greatest eias-ie race, in addition to winning the St. Lexer. His career as a two year-old was not particularly Inspiring, so far as Derby honors were concerned, his record being four wins mit of a dozen essays; but perhaps his best performance was in running Ral Cal to a head for the July Stakes, the latter then being in tip-top form. When tar from tieing wound up in condition he commenced his three-year-old career by running in the Two Thousand Guineas, and. mack to the sur priae of his trainer, finished second to Peregrine. So easily, however, did the latter win that he was Immediately soundly backed for the Derby, and there were many who were induced to believe that he was a real smasher. Before Derby Day arrived Iincus had wrought considerable improve Meat in the son of Leamington — Maggie R. R.. and all concerned with him were confident that his ; Newmarket conqueror would have all his work cut out to again Inflict a defeat on the American I rhampteB. The Stars and Stripes were well represented in the race. as. in addition to Iroquois, Don 1 Fulano and Marshal Macdoaald. bfloaglaa to Mr. .lames It. Keeiie. entered the list, but neither was seriously considered. With F. Webb up. Peregrine was a hot favorite . at ii to 5 against, with the American next in favor . at 11 to 2. and between these two the issue lav. Two hundred yards from home began a great tussle, in which Archers mount gradually had tin-better of it. and Iroquois landed the spoils by a 1 half length. In passing, it is inierestiug to note that Voiaptaary, which ran well for a loan way. won he Grand National Steeplechase three years afterwards. Iroquois ended his racing days with ! a win in the Newmarket Derby the same season, and then returned to the land of bis birth to , take up stud duties at Rolle Meade Farm, Tennessee. Tin- year ls2 was memorable for the fact that t the Derby this year was won py a inemls-r of fhe ■ Weaker sex. namely. Shotover. 11 daughter of r Hermit. Twenty live yi ars had elapsed since a l lilly won the ra e. The famous Blink Ronny then 1 won both the Derby and Oaks; now Shotover added 1 th Derby to her victory in the Two Thousand I Guineas, a combination of triumphs never before ■ attained by a filly . and which has not been achieved I sine-. Although not made on a large scale. Shot-over was .1 handsome lilly. but her constitution 1 was not r-bust. ami cuisequeiitly she did not make • her first appearance on a race course until the autumn if 1881. This was in the Middle Fats 1 Plate, for which she was iinfancied and unplaced. . Two other defeats went down to her inline as a 1 juvenile, a record not promising for a subsequent t ihissic winner. However; a trial the following [ spring revealed her in a new light, and although 1 starting at H to 1 againt. she won the Two Thousand in a canter from Quicklime and Marden. . but suffered a head defeat two davs later in the . 1 no Thousand by St. Marguerite. Hie months Interval before the Derby found 1 Shotover fully recovered from her Newmarket c- - ertioas, and sin- started second in demand to 1 Bruce, a colt which had gone through his tvvo- year-old season unbeaten, ami had a great politic following. A bad swerve coming round Tottenham 1 Corner may . have hail something to do. with the . bitters defeat, but. nevertheless. Shotover easily 7 centime d the Two Thousand form with Quicklime. and won by three-parts of a length. No mare ■ could have accomplished her task in better style, and John Porter was the recipient of hearty i-n gr it illations on having landed at the first time of r asking two such races as the Two Thousand and 1 Derby for the Duke of Westminster. Tom Cannon, the rider of Shotover. bad. like ■ Ooorge Fordliani. an unlucky record in connection 1 with the Derby, for although many we ceases cante • his way in other big races, this was his iirst and I only success in the reat Bosom race. Another success for Kingsclcre and John I iter i- was seen in 1S.VI. when St. Rlaise. owned in pari nership by Sir Frederick Johnstone and Lord Al qiglon. struggled home by a neck from lliuh land Chief. with the Two Thousand winner. . Halliard, third in a field of eleven • less than 1 when Wild Dnyrcll won in 1833 ami Doneaster in 1 ls7.".. No Derby ever, perhaps, presented a more ■ open appearance. The death of two of the staunches! patrons had rendered void the nominations - of two of the leading favorites in Macheath 1 and Filliueii. and the meeting of the three placed I in the Qaiaeaa Gailterd. Goldnekl and The Prince ■ — on account of their close fin i-.li . caused the race • Of itseir to Ik- open. Then, again, in the same ■ stable as the Rowley Mile hero was Bean Brum- - mel. one of two which ever defeated Macheath. and 1 reputedly the superior of Oalliai-il. provided he *t 1 a preparation. St. Rlaise may be termed an 1 eleventh-boar favorite, for he was knocked out t after Ins "Guineas" running. Beau BrummeL too. within a few days of tin- race was favorite, but t hostile skies subsequently set in. Far from being top hole in condition when competing - at Newmarket. St. Blaise picked up wonilerfullv during the ensuing few weeks, so much so that. when tried over a mile and a hall a few davs « before th-. Derby. In- beat the six -yea. -old Incendi nry. which was receiving four pounds, tw-- length . with the previous year- Derby winner, Shotover, which was giving -i pounds, four lengths further r oil. and the Oaks winner. Geheimniss, giving th -ben 1 nils, fiurth. The winner of snch a trial 1 wa-. to use John Dorters w 11 word-, capable of . winning nine Derbys out of ten. And so it proved. The month of May. with its usual pleasant weather, had been a long tinie coming in this year, but the • Derby Day of isv:: will long be remembered a- -me of the most brilliant ever experienced. Passing ; over the earlier stages of tin- race, we timi St. Blaise in command a quarter of a mile from home, closely pursued by Halliard and GoWfield, with 1 Highland Chief at the head of tin- others. At the ; Roll, it was evident the i--ue lay among this quartet, - of wliieh lot roldtield was the first beaten. Webb then commenced to ride Highland Chief in 1 earnest and succeeded in passing Halliard, but I could never unite reach St. Blaise, which held his own to the end and won an exciting finish by a i neck, with Halliard 1 half length further away. That Gailterd should have wan wa- the opinion of f many who -aw the lace and Archers ridlag of the colt was the subject of much adverse criticism. So ■ unplca-aiit wa- the situation that it is said it bad 1 a good deal to do with j rd Falmouth- decision to 1 retire from the turf. A defeat in the Grand Frix de Paris, followe 1 by- another at Ascot, appeal- to . have broken St. Riai-e up. for be wa- not much tood 1 afterwards, and when five years old wa- shipped to , America .1- 11 -tallion. St. Blaise, by this win in I tin- Derby, added further prestige to hi- respected I trainer, it being his fifth winner. Prior to thi-. , Porter had trained Headsman. Mu-.jhi. Dine Gown II and Shotover. The year I»vs4 will ever be memorable for the p dead heat between Harvester and St. Gatiea the e sec nil dead bent in the history of the race, the e iirst one being in ils between Contend and The t Colonel, when in the run-. iff the former proved 1 the victor. On this occasion, however. It was agreed to divide the spoil., and so both horses iiauie- are Inscribed on the roll if honor. By Rothcrhill or The Rover St. F.lilb.i. St. . Gatiea was not a beauty to leak at as a yearling, . and failed to find a purchaser, but alter winning Z all his three races as a two year-old. he eventu- - ally passed into the possession of Mr. J. Hammond, • 1 1 white! Harvester was sold to sir John Wilteagbby for 8,600 guineas at the disposal of Lord Fa I uths si ml on the Monday of the Newmarket first Spring meet teg in 1SS4, ami carried his new owners colors two davs afterward- in the Two Thousand Guineas, in which be nhtebed third to Seat Fiee. Harvester, however, could hardly h ive sb.wn his best form on this occasion, for a fortnight later he decisively turned the tables on Scot Free in the Payne Stake-, a pcrlorniiince vvlibli •0 Impressed race-goers that be immediately in-taino tir-i favorite I.e.- the Derby, despite the fact that Queen Adelaide, in the same ownership, and a winner of the Dew burst Plate, bad a lust of admin rs: but the positions in the quotations were reversed before many davs had passed. There was al-o another fancied candidate fl ■ tin- same stable iii St. Modard. the property of Mr. Gerard. Which had finished in front ol Harvester in their placinga for the Two Thousand Gnlaeaa, and which F. Archer bad elected to ride. The backers of Harvester received a rare shock when ii becaaw known that the horse had pulled up slightly lame on tiie Saturday before the race, and it was doubtful whether In- would go to the post. However, all being found well after his gallop on the morning of the race, it was decided 1 to start him. and S. Loates was given the mount. The weather conditions on the great da.v wen- not of the best, imt any discomforts experienced by vi-i-t 1- were more than eomoensated for by the character of the race. Bcdoate got away with the lead. but St. Gatiea and Harvester were always well placed. A louple of furlongs from homo Mr. Hammonds colt took up the running, but at the distance was challenged bj Harvester and a- the winning po-t was approached the latter got hi- head in front. lie pecked a bit, however, ami St. Hatien was enabled to gain a slight advantage. Sam Loates got bis mount balanced again and drew level with St. Hatien in the last stride. The ten-ion was naturally tremendous and when the judge Bignalled a dead heat the onlookers wen- too excite,! t,, cheer. Later Captain Maehell. on behalf of Harvesters owner, and Mr. Ilanincnd met in tin- Weigbing-roonu to arrange matters and the latter expressed his willingness to meet the wishes of tin- other side. Captain Macbell. without hesitation, agreed to a division. This came as a surprise t-» most pi. pic. who were fully prepared for a run-off, in wliieh case a vietorv for Harvester wa- generally expected. Captain Macbell, however, probably showed his usual wisdom, inasmuch a- Harvester had been under suspicion for sum- days. In any case. Harvester must In- accounted sine. what lucky to divide the spoils with such an animal a- i. Hatien. whose subeseqaent career demonstrated that he was a really -_-o.hI horse, among hi- victories being one in the Cesarewitcli with 122 pounds on his three year-old back. On tl ther hand, ll.n vesters record was nothing great, apart lr bis Epsom exploit. T be continued.
