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ONE OF ENGLANDS LEADING TURFMEN. Instance of An Owner Who Won the Epsom Derby in His First Attempt. The record of the Derby does not contain many instances of an owner succeeding in winning it at the first attempt, but J. W. Larnach is able to make that claim, thanks to Jeddah. a son of Janissary — Pilgrimage, which won in a field of more fancied animals in the early summer of 1888. Jeddah had opened the season with a victory in the Craven stakes, ami as a teaatqatnrt was on- of the best-befriended caiidielate-s for the Two Thousand, in which, however, he was unplaced to Disraeli. Wantage and flan*. He was later supported for the Newmarket Stakes, but again ran modern te-ly. the race being won by Cyllene, which was generally regarded as the best of his year, though, unfortunately for his owner, ineligible for the Derby. After these failures Jeddah fell out of favor so far as tin- Epsom race- was concerned. Moreover, Richard Marsh, who traineel the colt, was supposed to she-lter his superior in the Duke of Devonshires Dieudoaae, which ■tatted at 7 to 2 against, being second in demand to Disrae-li. which was a 2 to 1 chance. Jeddahs prospects were- in elicited by the circumstances that he was on offer at 100 to 1 against. It was a remarkable sort of race. Disraeli did not make much of a show, and towards the end it appeared as if the "yellow and black" of the- Duke of Westminster, carried by Ratt. would again prevail: but Jeddah came along at a rare pace, and finally beat Ratt by three parts of a length, with another 100 to 1 chance-, Dunlop, third. His Rider Was Not Surprised. The victory of the outsider naturally caused astonishment, but there was at least one- individual who was not greatly surprised. This was Otto Madden, who rode the colt. Whatever else lie-might not beat. Madden fully expected to account for the- cdhe-r stable representative Meudoane. Later. Mr. Larnae hs colt showed that there was not much wrong with the Epsom form by easily beating Ratt for the Prince- of Wab-s Stakes at Ascot. With slight odds on him. however, Jeddah was well-beatea by Wildfowler in the St. Leger. Another good winner owned by Mr. Larnach was Strong Bow. a colt by Morion — La Heche, which credited him with tin- Stockton Handicap, the Dul-liagham Plate and other races, while such as Victoria May. Eileen Asthore. Jannaway ami Simonsou were all winners at one- time or another, though the last named was owned by Mr. Stedall when he-recorded his chief ■access in the Duke of York Stakes. A useful posse-ssion of more recent years was Bowman, which beat Rivoli. Cyllene More. Wagstaft anil several others for the Derby Cup of 1913. while in the- following autumn the son of Chaucer won the Prince Edward Handicap by a nee-k from Fiz- Varna. Mr. Larnach displayed a penchant for sport early in life, and while an undergraduate at Cambridge, wini a steeplechase on his mare Mis, Fanny at Cotti-uham. On another occasion, also in his Cambridge days, he- rode to Huntingdon and back on two consecutive days, to ride- in a half dozen races, three of which he- won. At the time he- was preparing for his degree, the- examination for Which was due to take place- early in the- fedlowing Week. It m ay be added that Mr. Larnach gained his degree-. Later hi- rode- with frequency, and at one period carried off six races off the reel. lie has sustained his full share of acoiele-uts. Mr. Larnach has seen a goodly portion of the world India. China and Japan being among the countries he has visited. -London Sporting Life.
