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EPSOM DERBYS OF A HUNDRED YEARS. Incidents Attending the Running of the Most Famous Race of the World. Eighteenth Article. The Derby has been decided under all sorts of weather conditions, but on few occasions have visitors to the famous Surrey Downs fared worse than in 1904. Indeed, that particular celebration is more often than not referred to as the "thunderstorm Derby." If the weather, however, was unpleasant, the result of the race was popular, the winner be- ing an animal bearing the blue and yellow liverv of Leopold de Rothschild. The hero of that wretched afternoon was St. Amant. a son of St. Frusquin— with which Mr. "Leo" had "almost" won eight years earlier, only Persimmon standing in the way — and Lad? Loverule. St. Amant. it is almost superfluous to say. was bred by his owner. As a juvenile the colt was ov. r-shadowed by the phenomenal Irettv Polly. Which carried everything before her. and was. beyond aay question, the elmmpion of her year. Had she beeii a competitor for tlie Derby, it is more thaa likely that Major Baatacc Loders filly. Which cantered away with the three classics in which she took part, would have supplied the text of the present article. But the daughter of Oallinulc was net among the contestants, and thus it came about that L. de Roths. -iiild achieved th summit of an owners ambition after more than thirty years weary waiting. But while, as above stated. St. Amant was inferior to Pretty Polly, he was nevertheless BMW* that an ordinary good colt in his day. He made a successful debut in the Coventry Stakes at Ascot. Bitten, owned by F. Alexander, was favorite for this, though St. Amant enlisted a strong following. The latter was attended past the post by Lancashire. Bitters being third. St. Amants second effort was likewise crowned with success. St. Frus-quins son accounting for Henry the First ami Persil in the Prince of Wales Stakes at O l.vood. Firnt Meeting with Pretty PoMy. In the Champagne Stakes at Deaeaaatr he made acquaintance with Pretty Polly, and tin- wagering between the p:,ir was close. In the race itself things were different, the filly winning comfortably from Lancashire, with St. Amant well beaten into third place. With comparatively misl-erate opposition, the "Safari" readfly won the Rous Memorial at tlie first of the autumn meetings at Newmarket, but a fortnight later, in tie- Middle Park Plate, he again had to play second fiddle to Pretty Polly, which won by three lengths. SI. Amant beating Hands D,,wn by a length for second place, this being his final essay as a two year old. The eolf had a fairly busy time in lis peeaad season, during which he ran on eleven incisions. His re appearance was made in the notorious hi eeaial at the Newmarket Crarea Meettac, which las witaeased tin- defeat of so away riaaaie caadl dates. Ill this substantial odds were laid on St. Amant. but he w is beatea by His .Majesty, in the ownership of Lord Derby. This defeat notwithstanding, St. Amant was favorite far tie- Two Thousand, his starting price being 11 to t against. Santry was second in It maud at 5 to 1 against. while other faaeied raaiaetitara were Heary the Pint, Airlie and John oOaunt. St. Amant had no difficulty in following in the faatatrpe of his sire, winning by four lengths from John a Onunt, Henry the First being two lengths farther away, Among the unplaced was St. Amants earlier conqueror, llis Majesty. I., de Rothschilds colt was now naturally in strong request for the Derby, but prior to the decision of the great evi nt he ran in the Newmarket Stakes, in which odds of «.l to 4 were laid on him. He could, however, finish only third of Hre, the prize going to Mr. Musker through Henry the first. Which defeated John oCaunt by a head. St. Amant being beatea four leagtha " *•* •• Ibarabya g 1 but unlucky colt. Gouvcrnant Head-, the Quotations. This reverse, of course, had the effect of transforming the l;st of Derby quotations, ami tin l:i mh representative Coiivoriiuut was installed :it the Head. »n the day of the race M. |;. I.lancs representative was n 7 t 4 chance, John oCiunt being second favorite .it 4 to 1 against, fractionally loecee odds betas obtainable about Heary the First, while St. Amant was quoted at 5 to I against. Several who recalled the ease with Which he had won the Ciiineas. ami relied on that form to the exclusion of that id the Newmarket Stakes, ranged themselves on th. side of the wearer of the blue ami yellow, and those were justified by tiie result. If has already been indicated that the pnrc.vor of weather had turned on one of his least d. titrable samples for the auspicious ocension. Then had been rain in plenty throughout the day. but as the fateful hoar drew near matters became wane, and as the horses made their way to the post a deluge prevailed. The conditions wen- such that any result was possible: but whatever may have been the view, of certain of the equine aspirants for glory, it was soon evident that they did not bather St. Amant a little bit. Among thane which were affected was Couveriiant. which did not relish the lightning and watery visitation, and when the signal for the start was given tlie "Kienchinan" was slow in getting away, the result being that the inside Is-rth. with which he had been favored, availed him nothing. The race does not require much describing. Couveriiant was soon at the wrong end of the field, but he made up some of the ground, and eventually took third position behiad St. Amant. which was "making it." and Andover. When Tattenham Corner had heea rounded he became second, though St Amant was still well ahead. Later. John oCaunt became second, the favorite snortly afterward making it evident that he had had enough. Filially. St. Amant. after making the whole of tiie running, raced home three lengths ahead of John oCaunt -which thus filled second place in an important race for the third time within a space of a few weeks -St. Denis being the next to pass the judges l«ox. a half dozen lengths behind John oCaunt. The rid -rs were thoroughly soaked, and all drew a couple of pounds overweight when they returned to scale, but they were, of course, passed. Unplaced in the St. Leger. There was no gainsaying that St. Amant was a more than useful horse on Derby Day; but. un-fortunaiely for his reputation, his succeeding efforts that year were all marked by failure. He did not again turn out until Doncaster, where in the St. Leger he was unplaced in a field of six to Pretty Polly. Henry the First and Alniscliff. His other eaaaya were associated with the Great Foal Stakes and Jockey Club Stakes at the First October meeting; the Champion Stakes a fortnight later: the Gat Wick Stakes and Surrey Stakes at the Catwick Autumn meeting, and the Free Handicap in Houghton week. At the end of the racing season St. Amant was transferred from Newmarket to the can of T. Cannon. Jr., at Stockbridge. As a four-year-old he ran but iitiee-iu the Jockey Club Stakes. In this he again met Gouvernaiit, on which odds were l et. St. Amant himself was little fancied, being on offer at DM to 7 against, in a field of a half dozen. The long rest and change of air had apparently annd beneficial to St. Amant. Anyway, he won the "ten thousand pounder." In-ating lolymelus by three-parts of a length. Couveriiant being unplaced. He was kept in training another season, without, however, adding to his laurels. He was last of three to Pretty Polly and Achilles in the Coronation Cup. afterwards running third to Dinncford and Llangibby in the Princess of Wales Stakes and unplaced in both the esarew itch and Cambridgeshire, subsequent to which he entered upon stud life. To be continued.
