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I EPSOMS CLERK OF THE COURSE DIES Succeeded His Father in the Position in the Year Doncaster Won the Epsom Derby. One of the most widely known and popular English racing officials died AVodnesday, November 12, concerning which and whom the Manchester Sporting Chronicle of the next day said: "Mr. II. M. Dorling. the veteran clerk of the course at Epsom and Brighton, died at his residence at Epsom yesterday morning. Mr. Dorling, who was lurn in 183.1. had been clerk of the Epsom race coarse since 1S72, and in spite of his advanced age he continued active in his duties until his recent illness. "The Dorling family have been connected with Epsom for several generations, and commencing from tin; late twenties Dorlings genuine card was regarded as the official card, and was sold at Dor-lings library and printing office, Epsom, and at Dorlings station on the course in front of the grandstand, and the family have continued to print it ever since. "The race card was printed" for many years at the grandstand buildings, and reference to this is made by Charles Dickens in an aritcle he wrote for Household AAords in 18.11. It may incidentally be recalled that Mrs. Reeton, the author of the well-known cookery book, was a stepdaughter of Mr. Henry Dorling. THE FIRST SPRING MEETING. "The grandfather of the late Mr. II. M. Dorling was at the head, and he was responsible for the card when the first spring meeting was held at Epsom in 1S3S. It was only a small affair, and held on April 4 consisted of two. races only. Eight years afterward, and when the late Mr. Dorlings father was clerk of the course, the Great Metropolitan Handicap was inaugurated. "The distance the first year was only a mile and a quarter, but the value, .41821. was a big one for those days. There were twenty-nine runners, and a three-year-old, Chamois, by Aenison, carrying 77 pounds, was successful. "The following year the Great Metropolitan was changed to its present distance of two miles and a quarter, and the bonus of .100 sovereigns added to a sweepstakes of twenty-five sovereigns, each, fifteen forfeit and five is declared, was, to quote the conditions, the contribution of the lovers of the national sport of racing, residents in the City of Loudon and metropolitan districts, together with gratuities from and subscriptions received by the licensed victualers of the metropolis and also deductions from sweepstakes drawn in their houses. It was a one-day meeting, and singularly enough one of the races was won by a horse called Dean Swift. The jierformances of the hitters naniestake in the City and Suburban in. the early part of this centurv were remarkable, for he ran eight times and finished as follows: 11104, second; 190.1, third; 1900, first; 1907, sixth; 1908, first; 1909, second; 1910, third, and 1911, eighth. THE CITY AND SUBURBAN. "It was the late Mr. Dorlings father who originated the City and Suburban, the first race being run in 18.11. and three years later a three-year-old called Virago accomplished the remarkable feat ; of winning lioth races in one day. She carried eighty-four pounds in the Great Metropolitan and won by a length from eighteen others, while with oightv-cight pounds up she beat twenty-two others 1 in the City and Suburban easily by three lengths. One of the conditions of the City and Suburban in tho.-e days was that the owner of the winner should pay ten per cent to the Licensed Aictuallers Protection Society. "The late Mr. II. M. Dorling was born in 1S3.1, and he saw his first Derby when he was nine years old. That was the famous Derby in which Running Rein was first past the ixst, but tcis afterward proved to be a four-year-old a::d was disqualified, the stakes going to Colonel Peels Orlando. "He succeeded his father as clerk of tin. course at Epsom in 1S73. Doncasters year, and was later appointed to a similar position sit Brighton. "Soon after succeeding his father Mr. Dorling wa,s instrumental in suppressing what was known as Show Out. Sunday. At Eponi on the Sunday before the Derby meeting, it wits customary for all the horses running in the races to be paraded on the course in the presence of crowds. There was also a big fair 011 the Downs, and fighting and drinking were the features of the proceedings. "II. M. Dorling was managing director of the Epsom Grand Stand Association and first chairman of the EjiNom Urban Council. In addition to his business connected with- racing and his printing works he was a wholesale paper merchant and had offices in Uiiulon. "Mr. Dorlings son. Colonel Lionel Dorling, was decorated for hs services during the war," II o g e a s g d s
