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Thomas Murphy Saddled English Derby Winner Only Living American Claiming Honor Sent Out Durbar II. NEW YORK, N. Y., May 2.— No trainer | at Belmont Park has a more interesting , background than Thomas Murphy, who has i spent upward of a half a century on the I turf. Murphy has another distinction — he is the only living man in this country to | saddle an English Derby winner. This greatest of all turf prizes fell to Herman B. Duryeas Durbar II., whom Murphy fitted in France and brought to England for his surprising score. That was in 1914, only two months before the outbreak of World War I. But those days are all behind Murphy as he takes charge of training his octet at the Nassau County plant. Besides one of his own campaigners he has four for Ralph Beaver Strassburger, whose silks are well known in France, England and the United States, and particularly successful in France. The other three in Murphys care will sport the silks of Bert L. Squires, who hails from Kew Gardens, Long Island, and of O. A. Laconche. The best of the lot appears to be Squires Honourable, an attractive three-year-old brown colt by the Ascot Gold Cup winner Felicitation, out of Family Honour, by Birthright, from the good winner -producer Honour Bright, by Flying Orb. He was bred in the Emerald Isle by the Ballykis-teen Stud, County Limerick, and sold as a yearling to Fred S. Myerscough, whose silks he carried with success last year in his native land. His racing credentials are excellent. He was a three -time stake winner in seven starts in Eire. He won the historic five-furlong Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh and the Killiney Plate and Leopardstown Plate, both run over the up-hill five-furlong course at Leopardstown Park. It was in the Leopardstown Plate that Honourable gave his greatest performance on that August day when he shouldered 138 pounds and headed the sprightly Nocturne under the comparative feather of 118 pounds. While this horse has shown much early foot in most of his races, he is bred to carry his speed over a distance of ground. Squires other racer, Honoured, a close Irish relation of Honourable, lacks the credentials of his three -parts brother. A maiden after his juvenile year largely because he lacked early speed, this three-year-old is expected to improve with age, as did his half brother Diplomat and Jim Thomas, both good stake winners in England. For his own account Murphy has the veteran Irish Echo, who wins a race now and then, a remark that also applies to Whiskbriar, a venerable plater that sports Laconches colors. Norge II., New Yorker and a pair of unnamed two-year-olds will carry the Strassburger banner.
