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i .J . . — Report From England Expect Queens Miners Lamp to Have Strong Say About Epsom Derby Result — ■ ■ By CLIVE GRAHAM ■ Our London Correspondent LONDON. — Epsom races last week revealed a colt whose name appears sure to be heard more frequently as Derby Day June 4 approaches. This is Queen Elizabeth n.s Miners Lamp, a hefty son of Signal Light and Young Entry— and half brother therefore, to Atlas, who finished fifth in the .1956 Derby. Miners Lamp had only had one i .J . . previous previous race, race, when when* * : previous previous race, race, when when* second to Pinched last year for the Royal Lodge Stakes at Ascot in October. He has obviously made considerable headway since then, and went to post for the Blue Riband Trial Stakes, run over the last 1 1-16 -miles of the Derby course, at slightly less than an even even monev money favorite favorite — even even monev money favorite favorite over his six rivals. Barleycroft, from Mur-less stable, was expected to give the Boyd-Rochfort representative most to do, but he was treated with the utmost disdain. Miners Lamp rounded Tattenham Corner smoothly for a colt of his bulk, drew clear away going down the hill and won on his own by four lengths. It was decided not to subject him to another race in this weeks 2,000 Guineas, but to keep him for the longer Newmarket Stakes and the Lingfield Trial, as stepping stones to the Derby. The main doubt concerns his breeding, for his sire, Signal Light by Pharos, al-J though retired to stud in 1941, has never] sired a classic winner. The best of his progeny to date has been Big Dipper, champion two-year-old in England in 1950. Captain Boyd-Rochfort thinks that he might have won the Derby the following year, but for a knee injury which abruptly terminated his career. AAA The French filly, Princess Lora by Prince Chevalier out of the famous race mare Nikellora, won the Princess Elizabeth Stakes narrowly from Queen Elizabeth II.s Persian Wheel by Tulyar from Sun Chariot, with Mistress Gwynne by Chanteur II. in third place. Piggott, on Persian Wheel, bore in sharply during the last quarter mile, and was afterwards fined 5 by the stewards. Two-year-old winners included " Danube by Dante, Light Conceit Luminary, and a very fast newcomer, Morin by Vil-morin.* Jack Jarvis, trainer of Danube, had two more juvenile winners at San-down— Lady Alice by Alycidon from Pontoon and Oserian by Court Martial. The last-named, in capturing the Sandown Park Stud Produce Stakes, proved herself the best two-year-old seen out so far, and it will take a smart one to defeat her for the Queen Mary Stakes at Ascot. The four-year-old Arctic Prince colt, Arctic Explorer, winner of the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown last year, was again sfcfeSsf lit over the same course and dis-: * : tance on Saturday. He had only a short head to spare over the older Rabbi and Induna, with Pipe of Peace a close fourth. AAA Tills was one of two Piggott winners of the afternoon, the other being Snow Cat by Tenerani, who put Queen Elizabeth H. farther at the top of the winning owners, by short-heading Alcide for the Royal Stakes. An awkward situation developed here, for Harry •Carr, returning to the unsaddling enclosure on the loser, told Capt. Cecil Boyd-Rochfort that he felt entitled to object. Snow Cat, bred at the National Stud, Is leased to-the Queen for racing purposes and trained by Noel Murless. After a few moments earnest discussion, it was decided that no action should be taken. The incident, however, emphasized the need for the introduction of the film patrol on our; racetracks. Before this race it was hinted that Alcide might even eventually be preferred to Miners Lamp as the main Derby hope from the Boyd-Rochfort stable, but this son of Alycidon can muster little in the way of acceleration, and he will have to show considerable improvement during the next five weeks. The second running of the Whitbread Gold Cup, a 5,000 handicap steeplechase over 3 5/a, miles, again proved a great success. There were 31 starter, but remarkably few falls, and after several changes in running, victory went to the six-year-old Taxidermist, from the top weight. Mandarin, and the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Kerstin. Fulke Walwyn saddled both first and second, and this success raised his winning total for the season to 6,000, and ensured his position as leading trainer for 1957-58 under National Hunt rules. Taxidermist was ridden by Mr. John Lawrence, the only amateur taking part, and a member of the "Daily Telegraph" racing staff. The hardest luck story of the week concerned an ardent horse-player, who likes to indulge in a "flutter" on Saturdays. On the previous Saturday he chose six horses for a .50 parlay. His first horse went in at 16-to-l, and the next four in succession won at 8-to-l, 4-to-l, 3l,2-to-l and 7-to-l. Unaware of the success of his forecasts, he was taking his children and dogs for an afternoon stroll in Hyde Park. On buying an evening paper, he computed excitedly that he had 5,000 going on to his final choice. He telephoned his bookmaker, to be told that this had been beaten In a close finish at odds of 2-to-l, a result which caused a difference of 04,998 — and 50 « - |c£nts!
