"RAINCOAT" DERBY WON BY AIRBORNE

Chronicle (Levin), 7 June 1946, Page 6

"RAINCOAT" DERBY WON BY AIRBORNE

CROWD OF OVER 100,000 TO SEE THE RACE LONDON, June 5. For the first time since 1939, the English Derhy was run at Epsom Downs to-day. The race resulted in a win for the outsider Airborne. The plaeings wero: — DERBY STAKES, a sweepstakes with. 3000gns added; for threc-year-old colN and fillies; 11 miles. AIRBORNE, Mr. J. E. Ferguson 's gr. c., by Preeipitation — Bouquet, 8.10 (T. Lowcry) • 1 Gulf Streain, Lord Dcrby's b. c., by Hyperion — Tidewav, 8.10 - Radiotherapy, Mr. T. Riley's b. by Hyperion — Belleva, 8.10 ... •> Seventeen started. Won by a lcngth, third two lengtks away. Time, 2.44 8-5. Wliitc Jaeket was fourth and Peterborough lifth. Almost unprecedented for the Derbv, an ofiicial correction had to be issued to the judge 's plaeings. , The broadcuster placed Radiotherapy third, but when the numbersr> wero hoisted East and Eair was given that position. Three miuutes passed before the iiuinber was taken dowh and replaeed with Radiotherapy 's. Meaiiwhile, the sporting tapes had flashed out the wrong result to all parts of the world. Until the last 100 yards of the race it seemed that Lord Dcrby was going to win his fourth Derby with Gulf Streain, then the grey outsider Airborne came with an irresistible run to beat the second favourite. Airborne had won only once previously, a small maiden. race at Newmarket last niontb. It is .the iirst Derby win for his owner, the plastics manufacturer, Mr. J. Ferguson, also for the trainer, Perryman, and the joekey, Lowery. The first arrivals at Epsom for the "Raincoat Derby" ajipeared at 5 a.m., nine hours before the raco was due to be run. They trudged through the driving rain to vantage poiuts. The erowds began streaming to the course from 9 o'elock onwards. The rain ceased at 10 a.m. and the people poured through every entrance and lined ' the course from Tattenham Corner to the fmish 15 to 20 deep. All the ' ' f un of the fair" began on the Downs. The police estiniated the crowd at 100,000 by 11 a.m. The weather ehangcd continually and rain fell again within an hour, also a half-gale was blowing. The erowds waiting for' traius to Epsom cheered Tlieir Majcsties, Princcss Elizabeth, Queen Mary and the Duchess of Kent as they arrivcd, at Victoria Station and entrained for the Tattenham Corner station, whenee thev motored amidst cheering erowds along thc course to the Royal enclosure. The wind^ increasing in violence, uprooted tents and overturned bookmakers' umbtellas. An immense volunie of traffic thronged the approaches to the Downs, but, despite many ears bogging, nioTe thjm 1000 police , controlling the erowds and traffic, managed to keep the veliicles flowing fairly frecly, chiefly through using the radio from which repor.ts were sent back to traffic headquarters every two minutes, enabling diversions to be made at congested spots. It was Sootland Yard's trial of a scheme devised to control.the Victory Parade erowds traffic on June 8. The weather becanie iine shortly before the start of the Derby and the race was run in sunshine. ■ !'