JOCKEY'S DEATH

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 124, 11 June 1937, Page 12

JOCKEY'S DEATH

-Preas Assooiation.)

Man Who Rode Carbine

(By Telegraph-

CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. Mr. Robert Derrett, the greate' jockey New Zealand has knowTi, died : liis home at Riccarton to-day. Borjj in Newport, Monmouthshire, Engiand, he came to Canterbury as a child with his parents in 1858 and less than ten years ■ later he had his first experience of race riding. He had his first ride at Riccarton in 1870 and in 1881 he rode Grip to win the Canterbury Jockey Club Handicap which in 1883 became the New Zealand Cup. The first contest for this now famous race he won on Tasman and in 1884 he was successfui on Vanguard, each horse carrying 8.9, a weight-carrying record equalled when Lady Zetland won in 1896 and not beaten until Count Cavour won with 8.13 in 1926. There was soxnething sen3afcional about Tasman 's win for up till the eve of the race Derrett had been engaged to ride Nonsense, a hot favourite. In a stirring flnish Tasman gained the victory by tho narrowost of margins. Hia last victory wae attalned' at the Ashburton County Racing Club's meeting in 1908 when he rode Mr. P. H. Pyne's horse Rose No'ble to win the Braemar Welter Handicap. Derrett 's most notable asseeiation with the New Zealand Turf .was witli Carbine who later won the. Melbourne Cup under 10.5 and was subsequentiy sent to Engiand whare he beoame tho gire of Spearrnint Avho WQO the Englisb Derby. ypeai'mint in turn was the sire of tSpion Kop who won the olftssic in -1920. In his two New Zealand vietories Carbine was ridden by Derrett who though he reeognised in him a game racehopse did not regard him as a perfect specimen. He considered Trenton a mueh better horse and he always yegardcd Mnitiform as capable of helding his own in the very best compauy of Nny period.