THE RACE FOR THE DERBY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 3 August 1907, Page 3

THE RACE FOR THE DERBY.

SCKXKS AT EPSOM DOWNS. | THE KING PRESENT. London, June 6. The great horse-race, which, by right of its antiquity and popularity, has become the chief event in the annual programme of English national sport, was run on Epsom Down yesterday in the presence of the King. His Majesty, accompanied by several members of the Royal Family, left Victoria shortly belore one o'clock in the afternoon, aud travelled by special train to Epsom. It was a silk-hatted Derby. The presence of the King, Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, Prince Arthur of Connaught, Prince Christian, Princess Victoria of Schleswig-llolstein, and the Grand Duke Michael of Russia in the Royal box gave the note of the gathering. The costers and their women-folk upon the heath were swallowed up in the forest of frock-coats and shining toppers. In the paddock scarcely a felt hat or a straw hat was to be seen. Society and the weather l»ad decreed that this year's Derby should be honored with scrupulous correctness of attire.

The old-time coloring of the Epsoin Downs suffered in consequence. From | the upper galleries of the grandstand 1 one gazed down upon a crowd whose i blackness was intensified by the vivid freshness of the rain-painted turf. Such color as there was came from the booths and the gipsy vans. Even the bookmakers had put on a modest garb. One blazing patch of color like a geranium in a hothouse of heliotrope and lilac, was made by a knot of Indian notabilities most gorgeously uniformed in scarlet. After the torrents of the morning the turf was damp, but not sodden, and the sun beamed genially upon the first four races of the day. It sufficed to make picnics possible upon waterproofs and the precarious steps of carts. The crowd-tide filled and ebbed between the paddock entrance and the course. It was a good humored crowd, but not enthusiastic. and for a race meeting wonderfully quiet. When the crowd had hushed itself in expectation of the great event there was a moment when every eye was strained to the little ribbon of racers across tbe green. The start evoked no shout. "Off!" came as a gentle expiration. There were the brief two minutes of weaving blues and reds and brilliant Vermillion, and then came the final tussle. The. blue of Mr Croker'd stable forged to the front, followed by the contrasting belts of blue that marked Wool Binder. Orby had won, won a magnificent race, but the crowd was almost philosophical in its acceptance of the defeat of the favorite. It was not an occasion to exult, neither overmuch to grieve. Slieve Gallion had met his betters.

There was no -delay at the start, and all got off on good terms, Galvani, Slieve OaUion, and John Bull being the leaders as they ran past the City and Suburban starting po.jt to the furzes. Here Slieve Gallion took up the running, and at the top of the hill he had drawn out quite two lengths from Galvani, while Orby had come into third place All Black was now most prominent of the others, and Woolwinder was last until John Bull dropped back behind him. All the way down the hill Slieve Gallion maitained his lead, and he was the first round Tattenhnm Corner, where Galvani went out a little wide. At the same time the leader came out from the rails, and quickly Orby secured the inside berth. Below the Bell there were shouts that the favorite was beaten, but he came agUin—lieing now in the middle of the course—and for a moment he looked as if he would just get home. Orby, however, headed him below the #digtancc, and, once fairly collared, Slieve Gallion bore right across the course and, finishing with his mouth open, not only succumbed to Orby, but was beaten on I the post for second place by Woolwinder. For the last hundred yards of the race it was plain enough that Orby must win, but he had to put in all he knew to get home by a couple of lengths, and as a matter of fact, the winner and both the placed horses finished dead tired. The victory was well received considering that a great favorite had been beaten, and there is no excuse to be made for Slieve Gallion, except that he met a better horse at the distance. The fact is that the Gummas winner is not a stayer, and a mile and a half k too far for him in Derby company, Woolwinder began so slowly that his finishing where he did was rather surprising, but he is evidently a stayer, and doubtless even a longer course will suit him best. The winner was bred by Mr Croker—- | Boss Croker, of New York—in Ireland, 'and in by Orme out of Rhoda 8., an American-bred mare, who was brought to this country by her owner, and whose dam was an English mare. Mr Croker has been racing for some six or eight seasons in the United Kingdom, but lately his efforts have been confined to England.