The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-06-07 00:00:00

THE DERBY DAY.

The metropolitan picnic.—London's one great " day
out"—cauee off Wednesday with such eclat, such
bustle, and such excitement as threw even Mr.
Frith's " Derby Day" into the shade. We have been
too much in the habit of regarding this national festival
from a merely jovial point of view, and quite overlook
the immense field it opens up to statistical inquirers. A
return, easily obtainable from the heads of city firma, of
the .nuanbor of aspiring clerks, who on this day are
always confined to their beds with violent colds, would,
we think, be an interesting document. A tabular state-
ment also of the per centage of "nick relatives" and
" sudden sprains" would not be without its value, cape-
many if with it an approximation could be given to the
number of Derby Days in which each young gentleman
has been overtaken by similar calamities. There is
much to be dozee also in the subject of horses awl
vehicles. Who could be on the road to the Downs
Wednesday without asking liiinseU a dozen times where
all the horses came from, and what was the charm
which brought about such an equine resurrection, and
011 t so wide-spread and so simultaneous? We don't
speak of the horses that bad never been in harness
before, or the still larger number which it was perfectly
evident would never be in harness again, but the broken.
winded and spavined, the jibbers and roarer', where do
these come from, and, above all, where are the people
found each year to put their faith in them on such •
day! Look at the bony quadrupeds one seen indulging
in imperfect ll ill ieenoes of a center, the feeble per-
' furnianct watched all the while with vivid interest by •
Party of four, who exhibit human credulity in its most
aggravated form by believing that the animal will take
them to the Derby. So, too, with the rather dashing
turn-out which whirls past with its occupants, white.
hatted, blue-veiled, and little doll'd, and with all the
1 other fooleries of the day thick upon them, but who, in
their happy ignorance of hone:flesh, arc all unaware that
the off-wheeler, • Hoinan-meeed, fiat-eared brute, will
lie down with such determination at the foot of the first
hill he comes to that a whols division of police, with
Mr. Rare; at their bead, will fail to take him up again.
Such amusing contretemps, however, form, we suspect,
the major portion of the pleasure of the day. Who can
keep his gravity when lie beholds a 'early of small
" swells" encamped under • hedge about half way on
the road, looking with dismay upon the malignant brute
which has brought them to such a pass, and reduced
them to the unpleasant necessity of getting into the
shafts themselves, or staying where they are to receive
ironical offers from the passers-by of warm wraps "to
make them comfortable for the night." VVednesday
offered a constant, if not a pleasing variety of such
scenes, for never was the road more crowded, and an
endless train of carriages swept in a settled stream
through Clapham, Cheam, and Sutton, through fields
purple with rich clover, or glistening with buttercups.
The weather, we need scarcely say, was glorious, and
all that could be wished. A Derby Day, is London
without its houses; Loudon with all its strange niefolige
of rich and fewer, squalor and luxury, mirth, vice, and
festivity; London ii. the broad open day, with all its
pleasure-seekers, profit-hunters, tradesmen, knaves, and
fools; the army and navy, the west-end drawing-rooms,
and east-end dens, all find their representatives here,
and for once and away stand face to face upon the course.
Acrobats, minstrels, organ grinders, infant hands, per-
forming monkies, and precocious children abound in all
directions. Dogs, imitating their better., walk about
on their fore-paws for halfpence ; tumbleis are doing
everything but stand like human beings; weighing
machines cover the course (how is it that the stoutest
gentlemen are always so particular about being weighed!)
and children that can scarcely walk upon their feet are
made to strut about on stilts or balance on their heads
in wooden platters. Itut greatest among the amuse-
ments of the day is " Aunt Sally," which all young gentlemen now affect to such an extent that we meet her
battered countenance and short clay pipe at every step,
and none too high to do her honour. The exercise is
not interesting, but is not the less fashionable for that.
The booths too, in their way, are quite as curious as
the heterogeneous assemblage, from the vile dens where
JODCI and Angell announce to the nobility and gentry
that "they are there." up to the quiet, unobtrusive
places where privately "011 foil le jea." The hill in
front of the Stand is covered with thousands upon thou-
sands, the Stand itself is full literally to suffocation, and
the course is hidden by the dense mass which swarms
up and down it in all directions. There is no mistake
about it, in spite of all that has been said and written
to the contrary, the Derby Day increases in interest
and importance each year. Nor does the influx of rail-
way passengers seem at all to influence the attendance of
the Elite of the course. The course is cleared, and by
and by, muid a hum of expectation and anxiety, "the'
horses come out in twos and threes. The excitement
grows deeper and deeper as they range themselves at the
starting post, where a good deal of difficulty is expe-
rienced in getting them into line, so much so that it is
20 minutes to 4 ere the flag falls definitely, and, amid
a deep silence, away they go, emerging in a few seconds
on the top of the hill in a cluster which apparently a
sheet would suffice to rover. Another second and the
cry is " Hata off !" and the vast multitude, looking
white with upturned faces, stand bareheaded in the UM.
The henteeWter, by like a whirlwind, and, almost within
a minute, the Derby is run and won.

The racing was as follows :
Thu Befitted' Plate of 50 goys. (HandiosP.)
Captain Cbristie's Orehehill (Fordham) ... •• • 1
Mr. Jackson's Knayton (Griinshaw) . . 2
The Derby Stakea, of MO soya each, h ft, for 3-yr-olds ;
colts, dat 7lb ; fillies, Set 21b. The second to receive
100 soya out of the stakes. Mile and • half. 246
subs. 30 ran.
Sir .1. Hawley's Mnsjid, by Neirminster, fist 7lb
Colonel owneley's Tieket-of-Leave, Bst 71b. (0
Mr. H. Hill's Trumpeter, sit 7Th. (A. Day) . 3
Mr. W. Day's the Promised land, list 7lb. (W.
4
Mulliid is a brown horse, standing about 15 hands 3
inches. He hall a bloodilike head, which he cuirries
high, and whir ears. He possesses good shoulders and
a moderate barrel. His quarters are drooping, and lie
is not very good to look at behind the saddle. He has
plenty of length, and has no white, except a star on the
forehead.
Ticket-of-Leave is a low, lengthy, hunter-like horse,
and is evidently endowed with great power. He has
good shoulders, and carries his head low. He has a
white star on the forehead.
Trumpeter is a cliesnut horse, and stands nearly 16
hands high. He has a racing.like head, strong neck,
and great depth of girth, good shoulders, short barrel,
and is annewhat high on the leg. He lass a blase on Ids
face and three white heels. On his near foreleg there
were evident marks of firing.
Promised Land is a brown bay, about 15 hands 3
inches. He has unexceptionable shoulders, but light
back, ribs, and quarters.
The Epsom 'fown Plate, of 50 sore. (handicap.)
Mr. Tuwiey's tkapleton, by Staplefield, (J. Goater) 1
Mr. Shelley's Lord Berkeley (L. Snowden) ... 2
Mr. Evans 's Naughty Boy (J. Searle) .........3
The Erwom Cup of 100 nova., added to a sweepstakes of
10 I.oya, each, h. ft., for three-year olds and upwards.
Derby course. 11 subs.
Mr. F. Ifiggins's Fisherin an (Wells) 1
Baron Rothschild's North Lincoln (Custanoe) ... 2
Mr. It. Chilton's Archduchess (ChaUoner) 3
The Burgh Stakes of 5 nova, each, with 30 added.
Mr. J. Bird's Simple Simon (C4O). (W. Bottom) ... 1
Mr. Challoner's Fusee (C4)I, (W. Bradley) . ... 2
EPSOM MEETING.—TH ÜBSDAY.
The Walton Stakes of 5 sovs, each, with 30 added.
Mr. Payne's colt by Voltigeur, (C4O) (Grituthsw) •.• 1
Mr. Harrison's Spiteful Dick (C4O) (Norman) ... 2
Lord Strathinorea Balloon (COO), (j. Dailey) .. 3
The winner was bought in for 255 guineas. Lord
Strathinore claimed Spiteful Dick, and Mr. Harrison
claimed Balloon.
The Two-year-old Stakes of 10 soya, each with fifty
added.
Mr. Wyatt's Nothourne. by The Nabob (Crenwell) .. 1
Mrs. Osbaldistone's Maid of Orleans (Charlton) ... 2
Lord Stawford's Emily (Bartholomew) . . 3
The Grand Stand Plate of 100 iota. (Handicap).
Derby Course.
Mr. B. Land's Ascot, by Pyrrhus the First (Dicken-
Mr. S. Jacob's Eltain Re.auty (Grinishaw) ... 2
Mr. Grey's Tiney (W. Bottom) ... ... 3
Sweepstakes of 10 soya, each h ft, with 100 added by the
tiouth•Western Railway Company. (Handicap.)
Sir J. Hawley's Lord Nelson, by Collingwood (Wells) 1
Mr. Crauford's Zuyder Zee (Ashman)... 2
Mr. G. Lasnbert's Caucasian (Griumhaw) ... 3
Her Majesty's Plate of 100 guineas (for mares only.)
Mr. It. Ten Broeck's Prioress, by Sovereign (Ford-
Mr. R. Chilton's Archduchess (Challoner) 2
Mr. Simpson's Julie (G. Young) ... ... 3
THE OAKS.—FRIDA Y.
The Oaks Stakes, of 50 soya each, h ft; for 5-yr-old
fillies, let 71b each. The second to receive 100 sees.
. . . . . .

out of the stakes. Mile-and•a-bail; to be run on the
New Course. 168 subs.
Lord Londesborouglis Summerside, by West Aus-
tralian (Fordhatn) . . . . . . 1
Mr. J. Clark's Scent (J. Mann) . ... 2
Mr. J. Lowe's Wild Rose (L Snowden ... ... 3
Mr. W. 8.8. Crawfurd's Mayonaise (Wells). . . . 4