The Express.
London, England, 1867-05-23 00:00:00

THE DERBY.

Upon the Downs, as upon the road, the influence
CI the weather was only too apparent. Of comm
there was a vast crowd ; but it was not so vast as
WO have been accustomed to see. Thu course
was well lined with carriages ; but the throng
Of vehicles upon the hill was not nearly so
great as usual. At first sight even the booths and
other erections upon this situation appeared to
be much less numerous than formerly, but
closer observation disclosed the fact that this
appearame arose in great measure from
their line being thrown back upon its right, thus
diminishing the extent of front winch was exposed
to a spectator who looked at it from any one point
of the opposite inclination of the ground. The
carriages belonging to members, or possible mein-
bens, of the Four-in-Hand Club were in great force,
and as most of the drags were collected together
upon the side of the bill, they presented a very
imposing appearance. It is almost needless to
notice the various caterers of public amusement or
purveyors of public annoyance, who as usual plied
their various avocations in the intervals be-
tween the races. The negro melodist., and gipsy
songstresses, the seedy acrobats and harmless
pugilists, the tellers of fortunes and expounders of
mysteries, the masters and exhibitors of various
games of skill and science about which nothing is
certain except that those who play at them will loge,
the vendors of mock gold rings, and of worthless
purses filled with spurious coins, were all ade-
gnat:ly and more than adequately represented.
Miserable individuals, whose only excuse for this
'Misapplication of their energies was the utter im-
possibility of their earning a halfpenny by any
other means, retailed false noses, huts of strange and
abnormal construction, absurdly tinted feathers,
and nosegays of impossible flowers ; and other in-
tellectually still more miserable wretches, without
any excuse at all, adorned themselves with these
savage ornaments. The celebrated performing
pony which has been at the Derby so many years,
was always about to commence the exhibition of
his tricks ; and the clever little monkey whose
Shrewd, honest, brown face is familiar to every
one who has much occasion to pass through
'the Strand, never left off shaking hands with
'the ladies in carriages in order to exhibit what his
good-husnisured-looking owner described as his
" goutillesae." Notwithstanding all these attrac-
&bons, however, and the creature comforts which
Were available on every hand, the scene wanted its
'usual animation. Everybody did his best to be
merry, and to act up to the spirit of the occasion,
but the ninth was palpably forced, and there was
a sad want of " go" about the whole affair. Drip-
ping umbrellas and damp mackintoshes cre mar-
Eys against which no natural and unartiticial
illation can long struggle with success. Late
the afternoon there was some noise a little riot-
ing, and a good deal of the usual horse-play ; but
the exhilaration of which all this was the °spree-
Simi was too palpably alcoholic to need the micro-
scope of the United Kingdom Alliance to discern
its character.
Before the first race was run there was a smart
&bower of rain mixed with a little sleet, but when
the hones came out the weather had cleared, and
there was nothing in the atmospheric or meteoro-
logical conditions to mar the enjoyment of the
close contest to which this event gave rise. The
interval of fine weather was not, however, of long
duration, and soon after the bell had tolled out the
signal for saddling the competitors for the Derby
the sky was obscured by thick black clouds, the
course was involved in an almost " inky darkness,"
and within a minute or two the snow began to fall
in real earnest—not mere sleet, but real actual
ilakes of white snow. This continued for more
than twenty minutes, and prevented a great many
amateurs from visiting the paddock to witness
the toilettes of the competitors. During this
storm the appearance of the downs was most un-
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usual and almost absurd. The hill side, the
Manse, and the various stands were covered with
* hideous and irregular canopy of umbrellas, which
like gigantic fungi, quick of growth and horrible
I of aspect, reared themselves above the figures
who sheltered themselves beneath them. Viewed
from the stand the hill appeared to be covered
with gingham, silk, and alpaca ; neither man nor
woman was discernible • horses and carriages had
alike disappeared ; and only evidences of the
presenee of animal life were the refreshment
both!, from the existence of which a deeply phi-
losophical mind naturally inferred the propinquity
of beings capable of eating and drinking. Almost
the first horse to appear upon the course
WAX The Rake, who was ridden slowly down to
the stand accompanied by his trainer, on
horseback. The appearance of the crack excited
the greatest attention, and he was followed all
along the course by an eager multitude, who
crowded closely upon his heels. The son of Wild
Payroll, with true high breeding, displayed no
emotion, either of pleasure or dissatisfaction, at
these attentions. As he panned the stand he was
met by the other horses, who had been saddled in
the paddock, and soon every one was hard at
work, picking out and scrutinising, so far as the
opportunity offered, the horses which he most
fancied or most feared. Amongst those which
attracted the groa test attention after the Rake himself
were of course the favourite Vauban, Van Amburgh,
end Marksman. Plaudit did not show, being the
only one of the 30 coloured upon the card who was
absent. Early in the afternoon it was men-
tioned that he had been scratched, but when
it was remarked that his number was not
hoisted as that of a starter, there was some groan-
ing and. other manifestations of displeasure. After
a few preliminaries had been gone through the
horses proceeded in Indian file to Tattenham Corner,
from whence in the same order they can-
tered down. The backers of the favourites, Vau-
ban,Van Amburgh, the Rake, and Marksman, were
all well satisfied with their performances in this
prelude to the great struggle. Hermit had so few
friends, and those appeared so doubtful of his
*inning, that scarcely any one except those who had
been following the stable noticed how he acquitted
himself. Despite the loudly expressed opinion of
some of his opponents that he was laying his ears
back and already beginning to show his temper,
Marksman's style of going was such as greatly to
strengthen the confidence of his supporters.
Vauban went past the Stand like a staunch and
swift horse' and the smooth level action of the
Rake, who did not look at all like a horse who was
eufferuig from illness or accident, excited much
admiration. It was some time after three o'clock
before the horses went to the post, and there were
about a dozen false starts before they were got
away. During this time there was another
shower, and it seemed likely that the race
slurpF I be run in a storm of wind and snow.
Riowever, before the actual start, which did not take
Maas until about ten minutes to four o'clock, the
Om burst out, and continued to shine during
the short space of time that was occupied by the
contest. The race will be found fully described
below. As the horses rounded Tottenham Corner
Van Amburgh was leading, Vauban and Marksman
being only a short distance behind him, and the
Rake in the middle of the horses which immedi-
ately followed. Shortly afterwards Vauban went
to the front, and soon took the lead. Half way
down to the Stand the Rake appeared to be in trou-
ble, and shouts were raised that he was beaten.
For a moment, however he recovered himself,
and a counter cry was raised, " The Rake wine,"
but he failed to get through the horses that were in
front of him, and in the exciting contest which
followed he took no part. At the commence-
ment of the stands Marksman rushed past
Vauban, and for a time appeared to have the race
all his own way. The jockey of Hermit,
who had been riding very patiently, now
called upon his horse, and a rattling finish
between these two, who completely outpaced the
favourite, ended in the victory of Mr. Chaplin's
colt. The success of this hitherto rather unsuc-
cessful sportsman was hailed with a good deal of
cheering, among which was to be heard here and
there a sound, half scream half sob, telling a tale
of heavy loss, if not of absolute ruin.
The time occupied by the race, as taken by
Benison's chronograph, was as follows :—The start
was at 3h. 52m. 20sec. ; the arrival, 3h. 55m.