The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-24 00:00:00

THE DERBY OF 1869.

The "fall " of Pero Gomez, announced on Saturds9'
became more pronounced as the evening wore on. The
horse opened at 3 to 1, but rapidly declined to 9 to
one speculator offering 90 to 20 several times.
By midnight his case grew still worse. 7 to 1 1'794
laid against Lim at some of the West-end resorts ; Lut tho
trice was offered only in small sums. It is an explicable
fact that whilst the very long price of 7 to 1 was offered'
investors would have gladly backed the horse to tare.
amounts at much shorter figures. It appears from t's"
best accounts that Pero Gomez had been tried, accordid
to the usual custom, with Blue Gown. Pero Gomez 'O3
the trial, but pulled up lame immediately afterwards'
Another account states that he was beaten 'whil,,9l.
attempting to "get over" Blue Gown at 121 b., and br°';
down. But, up to Thursday, the accounts fr°l
training quarters were very favourable as to the doings °e
the horse. On Wednesday he cantered twice a mile and
half, and then Blue Gown and Rosicrucian led him a lierl
swift gallop of two miles. The Sportsman says the trio',
took place on Thursday, and though Pero Gomez defeat
his antagonists, he did not do all that was expected °'
him. On Friday he did work, but less than on the Pre; ,
ceding days. With regard to Belladrum, the " tonts;
say that he was never doing better work. There
nothing at Russley capable of leading him. He has Veen
ttP
doing the mi:e-and-three-quarter gallop all through d.
week, and has pulled up full of mettle. Some runaour9".,
ioe
to Pretender going wrong must be dismissed. /re
been doing abundance of work throughout the week. °,l:
Friday he galloped two miles, and on the preceding 12191 t
more. The watchers represent him to be in the higbe:t
state of perfection. There is nothing specially to 'Weil
of any of the other horses. Ladas is not spoken 'j.
of. Vagabond, Martyrdom, Perry Down, and
rS
worth have all kept up their exercise. pa
The Pall Mall Gazette estimates the position 94
:prospects of the various candidates in a very imrtOi
nisi
article. Belladrum, it remarks, has met with 'e
-everses. The reports of his roaming, unsoundness, sea
the like, were found to be false at Newmarket'
though very strangely jockeyed in the Two rrb°, ',i;
ts
sand, he managed to come in a very respec t
second. He ought to occupy a prorall3l,
position, both in the betting and in the r9c ;
Pero Gomez, on the other hand, is a more doubtful Ow
didate. He has won races without meeting witilloy
reverse, his health has never failed, and he "r
been wisely managed. But he is a very " three-c"
/ 11'
nered" animal to look at, and by no means ;
bred. It is true he won the Biennial at the Craven 1"
ea
ing easily enough, but even then his fetlock-joints 1040
very suspicious, and if the ground is hard between der
and Wednesday next he will cause his backers cous'"tio
able anxiety on the day of the race. Pretender is ;,3,
Pall Mall Gazette's especial admiration. He has 7,i;
Proved rapidly during the last few months, aticl
appearance on the day of the Two Thousand '',eo
magnificent. On public running he certainly' dc'er,:yo
the place he holds in the betting. He was not wor10"
death last year, and came out fresh for the great 07°1! of
April. There he had won the race almost at anY 139ry of
it. He beat Belladrum at the finish by the superioritl
his stamina and staying power, qualities which are esseicl
tial at Epsom, and which, in spite of what is often
to the contrary, are pretty well tried by the Rowley 1331b0
Ladas won every race for which he started last Ye9'l.'
,pr"-snenta were hut. rnna...o.to 'llll3'
of
Ethus is believed to have a very delicate constitutic'or
which prevents him from being thoroughly trained•
waldsen has no chance so long as Pretender, his sw,3vig
companion, keeps well. The Duke of Beaufort is ne'lle
enough, nor well-bred enough, to win the Derby.
Pall Mall concludes :—" There is every probabw p
that this year's Derby will be contested
very good field, both in quality and numbers, and to
duce a most exciting race. General opinion selli!tes,
point to the certain success of one of the three favoalco
but they are, nevertheless, in danger of a Caract9,,
springing from the outside division, of whom Martyrd°l;
The Drummer, and Perry Down are most consPiclo
Whatever be the result, we can congratulate the Ptitio
on the fact that, with two exceptions, the course 01 or
betting on the race has this year been more free fro'l3
picion than is usually the case."
THE " PROPHETS." they
Bell's Life pronounces for Pretender. Judged 11
'e y
best public form, it appears that Pretender, Pero GOhel
and Belladrum are justly entitled to the positions 1.'4
occupy. After the brilliant performance of Belladr9l3lS
the Two Thousand Guineas, it is impossible to dal wittit
"on paper" his chance of victory appears to be 9 -tbe
one. Rightly or wrongly, however, we have conic t° get
opinion that this magnificent colt will fail t° ich
quite home ; and, both fit and well, the DerbY 11°eciet
to our fancy, be reduced to a match between Pfete,:o
a o
and Pero Gomez. Between these two Bell's Life t" "A
there is very little to chose, but Pero Gomez is reperte-De
be in a most precarious state, and he must, therefore'
passed by. I.f t°
" Harkaway," in Land and Water, gives Pretell'dle
win, and Perry Down, Drummer, and Bosworth to strt/P
for second and third honours. ref°
The Field is of opinion that either Belladrum or
Gomez will win, Pretender being pretty certain to Se"
a place. 000
" Vigilant," of the Sportsman, throws over Belladliji,
of
the ground that lie does not think this horse cal33l„'-ipe%
staying. He expects to see Pretender and Pero "°,lOO
finish first and second, whilst Martyrdom is assign:
third position. VII
" Augur," in the Sporting Life, expects to see Pell o
or Pretender returned the winner, with Pero G°llle-
The Drummer fighting out the place battle. kt nt
It may be mentioned that the Paddock Ticienos,
Epsom is expected to be printed in Belladrum C°*-
This is regarded as a favourable omen.

LONDON BETTING.
rdai'
LONDON, ga'111" erg
Racing men assembled this afternoon in large 111'1111,1)
at each of the London sporting clubs, and some in3l)°•tti'lltio
speculation took place on the Derby, principallY the
Victoria,ch •in Wellington-street. Anticipation P°-130g11
to Pero Gomez, who, it was feared, after the r°-.0
thriesiaetflnyl.ent of the previous evening, might iroba.bly recel
quietus. But confidence was restored bl y a large.as,reaclise
lator having accepted 450 to 100 in one bet. J`-
at 9 t 43,7,
supported Pretender for upwards of £l,OOO
pwhile Belladrum was frequently invested on at 7 to %'
erry Down came with a rush at 16 to 1, but the nlre,l
wasin
n only of short duration, as he retired to 20 to I, elle it
thousands. Arartyrdom was knocked out to 50 to
his stable companion Border Knight, was backed tole ,t
large stake at 40 to 1, which was not Proeurali Die
the close of business. Morna was in great request for t t
Oaks, but the price offered— 3 to r---would not
sere
*ntending backers. Brigantine and Scottish Queen
01,
each backed for good money at 9 to 2, and finally 4 t_,Dy
was taken kindly about the latter. For the French
Gl3l Dc by
Consul and Glaneur had friends at 3 to 1 each, tod
at a point more.
rnej.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales retgoott
to town from Sandringham, Norfolk, on Saturday. oa
the Prince entered his carriage at Shoreditcb, he rece11:10.
4@oyc4Ce; _4llllglcs 14.§4001fi gil X 4 war alQ.Plat"