Gloucester County Democrat., 1908-12-31
TALES Or THE DERBY.
Mysteries of the Famous Classic
of the English Turf.
A SCHEME THAT WENT WRONG
The Plot to Rob Teddinston Of the Blue
Ribbon In 1s5t--Leander's Missing
Head-A Dramatic Episode-Win-
ners Foretold In Dreams.

|
ners Foretold In Dreams.
IF it were possible to write the full
and true history of the Derby it would
contain some startling revelations of
strange doings behind the scenes of
which the public has little suspicion
and no actual knowledge.
There is, for instance, little doubt
that very different tale would have
been told of Teddington's Derby but
for the prompt action Of his wide
awake owner. Sir Joseph Hawley.
When the Kentish baronet attended
the York spring meeting Of 1851 f.
was amazed TO find the bookmakers
against his colt, who was looked on as
a certain winner of the blue ribbon a
few weeks later Sir Joseph at once
| scented mischief and, leaving the
course, he travelled as fast as relays
of swift horses could take him to his
training quarters, where he communi-
Gated his suspicious to Alec Taylor, his
| trainer
AS the result of their deliberations
Teddington was at once removed to
another box, placed under the charge
OF a different boy and a strict watch
kept over him night and day What
| ever scheme was on foot to disable the
horse was thus effectually checked
lTeddington soon resumed his place as
| first favorite in the betting and, as ev-
erybody expected, won the Derby with
ease.
| Another mystery which has not been
solved to this day is associated with
| Leander and that memorable Derby of
| 1871 1t was more than suspected that
Leander was a four-year-old, but there
was not sufficient evidence on which
| to base an objection to his running. In
the race his fetlock was broken by a
kick from Running Rein, and he was
| effectually placed hors de combat. He
was shot and buried. but when party
| of sportsmen who wished to test their
| suspicious dug up his body at dead of
night they found that the head. which
| alone could settle the matter, was gone
Rattan, the second favorite for this
race. was made safe by cunningiy
| 1t was never discovered. and, to crown
/ this Derby as the most shady and
! fraudulent on record. Running Rein
who came in first, was found to be
none other than Maccabeus, four
year-old. and thus an impostor of the
/ first water But when it became neces-
sary to produce the horse for an ex-
animation by experts it was found that
he. like Leander.s telltale head, had
been spirited away,
| In connection with Running Rein, by
the way, dramatic story is told. A
| Captain Osborne had backed Orlando
/ for a very heavy sum, and when Run
] with the alternative of blowing out
his brains or being declared a default
er. He was Just on the point of choos
| ing death rather than dishonor when 4
| note was placed in his hand. Run
ming Rein" ran the missiye, which
was from friendly tout, lis an in
/ postor, and he won't get the Derb;
stakes. Buy up all the bets on Orlando
you can get, and you will make for
/ tune.'
The captain put away his revolveH.
| followed the tout's advice and, instead
! of providing work for the undertaken
found himself f1sO00 III pocket.
Few horses have ever started a ho.
ter favorite for the Derby than Nc
/ Gregor in 1870 So rosy were hi:
chances that odds of 8 to 4 were laiE
ON him to an enormous amount. ans
the money was considered as good 9:
| won To the CONSERVATION, however
| of his hackers. he seemed unable Il
/ move freely in the race and finished q
bad fourth behind horses who were
not i'll the same century with him
There was no doubt whatever that
| Macgregor had been ,lrugged, but who
the rascal was who did the dastardi
trick is as much a mystery today as Il
was at the time.
II Is VI tHlS Face that tue 1oiioN iHs-
remarkable story is told: During the
night before the race a jockey called
Swift saw the finish of the Derby in =
dream. He saw kingcraft, which he
recognized, pass the post a winner by
length and half, followed By II
dark brown horse which he could moi
identify and with AIaegregor the f;i
vorite, bad fourth In spite Of the
jeering of his friends, to whom he told
the story, he backed Kingcraft for
every sovereign he could raise, aud. 70
his delight as to the disgust of the
scoffers he saw his dream exactly re-
produced-the favorite badly beaten
and the tlespised Kingcraft winning Il
small fortune for him.
Even more remarkable is story of
4 That great Derby race of 1862, won by