The Washington herald., 1908-05-31
HISTORY OF DERBY

less than three times, remains on record
as having been steward OF the Jockey
Club to whom was intrusted the eYtra...--
" unpleasant duty OF intinatine n The
then Prince Of Wales. afterward George
~, that in consequence OF certain shady
transactions in which the trainer and the
managers Of his royal highness' racing
stables, and the jockeys in his employ.
had become involved. they would be from
thenceforth warned off" Newmarket
Heath. which meant that virtually every
reputable race course would be closed
to them.
The Prince OF Wales, who had previous
ly won the Derby Of 17ss with a horse
called Sir Thomas. virtually severed his
connection with the turf after this noti-
/ heation rom Sir Charles Banbury. and
though toward the end Of his reign he be-
came reconciled to the Jockey Club. and
entertained its members at dinner on the
day Of the Derby meeting. yet he never
resumed racing Nor was il until more
than 100 years later that the Derby was
again won by a British heir apparent.
namely. in 1886. with PersimmOn, by q
prince whose career OF we'll nigh forty
years on the turf had been absolutely
lree from any reprOach. and untarnished
by even the faintest breath Of suspicion.
and whose devotion 20 this great national
sport has been Of such an enthusiastic
and useful character that his victories
are always hailed with universal salts
faction, and treated as II they were a
subject for public rejoicing.
7f@
has IN no sense diminished his fondnaec
for racing. He still keeps I'd splendid
stables al Sandringham and Newmarket.
breeding his own race horses. and has on
two occasions won the Derby while stil
Prince Of Wales, once with Persimmon.
IN 1896, as / have already mentioned. and
( in 1900 with Diamond Jubilee.
Queen Victoria, 10 the best OF my recol-
lection, only visited the Derby once.
namely, in 1S4o. when she drove down
to Epson with the prince consort But
King Edward has rarely missed a Derby
since he came Of age, and by his inaug,i-
ration Of the practice. previous TO his
accession 20 the throne, Of taking his con
sort and his daughters 70 the race. has
managed 10 vastly improve the tone OF
the meetings. In fact. while the Derby
lacks the relative excIusiveness Of Ascot.
GoOdwOod. and SandOwn. which are after
AL more or less private courses. and is
in every sense a popular affair, yet much
OF the rowdiness which formerly marred
the enjoyment of the race and which was
so graphically portrayed in the famous
picture Of the spectacle painted by the
Royal Academician Firth in 1856, has van
ished.
Indeed, until King Edward. as heir ap-
parent. commenced taking his wife and
daughters 10 the race. ladies' kept away
from the Derby. and Queen Victoria's
solitary visit in 1910 was regarded as
something altogether extraordinary. and
at the time did not meet with public ap-
proval
In conclusion, It may be mentioned that
England is probably the only country in
the world where horse racing is an aid
in lieu Of a bar 20 political preferment.
Lord ROseberys prowess on the turf
contributed in no small degree TO his
success as statesman. His racing stable
helped him 10 the premiership OF the en-
pire. and once established in that Of
fee his winning two successive Derbies.
win A@oAAo anu DaL lStos Vastly llcTeaS-
ed his hold upon the good will OF his fell
low-countrymen, and his Importance in
their eyes. as a brilliant minister OF the
Crown.
1t is difficult indeed, for foreigners 10
realize the extent 70 which the English
people are interested in the sport Of
horse racing in general, and. above all. in
the Derby. Indeed. in the wilds OF Can
ada, in the plans OF British India. In the
jungle and the forests OF the Dark Con-
tinent, UP in the highest regions OF the
Rocky Mountains in this country. and OF
the Andes in South America. the first
question that will be invariably put dur
ing the next two or three months BY even
the most woe-begone, abandoned. and
altogether God-forsaken EugIishman
whom one may happen TO encounter. will
be Is 70 who has won the Derby?'
Copyright. 1905. by the Brentwood CompauyJ