Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-23

about 8 O'Clock on that April morning he
told his wife that he a seen a strange
sight which meant either good or evil. It
was that Of a wild duck and wild drake
sitting on a quickest hedge. close by the
high road.
At the time wild Dayrell was born Pop
ham had little or no idea Of taking up
racing, so the following year he adver-
tised the colt for sale. Several offers were
privately made, especially after Dogebsrt,
by Ion, won the Chesterfield Stakes. and
Lord H.. Lennox sent his trainer TO look
at the colt. He bought wild Dayrell for
1900 In his 2-year-old career wild Day
rell was beaten a trial and he was sent to
Tattersalrs for sale. Popham bought him
back with another fnly for the reduced
figure Of 81, 15O. and thus rs Lord Beutinck
parted with Surpllco and Colonel Peel with
Kingston 80 did Lord Lennox part with a
Derby winner.
Training n Derby winner.
AS soon as wild Dayrell reached home
Popham decided that he would put him in
training at once. He refused to send the
colt to Russley for the preparation, but
gave Rickaby two miles Of ground on the
banks of the Kennel for the exercising
gallops. Rickaby generally led the gallops
On Zegra, a fast 5-year-old gelding, while
his son Tom had the leg up on the Derby
, candidate. People around the locality Of
Littlecote House laughed at the homely,
old fashioned way of training a Derby
horse, but Rickaby knew all about a horse
and he did as he saw fit.
The first public appearance of Wild Dey-
rell took place at the Newmarket first
October meeting, when he won a stake for
2-year-olds valued at S1,150. beating a
couple Of youngsters that had previously
shown good form. Being DESTROYS that his
colt should nave some coed trial animals
Popham bought a colt named Jack Shep-
herd for $500, and he leased another one
named Gamelad for six months. A couple
Of weeks before the Derby a trial took
place on Weathercock Hill. Wild Dayrell
carried 100 pounds and he was steered by
Sherwood, who rode him in the Derby, and
he ran clean away from his trial horses,
along with giving them a big allowance in
weight.
Close as the details Of the trial were
guarded 1t leaked out what Wild Dayrell
had done, and a week before the Derby
Popham was offered $4,000 not to start
the colt, This was scorned by Popham,
who said he would not give the honor Of
WiililuB Gl0 uGIby vi bCu NliitS Thu buAis
In the meantime Rickaby and the owner
kept a sharp lookout that nobody tempered
with the horse, and a force Of four trusty
retainers kept vigil on his box night and
day. Rickaby slept over his box every
night, while below were two men armed,
and with orders to shoot anyone who en-
tered the stall.
Won with Ease.
Never was a derby won with greater
ease than that of Wild Dayrell. He simply
c~artered with the field to Tottenham Cor
ner, where he drew ahead as IL the others
were standing still. Sherwood, who rode
him, did not quite carry out the owners
orders, for he was told not to hit the
colt with the whip except he was getting
beaten on the home stretch. When within
fifty yards or so of the post, and when
three of four lengths in front Sherwood,
out Of mere bravado, drew his whip and
let Wild Dayrell have a whistling cut of
it on the flank.
The unnecessary blow seemed to drive
the colt crazy on the instant, for he flew
in the air and went buck jumping across
the finish line and ran away across the
course. He went clean across the country
and was only stopped when he ran into
a white thorn hedge. 1t took some time
10 ulsentdnSle MIN out OF tne neoge' Wnere-
in he injured one of his legs, which gave
him trouble ever afterward, so the omen
of the wild ducks brought good and evil at
one and the same time.
The value of Wild Dayrell's derby was
25,875. At the stud he was not such a
great success. but he had the honor Of
perpetuating a strain which, If not the
s%toutest, is the most valuable variety Of
the thoroughbred. Wild Darrell was found
dead in his box on November q, 1870.