Evening star., 1923-06-04
British Derby, Soon Due, Long Held
Greatest of Worlds Horse Races
BY THE MARaUIsE DE FONrENoY

BY THE MARQUIsE DE FONTENOY.
If Lieut.. Gen. Sir John Burgoyne.
who brought his military career to a
somewhat inglorious close with the
memorable surrender of the British
forces under his command TO Gen.
Gates at Saratoga in 1913, had not. as
young subaltern, made a runaway
marriage with Lady Charlotte Stan
ley, daughter of the eleventh Earl of
Derby, IT is more than probable that
there would have been no Oaks and
above all no Derby. The latter,
which is universally recognized as
the greatest OF all horse races, takes
place the day after tomorrow and the
Oaks just twenty-four hours later.
The pre-eminince of the Derby s the
blue ribbon of the international turf
is acknowledged by sporting men in
every part of the world. and the am
bition of every race horse owner in
England and in foreign countries is
to win at least once in his life this
most historic of all prizes. That is
why American, French. ltallan-ano
before the great war also Austrian
dl
each year among those for the DERBY.
On several occasions it has been won
by American stables, notably by
Pierre Lorillard with Iroquots IN
1881, by the late William c. whitney
with Volodyovski in 1901. by the late
Richard Croker with Orby in 1907,
and by II. B. Duryea in 1913 with
Aboyeur.
Derby is the name which has been
given to the principal race meetings
in a number of foreign countries, but
there is none that can compare In
spectacular or sportive interest. and
in importance with meeting whlch
will take place Wednesday on EPSON
Downs It is a race which has, be-
come of such national and interna-
tional interest that the Legislative
business of the British empire at
Westminster comes to- a virtual
standstiA; that most OF the courts OF
justice arrange to adjourn, and that
business on the stock exchange is TO
all. intents and purposes suspended.
Great bankers and judges of the
highest tribunals and legislators
from both houses of parliament. for
eign ambassadors and great Englisn
statesmen always will be found
gathered at EPSON Wednesday.
where on more than one occasion the
prime minister. and twice the then
Prince of Wales, and in 1903 the late
King Edward himself, have even been
seen leading in his horse as the VIC
tor of the race.
.-"- @"k X *R
OF course. everybody is aware that
the Derby owes. its name and its
origin to the twelfth Earl of Derby.
Two race meetings were held on
EPSON Downs as far back as In
the reign of James l, who was de-
voted to the sport. and there used
likewise in olden times to be a race
meeting known as the. Derby stakes
held in the Isle of Man, of which the
Earls of Derby were not mereIy Lne
owners, but also the sovereign rulers.
There was no connection, however,
between the Earls of Derby and the
EPSON Downs until a young penni-
less captain of the guards, John Bur-
goyne, natural SON of the spend-
thrift Lord Bingley, made at Gretna
Green a runaway marriage with
Lady Charlotte Stanley, daughter OF
the eleventh Earl of Derby. Jack
B,irgoyne and his bride went, after
their marriage. to live in an inn in
the little parish of Woodmansterne,
known as the Oaks, situated on the
Downs. 1t had originally been a
hunting lodge owned by the Lam
berts, who were lords of the manor in
those days. 1t bore the name Of
LAMBERT OdkS, OWiHS " INC
of majestic of that kind by
which it was surrounded. At the time
of Burgoyne's marriage the Oaks had
become the village inn. So delighted
were the young couple with the place
that Burgoynet bought 1t, and. with
out demolishing the T., old hosiery,
commenced to build on It a country
house. of the ETizabethan order OF
architecture. .s..A.'> ss~F
BY the time it had been completed
the Burgoynes found themselves in
volvedH in pecuniary difficulties and
a reconciliation in the meanwhile
having been effected with Lord
Derby, he took over the Oaks and
the several. hundred acres of ground
by which 1t, was, surrounded in order
to prevent it's passing into the hands
of, strangers. He became much at
tached to the. place, spent much Of
his time there, and, gave a large fete
champetre there on the 9th OF June,